All eyes are on Kevin Colbert and what moves he could make in the NFL draft.
If there ever was a year for Colbert to be aggressive to get higher in the first round, this is it. Specifically because there still remains a pressing need for a game changing inside linebacker and there are very good prospects drawing interest from several teams ahead of the Steelers.
Let's look closer:
Last week I wrote about Mark Barron being a solid addition to the Steelers' defense because of the team's desperate need of coverage linebackers. This week is all about who Colbert can bring in behind Barron, or to start ahead of him.
The Steelers' glaring need at inside linebacker is not just for a competent player at the position, but a playmaker who can change games by forcing turnovers or pulling off amazing plays that beat the X's and O's of opposing coaches.
Ryan Shazier was that guy, but there are some players in this class that could fit the "Mack" linebacker role:
Remember that the Steelers' defense typically needs a "Mack" and a "Buck" linebacker. The "Mack" is the faster player that runs sideline to sideline, covers extremely well and is usually the bigger playmaker of the two. The "Buck" is the slower battering ram that is usually first to the line of scrimmage and focuses on stopping the run at the point of attack or blitzing on passing downs.
The Steelers have their "Buck" in Vince Williams, and he's a good one. But without Shazier he cannot play to his strength, which is his best asset to the defense.
The issue with finding the best "Mack" linebacker to pair with Williams in this draft is that there is a very steep drop from the top prospects of this class to the second tier players:
Devin White - LSU
White is the obvious favorite of this class. White brings the best combination of size, speed and strength at the point of attack.
Watch how he plays as the left inside linebacker (No. 40) and sheds two blockers at the point of attack to shut down the QB draw:
There's a lot of pros and cons to White, but the positives are all extremely good traits that include leadership potential and a high football IQ, while the negatives mostly consist of factors that can be coached out of young players.
White can drop back into coverage and he attacks the ball well. He recorded one interception, nine passes defended and four forced fumbles in three seasons.
I project White to be gone fast in this draft, but there's another candidate not too far behind him.
Devin Bush - Michigan
Bush the slightly shorter than White but is the more instinctive linebacker at the top of this class. He was the field general for Michigan's defense and logged 11 passes defended along with one interception in his three NCAA seasons.
Bush lacks the the physicality to overwhelm blockers in the hole with strength. But he makes up for that by being one of the more agile linebackers, possessing the fundamentals to work around problems rather than overpowering them like White might.
Where Bush's tape is most exciting is in coverage. He mixes his agility and speed with great field awareness and solid coverage skills. Here he (No. 10) turns and runs with one of the faster running backs in this year's class, Mike Weber of Ohio State.
Notice how Bush shuffles along the line of scrimmage as Dwayne Haskins extends the play, but is able to turn and run fast enough to be in Weber's hip pocket as his own helmet breaks up the pass:
Combine that with how comfortable Bush looks in zone coverage with fluid hips and the solid footwork to cover ground without losing his composure, and he's a great answer to the Steelers' coverage problems.
Watch how he smoothly drifted back and was able to attack the ball above his head and secure this interception back in 2017:
He's the player I have as most likely for the Steelers to draft. But Bush's skills and leadership qualities have drawn the attention of the entire NFL and waiting for him at the 20th pick would be a major risk by Colbert.
Mack Wilson - Alabama
Wilson is a level below White and Bush but still merits a low first-round or high second-round grade. He's not as explosive or fast, but his command in the middle of Alabama's defense and his ball skills make him a very good prospect.
Wilson had six interceptions and seven passes defended in three years at Alabama. His tape shows an aggressive zone coverage linebacker that capitalizes on mistakes for big plays. Watch how he high-points this pass for the interception against LSU. He's properly turning to face the receiver and boxes him out but still has the fluidity in his hips to turn, jump and snag a great interception:
Wilson's biggest drawback is his lack of range, as well as inconsistencies processing offensive lines to fill his assignment against the run. But he's still a good prospect for teams in need of a "Mack" linebacker.
Blake Cashman - Minnesota
This is where the steep drop in talent hits the class. While there are other good linebackers, few possess the athleticism the Steelers need for their type of inside linebacker. Cashman is at the top of that second tier.
With six passes defended and two forced fumbles in four years at Minnesota, Cashman made a name as a solid linebacker in space that looked comfortable commanding the defense. His combine times reflected the speed seen on tape where he could turn and run while staying on assignment.
Here he is staying at home on a read-option, and then cutting off the quarterback while attacking the ball to force a fumble and return it for a touchdown:
Cashman is a good inside linebacker and in the right system can flourish in the NFL. But the Steelers' problem is not having enough playmakers on the defense and Cashman wouldn't be the premier game-changer that either of the three higher prospects appear to be.
Joe Giles-Harris - Duke
The depth at linebacker in this class is a mix of faster, more athletic linebackers that aren't good field generals or have lower football IQ's, and slower linebackers with better instincts than the rest of the class. Giles-Harris is the best of the latter.
Eight passes defended, two interceptions and one forced fumble show an active player in the ACC. But his tape shows a slower player that reacts aggressively with confidence in his reads. His aggressiveness makes him a good player, but the difference in his athleticism from the top of the class makes him too risky to address the Steelers' needs, even if it's a later pick.
Why Colbert should trade up
While Cashman and Giles-Harris project to be decent NFL linebackers, both are closer to role players rather than X-factor types. If the Steelers' defense currently had more turnover creators, both would be welcome additions as fill-ins for team depth.
But this team needs what it lost in Shazier, a player that changes everything. White and Bush are the closest to that in this draft, while Wilson shows the flashes to still be within range.
The 19 picks ahead of the Steelers show five teams with significant needs at linebacker. The Raiders and Buccaneers at picks four and five, the Browns and Bengals at 10 and 12, and the Vikings at 18.
While all of them won't go for linebacker, that's still plenty of risk. The sweet spot for the Steelers could be picks 7-9 with the Jaguars, Lions and Bills. The Bills had already shown interest in trading back for Antonio Brown, so Colbert could find a partner there for an aggressive package of picks to convince them to switch first round picks again.
Colbert could afford to grab another of the top talents at 20 if both White and Bush are gone and still get a playmaker on defense, but doing so would still require him to trade up in the second round to get Wilson. Edge rushers Brian Burns and Clelin Ferrell both look like future stars, while Byron Murphy, DeAndre Baker and Greedy Williams all fit the bill as potentially great cover cornerbacks.
But none of those address the Steelers' need for a strong commander in the middle of the defense. That's where every Steelers team to reach the Super Bowl has had a great player there in Jack Lambert, Levon Kirkland or James Farrior. The need for an elite centerpiece player to last the next decade on this defense with six starters at 26 or younger, seven if you count Mike Hilton, is paramount.
