Steelers haven’t gone for flash or splash in 2015 Draft

The Pittsburgh Steelers head into Rounds 3-7 of the 2015 NFL Draft on Saturday after making their first two picks in Bud Dupree (first round, no. 22 overall) and Senquez Golson (second round, no. 56 overall).  The Steelers haven’t made any moves up or down the draft board by initiating trades with other teams and have so far not gone after the flashiest players available.  Every year the front office gets called into question regarding how they handle the draft, and this year will likely be no different.  What has become clear is that Kevin Colbert, Mike Tomlin and the Steelers aren’t going for a splash, but drafting players they believe will fit into their plans moving forward.

The focus of fans is nearly always, “What is my team doing to improve?”  Dupree could have an immediate effect on the Steelers defensive front.  His selection read like the team wanted an impact player that could fill the void that Jason Worild’s retirement created.  Golson wasn’t the top-rated collegiate cornerback in the draft, but he won several awards his senior season at the University of Mississippi and was arguably one of the best options at that time in the draft.  The answer to how the Steelers are pushing for improvement is two-fold.  First, Pittsburgh steered clear of players that had visited with the team that had personal or injury issues in the first two rounds.  Second, the Steelers appear to be selecting picks that can develop behind established players in training camp and the preseason.

Heading into the next rounds of the draft, the Steelers are expected to take at least one additional cornerback and a safety.  Other positions experts have predicted Pittsburgh to consider are running back and offensive line.  It should be interesting to see where the Steelers head.  Will they look for depth at the positions and stick to their current theme of players with the potential for future greatness, or will they make at least one surprise pick that generates a lot of noise?  The day will answer those questions.

S Dean

S. Dean is a lifelong Pittsburgh sports fan. The former owner of 'The Beam in Pittsburgh', Dean has worked in the sports media field for several years. S. Dean graduated with a degree in physical therapy and sports medicine, has a minor in journalism and is a Mt. Lebanon, PA, native. His favorite Steelers players (all-time) are Jerome Bettis, Lynn Swann and Joey Porter. You can follow him on Twitter @NFLHotTopix and Google Plus. To see his full bio, please visit the Meet Our Staff page.