Steelers Alter Their Draft Approach

86WARD · Feb 22, 2008

NFL Scouting Combine: Steelers alter their draft approach
Friday, February 22, 2008
By Paul Zeise, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08053/859551-66.stm

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Steelers will pick the best player available when it is their turn in April's NFL draft.
That's not exactly a stunning revelation because many teams take the "best player available" approach. But Steelers director of football operations Kevin Colbert said yesterday it is a welcome change in their approach from years past when they went into the draft focused on filling specific needs.

Colbert said the roster is stable and has few, if any, obvious holes at any position, so the Steelers have a lot more flexibility with their pick.
"Right now, other than quarterback and tight end, two positions we're deep and very young, we could really add a player at any position and improve our team," Colbert said at the NFL Scouting Combine. "We have 22 guys from last year's team and, though we may lose a couple, we have younger guys ready to step in, so we can fill a number of spots with this draft. And I've said it a number of times -- this is a great draft to do that because there is so much depth at so many spots.

"We do [have the luxury of taking the best player available], and like I said, we're not going to take a quarterback, we're not likely to take a tight end, but we could take a player at just about any other position. We wanted to go into this draft and not be need-specific."

Because the Steelers have the 22nd pick in the draft, Colbert said, it is important for them to be flexible because it is not likely they are going to get one of the players considered a "can't miss" or "immediate impact" prospect.

That doesn't mean there won't be a lot of good players for the Steelers to choose from, particularly at some positions, such as offensive tackle, which is considered to be extremely deep. Colbert also said the Steelers will look at a number of defensive front seven players, but they are only interested in those who can play in the 4-3 and the 3-4.
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That kind of scares me a little bit...I know he has to say that they are happy with the team they have, but there's a need on O-Line...I'm hoping Colbert is just being vague and not showing their hand...

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Steelers Alter Their Draft Approach

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Steelers Alter Their Draft Approach

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