5 players Steelers should target in second round
The Draft
Two-time Pro Bowl LT Alejandro Villanueva is set to be a free agent after 2020 while his age, 31, could be a factor in contract negotiations. I already pointed out that their starting right tackle (Feiler) is restricted, so there’s no guarantee he will be returning. That’s your starting bookend tackles.
When I look at this draft, the cream of the crop is the quarterbacks, wide receivers and cornerbacks. I’ve been covering the NFL draft since 1998, and I can’t recall a draft that is filled with this much talent at the wide receiver position since 2014.
In 2014, the draft was filled with elite receivers with electrifying but unique playmaking ability. Those players included WR Sammy Watkins, WR Mike Evans, WR Odell Beckham Jr., WR Brandin Cooks, WR Kelvin Benjamin, WR Jordan Matthews, WR Davante Adams, WR Jarvis Landry, and WR Allen Robinson. All of those players possessed unique skill sets.
My scouting report on #Alabama WR Jerry Jeudy:
— Ryan Sakamoto (@BEASTwriter) November 9, 2019
Built like WR Marvin Harrison & WR Issac Bruce, Jeudy's game is very much aligned with those two players. A savvy route-runner who can track down the deep ball, makes Jeudy my top-rated WR in next year's draft. (part 1) #LSUvsBAMA
I foresee similar gains with WR Jerry Jeudy (Alabama), WR CeeDee Lamb (Oklahoma), WR Laviska Shenault Jr. (Colorado), WR Justin Jefferson (LSU), WR Tee Higgins (Clemson), WR Henry Ruggs III (Alabama), WR DeVonta Smith (Alabama), and WR Jaelon Reagor (TCU).
#HereWeGo WR Diontae Johnson makes the AP All-Pro 2nd-team as team's PR. He's a dual-threat from Toledo and proved his worth as a 3rd-round pick. PIT finds another WR gem in the later rounds. The late WR Coach Darryl Drake foresaw the talent in him despite small school... https://t.co/T2Kguc1cVu
— Ryan Sakamoto (@BEASTwriter) January 4, 2020
But the Steelers don’t have a pressing need at wide receiver. They already have a strong nucleus of WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, Second-team AP All-Pro WR/PR Diontae Johnson, and the team’s leading WR James Washington.
The better question to ask, who may be available when they are on the clock at No. 49 and which position will still hold their value? You don’t want to tap into a saturated position, diminishing the value of the pick, based on reaching for need. It’s not the Steelers method of operation and I couldn’t agree more.