Pittsburgh Steelers: 3 first-round scenarios that change the rest of the draft

Inside Linebacker

Pittsburgh is highly favored to go inside linebacker with the 28th pick. Rashaan Evans or Leighton Vander Esch could be available depending on how teams before them decide to go.

If they do pick an inside linebacker in the first-round, their second round pick most-likely stay defense. With J.J. Wilcox being the only strong option as backup safety, this team could very well look at a player like Jessie Bates.

A strong cover defensive back out of Wake Forest, Bates will step in and get plenty of reps in his first year. From there on out, he could compete for the starting job and possibly force Pittsburgh’s hand in keeping Morgan Burnett for his entire three-year contract.

The third-round could then be used for a running back. This could lead to someone like Nick Chubb or maybe even Ronald Jones.

After that, their later round picks will feature a pass-catching running back in the fifth, and probably an outside linebacker later in the same round. The seventh round could feature a backup lineman to compete for a roster spot, and possibly an interior defensive bigman to try and work his way in as well.