Ranking Steelers top NFL Draft needs prior to free agency

The Steelers have plenty of positions to target in the NFL Draft this year. Here’s how I have their needs ranked prior to the free agency period.

For the first time in years, it’s hard to narrow down which direction the Steelers will go with their first pick in the draft. Without a first-rounder in 2020, it makes it more difficult to hone in on the players that will be available to Pittsburgh in round two. But that’s not the only reason it’s hard to predict what they are going to do.

Coming into the 2019 draft, the Steelers had a glaring hole at inside linebacker. This year, however, there are a handful of positions we could point to as Pittsburgh’s biggest needs. While free agency will certainly help clear things up for us, here are my predictions for the Steelers biggest draft needs heading into April as their roster currently stands:

Tight End

Tight end was the weakest position on the team in 2019, but the Steelers may not choose to address it as early as you think. Pittsburgh met with just one tight end at the Combine (Albert Okwuegbunam) and it’s a poor class for the position.

Edge defender

There isn’t really one position right now that needs a starter for the 2020 sesaon. Reports are that Bud Dupree will return to Pittsburgh on the franchise tag, however, he is likely to hit the market after this season. Don’t be surprised if they start looking for his replacement as early as their second-round pick.

Offensive tackle

For anyone doing their homework, this shouldn’t come as a big surprise. Alejandro Villanueva is in his 30’s and has just one year remaining on his deal. After next sesaon, Chukwuma Okorafor is the only tackle set to remain on the roster. Pittsburgh has neglected the position for too long, and they know something must be done soon.

Wide receiver

The Steelers desperately need depth at the wide receiver position. Outside of their top three (JuJu Smith-Schuster, Diontae Johnson, and James Washington), they have perhaps the worst depth in the league. They could also use a bit of an insurance policy in case contract negotiations with JuJu start heading south.

Interior offensive line

Ramon Foster is 34 years old, and both he and Maurkice Pouncey took a big step back in 2019. B.J. Finney could be leaving in free agency this year, and at the very list, the Steelers need to add a backup interior offensive lineman – hopefully one that could take over for Pouncey after this year.

Cornerback

This one may not make a lot of sense to us, but somehow, cornerback is definitely on Pittsburgh’s radar. The Steelers met with four defensive backs at the Combine, according to Walter Football – twice as much as they met with any other positional group. Whether they are looking to replace Mike Hilton after 2020 or they want to add another outside corner, it’s a position they could target this year.

What the Steelers elect to do in free agency will give us a much clearer picture of where they intend to go. As of now, these six positions are all in contention on day two of the NFL Draft this April.