5 players Steelers should target in second round

Players to focus on

Edwards-Helaire is the wild card. He’s only 5-8, but at 209 pounds he’s built in the mold of Baltimore Ravens RB Mark Ingram. In fact, that’s my comparison. The LSU product displays great patience, vision, agility, making it hard to tackle him on initial contact. Combine that with the fact that he doubles up as a receiver coming out of the flats, and you have a three-down player.

But the diminutive yet shifty running back’s stock may slip simply because of his height. How many successful 5-8 players do you know in the NFL today? Not very many. But it’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog.

One man’s trash may be another man’s treasure. And if Edwards-Helaire is available when the Steelers are on the clock, don’t be surprised if they pull the trigger. Four-year veteran RB James Conner has been dealing with nagging injuries from the shoulder down to his knee, forcing the one-time Pro Bowler to miss six games.

The team invested a fourth-round pick last year on RB Benny Snell but he’s not the answer. They need more help and Edwards-Helaire could be that guy.

Finally, we have Niang. As I stated earlier, the Steelers find themselves in a bind at offensive tackle. They need an insurance policy, which is where Niang comes into play. Listed at 6-6, 328, Niang doesn’t have the quickest feet or athleticism to keep speed-rushers at bay.

He does possess brute strength at the point of attack while understanding how to anchor in his pass-sets. The Steelers could use some of that especially if the team loses Feiler in free-agency. The only current backup able to start in a stop-gap situation is OT Chukwuma Okorafor and that’s not saying much.

Niang would provide an instant boost while shoring up the right tackle position. The TCU product suffered a season-ending torn hip labrum earlier this year, so that could drop his stock. If this happens, the Steelers may find value at No. 49 if the medical checks out, and teams opt to pass on him while taking a cleaner prospect.

With the Steelers looking to fulfill their needs through the draft, don’t be surprised if they target an offensive lineman or running back. What was once considered a weak offensive line draft class, is now clearly picking up steam, as more underclassmen declare. However, if there’s a player still available, who’s rated highest on their board, we all know who wins out, and a player like Wilson could be that guy.

This is just a first glimpse of what’s to come, and as it gets closer to draft day, I’ll continue breaking down the all-star games, NFL combine, pro days, pre-draft visits, and private workouts to better gauge these NFL hopefuls.  Is it draft day yet? It can’t come soon enough. Here We Go!