Ahead of the NFL draft (April 29 – May 1), “Breakfast With Benz” spends daily Steelers draft-related previews this week. We divide the franchise’s needs into five different sections.
Monday: Backs and backs
Tuesday: recipients and fixed points
Wednesday: Offensive line
Thursday: Defensive Front Seven
Friday: secondary
Every day, former college and NFL scout Matt Williamson (Steelers radio contributor / “Peacock and Williamson NFL Show”) joins me for analysis and a podcast on the prospective talent within those position groups. We will also discuss potential Steelers targets, organizational needs, and draft strategy.
We start with a stroke by talking about quarterbacks and running backs.
No one will argue against the theory that the Steelers need a running rugby. Few people dispute that Najee Harris of Alabama would be a good fit (3,843 careers, 46 times).
Some may challenge the strategy of returning in the first round, as conventional NFL wisdom seems to weaken the position.
The 2021 view on running rugby is that their success is more a function of the offense and blocking in front of them as a result of their own skill. So the belief is that you can find competent people in the concept at any stage – or cheaply in free agencies.
The injury rate is also of such a nature that it is often considered unwise to drop large dollars or capital into the position.
Williamson normally agrees with that line of thinking. But given how hard the Steelers need a running rugby and the fact that Harris, Travis Etienne (Clemson) and Javonte Williams (North Carolina) cannot hold very deep in the second round, Williamson is not opposed to it.
“If an offensive line or running back, nine of the ten years, I would take offense as a rule of thumb,” Williamson said. “I think there are only three backs in this concept who are franchise backs. Clear upgrades that answer the problem at that position. And that position (with the Steelers) has now been very bad for two years in a row. ”
Williamson believes Harris is special enough to acquire with the number 24 in the first round. Most of it is due to Harris’ skills when catching football from the backfield, something he was not much asked for early in his college career. Yet during his final two years with the Crimson Tide, he caught 70 passes for 729 yards and 11 touchdowns.
‘He is a very good receiver and an excellent reception prospect. I hate using the Le’Veon Bell receiver comparison. But I think it’s similar. At £ 230 he can stand wide against a lineout player and run oblique and wide receiver routes and has a big catch. If I’m going to use an early selection of a running rugby, he really needs to contribute to the passing game. ‘
Another reason Williamson endorsed the idea of drafting Harris in the first round is that he sees enough talent at the center and offensive approach to meet the Steelers’ needs in the second and third rounds.
I’m on board with the idea. The only possible problem is that the Steelers will have to focus on the prospect of ignoring the cornerback or making it to the fourth round.
As for quarterbacks, Williamson is not buying the chatter of those who say the Steelers will be hunting for Ben Roethlisberger’s successor this year. That means he expects them to avoid the temptation to trade in the first round to get one of the five potential first-round backs (Trevor Lawrence, Zach Wilson, Justin Fields, Trey Lance or Mac Jones) .
He also does not expect Kevin Colbert, general manager, and Mike Tomlin, head coach, to strive for more development options such as Kyle Trask of Florida, Kellen Mond of Texas A & M or Davis Mills of Stanford.
‘I do not know that this is the year that the Steelers quarter will address. “I think they are setting themselves up for a year from now,” said Williamson. ‘This is the year you build a nest for the next quarter in which you can fall gently. Build a running game. Build your offensive line. Hold up some space. ‘
Also in our podcast, Williamson gives us his reasons why the Steelers should stay away from Mac Jones, a second or third round if the Steelers can not make one of the top three, and how many quarterbacks out of the top 10 can the Steelers’ case help.
Listen: Tim Ben and Matt Williamson discuss backs and backs in this year’s NFL draft and what the Steelers can do in those positions.
Tim Benz is a staff writer for Tribune-Review. You can contact Tim at [email protected] or via Twitter. All tweets can be re-posted. Unless otherwise stated, all emails are subject to publication.