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The Pittsburgh Steelers did something in this week that they haven’t done in recent NFL drafts. They filled a glaring hole in the opening round. That’s not to say their recent picks haven’t added something to the team, but they were value picks rather than selections based on need.
It was unclear what the Steelers would do when they were on the clock at No. 25 after the top couple of cornerbacks were already off the board. The New York Giants reached for Eli Apple at No. 10 and William Jackson III was taken by the Cincinnati Bengals just one pick before Pittsburgh. It didn’t take long for the Steelers to lock in their pick as they selected the University of Miami‘s Artie Burns.
The 6-foot tall, 193-pound corner is still very raw but is tall for his position and has world-class speed. His value was all over the place and varied from team to team. Mel Kiper Jr. ranked Burns seventh on his top-ten list of corners that could be a good fit in Pittsburgh. The Steelers took him over Mackensie Alexander and Kendall Fuller, who Kiper had ahead of Burns in his projections. It’s a controversial pick, though Burns is someone who has the potential to be a top two or three corner in this draft.
Pittsburgh continued to add to the secondary in the second round when they selected Maryland defensive back Sean Davis. This is a fantastic pick because of Davis’ versatility. He played corner last season but also has previous experience at safety — both positions of need for the Steelers. He’s another raw player with tremendous upside.
The Steelers haven’t had a standout player at defensive tackle since Casey Hampton and they addressed that as well on the second day of the draft when they took South Carolina State‘s Javon Hargrave. At 6-foot-1, 309 pounds, he has great size for the position. He’s explosive and is said to be one of the most disruptive interior lineman in the class.
The best value pick that the Steelers made was in the final round when they selected Temple‘s Tyler Matakevich 246th overall. The former walk-on was expected to be taken sooner, but fell right into Pittsburgh’s lap. It’s difficult for any seventh-rounder to make the final roster, but his collegiate accomplishments speak for themselves.
They also picked up offensive lineman Jerald Hawkins, linebacker Travis Feeney and wide receiver DeMarcus Ayers in the middle rounds. Ayers was taken to add depth, following the year-long suspension of Martavis Bryant.
It seems Pittsburgh addressed key areas of need as they prepare for another Super Bowl run.
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