When the Pittsburgh Steelers go on the clock in the 2019 NFL draft, they are going to have plenty of options in terms of filling needs with their first-round pick. But short of a trade up, the level of talent at the bottom of the first round isn’t really comparable to the top half. And thanks to some moves in free agency, Pittsburgh should be in a position to draft the best player on the board regardless of position.
Here are three guys the Steelers need to steer clear of in the first round.
Kelvin Harmon | Wide receiver | North Carolina State
There is no denying North Carolina State wide receiver Kelvin Harmon looks the part of an NFL wide receiver. But for the Steelers, they don’t need a player who relies solely on his size to win matchups and lacks speed and quickness. He can’t push downfield and won’t get separation from cornerbacks. In the right system he will move the chains but he’s not the best fit for the Steelers.
Josh Jacobs | Running back | Alabama
I am on board with the Steelers drafting a running back. Even with James Conner and Jaylen Samuels on the roster, there is always room for improvement. But as tempting as Alabama running back Josh Jacobs might be, the Steelers need to pass. Jacobs is a good player but if the Steelers draft a back it needs to be in the middle rounds and be either a power back or pure speed.
Jachai Polite | Edge | Florida
Most draft prospects spend their time after the end of the season working on prep for drills at the scouting combine and pro days. We have to take the offseason with a grain of salt but when a player comes into the combine woefully unprepared it raises flags. This is what happened with Florida edge rusher Jachai Polite. After an up and down season, Polite needed a strong workout and he fell flat.
