2017 NFL Draft: Grading the Pittsburgh Steelers class
Double dipping at secondary was a foregone conclusion for the Steelers. But in the later rounds the team’s pick would focus more on athleticism and potential instead of production.
Brian Allen was a former receiver converted to cornerback in college. Allen is huge for a defensive back at 6’4, he is long and extremely raw. He is still learning the position in a major way but his athleticism was too much to pass up in the fifth round. Allen is more of a blank canvas and will need to be molded in a major way before he can be utilized in the secondary. Allen also has great ball skills thanks to his experience as a wide receiver.
If the Steelers can continue to develop Allen and polish his technique they could have gotten a real steal late in the fifth.
Grade: A-
The last two rounds are usually teams trying to find diamonds in the rough or special teams contributors. The Steelers most head scratching pick lies in the same round where they found current superstar Antonio Brown.
Colin Holba played long snapper at the University of Louisville. This pick caused a lot of confusion and frustrated, but the pick seems to have a lot more to do with current long snapper Greg Warren’s career than anything else. Holba had a successful career at Louisville and I imagine he will make the roster and be a mainstay at the position in Pittsburgh, but is the price of a long-term long snapper worth even the opportunity of drafting a player with Antonio Brown’s skill level at a position of need?
Time will tell, but passing up athletes for a player solely a special teams player seems hasty.
Grade: F
The Steelers are constantly on the lookout for linebackers for their 3-4 defense. With Harrison moving on into retirement soon and Jarvis Jones gone to the Cardinals. The Steelers decided to add fresh blood to the competition behind Watt and Dupree.
Keion Adams is a little known prospect and his below average strength and length pushed him down to the lower rounds. Adams is fast and shows good flexibility to get to the quarterback. The former basketball player excels in footwork and athleticism but will definitely be a developmental project. His technique needs to be polished, but Adams could contribute early on to special teams and turn into a nice situational edge rusher.
His upside is appealing but keep an eye out in training camp, because most likely he will be battling for a roster spot with Anthony Chickillo and Arthur Moats.