As the draft analyst for NFL.com, Lance Zierlein has access to thousands of hours of tape, players and coaches and personnel that others only can dream of.
And with a father, Larry Zierlein, who was a longtime NFL assistant coach, including from 2007 through 2009 as offensive line coach of the Steelers, Zierlein also has a unique perspective on how the NFL draft process works.
Zierlein told me Friday that the Steelers take an approach that is very simple when it comes to assessing a player based on off-field issues. The coaching staff and scouts present the issues to team president Art Rooney II. And Rooney either signs off on the player or he doesn't. There's no further discussion three rounds later if that player is still on the board. He's either on Pittsburgh's board or he isn't.
"I talked to my dad about this. 'How do the Steelers handle character stuff?'" Zierlein said. "He gave me the low down in the draft room, what it’s like, how the Rooneys are brought in and involved. They’re the ones who will say if it’s yes, then it’s a yes. If it’s a no, then it’s a no and the guy’s off and that’s it. That’s going to happen with anyone with character issues. It’s up to (general manager) Kevin Colbert and everyone who is involved to paint the picture of what you’re dealing with. Here’s the player, here’s the issue. In the past, the Rooneys have decided whether or not he could stay on the board."
One such player in this year's draft is Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons. Zierlein caused a bit of a stir a few weeks ago when he mentioned in an article on NFL.com there were some off-field concerns regarding Parsons in this year's draft. Parsons named as a player who was involved in a lawsuit last fall regarding a hazing incident at Penn State in 2018 that ended with a player who later transferred claiming he was sexually harassed. Parsons is not a defendant himself in the case, which is against the school, but he and two other players were alleged to have, "orchestrated, participated in, directed and/or facilitated a campaign to harass and haze."
Parsons is considered the top off-ball linebacker prospect in this draft, but will have to be vetted strongly by NFL teams. And given the limited access teams have had the past year to college campuses because of COVID-19, that is proving more difficult.
"Who are these players as people? You’re getting less of that information than in year’s past," Zierlein said.
But, Zierlein thinks that linebacker is a position the Steelers could target in the first round of the draft later this month when they make their first-round pick with the 24th selection.
"I’ve looked at what the Steelers have. I go through contingencies for every team based on need. I think they can get a good linebacker potentially, but I’m not sure one’s going to be on the board," Zierlein said. "Micah Parsons is a guy with some character concerns based on the hazing stuff. There are some teams that are really worried about him.
"Parsons, (Jeremiah) Owosu-Koramoah, (Zaven) Collins, and to me Jamin Davis would also have to be a consideration. If any of those four are there, I probably would pull the trigger on that. But depending on how the draft plays out, if guys started to fall at different positions, that’s a good spot to be a trade out spot, especially for a team who might be desperate for cornerback. You might be able to get a big bump to be able move back to the second round. I think that’s a trade back situation or grab one of those four linebackers. One of them will be available, that’s for sure."
Any of those four linebackers would certainly fill a need for the Steelers, who will get Devin Bush back this year after he missed most of last season with a torn ACL but released longtime stalwart Vince Williams in a cost-cutting move. They currently have Robert Spillane slated to fill that spot next to Bush, but he might be better served being the top backup.
The Steelers, however, also have immediate needs at both running back and center. Former Pro Bowl running back James Conner remains a free agent, while the backups, Benny Snell, Jaylen Samuels, Anthony McFarland, who was selected in the fourth round of last year's draft, and free agent signing Kalen Ballage, are largely untested.
At center, Maurkice Pouncey has retired, and while B.J. Finney was re-signed, the Steelers could upgrade that position, as well.
The Steelers finished dead last in the NFL in rushing in 2020.
Zierlein believes selecting Alabama's Landon Dickerson at some point in the first two rounds would make a lot of sense for the Steelers if he checks out OK medically -- he's had multiple injury issues -- and grabbing one of the top three running backs in this draft in Najee Harris, Travis Etienne or Javonte Williams is a must for the team.
"You’ve got slow guys," Zierlein said of the Steelers' running back room. "They have too many slow guys and I wasn’t that big on the guy they got last year from Maryland. These guys are studs, all three of the ones we talked about. And it is a big drop to No. 4. If I’m the Steelers, that might be a trade-back situation into the early second. Najee Harris and Javonte Williams are still on the board at 34, you know what I mean? Would you rather have that? Hell yeah, that’s what I’d rather have."
But, if they have to pull the trigger on a running back in the first round, so be it. That goes against what analytics people will tell you regarding the running back position in today's NFL.
Zierlein, however, doesn't care because of the lack of depth at the position in this year's draft.
"So much is made of the analytics, ‘You just don’t draft running backs in the first,’" he said. "Let me tell you something, Najee Harris, Etienne and Javonte Williams can make that Steelers running game so much better. I don’t care who’s up front."
