Steelers: Draft prospect visits cementing team focus on Secondary
By Remy Retro
Two more defensive backs visit with Steelers, a clear sign they are focused on the Secondary.
Yesterday the Steelers hosted four more potential draftees, two being Safeties, one Cornerback and an Offensive Tackle. With six out of nine prospect visits so far this year being defensive backs it is demonstrative of the team’s focus on the Secondary.
The two Safety visits were with Florida’s Keanu Neal and Boise State’s Darian Thompson. Both players look to be second round projections, however, Neal is graded by many to go late in the first round.
The Steelers hold the 25th pick and the consensus seems to be that they will go with a Cornerback at that spot. The team, as they do every year will take the highest player on their board so while the guess-work is fun, predicting draft picks is a very inexact science.
The team also has a strong need at Nose Tackle but many including GM Kevin Colbert are saying that this is the deepest draft class for interior linemen in many years. Given that, the team may wait until rounds three and or four to address the position and grab their Corner and their Safety in the first two rounds. I believe strongly that this is the strategy despite the fact that Alabama’s A’Shawn Robinson visited with the team on Tuesday.
There are probably two or three Corners on the team’s board that will be available to them at pick 25, and should one of the guys they have scouted be there, they will surely pull the trigger. The second round looks to be fruitful at Safety with players like Duke’s Jeremy Cash, and the aforementioned Thompson projected.
When Dick LeBeau was coordinator in the past, rookies did not crack the starting lineup due to a complex scheme and the fact that quality players were already in starting roles. The Steelers’ pass defense ranked near the bottom of the league in 2015. With that being said, there is enough of a reason to adopt a new philosophy in 2016. The last two seasons have seen a variety of Corners starting along with William Gay. Young blood is exciting and, hopefully, a big reason for defensive improvement next year.