While many have connected the Steelers to the safety position in the first round of the draft, that may not be feasible. As we approach the event, it seems those players are moving up the draft boards. At least that is the impression of Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, who has been on the safety bandwagon. And with one safety in particular, but perhaps the bandwagon has outgrown the Steelers.
“My guy is Dillon Thieneman, and I keep seeing him, like, top 10 or top 15 now, so I don’t know if that’s gonna come into the play for them. I’m starting to think safety might be out of the equation there”, he said on 93.7 The Fan when asked what position the Steelers would draft in the first round.
“Guard, you could see a guard go there, [but] the guards are pretty good in the second and third round, too”, he added. “So they don’t have to take a guard. I’m closer and closer to thinking it is gonna be a wide receiver, but if I had to choose one other position right now, I’d probably say guard”.
Thieneman is one of three at the safety position expected to be first-round draft picks, the Steelers having shown interest in the position already. Recently, they hosted Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, who may be the safety they have the most realistic shot at. While they wouldn’t necessarily need him to play right away, it could be a need soon.
This offseason, the Steelers set themselves up for an open draft by addressing key areas like safety. That signed Jaquan Brisker, who is a starter, and are still expected to add Darnell Savage. While they parted with numerous safeties from last season, the Steelers still have Jalen Ramsey, and DeShon Elliott is returning from a season-ending injury.
But Ramsey is not a long-term answer, and Elliott and Brisker both have injury concerns and expiring contracts. If the Steelers have a chance to draft a difference-making safety, it would certainly be a prudent move. But while safeties often fall on the draft boards, will they be the lucky beneficiaries this year? The Ravens watched Kyle Hamilton and Malaki Starks fall to them within the past four drafts.
The Steelers arguably have more immediate needs than safety that they could address at the top of the draft, though. There is a starting vacancy at left guard, for example, and they need another wide receiver. Those are both spots where a rookie would, or at least could, play right away. That is less obvious at safety, as they do have depth in the secondary. Not that it would preclude them from taking one.
But will the Steelers even have the opportunity to draft a top safety, or will they be off the board? That’s always the question of every draft—who will last long enough for you to pick? The safety position is often one of the hardest to predict, as well. But any one of the top safeties would be a good investment at 21 overall. Not that they don’t have options later in the draft, as well.
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