The Pittsburgh Steelers and Ben Roethlisberger ran out of gas last season and the future for the team is up in the air. A future quarterback is a big need, but with the 24th pick, they have little to no chance of grabbing their quarterback of the future. So it seems they will continue to build for the present, with an eye toward the future.
Check out the odds and info provided by DraftKings Sportsbook.
Odds
Running back -125
Offensive Lineman +250
Cornerback +550
Linebacker +1400
Defensive Lineman +2000
Quarterback +2500
Wide Receiver +2500
Safety +3300
Tight End +3300
Kicker/Punter/Long Snapper +25000
Best bets
Running back -125
Linebacker +1400
There is no doubt that the Steelers want and need a running back to help their pitiful ground game, but they also need offensive line help, especially at center. But you can’t rule out a defensive player if they feel they can get their help on the line and at running back later in the draft.
The longshot is quarterback and everything would have to fall just right for them to take one. The Steelers could trade up or back, but they aren’t going to make a huge jump using a lot of draft capital.
Overall, running back is the safest pick, as there are three possibilities with Najee Harris, Travis Etienne and Javonte Williams. All three could be there for them and they could make their pick of the bunch.
If they do end up with their favorite back being picked before them, they could fallback on center Creed Humphrey. He is the best center and it fills a big need. But it also is likely a reach to draft any center in the first round. I don’t believe they’ll make that reach, instead going for value and upside.
The next possibility is linebacker and this depends on their evaluation of the top guys like Zazen Collins or Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. If they feel like one of them is worthy, they won’t hesitate to beef up their defense while the offense picks up the scraps.
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