PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – It's more than just saying Mike Tomlin is the reason the Steelers are 5-8 right now. It's more than just saying it's quarterback play or defensive play or even offensive play calling. There are a number of reasons, let's not exclude failures in the NFL Draft.
The NFL system is set up for every team to get a chance. There is a salary cap to keep the rich from collecting all the best players (Major League Baseball) and a draft system that gives the worst teams opportunities to the best players. That happens everywhere.
Let's look at the impact from the last six years of the Steelers draft.
Offensive Line
As the offensive line aged there was too much faith they would continue to be productive into their 30s. For years it worked with the big four of Alejandro Villanueva, Ramon Foster, Maurkice Pouncey and David DeCastro. While they were good together, they were aging.
What did they do in the draft to prepare for the future?
They drafted Chukwuma Okorafor as a need at right tackle with the hope of him growing into being a starting tackle.
He was a 21-year-old, third-round pick in 2018 out of Western Michigan.
In 2019, as the line continued to age, they drafted no one on the offensive line.
In 2020, they took a risk on Kevin Dotson out of Louisiana. He had the reputation as a run game mauler at 6'4", 321 pounds. Injuries have hurt his progression, but he was a fourth-round pick.
Desperation grew in 2021, they drafted for need after the Pouncey retirement. The Steelers used the 87th overall pick on an undersized Kendrick Green who had three college starts at center. He was going to be the guy to protect a 38-year-old Ben Roethlisberger. Green tried hard but was overmatched.
In the fourth round, 6'5" tackle Dan Moore out of Texas A&M. The hope to have him learn for a season with Zach Banner and Okorafor starting. Banner's knee never recovered from a 2020 season opening ACL tear and Moore was trial under fire.
There were things beyond their control-they were caught off-guard by Pouncey's retirement and who knew DeCastro would suffer a career-ending ankle injury. Still, they haven't drafted an offensive lineman higher than the third round since 2012, when they drafted DeCastro in the first round.
Yes, the current line is improving, but improving from being the worst in the NFL in Roethlisberger's final season.
Defensive line
There is a similar trend happening on the defensive line. Why have they struggled against the run? Cam Heyward is 33, Tyson Alualu is 35, Larry Ogunjobi is 28 (dealing with numerous injuries), Chris Wormley is 29.
They spent a third-round pick on DeMarvin Leal in 2022. He has potential, but needs to gain weight and experience. The last defensive lineman picked as high as the third round was Javon Hargrave, who the team let get away in free agency. He's been a huge impact player on the Eagles defense.
Reaching
They reached for need. Listen to every pre-draft news conference for the last 20 years and you'll hear the phrase 'we take the best player available'. What they did was draft for need.
How else to you explain Devin Bush. Following the horrific injury to Ryan Shazier, the Steelers tried to fill in with free agent Jonathan Bostic at inside linebacker. A good run stopper to go with Vince Williams, but neither was an impact player against the pass. The game was changing and the Steelers needed another player like Shazier. They moved up 10 spots in the 2019 draft to select Devin Bush.
At 5'11", 222 pounds and the son of an NFL linebacker, they banked on him being the future. The Michigan product had a junior season of 66 tackles in 12 games with 8.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. Good, but for a 10th overall pick?
In the biggest games of Bush's last season-Notre Dame, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Penn State and Ohio State, Bush averaged 5.4 tackles and had a total of two tackles for loss.
What they got?
In the last six years, how many players from the Steelers draft are starting with this team?
2017-OLB TJ Watt (tremendous pick at 30th overall), CB Cameron Sutton (steady, particularly effective in the slot, third round)
2018-S Terrell Edmunds (team didn't pick up his option as he re-signed to a one-year deal), Okorafor (started 48 games)
2019-LB Bush (3rd on team in tackles w 2 TFL, no forced turnovers), WR Diontae Johnson (leading receiver catching 59% of targets with 0 TD), TE Zach Gentry (5th round pick, grown into steady blocker)
2020-OLB Alex Highsmith (3rd rounder, leading team with 10 sacks heading into final year of contract), G Kevin Dotson (starting left guard)
2021-RB Najee Harris (team leading rusher coming off foot injury-704 yards, 3.8 per carry), TE Pat Freiermuth (team co-leader in TD receptions, 2nd in yards-630, 1st in YAC, caught 65% of targets), LT Dan Moore (29 starts)
2022-QB Kenny Pickett, WR George Pickens
Yes, Matt Canada has made mistakes. Yes, Teryl Austin has made mistakes. Yes, Mike Tomlin has made mistakes. And while Tomlin is a part of the draft process, you win with people.
The Steelers don't have enough of the right people to win consistently.
