2020-04-06 13:47:53

-by Daniel Mogollon, Staff Writer; Image: Pittsburgh linebacker T.J. Watt. (Image Source: Philip G. Pavely/USA Today)

With the 2020 NFL Draft less than three weeks away, we put the Pittsburgh Steelers on the clock:

2019 Record: 8-8; Finished: 2^nd In the AFC North

General Manager/Vice President: Kevin Colbert (11^th Year/21^st with team), Head Coach: Mike Tomlin (14^th Year), Offensive Coordinator: Randy Fichtner (3^rd Year/14^th with team), Defensive Coordinator: Keith Butler (6^th Year/8^th with team)

Offense Rankings: No. 30 Total, No. 27 Scoring, No. 31 Passing, No. 29 Rushing

Without Ben Roethlisberger, the Steelers offense took a tremendous dip in 2019 after they finished fourth in total offense and sixth in scoring in 2018. I don’t know if we’ve seen as drastic of a drop from season to season as we did with their aerial attack, as the year after Pittsburgh finished second, they plummeted to second to last. Pittsburgh went from being one of the best offenses in the league to one of the worst.

Defense Rankings: No. 5 Overall, No. 6 Scoring, No. 3 Passing, No. 14 Rushing

A steady overall defense (6^th) improved 10 slots in scoring after they finished middle of the pack in 2018 (16^th). The rush D dropped from sixth, however the pass D made the jump from 10^th, thanks in large part to an outstanding pass rush (NFL-leading 54 sacks).

2020 NFL Draft: Cowboys OTC | Giants OTC | Jets OTC | Raiders OTC |

The Five-Year Plan – Record: 51-28-1; Last Playoff Appearance: 2017; Last Playoff Victory: 2016 Season (18-16 over Kansas City in the AFC Divisional Round)

2018 Draft: (1-10) LB Devin Bush Jr., (3-66) WR Diontae Johnson, (3-83) CB Justin Layne, (4-122) RB Benny Snell, (5-141) TE Zach Gentry, (6-175) DE Sutton Smith, (6-192) DE Isaiah Buggs, (6-207) LB Ulysees Gilbert, (7-219) OT Derwin Gray

Top Picks Last Five Years:

2019 – (1-10) LB Devin Bush, Jr. Michigan

2018 – (1-18) S Terrell Edmonds, Virginia Tech

2017 – (1-30) OLB T.J. Watt, Wisconsin

2016 – (1-25) CB Artie Burns, Miami

2015 – (1-22) OLB Bud Dupree, Kentucky

Booms:

TE Jesse James (Rd. 5—2015)

NT Javon Hargrave (Rd. 3—2016)

OLB T.J. Watt (Rd. 1—2017)

WR JuJu Smith-Schuster (Rd. 2—2017)

Busts:

CB Senquez Golson (Rd. 2—2015)

WR Sammie Coates (Rd. 3—2015)

CB Doran Grant (Rd. 4—2015)

CB Artie Burns (Rd. 1—2016)

CB Sean Davis (Rd. 2—2016)

OT Jerald Hawkins (Rd. 4—2016)

Additions:

FB Derek Watt (UFA/Signed)

TE Eric Ebron (UFA/Signed)

C Stefen Wisniewski (UFA/Signed)

DE Dewayne Hendrix (UFA/Signed)

DE Chris Wormley (Trade/Ravens)

LB Christian Kuntz (UFA/Signed)

S Tyree Kinnel (UFA/Signed)

Keepers:

OT Zach Banner (Re-signed)

LB Bud Dupree (Franchised)

S Jordan Dangerfield (Re-signed)

LS Kameron Canaday (Re-signed)

Subtractions:

FB Roosevelt Nix (Released)

WR Johnny Holton (Released)

TE Nick Vannett (UFA/Broncos)

OG B.J. Finney (UFA/Seahawks)

OG Ramon Foster (Retired)

DT Javon Hargrave (UFA/Eagles)

LB Marc Barron (Released)

LB Anthony Chickillo (Released)

LB Tyler Matakevich (UFA/Bills)

CB Artie Burns (UFA/Bears)

S Sean Davis (UFA/Redskins)

2020 Picks: The Pittsburgh Steelers don’t have a first-round pick for the first time since 1967! Since 19-67! Wow! The last time they didn’t have more than one pick in the top 100 was 1963. This franchise values the draft more than any other. Where did the picks go? During the season, they shipped their first-round selection (and Jacksonville’s fifth-rounder acquired for Joshua Dobbs) for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. They also added a fourth-rounder in that deal, from Tennessee, via Miami. They traded their third-round pick away in last year’s draft in a move that allowed them to jump up to No. 10 overall to select Devin Bush Jr. out of Michigan. In addition, the Steelers used their fifth-round pick to trade for tight end Nick Vannett. Coming off an offseason in which they lost Le’Veon Bell, the Steelers were also awarded a compensatory pick late in the third round.

Round 2, Selection 49

Round 3, Selection 102 (compensatory)

Round 4, Selection 124

Round 4, Selection 135 (from Titans)

Round 6, Selection 198

Round 7, Selection 232

Daniel Mogollon is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America and the Football Writers Association of America. He is also a voter for the Thorpe and the Rotary Lombardi Award, as well as the Latino Sports MVP Awards. You can reach him via email: danmogollon@gmail.com.