Pittsburgh Steelers Select Pitt RB James Conner in Third Round

The Pittsburgh Steelers select running back, James Conner, in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft.

The hometown hero, James Connor, stays in the Steel City as the 105th overall pick in 2017 NFL Draft. The Pittsburgh Steelers were hoping to keep the Pitt product at home, and they did just that while adding depth to a needed running back position.

From cancer survivor to NFL Draftee, Conner has one of the best stories in the 2017 NFL Draft. As one of the best running backs to ever come through the University of Pittsburgh, Conor finished his career with 3,733 yards and 52 touchdowns.

The explosive hard-hitting back is perfect for the Steelers. As Le’Veon Bell’s compliment, Conner will be needed in the ground and pound game between the tackles. Used primarily as a third down back, Conner will head to Pittsburgh as their backup option for short yardage situations with big play ability.

The Steelers knew they needed to draft a running back at some point in this draft, and were hoping to keep Conner at home. Luckily, he was sitting there when the 105th pick came around and the Steelers jumped on the opportunity.

Now, he’ll come into the offseason as the first backup in the backfield behind Bell and in front of Kniles Davis. How much productivity he’ll receive his rookie season will be a mystery, but chances are he’s going to have an impact on the team moving forward.

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