Steelers biggest positions of need in the 2020 draft

The Steelers need to find playmakers in the secondary in the 2020 draft

Although the Steelers defense finished the 2019 season with the 5th best defense in terms of total yards surrendered, playmaking in the back-end of the defense was lacking, specifically at the strong safety position.

With the first pick in the 2018 draft, we selected Terrell Edmunds, a safety out of Virginia Tech.  In 32 career games, Edmunds has tallied 1 sack, 1 INT and 7 passes defended.  I would argue that his playmaking ability is not quite what we need from a former first-round pick.

Now, I know what you may be thinking; it’s unfair of me to say that a second-year player needs to be replaced, but that is what I’m saying.  If the Steelers can find a playmaker at the strong safety position, Edmunds can move to the ‘sub-package’ linebacker position, which I believe may be his calling.

For the style of defense, the Steelers deployed in 2019, having a safety who possesses great play recognition is a must.  Edmunds does not possess said play recognition.  If the Steelers can find a safety who is both effective against the run and against the pass, we should not hesitate to draft said safety, even if that player is available in the second round.

Another position the Steelers may end up targeting is cornerback.  If you think about our starting cornerbacks in 2019, they both were free-agent signings. Although the Steelers have not had much luck with drafting cornerbacks in recent drafts, I don’t think that would deter us from trying again to land a viable ‘lockdown’ corner.

Again, if that ‘lockdown’ corner is there when we are on the clock in the second round, so be it. The Steelers defense needs playmakers in the secondary to augment the playmakers we already have in Minkah Fitzpatrick and Joe Haden.

Let’s take a look at additional positions of need.