Over the next few days, the Steelers will be finalizing their draft board and getting all of their ducks in a row.
One of the biggest things they'll do is finalize their list of 24 players they would be happy to take with the 24th pick in the draft, the spot where they select in the first round when things kick off next Thursday.
Obviously, they know that some of those players won't be available to them. For example, the whole world knows Trevor Lawrence is going No. 1 to the Jaguars. But he has to be included on this list.
After all, if he happened to fall for whatever reason, the Steelers would certainly take him.
This is something the team does every year. If they're picking 15th, they'll have a list of 15 players they would take in the first round. If they're 24, as they are this year, that list expands to 24.
The idea behind this is that if they get to the 24th pick and there are only one or two players remaining they would take, obviously they will make their pick.
But if they get to the 24th pick and there are, say, 10 players on their list still available, they could consider a trade back, something they did in 2001, for example, when they moved back three spots from 16 to 19 in a trade with the Jets and acquired additional fourth- and sixth-round picks.
Such a move this year would be beneficial, but it does take two to tango. And the issue is that they wouldn't want to move back too far. Chances are good that when the 24th pick rolls around, they'll only have a handful of the players they would take still available to them.
You'll notice this list doesn't include any edge rushers, safeties or defensive linemen. That group overall just doesn't interest me in the first round and likely won't tempt the Steelers. It also include's just one guard, USC's Alijah Vera-Tucker, who could potentially play tackle, which is where he lined up for the Trojans.
So, Steelers fans should hope for players at those positions to go before 24.
I'm also fairly certain the top 10 players will all be gone when the Steelers make their selection. It's also a strong possibility that the top five quarterbacks are selected -- Mac Jones didn't make my list. Those pipe dreams of Justin Fields somehow falling to 24 are just that -- dreams.
Steelers' Top 24
1. Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson -- The top pick in the draft. He's not falling.
2. Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State -- My No. 2 quarterback. He won't be there at 24.
3. Zach Wilson, QB, BYU -- Most feel Wilson will go No. 2 to the Jets.
4. Penei Sewell, OT, Oregon -- A sure top 10 pick.
5. Rashawn Slater, OT, Northwestern -- The No. 2 offensive tackle in this draft, he likely doesn't get out of the top 10.
6. Kyle Pitts, TE, Florida -- Pitts is a unicorn and might be the best overall player in this draft. He likely doesn't get past the 6th pick.
7. Patrick Surtain II, CB, Alabama -- He and Jaycee Horn are the top 2 cornerbacks with Caleb Farley's medical issues taken into consideration. I love Farley's tape, but a back issue is troublesome.
8. Jaycee Horn, CB, South Carolina -- Horn is big and aggressive. A true press corner who should go in the top 16 picks.
9. Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State -- Parsons could fall because of some off-field issues. But he's a top-10 talent. He likely doesn't slip all the way to 24.
10. Christian Darrisaw, OT, Virginia Tech -- Darrisaw is likely the third offensive tackle picked and probably is taken somewhere in the teens.
11. Ja’Marr Chase, WR, LSU -- Chase will likely be the first receiver taken. And it will likely be in the top 10.
12. DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama -- Smith and teammate Jaylen Waddle fall into line after Chase. They are both taken somewhere in the teens.
13. Jaylen Waddle, WR, Alabama -- See above. Waddle doesn't make it out of the teens.
14. Najee Harris, RB, Alabama -- Harris could go as early as pick 18 to Miami. If he gets past the Dolphins and Jets at 23, he's probably the Steelers' pick.
15. Travis Etienne, RB, Clemson -- A nice fallback option to Harris. And he could go at 18 or 23, too.
16. Teven Jenkins, OT, Oklahoma State -- If both Harris and Etienne happen to be gone, Jenkins would be a nice fallback option -- if he doesn't go to the Colts at pick No. 21.
17. Javonte Williams, RB, North Carolina -- I like Williams at least as much as Etienne if not better, but he seems to be the clear No. 3, with a big gap between him and the fourth-best back. Williams won't be available with the 55th selection, so if the Steelers miss on Harris and Etienne and Jenkins also is somehow gone, Williams is next up.
18. Greg Newsome, CB, Northwestern -- The No. 3 corner now with Farley's issues. But the earliest he could go would be at 16 to the Cardinals. After that, he could go anywhere.
19. Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB, Notre Dame -- Owusu-Koramoah is talented and fast. But he's also light. Could the Steelers afford to pair him with Devin Bush? Sure. They would have the fastest -- but lightest -- inside linebacker unit in the league.
20. Trey Lance, QB, North Dakota State -- Lance won't make it to the Steelers. But he's a project. I would taken the aforementioned players ahead of him.
21. Alijah Vera-Tucker, OL, USC -- More of a guard than a tackle, but could play tackle in a pinch. He likely goes in the teens somewhere to a team looking for interior line help.
22. Zaven Collins, LB, Tulsa -- A bigger option than Owusu-Koramoah, but he's not as physical as you'd like if you can believe a 260-pound linebacker is more of a finesse player.
23. Landon Dickerson, C, Alabama -- When all else fails, take the best center available. Dickerson's medicals reportedly checked out. It's a leap of faith, but he's a first-round talent who has had medical issues. He'd be an immediate starter.
24. Creed Humphrey, C, Oklahoma -- Humphrey doesn't have Dickerson's medical issues. But he's also not quite as good.
