2019 Draft: Steelers Review

As always, the write-up/summaries come from NFL.com's draft coverage

LB Devin Bush (Michigan) 5'11" 234lbs

RD 1 (10)

2018: Big 10 DPOY, 1st All-American/1st All-B10, 66tckls/8.5TFLs, 4.5scks, 4 breakups

combine: 4.43s 40, 21reps, 40.5" vert

strengths: Trusts his eyes. Has good patience. Very good body control & balance. Proactive with hands to balance against wash-down blocks. Strong legs drive through upright blocks. A sideline-to-sideline runner. Disguises launch point as a blitzer.

weaknesses: Average reactive time in early response. Slow to process & diagnose against misdirection. Too many block challenges. Requires better pursuit leverage. Runs himself out of tackle attempts.

comp: Stephen Tulloch

WR Diontae Johnson (Toledo)  5'10"  183lbs

RD 3 (66)

2018: 1st All-MAC punt returner, 13 returns/1TD (18.5yd avg), 2nd All-MAC kick returner, 16 returns/1TD (25.8yd avg), 1st All-MAC, 49rec/761yds/8TDs

combine: 4.53s 40, 15reps, 33.5" vert

strengths: Big-time playmaking potential. A twitchy mover. Agile & sudden to slide easily around the press. Early acceleration creates early route leads. Plays with toughness & fights for his leverage. Electric feet for sharp route cuts. Gadget talent for screens & sweeps.

weaknesses: Below-average play strength. Needs to trust routes. Needs better balance & footwork in routes. Focus drops are an issue. Has issues pulling in balls outside his frame.

comp: Emmanuel Sanders

CB Justin Layne (Michigan State)  6'2"  192lbs

RD 3 (83)

2018: 2nd All-Big10, 72tckls/2.5TFLs, 1INT, 15 breakups

combine: 4.50s 40, 37.5" vert

strengths: Has a plus football IQ. Above-average route feel. Quick to digest & adjust to route combinations. Catches WRs off-guard with his punch routine. Fluid sink & redirect. A decisive, quick plant and drive from the pedal. Calm with his back to the ball. Turns to locate with good-timing.

weaknesses: He could struggle with physicality at the top of routes. Feet get away causing occasional imbalance in transitions. Below-average make-up gear. Somewhat conservative routes to throws. Stays wired on blocks and run support.

comp: William Jackson

RB Benny Snell (Kentucky)  5'10" 224lbs

RD 4 (122)

2018: 3rd All-American, 1st All-SEC, 2019 Citrus Bowl MVP, 289car, 1,449yds, 16TDs, 17rec/105yds

combine: 4.66s 40, 16reps, 29.5" vert

strengths: Patient letting blocks develop. Eyes are quick. Preemptive fakes in open field creates additional running room. Has a strong base. Above-average catch radius out of the backfield.

weaknesses: Runs with heavy feet. Below-average lateral quickness. Trouble getting geared back. Very average burst through the line of scrimmage.

comp: David Cobb

TE Zach Gentry (Michigan)  6'8"  265lbs

RD 5 (141)

2018: 32rec/514yds/2TDs

combine: 4.90s 40, 12reps, 29.5" vert

strengths: Fits his angle block & runs his feet. Easy climb & locate on 2nd level. Maintained athleticism as a former QB. Natural gait & speed to attack seams and climb past LBs. Smooth out of his turns. Leverages the middle of the field open. Field aware in scramble spots.

weaknesses: Play strength is below par. Missing drive power for double teams. Too passive in attacking split-zone duties. Too much body catching & too many drops. Focus & hand-eye coordination is spotty. He can do better finding openings in zone.

comp: Matt Lengel

OLB Sutton Smith (Northern Illinois)  6'  233lbs

RD 6 (175)

2018: 1st All-MAC, MAC DPOY, Consensus All-American, 61tckls/26.5TFL, 15scks, 1 breakup, 4FF/3FR/1TD

combine: 4.69s 40, 25reps, 31.5" vert

strengths: Continued acceleration from snap to sack. Plays low to dip & runs the edge. Had high college production. Above-average rush plan with efficient, accurate hand usage. Displays ability to slip blocks in space. Refuses to let go as a tackler. Has traits to become a special teams warrior.

weaknesses: Needs to prove ability to handle cover duties. Instincts appear average. Struggles counter & defeat move blocks that stick him. Lacks sideline-to-sideline speed. Lateral agility is below-average for a LB.

comp: Eric Wilson

DT Isaiah Buggs (Alabama)  6'3"  306lbs

RD 6 (192)

2018: 2nd All-SEC, 52tckls/13.5TFL, 9.5scks, 3 breakups, 2FF/1FR

combine: 5.15s 40, 20reps, 24.5" vert

strengths: Fires out of his stance. Quick to find the neutral zone. Roots up under blockers' pads at the point of attack. Early up-field explosiveness. Lateral quickness to beat blockers. Smooth on the move as a twisting rusher.

weaknesses: Loses his frame to long-armed tackles. Can struggle to maintain early control. Needs to refine his hand work. Can be stiff-kneed at the point of attack. Tends to fatigue. His secondary effort is hit or  miss. 

comp: Tyson Alualu

LB Ulysees Gilbert III (Akron)  6'  224lbs

RD 6 (207)

2018: 85tckls/7.5TFL, 0.5sck, 1 breakup, 2FR/2TDs

strengths: Patient eyes willing to key the ball over the blocker. Swerves around big bodies. Good acceleration to find runners headed for sideline. Funnels runner back to the middle. Aims for centered tackle attempts. Agile open field tackler. Some man cover talent.

weaknesses: Lacks desired physicality at the point of attack. Pushed aside by lead blockers. Passive tackling technique waiting for the runner to close. Lacks awareness of moving pieces in zone.

OT Derwin Gray (Maryland)  6'4"  320lbs

RD 7 (219)

2018: Honorable All-Big 10

combine: 5.26s 40, 26reps

strengths: Size equals power. Centers the block & runs his feet. Battering ram power. Surprisingly rapid slide quickness. Efficient punch timing. Heavy hands force edge rushers into an early regroup.

weaknesses: Run blocker production isn't consistent. Tightness in his hips & knees. Sluggish initial lateral movement. Tall & lumbering in climb to the 2nd level. Opens outside his hip & shoulder too quickly.

comp: Donovan Smith

2019 Draft: Steelers Prospects Preview - Pt. 6

These draft prospects come from a selection of mock drafts connected to the steelers, and/or team visits. The player summaries come from NFL.com.




RB Mike Weber (Ohio St)  5'10"  211lbs

2018: Honorable All-Big10, 172car/954yds/5TDs,  21rec/112yds/1TD

combine: 4.47s 40, 22reps, 33.5" vert

strengths: Vision is his strength. A smooth downhill decision maker. Able to work around early traffic & keep the run alive. Passes desired level of balance through contact. Reliable leak-out option in the passing game. A natural catcher. 

weaknesses: Inefficient in stacking moves. Monotone downhill pace. Doesn't have desired level of burst. Has below-average acceleration. Hip tightness. A lack of burst when play spills wide.

grade: 5.31 (Backup/Special Teams potential)



LB Ben Burr-Kirven (Washington)  6'  230lbs

2018: 1st All-American, Pac-12 DPOY, 176tckl/5.5TFL, 2scks, 3FR/2FF, 2INT/6 breakups

combine: 4.56s 40, 21reps, 34.5" vert

strengths: A frequent tackler. Outstanding instincts. Replicates & mirrors lane choices. Makes a point tackling the football. High fumble production. Has excellent balance. Takes it away if the QB's eyes lingers on a target. 

weaknesses: Takes steep pursuit angles. Slow to punch & plays away from the blocker. Downhill drift gets him trapped against counters. Gives away run fit with attempts to elude blocks. Needs more control in his approach to tackle WR's in big spaces.

comp: Jayon Brown

grade: 5.33 (Backup/Special Teams potential)



CB Sean Bunting (Central Michigan)  6'  195lbs

2018: 1st All-MAC, 37tck/3TFL, 2INTs, 2FF

combine: 4.42s 40, 14reps, 41.5" vert

strengths: Flips his hips to sprint without needing to reset his feet. Looks to physically smother outside releases. Flows with bends of routes & stays under control. Above-average ball skills. Plays the ball, not the man. Adjusts as a ball-tracker. 

weaknesses: Below-average play strength. Lunges from the press when lateral mirror breaks down. Drags behind against true vertical speed. Lacks make-up speed. Average plant-and-drive from the ball. Close-out burst on short throws lacks juice,

comp: Levi Wallace

grade: 5.71 (Chance to be a starter)



WR David Sills (West Virginia)  6'3"  211lbs

2018: 3rd All-American/1st All-Big12, 65rec/986yds/15TDs

combine: 4.57s 40, 14reps, 37.5" vert

strengths: Has some build-up speed to surprise squatting CBs. Improving as a route-runner. Leverages additional throwing space to the boundary. Clever creating late-catch separation through hand fighting. Body control for mid-air turning. Elevates & high-points 50-50 balls. A goal-line specialist. Can gear down & stack corners while tracking the football deep.

weaknesses: Below-average play strength. Unable to get free from tight man coverage. Lacks top-end speed to separate. Slow to gather & open on comebacks. Has issues with contested catches. Drops were an issue in 2018.

comp: Josh Reynolds

grade: 5.42 (Backup/Special Teams potential)



TE Noah Fant (Iowa)  6'4"  249lbs

2018: 3rd All-American/1st All-Big 10, 39rec/519yds/7TDs

combine: 4.50s 40, 20reps, 39.5" vert

strengths: Accelerates off the snap for immediate seam & attacks. Runs with long, loose strides downfield. A springy leaper with an outstanding catch radius. Sinks & scoops low throws. Speed to take off after the catch. Able to stay balanced & centered as a move blocker. Initial hands as a blocker are inside & well-placed.

weaknesses: Lacks play strength necessary at the point of attack. Needs to compete harder on backside blocks. Must learn to adjust routes & fight through contact. Needs to create better catch space. Loses focus in traffic, leading to drops. Slow to turn & find the ball and make adjustments to under-throws.

comp: Eric Ebron

grade: 5.90 (Chance to be a starter)



RB Kerrith Whyte (Florida Atlantic)  5'10"  197lbs

2018: 2nd All-CUSA returner, 1 return TD (28.7yd avg), Honorable All-CUSA, 134car/826yds/8TDs, 10rec/160yds/2TDs

strengths: Tough, explosive runner with good early pace. Burst to drive past the 2nd level. Speed to turn the corner wide. Runs aggressively through contact with above-average balance. Late hip slip to elude angle tackles willing to sit & square blitzers. Hits it downfield with no-nonsense return style.

weaknesses: Below-average vision. Leaves yards on the field. Needs more finesse in finding tracks between tackles. Finds more traffic than he should. Inconsistent tracking passes. Gets the QB hit in protection.

comp: Jordan Todman

grade: 5.28 (Backup/Special Teams potential)




S Will Harris (Boston College)  6'1"  207lbs

2018: 3rd All-ACC, 75tckls, 1INT

combine: 4.41s 40, 20reps, 36.5" vert

strengths: Size & cover talent to line up over TEs, Hearty hitter when greeting pass catchers. A quick trigger into the alleys. Tackles with good positioning & body control. Offers immediate coverage talent on special teams. 

weaknesses: Lacks instincts & closing skill to disrupt in coverage. Lacks feel from the zone. Drive from transitions gets stuck in neutral. Inconsistent feel for pursuit angles allows additional yardage. Lacks tone-setting power in run support. Slow to punch & play off blocks. 

comp: Bradley McDougald

grade: 5.36 (Backup/Special Teams potential)



WR Diontae Johnson (Toledo)  5'10"  183lbs

2018: 1st All-MAC punt returner (18.5yd avg), 2nd All-MAC kick returner (25.8yd avg), 1st All-MAC, 49rec/761yds/8TDs

combine: 4.53s 40, 15reps, 33.5" vert

strengths: Big-time playmaking potential. A twitchy mover. Agile & sudden to slide easily around the press. Early acceleration creates early route leads. Plays with toughness & fights for his leverage. Electric feet for sharp route cuts. Gadget talent for screens & sweeps.

weaknesses: Below-average play strength. Needs to trust routes. Needs better balance & footwork in routes. Focus drops are an issue. Has issues pulling in balls outside his frame.

comp: Emmanuel Sanders

grade: 5.59 (Chance to be a starter)



CB Stephen Denmark (Valdosta St)  6'3"  220lbs

2018: 2nd All-Gulf South, 55tckl/8TFL, 3INTs/9 breakups

strengths: Halts route schedule when he can body WRs. Smooth hips to bend with routes from trail. Has a big recovery gear. Length & ball skills to win jump balls. Comes downhill with aggressive demeanor as a tackler. Consistent to close & wrap as a finisher. 

weaknesses: Upright in press with a narrow base. Indecisive footwork & jam technique from the press. Too easy to tilt off-balance with fakes. Excessive false steps. Unbalanced in transitions. Lacks confidence to play with eye-balance from off-coverage.

grade: 5.26 (Backup/Special Teams potential)



CB Lonnie Johnson (Kentucky)  6'2"  213lbs

2018: 23tckls, 1INT/4 breakups

combine: 4.52s 40, 15reps, 38" vert

strengths: Offers a stiff jab to stall a WR's release near the goal line. Fluid feet in early stages of mirror-and-match from press or off-man. Lateral transitions are fluid. Effective use of length when throws are in front of him. Shows flashes of aggression to become better in run support. Dangerous off the edge as a kick blocker.

weaknesses: Motor runs hot & cold in run support. Below-average ball skills. Rarely finds the football once his back is to the QB. Slow to gather feet & trigger on throws from off coverage. Rare to challenge the high point. Lacks top-end makeup speed. Below-average route anticipation.

comp: Tharold Simon

grade: 5.82 (Chance to be a starter)



DE Clelin Ferrell (Clemson)  6'4"  264lbs

2018: 1st All-ACC, Ted Hendricks Award, 53tck/19.5TFL, 11.5scks, 4 breakups, 3FFs

combine: 25reps

strengths: First off the ball. Traits to punch & control blocker's frame in setting the edge. Unloads his shoulder into leads & pulls. Project-able power rusher on the next level. Has violent hands. Targets tackle's inside or outside hand when attacking the punch. Base to drive through redirect blocks. Potential with low, smooth clockwise spin move. Attentive in redirecting TEs into routes.

weaknesses: Below-average fluidity. Hands & feet not-always in unison. Average burst to close. Struggles to veer off the path to tail pocket-climbers. Limited lateral quickness. Could use better knee bend. Slow to unglue once tackles capture his frame. Marginal open-field tackling ability.

comp: Derrick Morgan

grade: 6.07 (Should be an instant starter)