Edge rusher or cornerback?
That was the choice for the Steelers all along, right?
Go for a pass rusher to get after the quarterback and ease the pressure on their troubled secondary or draft a shutdown cornerback to play man-to-man defense and keep the quarterback from picking them apart.
An easy call, Kevin Colbert said late Thursday night.
This was after the Steelers took Wisconsin linebacker T.J. Watt with their No. 1 pick in the 2017 NFL draft, No. 30 overall. You have to like the kid's bloodlines, if nothing else. He might never be the player his big bro J.J. is with the Houston Texans, but it's reasonable to think he will be able to split time with James Harrison before taking over the position when Harrison retires. If Watt is as good at getting after the quarterback as Colbert/Mike Tomlin say he is, the cornerbacks will be better because they won't have to cover as long. I'm guessing Tom Brady didn't lose any sleep over the Watt selection, but maybe he'll feel differently when the New England Patriots come to Heinz Field in December.
Watt, a converted tight end, played for former Pitt coach Paul Chryst at Wisconsin. Chryst texted Colbert and asked him where he thought Watt would be picked if he declared for the NFL draft as a junior. "I looked at (Watt) and said, 'Coach, this kid is a first-round pick.' "
Watt had 11{ sacks last season, his first as an edge rusher. Colbert called that production "remarkable" and "pretty amazing."
"He's a quality guy, a quality pick for us," Tomlin said. "He's worthy of the pick. But we're excited about his potential upside and growth."
I've learned to trust Colbert and Tomlin when it comes to picking a defensive player as their No. 1 pick.
This is the fifth consecutive draft in which they took one, including four linebackers during that time.
Jarvis Jones was a bust in the 2013 draft, but their other No. 1s? Ryan Shazier has turned out pretty well, Bud Dupree has a chance to be a star and Artie Burns, who started at cornerback last season, will get better. Colbert and Tomlin also did OK with Cam Heyward and Lawrence Timmons before them.
Some of the mock drafts had the Steelers taking a quarterback, although the top ones _ Mitch Trubisky, Deshaun Watson and, the one the team allegedly liked best, Patrick Mahomes _ went much earlier. That's just as well. Day one of the draft wasn't the time to be looking for Ben Roethlisberger's successor. Nor is day two Friday. Add pieces on defense to help Roethlisberger win another championship. Worry about finding his replacement next spring.
That doesn't mean an offensive player would have been a bad choice. Loading up with more threats for Roethlisberger makes sense even if he will get Martavis Bryant back next season, as long as Bryant stays marijuana-free.
It's OK to win games, 30-27, just as much as it is to win, 20-17. Miami tight end David Njoku would have made for an intriguing decision if he hadn't gone to the Cleveland Browns on the pick before the Steelers'. There are those concerns about Ladarius Green's health, remember?
But the Steelers addressed one of their glaring needs with the selection of Watt. They will get their cornerback to add to their young secondary with Burns and safety Sean Davis with one of their three picks Friday night. This is a deep draft. Remember: It's a marathon, not a sprint.
