Day three of the NFL draft got off to a fast start. We saw names come off the board at a furious rate. Teams were certain to push some picks through on Saturday, but the Pittsburgh Steelers have draft capital to work with.
However, the Steelers lost out on the perfect defensive line prospect in Darrell Jackson Jr.
The Jets made him their pick a top of round 4. This news was hard to swallow, as Jackson was the rare perfect fit for the Steelers defensive line. Once again, despite a plethora of picks, Pittsburgh got caught sleeping during the draft.
The Pittsburgh Steelers should have traded up for Darrell Jackson
The league has shifted to smaller, quicker defensive linemen to counter pass-heavy offenses. For the traditional Steelers 3-4 defense, they still covet size.
The perfect Steelers defensive end is 6’4 or taller, 300 pounds, and 33-inch or longer arms. Jackson is perfect for that, standing nearly 6’6, 315 pounds, with almost 35-inch arms.
Besides the size, Jackson is an accomplished player in his own right. He was a premier run defender in school, taking on double teams like a champ and allowing other players to thrive and make plays.
The pass rush was lacking overall, but he flashed a quick get-off and has a good bull rush. There are traits there. Even if he never becomes an elite pass rusher, he should have a role as a good run defender with additional upside.
Getting a player like that this late would have been a coup. Defensive line isn’t the biggest need right now, but additional depth would always be welcomed. Long-term, Jackson could have been a base starter as a coordinator develops his pass rush.
With three picks in the seventh round, you could have used some of those to make a small m ove up. It feels like another wasted opportunity, a common theme from this draft so far.
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