| Michael Milliron. 25th April, 2008 - 6:01 pm
 The Pittsburgh Steelers’ Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin will conduct another draft this Saturday on the South Side of Pittsburgh. It will be their second draft together; “Part Deux,” if you will. Last season’s haul played to mixed reviews. First round pick Lawrence Timmons, an OLB at Florida State did not make an impact and has already been switched to ILB, where it is hoped he will compete for a starting job in 2008.
Second rounder LaMarr Woodley out of Michigan made a nice transition from DE to OLB and has the look of a future Pro Bowler. The surprising pick of TE Matt Spaeth from Minnesota yielded a few TD's early in the year, and he will be an effective complement to starter Heath Miller for years to come.
As has become the norm, the Steelers' second day picks failed to make much of an impression outside of fourth rounder Daniel Sepulveda, the punter out of Baylor. He flashed Pro Bowl potential even though he seemed to get a tired leg as the season wore on. For a team like the Steelers that builds through the draft, they need to start hitting on some second day picks that can eventually become quality starters.
Tomlin had a good rookie year as head coach, but this year, the Steelers' draft needs are aplenty after a season in which they faded down the stretch and were out-muscled in their opening round playoff loss at home to the Jacksonville Jaguars - at home. Colbert and Tomlin have been putting on an offseason spin in saying they have no glaring needs and will draft the best available players regardless of position.
They have said the only positions they will not take in the first round are QB and tight end. This rhetoric opens up the possibility of them going OL, RB, WR, DL, LB, and DB. The Steelers could use another good running back to complement Willie Parker and / or provide more of a power capability. Ben Roethlisberger stated his desire to have a big receiver to enhance the passing attack. Star defensive end Aaron Smith is 32, and the defense definitely declined after his injury last year. The first two picks were LB's last year, but the Steelers can never have enough LB's. The secondary allowed the highest avg. per completion in the whole league last year despite the defense finishing first in the NFL in total yards allowed.
So, in reality they could take any of those positions in round one, get a good player, and fill a need. However, the true reality is that the Steelers achieved their offseason priority when Roethlisberger signed a long term extension worth $102 million. He is the franchise, and unless the Steelers stabilize and improve their offensive line now and into the future, Roethlisberger may as well just start riding his motorcycle without a helmet again.
The fact is that the Steelers have three potential FA tackles after the ’08 season: Marvel Smith, Max Starks, and Trai Essex. Smith is an aging former Pro Bowler who has developed back problems. He is still a good player, but can the Steelers re-sign him if he has a good year? What will they offer him if he has a mediocre year? No one can know right now.
Starks lost his starting job at RT to Willie Colon last year, who now may be moved to guard. Starks played pretty well down the stretch when injuries occurred and was signed as a transition player for a whopping $6,895,000 salary for 2008, a move made almost out of desperation. The Steelers still may sign Starks to a long term deal and avoid his big 2008 salary, but being beaten out last year by a player they are now looking to put at guard is not a ringing endorsement, by any means.
Essex is a former third round pick who has not won a starting job to this point in his career. The Steelers think he did okay late in the year with Smith out, but the Steelers were definitely out-muscled in the trenches with Essex manning left tackle.
Besides the uncertainty at tackle, future Hall of Fame guard Alan Faneca followed the free agent dollars to New York with the Jets. The Steelers do not have an obvious replacement. Free-agent-to-be Chris Kemoeatu will get the first shot at left guard. Last year’s free agent signee at center Sean Mahan was a flop and will have to improve just to make the team this year after the team signed Carolina Panthers' cast off center Justin Hartwig, who can only be an upgrade.
Not only do the Steelers need offensive linemen, this is a good draft for them especially at tackle. As many as seven or eight could go in the first round. Michigan’s Jake Long has already signed with the Miami Dolphins as the first overall pick of the 2008 Draft. There will be more first round tackles to follow, and the Steelers should nab one because they really need one, and there will be a good one available, likely the best player on the board.
Here is a fantasy draft for the Steelers this year:
Round 1., pick # 23 – Jeff Otah, OT, Pittsburgh – Not a finished product by any means, but a player whose best football is in front of him. Otah is mammoth at 6’6”, 339 lbs. He had difficulty even playing out of a three point stance as a junior but continued his development as a senior, leading the way for true freshman LeSean “Shady” McCoy to break Tony Dorsett’s Pitt freshman record with 1,375 yards. Otah showed very well when matched up against Virginia’s Chris Long, sometimes manhandling him. While he may not start right away, Otah could be a fixture at LT by 2009 and well into the future.
Round 2., pick # 53 – Charles Godfrey, CB, Iowa – He, like Otah, has his best football in front of him. Godfrey needs to be coached up technically, breaking on the ball and receiver better in man and zone coverage respectively. However, he is a physical marvel at about 6’0” tall and 207 lbs. He is the type of physical player that can thrive for the Steelers in run support; they may play more two deep coverage as Tomlin puts more of his imprint on the Steeler defense. Godfrey also has great speed running sub 4.4s in workouts. Tomlin would love to have him in the fold as Bryant McFadden will be a FA after 2008 and the aging Deshea Townsend may be moved to free safety.
Round 3. pick # 88 – Kendall Langford, DE, Hampton – If he played at a BCS school, he would never make it out of the second round. Langford has a large frame at nearly 6’6” and could effectively add to his 275 lbs. His height will be an asset as a 3-4 end, but he also has the off the ball quickness to be a solid inside pass rusher, moving to defensive tackle in nickel and dime situations. The Steelers re-signed veteran ends Nick Eason and Travis Kirschke for depth, but a young player has to be developed that can either spell or replace Aaron Smith. Langford has the tools for the job.
Round 4. pick # 123 – Barry Richardson, OT, Clemson – Like Otah, is a huge man at 6’6”, 330 lbs. and may be able to add more quality weight. He started at left tackle for over three years in college in a major conference against good defensive linemen. Richardson has long arms and huge hands that will suit him well as he moves to right tackle for the Steelers. He is a lot like Starks, but younger with a much lower price tag. If Richardson can get a little nastier on the next level, watch out.
Round 5. pick # 156 – Darrelle Robertson, OLB, Georgia Tech – It is practically etched in stone that the Steelers try to find a pass rusher in every draft, usually a college DE that they try to convert to OLB in their 3 – 4 defense. It is an inexact science to say the least with a long list of failures including Alonzo Jackson and Nathaniel Adibi, to name a couple. However, Robertson really fits the mold at 6’4”, 247 lbs. He won’t need to bulk up to play OLB for the Steelers. Robertson is a gifted pass rusher. He has great agility but will have to adjust his style somewhat to be an effective blitzer at LB. The Steelers need some depth at OLB with Timmons moving inside and he can improve the special teams and be a situational pass rusher.
Round 6. pick # 188 – Lance Leggett, WR, Miami (Fla.) – Big Ben gets his big receiver, even if he is a project. Leggett is 6’3”, but only 190 lbs. and needs to add bulk to his frame. One of the most sought after prep athletes in the country when he arrived at Miami in 2004. Leggett is an outstanding athlete who is also a hurdler on the Hurricane track team. He ran sub 4.5s in workouts. Right now, a better athlete than football player, but he has all the tools to develop into a playmaker. Leggett was inconsistent in college, but mainly due to bad QB play at The U during his stay. He is a sleeper who could eventually supplant Hines Ward opposite Santonio Holmes and be a weapon in multi – receiver sets in the meantime.
Round 7. pick # 232 – Traded to Atlanta for Allen Rossum, KR / CB. Rossum was released this offseason.
The Steelers can contend in 2008, regardless of what happens in the draft. Early cute picks like a playmaking third receiver or good backup running back that could make big plays to help the team this season would definitely help. However, if the Steelers do not address their future in the trenches, they could fall back to being a 6 – 10 team or worse in 2009. The best bet is to draft for the future, albeit not too distant with their premium picks, an area in which the Steelers have proven their mettle over the years. |
