2017 NFL Draft: Pittsburgh Steelers final grade
How did the Pittsburgh Steelers fare in the 2017 NFL Draft?
The 2017 NFL Draft has come and gone and now it is time for review. Of course, it will be easier to look back in a few years and really find out how these players fit and transitioned to their new roles. But as a whole, you can understand team philosophies and processes, which deserve to be examined upon first glance. With that said, here is the Pittsburgh Steelers final grade.
T.J. Watt
Edge Rusher, Wisconsin
The Steelers swung for the stars with their first round pick to take the brother of J.J. Watt. Watt is very raw in his abilities. He has had two knee surgeries in his career, one for each leg. He is a former tight end who changed positions towards the end of his college career. It shows how raw he is in terms of understanding the play, reading and reacting and rushing with a purpose.
However, while everything he lacks can be coached up, everything he brings cannot. Watt has elite size, strength and athleticism to be a force in the NFL. He has extremely long arms and hands to wrap up running backs and find the extension to push himself away from linebackers. Watt shows great bend and ability to move very quickly when turning the corner and getting around the edge. He also has shown great ability to move in space and has covered tight ends, rushing in from the middle linebacker position and defending the flats.
Now, it will be on the Steelers to harness all of this talent, physical framework and ability and turn it into a productive NFL player. You cannot teach his arm length, but you can teach him how to use it to extend away from offensive linemen. You cannot teach elite speed, but you can teach him how to time his jumps and play smart when rushing around the edge. There is certainly a lower floor than some first round picks, but there are few who have a higher ceiling than Watt and you cannot hate that in the first round.