2017 NFL Draft: Grading the Pittsburgh Steelers class
The Steelers have placed a firm emphasis on getting younger and faster on defense. With James Harrison’s career drawing to a close finding a successor to pair with Bud Dupree was inevitable.
The Steelers chose production over measurables when they drafted former linebacker Jarvis Jones in the 1st round. T.J. Watt was picked with that past failure in mind. The Wisconsin product has extreme upside.
Despite only playing linebacker for one season, Watt’s superb hand usage and raw athletic potential warranted his first round selection. Watt wasn’t all a pick based on projection however, he recorded 11.5 sacks in his one year as a linebacker making him one of the top pass rushing threats in the Big Ten
Watt has the versatility to play linebacker in any spot Keith Butler asks him to, but expect to see a heavy dose of the first round pick rotating with James Harrison on the edge.
The way the first round shook out, Watt was one of the top prospects left in the first round and at a position of need. The other big name was Alabama inside linebacker Reuben Foster. Foster slid to the Steelers at pick 30 and after the departure of Lawrence Timmons, drafting a premier talent at the position seemed tempting to fans.
The truth is however, Foster’s shoulder issues and questionable off the field antics were too much of a risk for the Steelers. Watt presented a player with great character, extreme upside, and a more important position. Time will tell if the Steelers missed out on Foster but in the present, the pick of Watt makes more sense.