Monday, February 17, 2025, 11:30AM |  22°
MENU
Advertisement
James Conner waits as his name is about to be called by the Steelers during a draft party at Buffalo Wild Wings in Erie, Pa.
1
MORE

Paul Zeise: The Steelers drafted very wisely

Matt Freed/Post-Gazette

Paul Zeise: The Steelers drafted very wisely

Grades for each team are among the most meaningless byproducts of any draft. Nobody can predict injuries, career lengths or how well players will transition to the pros. The only way to evaluate a draft the day after it happens is to look at how well a team filled its short and long-term needs.

That’s why I love what the Steelers did in the draft. Mike Tomlin and Kevin Colbert deserve an A, if we were grading, because they addressed so many needs. The Steelers picked up a few players who can help them next season and a few with high upside who could develop into something special in the future.

There was wide-ranging debate on whether the Steelers should draft a quarterback early, or at all. Ben Roethlisberger fueled the debate with some postseason comments about needing time to evaluate if he was going to keep playing. The Steelers were said to be flirting with the idea of drafting a quarterback high in the draft, had other more pressing needs and opted not to take a quarterback early. That’s why Tennessee’s Joshua Dobbs, in the fourth round, was a perfect pick.

Advertisement

The Steelers didn’t waste a high pick on a developmental player but also didn’t pick some stiff who has no chance to become a starter. Dobbs has NFL size (6 feet, 3 inches), arm strength and athleticism. However, he does need to work on his accuracy and footwork. He may never pan out but also has the tools to be very good. The Steelers got their developmental quarterback but used only a fourth-round pick to do it. That’s smart drafting.

Zach Mettenberger served as the Steelers' third-string QB in 2016.
Ray Fittipaldo/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Steelers release QB Zach Mettenberger

It would have been foolish for the Steelers not to acquire a receiver who can help immediately. They can’t trust Martavis Bryant, no matter how many times he says he learned his lesson, and Sammie Coates is way too inconsistent. JuJu Smith-Schuster will be a very good slot receiver — he’s 6-foot-2, physical and a good blocker. He may not be a starter but he will help the Steelers next season.

I wasn’t crazy about T.J. Watt, the Steelers’ first-round selection, because there were other available players who could turn into something better. Watt will be a good NFL player, maybe not a great one, but he has an extreme work ethic and a high motor. Those players generally pan out, and Watt fills the Steelers’ need for a rushing outside linebacker. He tallied 11½ sacks last season at Wisconsin but may need a little bit of time to adjust to the Steelers’ scheme.

The Steelers filled another glaring need, cornerback, with another high-risk, high-reward player — Tennessee’s Cameron Sutton — in the third round. He probably would have been drafted higher had he not lost half of the 2016 season with an ankle injury. The Steelers added another corner in the fifth round — Utah’s Brian Allen. He’s a classic late-round pick, with good speed and athleticism but a need for improvement on technique and tackling. If the Steelers can develop him, he has the raw physical tools to succeed.

Advertisement

Louisville long snapper Colin Holba was a curious sixth-round pick on the surface, but current long snapper Greg Warren is old (35) and expensive ($1.08 million in 2017). Drafting Holba was a smart move to become younger and cheaper at that spot.

We could look back on this draft and say it was a total bust, but we won’t know for a few years. Therefore, we can only judge it on how well the picks line up with what the Steelers need. That’s why I love this class — the Steelers appear to have made themselves better for 2017 and beyond.

First Published: May 1, 2017, 5:57 p.m.

RELATED
Pitt kicker Chris Blewitt
Alex Iniguez
Steelers invite Pitt kicker Chris Blewitt to rookie minicamp
SHOW COMMENTS (0)  
Join the Conversation
Commenting policy | How to Report Abuse
If you would like your comment to be considered for a published letter to the editor, please send it to letters@post-gazette.com. Letters must be under 250 words and may be edited for length and clarity.
Partners
Advertisement
Shoppers walk into Salem’s Market on Centre Avenue in the Hill District Sunday, Feb. 16, 2025. Sunday was the final day for the Hill District location.
1
business
On the last day of Salem's Market in the Hill District before its temporary closure, Pittsburghers reflect
Citing the substance's risks, the FDA in late 2023 issued a public safety alert warning that consumers "should not purchase or use any Neptune’s Fix products, or any other product with tianeptine."
2
news
‘Gas station heroin’ arises as a new threat
3
news
Medicaid on the chopping block: Proposed cuts threaten coverage of vulnerable Pennsylvanians
In this March 1933, file photo, President Franklin D. Roosevelt delivers his first radio "fireside chat" in Washington.
4
opinion
David M. Shribman: Is Donald Trump another Washington, Roosevelt, Trump?
Novo Asian Food Hall on Thursday May 23, 2024, Strip District.  (John Colombo/For the Post-Gazette)
5
news
Legal battle stirs the pot at Novo Asian Food Hall
James Conner waits as his name is about to be called by the Steelers during a draft party at Buffalo Wild Wings in Erie, Pa.  (Matt Freed/Post-Gazette)
Matt Freed/Post-Gazette
Advertisement
LATEST sports
Advertisement
TOP
Email a Story