3 realistic second-round options we shouldn’t want for the Steelers

The NFL Draft kicks off today, and the Steelers will have a number of players on their radar. Here are three players we shouldn’t want at pick 49.

The Steelers are in the closing years (and possibly even months) of their Super Bowl window that opened with Ben Roethlisberger all the way back in 2004. There is no doubt they are going to want to add some talented players that could help them out right away, but Mike Tomlin’s team is shorthanded on draft selections this year.

For the first time in a number of years, it’s going to be hard to pinpoint exactly which direction the Steelers could look to go early in the draft. While there is plenty of talent this year into the second and third round, there are a handful of potential players I would not be okay with at pick 49. Here are three realistic prospects that all Steelers fans should not want in the second round:

RB Cam Akers

Cam Akers is a young, durable, athletic running back. However, he is a player I can’t get behind this early in the draft. I have 2nd-3rd round grade on Akers as a player, but the running back position isn’t something that should be highly valued.

Akers is a more talented player than James Conner, and I have little doubt that he could handle three-down work for the Steelers. But he’s my 5th ranked running back this year, and I feel there will be better (and more valuable) players on the board at this point in the draft. Akers projects as a starting-level running back in the NFL, but he doesn’t have any special traits to draft him this high.

OT Austin Jackson

I’ll admit that Austin Jackson is a player with loads of upside because of his youth and athleticism – two things that are sure to draw Pittsburgh’s attention. However, his tape is far from what you would want for a player who could be drafted inside the top 50 picks.

In a loaded offensive tackle class, the Steelers will miss out on top prospects like Jedrick Wills, Tristian Wirfs, Andrew Thomas, and Mecki Becton. In addition, Josh Jones, Ezra Cleveland, and Isaiah Wilson are all likely to be gone. Pittsburgh has expressed their need for a tackle this year, and he checks the boxes of what they look for. However, I think he will be taken a round too high based on his tools.

WR Tee Higgins

There aren’t a lot of potential prospects at pick 49 that scare me more than Clemson wide receiver, Tee Higgins. The Steelers sent their brass to his Pro Day before the travel bans and he’s a young, productive receiver from a great football program.

Unfortunately, Higgins’s Pro Day numbers were more than concerning, and his 1.66 10-yard split would have been tied for the 10th worst in Combine history among NFL receivers. Higgins has a massive catch radius and good tape, but his lack of athleticism makes him a risk – even at this point in the draft. I think there will be better options at receiver if Pittsburgh were to go that route.

It’s still mostly unknown which direction the Steelers will look in the draft, but these three players are sure to be on their radar at pick 49. We should all be hoping they look elsewhere with this pick.