Comparisons to be Made

So much for Sean Spence. And Terrence Garvin.

Steeler Nation, meet your new hybrid safety/inside linebacker: Ryan Shazier.

This is a controversial, debatable choice for the No. 15 overall pick in the NFL draft. It is not a safe choice, although Shazier was productive at Ohio State, and he is athletic. There is concern he may be undersized.

As Mike Tomlin noted, however, Shazier is fast and can make plays "horizontally and vertically."  What that means, hopefully, is that Shazier will be able to cover the NFL's tall, fast tight ends running down the seam in the middle of the field, as well as track down fast running backs sideline-to-sideline, and run with the mobile quarterbacks becoming more prevalent in the league these days.

So, there is a case to be made for Shazier. Presumably, he will assume the role Troy Polamalu played so much last year: Close to the line of scrimmage, at the second level, disrupting lanes and also dropping back into coverage with tight ends, receivers and running backs; with the periodic burst up the middle on a pass rush.

For what it's worth (nothing, probably), in the one 40-yard dash highlight shown on the NFL Network after the pick was announced, Shazier blazed through the sprint -- but pulled up at the end with a hamstring problem. Uh-oh. Let's hope that's not a portent of things to come. If there's one thing we've learned about problematic hamstrings, it is that they can be persistent, recurring and take forever to heal. And they keep coming back. Don't they, Lammarr Woodley?

For the next few years, however, Steeler fans will be keeping an eye on the development not only of Shazier but of three players in particular who could have been drafted instead of him.

Those are:

Zack Martin, OL, Notre Dame, who went to the Cowboys with the very next pick, No. 16. As noted in our post early on Draft Day, if Odell Beckham, Jr. and Justin Gilbert were off the board, we'd identified Martin as the next guy we would have taken. In Dallas, by the way, some of the pre-draft media prognostications had projected Shazier going to the Cowboys at No. 16.

C.J. Mosley, ILB, Alabama, who went to Baltimore with the very next pick after Martin, at No, 17 overall. Mosley was a more heralded player than Shazier, although some concerns have been raised about his durability. The two inside linebackers are about the same size, but Shazier runs a faster 40-yard dash.

Darqueze Dennard, CB, Michigan State, who went to Cincinnati, for crying out loud, at No. 25 overall. Mike Greenberg ("Mike and Mike") called Dennard the steal of the first round, and that he can flat out play, never mind the 40 time.

When the Steelers went on the clock, with Kyle Fuller, Justin Gilbert and Odell Beckham already off the board, we figured the Steelers would take nearly the full 10 minutes and probably trade down.  Shazier may have been available later in the first round; or maybe not. Jerry Jones in Dallas may very well have intended to draft him at No. 16.

The Steelers took hardly any time at all to turn in their card. For better or worse, this pick has "Mike Tomlin" written all over it.

Next up: Pick No. 46.

The Proverbial Best Player Available

With the 15th overall pick in this year's draft, there is no way the Steelers should "reach" for the player they select. There is absolutely no reason for the 15th overall player to be a "project" or one drafted based on indeterminable upside, long-term potential or the possibility of converting from one position to another to fill a need. Not for this team; not after consecutive 8-8 seasons.

There are only 22 position players. The Steelers pick 15th.  They shouldn't have to roll the dice on a player.

Some positions on the Steelers are at a stage of critical need. The debate is open as to what positions are most critical, but let's say for the sake of argument they include in no particular order (or maybe in approximately this order, more or less): wide receiver, cornerback, offensive tackle, defensive line, rush linebacker, safety, inside linebacker, tight end, speed running back, and developmental quarterback.

That's 10 position groups, and some of those could use more than one player. As of today, the Steelers have nine picks in the 2014 draft.  They'd better draft wisely and add some good undrafted free agents after the draft, too.

The two top-rated receivers, Sammy Watkins and Mike Evans, will be gone by No. 15.

There's a good chance the top two corners, Justin Gilbert and Darqueze Dennard, also will be gone.

If all four of those players at those two positions of critical need are gone, the Steelers will have some tough decisions. Do they reach for the third-best corner (Kyle Fuller)? Or a 20-year-old receiver with tremendous upside (Kelvin Benjamin) who has dodgy hands and has an unpolished game?

Personally, Joey Porter's Pit Bulls like LSU's Odell Beckham, Jr. better than Kelvin Benjamin, but Beckham may also get picked among the top 14, based on his college productivity, 2014 Combine performance and this week's LSU Pro Day workout. As Mike Tomlin would say, Beckham's arrow is pointing up -- and keep in mind, Tomlin, Todd Haley and Kevin Colbert reportedly had dinner with Beckham this week (just as they did with Benjamin when Florida State had its Pro Day).

Say three to five quarterbacks (Manziel, Bortles and Carr and/or Bridgewater) get drafted in the top 14, and three tackles (Greg Robinson, Jake Matthews and either Taylor Lewan or Zack Martin), and three pass rushers (Jadeveon Clowney, Khalil Mack and either Dee Ford or Anthony Barr; maybe even Kony Ealy).  Tight end Eric Ebron might also make the top 14.

Maybe both of the top two safeties (Ha-Ha Clinton Dix or Calvin Pryor) will be gone.  Maybe one of them is still available at No. 15, though. Would it make sense for the Steelers to take either Dix or Pryor? ... over a defensive lineman like Stephon Pruitt?

Will the Steelers bypass wide receiver in the first round because they figure it's a deep draft for receivers and they might be able to get a good one with Pick No. 46 overall, in the second round?

Tough decisions.

The Steelers should be able to draft the top-rated player at a position of need. And the Steelers have so many needs, they should be able to draft a player who will make an immediate impact and be a perennial Pro Bowl player for years to come. That's how it should work with the 15th overall pick.

There's about a month to go. For all intents and purposes, the Steelers are lacking a third-round pick (unless you count the compensatory pick at the end of the round), so it is absolutely imperative that they get the first-rounder right.