At a glance: The AFC North rival Browns took all the positive headlines during the NFL off-season while Pittsburgh was left to deal with bad publicity surrounding Antonio Brown and Le'Veon Bell. Now that the team has come out the other side, it's worth noting how well-equipped the team is despite entering the summer ranked behind Cleveland for the first time in a decade plus. A strong wide receiver corps is in place despite Brown's departure, and Pittsburgh's first round selection shows signs of making an big impact in Year 1.
Sports Illustrated points out that only twice has general manager Kevin Colbert traded up in the first round of the draft since taking over in 200 --and it was for Hall of Famer Troy Polamalu and a guy that won the Steelers a Super Bowl, Santonio Holmes. No pressure then for linebacker Devin Bush, who the team moved up ten places for.
Bush seems to fill the role left by Ryan Shazier's devastating neck injury, and is a plug-and-play kind of guy. The team will want to see an impact in Year 1 of Bush's career after dropping to tenth in pass defense last year after being ranked fifth the year before, per ESPN.
A wealth of wide receivers means third round selection Diontae Johnson is unlikely to get a chance to stand out in Pittsburgh's offense. JuJu Smith-Schuster will be the focus, Donte Moncrief's guaranteed money suggests he'll see plenty of action despite a challenge from James Washington, while Johnson will battle Eli Rogers and Ryan Switzer for the slot job. It's a deep group despite Antonio Brown seemingly being beginning and end of the position for quite a while.
The Steelers haven't had much recent success in drafting cornerbacks but took a shot on Justin Layne with its second third round pick anyway. Former Chief Steven Nelson signed a lucrative contract in free agency but his inconsistency might mean Layne sees plenty of action. It won't be a baptism of fire with cornerback Joe Haden and safeties Terrell Edmunds and Sean Davis playing alongside him in the secondary.
DRAFT PICKS (per ESPN)
1.10 Devin Bush ILB
3.02 Diontae Johnson WR
3.19 Justin Layne CB
4.20 Benny Snell Jr. RB
5.03 Zach Gentry TE
6.02 Sutton Smith OLB
6.19 Isaiah Buggs DT
6.34 Ulysees Gilbert III ILB
7.05 Derwin Gray OG
ORIGINAL COVER PHOTO: Pittsburgh Post-Gazatte
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