Mike Tomlin's first draft pick as head coach of the Steelers was inside linebacker Lawrence Timmons, a player so favored by Tomin the other players on the team often referred to Timmons as his son.
That wasn't exactly the case. As much as Tomlin favored Timmons, he allowed him to leave as a free agent after the 2016 season.
Unfortunately for the Steelers, the player they had selected in the draft in 2015 to replace Timmons -- Ryan Shazier -- suffered a devastating spinal injury late in the 2017 season, leaving his playing future in jeopardy.
That has left the Steelers scrambling to find another replacement. They signed Jon Bostic in free agency last year as a Band-Aid, but were then shut out at the position in the draft.
This year, they signed free agent Mark Barron as the next attempt to patch the hole. But that won't preclude them from again doing what they were denied a year ago -- finding a long-term replacement in this year's draft, which begins Thursday and runs through Saturday.
And with the loss in free agency of L.J. Fort -- who played extensively in their sub packages when Bostic showed he could not -- the Steelers could certainly use another body or two at the position to go along with the other starter, Vince Williams, and special teams ace Tyler Matakevich.
Unlike last year, when there were four inside linebackers considered first-round prospects, this year there are just two. So even though the Steelers are picking higher in the first round -- 20th as compared to 28th -- they could still miss out on LSU's Devin White or Michigan's Devin Bush.
At 6-foot, 237 pounds, White has decent size. But his speed -- he was timed at 4.42 seconds in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine -- is outstanding for the position, right there with what Shazier ran in 2015.
And he's hardly just a track athlete. As a true junior, White had 123 tackles, three sacks, three forced fumbles and six pass breakups in 2018. He's considered a sure top-10 pick.
"It’s very important for me to be the top inside linebacker in this draft," White said. "I feel like I put the work in, I showed it throughout my career, I progressed every year, I did everything right on and off the field as far as being a great guy, having that attitude, going to work everyday and leading my team. That was the biggest thing. I was the leader of my team. I was named the team captain two years in a row, as a sophomore and a junior."
Bush is nearly his equal.
A tad smaller than White at 5-foot-11, 234 pounds, Bush also ran just a tick slower -- 4.43 -- in the 40. But he also was a team captain and led the Wolverines with 80 tackles, five sacks and six pass breakups in 2018, winning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year.
Bush could go anywhere from the 10th pick in the first round to the 20th. He's not likely to get by the Steelers at 20 if he lasts that long, and the team might have to trade up if it wants him.
Like White, he fits the profile of what teams now look for in inside linebackers -- fast guys who can run, cover and hit.
"I feel like I fit it. I feel like I can succeed in that role," Bush said. "That’s my game. I’m a twitchy linebacker. I can cover. I can blitz. I can play the run. I can do it all."
While those two are the top prospects, they're hardly the only ones who fit that mold in this draft.
Alabama's Mack Wilson and North Carolina State's Germaine Pratt might not be quite as fast as White and Bush, but they're fast enough and bring enough to the table that they're expected to be second or early third-round picks.
Wilson and Pratt both offer excellent coverage ability.
Wilson had 71 tackles, five pass breakups and two interceptions for the Crimson Tide last season, while Pratt, a safety his first two seasons with the Wolfpack, had 104 tackles and six sacks in just 11 games last season. He finished his career with four interceptions.
"I don’t get off the field. I think I’m better covering a tight end and stuff," the 6-foot-2, 240-pound Pratt said. "If coach calls a blitz or something, he expects me to be in man-to-man coverage and he doesn’t have to worry about me. So, I think my game is good being a three-down linebacker."
Beyond those four, there are some other players available who might not be "three-down" linebackers, but can offer teams value as sub-package or base-defense players.
The Steelers are likely to be looking for a player who excels at coverage, and there are several of those.
Minnesota's Blake Cashman, Bobby Okereke of Stanford and Vosean Joseph of Florida offer some coverage ability, but have some holes in their game.
Then, there are undersized coverage linebackers such as West Virginia's David Long, Drue Tranquill of Notre Dame, T.J. Edwards of Wisconsin and Ben Burr-Kirven of Washington.
DALE'S VIEW
There seems to be a lot of people feeling the Steelers have to "trade up to get one of the Devins," otherwise this draft will be a bust.
I'm not one of those. In fact, getting a guy such as Wilson or Pratt in the second round or with their first pick in the third round could be a steal, especially if the Steelers get a solid player in the first round.
Don't get me wrong. White and Bush both have all of the ability to be great NFL players. But with needs at cornerback, tight end, wide receiver and safety, the Steelers can use their four premium picks this year to restock not only for this year, but for the future.
This is a deep draft, one with quality players available as far as the fourth round. And there could be some steals in the middle rounds, as well.
To move up to the top 10, as some are suggesting, would cost the Steelers as much as a second and third-round pick, in addition to swapping firsts.
Now, if Bush gets past the first dozen or so picks, I'd be interested in making a move up. But getting to the top 10? Nope. Too costly.
