Steelers Draft, Character, Looking Local

The NFL offseason is underway and as we prepare for combines, free agency, and the draft Steelers season never officially ends. We’ll be busy looking around for mentions of your Black & Gold so we’ve got you covered. Here’s your Steelers Morning Huddle for Friday, Feb. 20^th.

Don’t call it a cornerback just yet

Gerry Dulac of the PPG explains that the Steelers drafting a cornerback in the first round, or at all, might not be a definite. The Steelers GM Kevin Colbert has acknowledged the team needs to continue to get better and younger on defense, and that Cortez Allen needs to get his crap together, so to speak.

However, the Steelers aren’t going into the draft thinking specific positions but rather whose available and how they could improve the team.

"“If there’s a great offensive player who can make us average 27 points instead of the 24 we averaged last year, maybe we don’t have to be as good on defense. We always want to be open in making sure we are taking good players at any position.” – Kevin Colbert"

Character Shmaracter

The NFL’s head coaches and GM’s are in Indianapolis for the NFL Scouting Combine giving interviews and evaluations to potential draft picks. To sound nice and PC they’re giving a lot of sound bites about how important it is to consider a player’s “character” in the draft process.

Mike Prisuta explains how some coaches and GM’s take pause at a player with an arrest record or other “off-the-field issues” but it’s really just lip service. An NFL team would draft a guy who beats his girlfriend while driving drunk and smoking marijuana if they think they can win a Super Bowl with him and spin his selection into a positive PR piece.

Look local

The Steelers could be in the market for a tight end in this year’s draft and that search could lead them to their own back yard. Mark Kaboly of the Trib points out that the Steelers could fill their tight end needs with someone who grew up just dahn the street. South Allegheny’s Jesse James declared for the NFL Draft with a year of eligibility still left at Penn State, but his 6’7”, 260-lb stature could make him an intriguing pick.

James isn’t known to be the best blocker, but could develop more over time as he could very well be still categorized as raw at this point. But, the Steelers did take the time to interview James at the Combine, according to Kaboly.

Next: Steelers Unsigned Free Agents: Tight Ends

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