Pittsburgh
Sports Report April 2004 |
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| Steelers
Draft Preview Forget what the Steelers need to return to prominence in the AFC. They need almost everything and only have so many draft picks and so much salary cap space. Rebuilding the right way will be a two-year job. That said, coach Bill Cowher and director of football operations Kevin Colbert will draft the best player who fits the team the best when their turn to pick comes up during the 69th NFL Selection Meeting on April 24. ¥ Could that be a quarterback to ultimately replace Tommy Maddox, who turns 33 before the start of the season? ¥ Could that be a cornerback? Chad Scott will turn 30 in September. There is a reason that solid Philadelphia Eagles' cornerbacks Troy Vincent and Bobby Taylor weren't among the first free agents signed last month Ð they are in their 30s. Beware 30-year-old corners. ¥ Could that be an offensive tackle for the gaping hole on the right side that Todd Fordham and Oliver Ross tried to fill last season? Players that the Steelers probably will consider seriously are North Carolina State quarterback Phillip Rivers, Virginia Tech cornerback DeAngelo Hall, Miami (Fla.) offensive lineman Vernon Carey, Ohio State cornerback Chris Gamble and Miami (Fla.) outside linebacker D.J. Williams.
Carey, Gamble and Williams could be selected later in the first round, so another draft-day trade is possible. Rivers and Hall are worth that 11th pick because they might not be available later, and they appear to be future stars. The team made only one big splash (Duce Staley) in free agency because its tight cap situation did not permit a spending spree. They signed several veterans to pricey, long-term contracts in the past few years - Alan Faneca, Joey Porter, Aaron Smith, Marvel Smith, Kimo von Oelhoffen, Jason Gildon and Scott - leaving little cap space for free agency frills. The draft, however, provides young talent at more reasonable prices, especially when you get out of the first and second rounds. With nine picks, the Steelers have the best opportunity to replenish their roster since Colbert took control of the personnel department in 2000. The Steelers had nine picks that year, too, and took Plaxico Burress, Marvel Smith and Clark Haggans. The Steelers will be drafting three of the top 75 players in the '04 draft. That should help. Here's a closer look at how the Steelers can help each area of the team in the draft: Quarterback The Steelers haven't drafted a quarterback in the first round since taking Arizona State 's Mark Malone in 1980. Malone had only short bursts of success in his eight years, but the Steelers drafted 28th that year. At 11, there can be no excuses. Rivers has a strange sidearm motion, but he completed 72.1 percent of his passes, with 44 touchdowns and seven interceptions last season. The Steelers have drafted seven passers under Cowher since 1992, and the best of them was Kordell Stewart. Yes, it's time to get serious. Running Back Is it good news or bad news that the Steelers, who signed Staley in free agency, don't have to use their top pick on either Steven Jackson or Kevin Jones? Staley upgrades the running game and will team with Bettis, who rushed for 811 yards while making only 10 starts last season. If Verron Haynes can recover from his fractured fibula, the Steelers have no desperate need for a running back. Still, they might have passed on greatness. Wide Receiver If you believe the Steelers will attempt to sign Burress to a contract extension this year before he can reach free agency in 2005, you can live with them ignoring the deepest position in the draft. But Burress may be playing his final season in Pittsburgh , in which case a replacement must be found. The problem: The Steelers have greater immediate needs, and should not use one of their first three picks on a wide receiver. Look for one to be selected on the second day. Offensive Line The Steelers shouldn't reach for an offensive tackle at No. 11 after the best player at the position - Robert Gallery of Iowa - goes to the New York Giants at No. 4. They should use a second-round pick on Max Starks of Florida or Travelle Wharton of South Carolina . Or, trade down into the latter stages of the first round and nab Jacob Rogers of USC. Tight End The Steelers have plenty of tight ends, but no one excels. Maybe it's time to find a solid run blocker who can match what Mark Bruener was able to do for most of his nine-year Steelers career. That player can be found in later rounds. Here's a thought: Draft Jason Peters of Arkansas and turn him into a much-needed tackle. Peters is a tight end who stands 6-4, 336 pounds. Defensive Line You could make a strong case that defensive linemen Kimo von Oelhoffen, Pro Bowler Casey Hampton and Aaron Smith were the most consistent performers on the team. Rodney Bailey is in New England , but Travis Kirschke, formerly of the San Francisco 49ers, is just as good and more experienced. David Ball was UCLA's all-time sack leader with 31. At 6-6, 280, he fits the Steelers prototype end in a 3-4 defense . Linebacker The Steelers are looking for an outside linebacker to cover their tracks after what looks like the botched drafting of Alonzo Jackson in the second round last season. By refusing to use Jackson , even in a backup role, Cowher indicated that Jackson has little future. Miami 's D.J. Williams is a great athlete who moves well and was productive in a great program. Passing him up at No. 11 will be difficult, but there will be considerable debate over quarterback, cornerback and outside linebacker. Secondary This is a deep group, especially at corner, but the Steelers might have to use either a first- or second-round pick to get their man. They can choose from DeAngelo Hall of Virginia Tech, Chris Gamble of Ohio State, Will Poole of USC, Dunta Robinson of South Carolina, Derrick Strait of Oklahoma, Ricardo Colclough of Tusculum (Tenn.) or Nathan Vasher of Texas. Hall and Gamble are underclassmen, which will give some teams pause about selecting them in the first half of the first round. But many in the organization will consider it a wasted draft if one of the top players at the position isn't added to the roster. |
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