Week 1 of the NFL Season for the Pittsburgh Steelers. James Connor looked solid and could play a part in becoming Le'Veon Bell's (who, if you've been living under a rock, has gone AWOL) long-term replacement. Jesse James looked like nothing more than a solid backup, Ben Roethlisberger threw wildly, and the defense was surprisingly good. Oh, yeah, and the Steelers tied with the Browns. The Cleveland Browns.
Round 1: Mack Wilson, ILB (Alabama)
The Steelers find their long-term replacement for Ryan Shazier with the Wilson pick. Wilson plays instinctively and offers a mix of physicality and speed the Steelers haven't had since Shazier. He's solid in coverage and is able to fight off blockers, though he is still raw and may require some refining.
Round 2: Michael Jackson, CB (Miami)
Jackson is an inconsistent, but very high-upside CB out of Miami. Steelers stick to their best player available strategy and take the CB to replace either Joe Haden (if he shows signs of aging) or Artie Burns (if he continues to struggle). Jackson is a large boundary corner with the ability to make tackles and even stop the run. He is excellent in zone coverage, making him the perfect fit for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Round 3 (1 of 2): Myles Gaskin, RB (Washington)
The Steelers will take a hard look at L.J. Scott, a large power back out of Michigan State, but go with Gaskin instead. Connor, Ridley, and Samuels all offer size and some power, but none offer the fluidity, speed, and quickness that Gaskin does. He can play a Darren Sproles-esque role in a rotation with the other backs, and his elusiveness is something no one else on the roster can offer.
Round (2 of 2) (Predicted Compensatory): Michael Jordan, G/C (Ohio State)
Jordan is a powerful run-blocking offensive lineman for Ohio State, through his footwork needs some work and he is not the best in pass protection. With the help of Mike Munchak, he should be able to sort those things out and live up to his potential. With Maurkice Pouncey and Ramoun Foster aging, and B.J. Finney and Matt Feiler being Free Agents by the end of the year, the Steelers take an interior offensive lineman to possibly be a long-term replacement.
Round 4: Isaac Nauta, TE (Georgia)
Nauta is a physical specimen who can run and catch, but also has some upside as a blocker. Steelers love TEs who are good blockers, and Nauta could be a solid piece alongside Vance McDonald, who has struggled with injuries and has been inconsistent in the past. If they retain McDonald and Jesse James, the Steelers may even begin looking at more 2-TE sets.
Round 6 (1 of 2): Lil'Jordan Humphrey, WR (Texas)
Humphrey is a big-bodied receiver who can replace either the terribly incontinent, but high-upside Justin Hunter, or the special teams-limited Derrius Heyward-Bey. He can, at 6'4, 220, be a redzone threat who can out-muscle conerbacks on fade routes in the endzone. Big Ben loves big receivers, but hasn't really had one since Martavis Bryant, who didn't offer much in the redzone.
Round 6 (2 of 2): Andrew Van Ginkel, OLB (Wiconsin)
Bud Dupree has been a question mark. And so has Anthony Chickillo. They both are inconsistent, but have potential. They excel in pass coverage, but lack the skills to be a consistent threat as a pass rusher. Ola Adeniyi and Keion Adams, on the other hand, are dominant pass rushers, but don't have the athleticism to cover well. Van Ginkel looks to be more of a coverage linebacker to replace Chickillio (who only has a year left on his contract), but he offers some upside as a pass rusher. He doesn't offer much as a pass rusher, but with a good bit of coaching, he could see vast improvement.
Round 7 (1 of 2): Wes Hills, RB (Slippery Rock)
Steelers here take an almost unheard of, small-school local kid here. They add another piece to the RB rotation and get a guy with much more talent then he is given credit for. He has great size at 6-2, 218, and the Steelers have been known to have a liking for bigger backs. He will challenge Ridley for a spot on the roster.
Round 7 (2 of 2): Austin Seibert, P (Oklahoma)
The Steelers are finally done with the crazy inconsistent Jordan Berry. Seibert's averages at 42.3 yards in 2017, and 41.1 yards in 2016, are not great, but with Baker Mayfield and Rodney Anderson consistently moving the ball down the field, Seibert was more concerned about pinning opposing teams deep rather than kicking it far.
UDFA Class:
Brad Mayes, QB (Lehigh) - Mayes is a small school QB with tremendous upside. He could stick around on the Steelers practice squad for some time, and potentially even nudge Josh Dobbs for his spot. More likely, though, he is just another QB who can get some reps, run with the 4's, and chill on the PS.
Daniel Imatorbhebhe, TE (USC) - Imatorbhebhe is another very high-upside player, as he showed a lot of potential as a freshman, but has been unable to play due to injuries. He offers some upside and depth to the position for the Steelers. Xavier Grimble and Jesse James are FA's in 2019, so, even with the Nauta pick, the Steelers could use another TE on the roster.
Alec Eberle, C (FSU) - Eberle played on what has been a horrible offensive line for Florida State. He was the only real bright spot on the O-line, though he a lot of room to improve. He is more of a pure center than Michael Jordan, so he could potentially try to make the roster as a backup center.
Ryan Bee, DT (Marshall) - Bee, at 6'7, is nothing more than competition for Dan McCullers. They will fight for the NT spot, though McCullers will likely take the starting job. "Big" Dan McCullers is a free agent at the end of the season, so bringing someone else on does make sense.
Clifton Duck, CB (App. State) - Duck, at 5-10, 175, projects to be nothing more than a slot corner. But with his tremendous ball skills (12 INTs, 14 breakups over the last 2 years) he could have a real contribution. A transition to Wide Receiver is not out of the picture.
Nik Needham, CB (UTEP) - Needham is another shorter CB at 6-0, but is solid in zone and has major potential. He's a good technician who impresses at the line of scrimmage. He could fight for a spot in the slot, or, even challenge Coty Sensebaugh, another 2019 Free Agent, for his spot.
