The Pittsburgh Steelers generally like to draft the best player available regardless of position but they likely won’t have that luxury this year.  With Ben Roethlisberger getting older, he can’t keep getting hit like a pinata or his career will be cut short.  Look for the Steelers to draft offensive linemen very high in this draft.  The Steelers also have needs at corner, running back and inside linebacker and they will be looking to add players there.  This is how I see the Steelers’ draft going as here are the players I had them getting in my mock draft:

1st round (#31 overall) – Danny Watkins, G, Baylor

2nd round (#63 overall) – Orlando Franklin, T, Miami (FL)

3rd round (#95 overall) – Shareece Wright, CB, USC

4th round (#128 overall) – Shane Vereen, RB, California

5th round (#162 overall) – Delone Carter, RB, Syracuse

6th round (#196 overall) – Orie Lemon, ILB, Oklahoma State

7th round (#232 overall) – Devin Torrence, CB, Ohio State

If the Steelers’ draft goes like I project it to, the team is going to be even better than they were last year when they lost the Super Bowl.

The Pittsburgh Steelers really did a good job last April of picking players who made a nice impact in 2010.  Some of these guys are going to really be big time contributors down the road for the Steelers.  Here’s a look at how the rookies did in 2010 for the Steelers:

Maurkice Pouncey:  The Steelers took 21-year old center Maurkice Pouncey in the first round with the #18 overall pick.  Pouncey made it to the Pro Bowl as a rookie as he started in all 16 games during the regular season for the Steelers.  It’s too bad he missed the Super Bowl due to injury.  Still, he’s by far the best O-Lineman the Steelers have and that is without a doubt.

Jason Worilds:  The Steelers took 22-year old OLB Jason Worilds out of Virginia Tech with the #52 overall pick (2nd round).  He played in 14 games for the Steelers last season and he had 17 tackles, 1 fumble recovery and 2 sacks.  He will likely be the long term replacement for James Harrison sometime down the road.

Emmanuel Sanders:  With the 82nd overall pick (3rd round) the Steelers took 23-year old WR Emmanuel Sanders.  Sanders played in 13 games for the Steelers last season and he caught 28 passes for 376 yards (13.4 avg) with 2 TD grabs.  Sanders made his biggest mark on special teams though.  He returned 4 punts for 60 yards (15.0 avg) and 25 kickoffs for 628 yards (25.1 avg) last season.  He also had 10 tackles and 2 forced fumbles, so he was a huge asset on coverage teams.  Sanders could be a starting WR when Hines Ward decides to hang up the cleats.

Thaddeus Gibson:  The Steelers took 23-year old OLB Thaddeus Gibson out of Ohio State in the 4th round (#116 overall).  Gibson got cut by the Steelers.  He finished the season up with the San Francisco 49ers.  He played in 2 games with the Niners and he had 3 tackles and 2 forced fumbles.

Chris Scott:  23-year old OT Chris Scott was the 151st overall pick (5th round) out of Tennessee.  The 6’4″, 319 pound Scott did not play in any games last season due to foot problems.  Scott will get another shot this season due to the shambles the Steelers’ O-Line is in right now.

Crezdon Butler:  23-year old CB Crezdon Butler came to the Steelers in the 5th round (#164 overall) out of Clemson.  Butler played in 4 games for the Steelers and he had 1 whole tackle.  He’s going to really have to step up if he’s going to keep getting paid to play football.

Stevenson Sylvester:  22-year old OLB Stevenson Sylvester out of Utah came to the Steelers in the fifth round (#166 overall).  Sylvester was a beast on special teams for the Steelers in 2010.  He played in 16 games for the Steelers and he had 14 tackles, 1 tackle for a loss and 2 forced fumbles. 

Jonathan Dwyer:  The Steelers took 21-year old RB Jonathan Dwyer in the 6th round (#188 overall) out of Georgia Tech.  He only played in 1 game for the Steelers last season and he carried the ball 9 times for 28 yards (3.1 ypc).  I have a feeling that he is already running out of time in Pittsburgh.

Antonio Brown:  22-year old WR Antonio Brown came to the Steelers in the 6th round (#195 overall) out of Central Michigan.  He played in 9 games for the Steelers during the regular season and he caught 16 passes for 167 yards (10.4 avg).  Brown also helped out a lot on special teams for the Steelers as he returned 19 punts for 110 yards (5.8 avg) and 17 kickoffs for 397 yards (23.4 avg) with 1 TD return.  Brown is best known for catching the win sealing passes in the playoffs against both the Ravens and the Jets.  He has a big time upside for the Steelers.

Doug Worthington:  23-year old DE Doug Worthington out of Ohio State was picked by the Steelers in the 7th round (#242 overall).  Worthington was cut by the Steelers.  He was picked up by the Bucs who had him on the active roster at the end of the 2010 season, but he didn’t get into any games for them.

GRADE FOR 2010:  A

GRADE FOR THE FUTURE:  A++++

23-year old Emmanuel Sanders and 22-year old Antonio Brown have both made impacts for the Steelers so far this year.  Sanders has played in 10 games for the Steelers so far this year and he has caught 16 passes for 228 yards (14.3 avg) with 2 TD grabs.  He is a speed burner who has also been excellent on special teams this year.  He has returned 4 punts for 60 yards (15.0 avg) and 25 kickoffs for 628 yards (25.1 avg) so far this year and he also has 8 tackles and 2 forced fumbles.  He was a 3rd round pick (#82 overall) out of SMU.  Antonio Brown has played in 6 games for the Steelers so far this year and he has caught 8 passes for 80 yards (10.0 avg).  He has also returned 12 punts for 99 yards (8.3 avg) and 9 kickoffs for 259 yards (28.8 avg) with a TD return.  Brown was a 6th round pick out of Central Michigan (#195 overall) last April.  The Steelers like the upside that both of these guys have.

The Steelers have picked DE/DT Doug Worthington with the 242nd overall pick (7th round) of the NFL Draft.  Worthington is a big guy at 6’5″, 292 pounds but he runs a 5.1 40.  Due to his lack of speed or pass rush ability the Steelers have to be thinking of using Worthington at DT.  He played in 13 games for the Buckeyes last season and he finished up with 45 tackles, 5 tackles for a loss, 2 sacks and 2 batted down passes.  Worthington played in 46 games in his four years at Ohio State and he finished up with 106 tackles, 12 tackles for a loss, 4.5 sacks, he batted down 3 passes, had 1 interception and he forced 1 fumble.  This was a reach for the Steelers as not many experts thought Worthington would get drafted.

The Steelers have picked WR Antonio Brown with the 195th overall pick of the NFL Draft (6th round).  Brown is 5’11″, 185 pounds but he’s fast running a 4.5 40.  Brown is good with the football in his hands where he is at his best.  But he doesn’t help out when he isn’t getting the ball as he is not very interested in blocking.  Brown played in 14 games (12 starts) at Central Michigan last season and he caught 110 passes for 1,198 yards (10.9 avg) with 9 TD grabs.  He played in 41 games (30 starts) in his three years with the Chippewas in which he caught 305 passes for 3,199 yards (10.5 avg) with 22 TD grabs.  Despite his great college numbers it very questionable as to how Brown will handle a big step up in competition.  Even if Brown doesn’t help the Steelers at WR he is a very capable punt and kickoff returner.

The Steelers have picked RB Jonathan Dwyer with the 188th overall pick (6th round) of the NFL Draft.  Dwyer is a tough inside runner at 5’11″, 245 pounds and he has deceptive speed running a 4.55 40.  Dwyer played in 14 games (all starts) at Georgia Tech last season and he carried the ball 235 times for 1,395 yards (5.9 ypc) with 14 TD runs.  He also caught 5 passes for 37 yards (7.4 avg) last year.  Dwyer played in 40 games (27 starts) in his three years at Georgia Tech in which he carried the ball 517 times for 3,226 yards (6.2 ypc) with 35 TD runs and he also caught 15 passes for 263 yards (17.5 avg) with 1 TD grab.  This was a outstanding pick for the Steelers as many “experts” had him getting selected in the 2nd or 3rd round of the draft.  Dwyer will challenge Mewelde Moore for the job as the #2 back on the Steelers for 2010.

The Steelers have picked OLB Sylvester Stevenson with the 166th overall pick (5th round) of the NFL Draft.  Stevenson is 6’2″, 231 pounds and he runs a 4.76 40.  Stevenson played in 13 games for Utah last season and he had 81 tackles, 5 tackles for a loss, 2 sacks, he broke up 2 passes and he had 1 interception (he returned it 27 yards for a TD).  Stevenson played in 49 games at Utah in which he had 263 tackles, 24.5 tackles for a loss, he had 9 sacks, broke up 12 passes, he forced 4 fumbles and he had 1 interception.  Despite being a playmaker in college I just don’t think he has the athletic ability to fit in with the Steelers’ type of D.  I think Stevenson was a huge reach for the Steelers as not many draft “experts’ thought he would get picked at all.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have picked CB Crezdon Butler with the 164th overall pick (5th round) of the NFL Draft.  Not many draft experts had Butler getting drafted but the Steelers picked him because they have a need at CB.  Butler is 5’11″, 196 pounds and he runs a 4.46 40.  Butler played in 13 games at Clemson last season and he had 36 tackles, broke up 10 passes, he had 1 interception, 1 tackle for a loss and he had 1 sack.  He played in 52 games in his four years in college and he had 183 tackles, broke up 21 passes, he had 11 interceptions, 5 tackles for a loss, he forced 2 fumbles and he had 1 sack.  He is not big on run support but he will likely have to earn his way on the team with special teams play.  He does have enough athletic ability for the Steelers to coach up however so he might be worth the reach the Steelers took with him.

The Steelers have picked G/T Chris Scott with the 151st overall pick (5th round) of the NFL Draft.  Scott is a giant at 6’4″, 328 pounds but he’s really slow (5.5 40).  Scott is versatile as he has started at every position on the O-Line in his time at Tennessee.  Scott played in 13 games (all starts) for the Volunteers last season and he played in 52 games (39 starts) in his four years with them.  The Steelers need help on the O-Line and Scott looks like a decent prospect so this was a good pick for them.

UPDATE:  (6/30/2010) – Chris Scott has underwent surgery to repair a fractured foot.  He will be out until at least October.  This is another blow to the O-Line of the Steelers who have already lost Willie Colon for the year.

The Steelers have picked OLB Thaddeus Gibson out of Ohio State with the 116th overall pick (4th round) of the NFL Draft.  Gibson is 6’2″, 245 pounds and he runs a 4.65 40 so he’s a outstanding athlete.  Gibson played in 13 games (all starts) for the Buckeyes last season in which he had 45 tackles, 13 tackles for a loss, he had 4 sacks, broke up 1 pass and he had 1 interception.  Gibson played in 35 games (23 starts) in his three years with the Buckeyes and he had 82 tackles, 25 tackles for a loss, 10 sacks, he broke up 4 passes and he had 1 interception.  Gibson will need coached up at OLB as he was a DE in college but the Steelers have had a lot of success in converting players like him.  Gibson has a solid upside as he was projected to be picked in the 2nd or 3rd round by most draft experts so the Steelers got nice value with this pick.

UPDATE:  (11/3/2010) – The Steelers have released Thaddeus Gibson.  He didn’t play any games for the Steelers but he was still claimed on waivers by the 49ers.