Steelers fans had best be prepared. The NFL Combine is over. Free agency hasn’t quite started. Mock drafts are in full frenzy and yes, writers like yours truly are sharing potential draftees or free agent targets at a fairly alarming rate. There is a lot to digest.
To this point, I’ve been breaking down draft trends across the NFL from the past decade, as well as draft traits for players the Steelers have selected in the same timeframe. I think I have a pretty good feeling at this point for the type of players the Steelers covet and now it’s time to put all that data and analysis to work.
It’s fun to focus on who the black and gold might choose with their highest pick in round 2, but I thought it even more important to determine how they can maximize their limited draft capital in the later rounds.
We’ve seen the Steelers pick key contributors in rounds 3 through 7 in the past, and I’ve been able to review combine results and identify 5 potential draftees who fit the Steelers’ athletic profile while flying mostly under the radar.
For this article, I’ll be focusing on prospects from the offensive side of the ball. The consensus among prognosticators not working for the team is that TE, RB, OL, and WR are the primary needs, although backup QB continues to filter up through the murky dark waters that could not be contained by Kevin Colbert’s claim that the team is comfortable with their current quarterback room.
So… Let’s get started and look at some not-so-obvious tight ends.