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Steelers 2003 Draft Board
Steelers Get Much-Needed Safety
The Steelers wanted USC safety Troy Polamalu so bad that they actually traded up for the first time ever in order to get him. Pitsburgh gave their 3rd and 6th round choices to Kansas City in order to jump up to the 16th spot in the first round and nab the top rated safety in the draft. This was a great move. The Steelers are beyond deperate for help in the secondary, and if they would have stayed at #27, they would have been picking from the second tier of safeties (much like they did in 1999, when they needed a WR but did not trade up to get Torry Holt or David Boston, instead settling for Troy Edwards). Polamalu has all the intanginbles needed to be a great player on the Steelers defense. He hits hard and covers well, and will most likely start next year at strong safety. In the second round, the Steelers took DE Alonzo Jackson from Flordia State. They plan to use Jackson as a pass-rushing outside LB due to his speed. In the fourth round, the Steelers picked up a cornerback named Ike Taylor from Louisiana-Lafayette. Taylor could be a real sleeper pick. He was still around because he didn't play CB until his senior year and still does not know that much about the position, but his athletic skills (he runs a 4.3 in the 40 yard dash) and his size (6- 1/2, 191 pounds) could make him an outstanding player if properly coached. After taking three picks designed to improve the pass defense, the Steelers finally gave Mike Mularkey some new players. In the fifth round, the Steelers selected Boston College QB Brian St. Pierre. I saw Frenchy play at Heinz Field last season when BC lost to Pitt, and he is a pretty decent QB. He will be a backup for quite some time, but that's what the Steelers need right now anyway. The Steelers then rounded out their smallest draft class ever by taking FB J.T. Wall from Georgia, who is primarily a blocker. I think this was a good draft for the Steelers. Some fans argued that they needed to take a QB or a RB in the first round. While someone like Rex Grossman or Willis McGahee would have been great picks, they would not have helped the Steelers in the short term. This team is on the verge of going to the Super Bowl, and drafting a player who could be a star in 2006 just doesn't make a whole lot of sense right now. Plus we know better than anyone that no matter how much things change in the NFL, one fact remains certain: defense wins championships. The Steelers were miserable at defending the pass last year, and they addressed that problem not only with their first pick, but with their next two as well. Plus they still got a QB who could possibly take over in a few years. Things are looking good for the 2003 season. Related Stuff:
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