Pittsburgh Steelers Draft Needs: Is outside linebacker an underrated need?

Outside linebacker isn’t a position of strength in the 2018 NFL Draft, but an early round pick could be a sound replacement for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Steelers have invested lots of draft capital in the outside linebacker position the past five years including three firsts. Unfortunately, the position may not be solidified. Jarvis Jones was a bust and never played up to his draft position and is no longer a Steeler.

Bud Dupree has flashed but never been a consistent producer. Of the three first-round picks, only one inspires any kind of hope. T.J. Watt played well in his rookie season, albeit with a bit of a rookie wall. He has the potential to be the next Steelers great at the position.

The team currently has five outside linebackers on the team outside of Watt and Dupree. Anthony Chickillo is a solid backup at the position. Keion Adams and Farrington Huguenin are both developmental options who could fight for a roster spot in 2018.

Farrington Huguenin

Farrington Huguenin is one of two former Kentucky Wildcats at the position. A former college teammate of Bud Dupree, he has an intriguing skill set and is not a bad athlete. He could possibly play inside as well as outside.

With ninety-seven tackles in twenty-six college appearances, Huguenin should be more of a run stopper than a pass rusher as an outside linebacker. With his skills, he will likely never be a three-down player. He could, however, play on early downs and has the strength to set the edge well against the run.

Keion Adams

The Steelers 7th round pick in 2017 Draft spent all of last season on injured reserve. A small school guy, Adams is more of a pass rush specialist than all-around linebacker. He doesn’t have great length or size but is a good athlete. He played three sports in high school and has the athleticism to show for it.

Adams was compared to former Steeler Arthur Moats by NFL.coms Lance Zierlein. That would be a very good outcome for the team. A high-quality backup edge player in the seventh round would be a solid selection. If he improves his technique and his play strength he could have a long NFL career.

Anthony Chickillo

Drafted in the sixth round of the 2015 Draft five rounds after Bud Dupree. He is a very good backup linebacker and someone who can play very well in the event of an injury. After starting nine games in his Pittsburgh career he’s recorded five and a half sacks. He also has recorded forced fumbles. While his starts were down from seven in 2016 to two last season he appeared in every game and had his best statistical season.

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The team tendered him for close to two million dollars giving them the right to match any offer made by another team. He has been steadily improving and that should continue into 2018. He doesn’t have elite athleticism but it is sufficient on a team that has good pass rushers at other positions on the field.

I expect Chickillo to be a Steeler for a while. He is an asset on special teams and has value at outside linebacker as well. He is never going to be an expensive option and has one of the most important assets for a backup, the ability to stay healthy. As a former sixth-round pick he’s been a good selection for the Steelers.

Bud Dupree

The Steelers first round pick in 2015 has flashed but has never been a consistent producer for the team. Coming out of Kentucky Dupree was billed as a great athlete but someone who needs to develop. He has not lived up to his potential. In his career, he does have fourteen and a half sacks but that is spread out over three seasons, none of which he eclipsed double digits. He has only been in the league for three seasons so he could break out in what will most likely be a contract year.

If the Steelers pick up Dupree’s option before May 3rd he would be scheduled to make just over nine million dollars in 2019. That’s a little high for the way he has been playing. While he hasn’t been a train wreck he hasn’t consistently been the player the team wanted when they drafted him. He isn’t the bust that Jarvis Jones was, he is a serviceable player, but he really isn’t an every game starter at this point either.

Dupree is what makes this position a need for the Steelers. I don’t expect the team to pick up his option and it wouldn’t be a stretch to see them look for his eventual replacement as early as the first round. If they don’t and Dupree does not take a leap forward in 2018 they will be in the market for a starter across from T.J. Watt.

T.J. Watt

The biggest reason for optimism at the outside linebacker position is former Wisconsin Badger T.J. Watt. He earned the start in his first regular season game, something Dupree and Jones didn’t accomplish. In that game he turned in a performance that made fans very excited. He started off the season with seven tackles, two sacks, and an interception. Although he did hit a rookie wall and was not as impressive late in the season he eclipsed the previous Steelers rookie sack record of four, owned by Dupree and LaMarr Woodley, after he recorded seven throughout the season.

Watt seems to take after his brother, former defensive player of the year, J.J. Watt when it comes to work ethic. He has good athleticism as well as a lot of room to grow. In my opinion, Watt’s 2018 season will be a disappointment if he does not earn double-digit sacks. He also is capable in pass coverage and has good ball skills evidenced by his seven pass breakups in 2017.

I expect Watt to be a fixture on the Steelers defense for years to come. He could develop into a star and should have one linebacker spot locked down for the foreseeable future.

Conclusion

The Steelers have capable players at outside linebacker but the position is far from solidified. T.J. Watt is an up and coming player who could become great. Outside of Watt, I don’t know that there is anyone who will be a starter a year from now.

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Anthony Chickillo is a good piece but isn’t the answer and right now Dupree may be in the same position. I like Dupree and would love to see him have a breakout year but his lack of production and impending contract situation make this a key consideration for Pittsburgh in the draft.