The Pittsburgh Steelers head into day two of the 2019 NFL Draft with two third-round picks and plenty of options. Here is a list of targets that I like for Day Two of the 2019 NFL Draft: Damien Harris, RB, Alabama Damien Harris may be the type of guy the Steelers are looking for. He was a pre-draft visitor and he is still on the board. In fact, every running back is still on the board except Josh Jacobs, Damien Harris’s teammate. Harris is a guy who hits the hole hard and is a strait line runner. He can catch out of the backfield and has good vision. He also was Alabama’s primary back and a veteran on the Alabama team. Myles Boykin, WR, Notre Dame Myles Boykins is a name often linked to the Steelers and he fits what they might want. He was a pre-draft visitor and excelled at the combine. He is the type of guy that they can move around to all three of the receiver positions. This is something the Steelers like to do with their receivers. He is a big target and he comes up with 50-50 balls. Boykin is also average at getting off the line of scrimmage and route running. Andy Isabella, WR, UMass Andy Isabella is not what the Steelers need in terms of role, but a player that they might like anyway. I think he is limited to the slot and they already have Eli Rogers, Ryan Switzer and Juju Smith-Schuster who are strong in the slot. Isabella would be a nice option though. He excelled for UMass against Boston College and played in the Senior Bowl; so, you know that he can play with the big boys. He is a good route runner with good speed and that tell me he could get separation. Deebo Samuel, WR, South Carolina Samuel is a player that I hope the Steelers have on their radar. We know they like to draft receivers and he would be excellent value in the third round. He is an electric kick returner and could help Ryan Switzer in that department. He also can line up in the slot and on the outside. He is a big play threat running in the open field. He also has a great catch radius. Although he didn’t run very advanced routes at South Carolina, he was getting separation at the Senior Bowl. Foster Moreau, TE, LSU The Steelers still need a tight end after losing Jesse James and so Foster Moreau seems like a logical fit. He is a pre-draft visitor and they met with him at the Senior Bowl. He excelled at the Senior Bowl and at the Combine. He is a decent in-line blocker who was asked to block a lot in LSU’s offense. He didn’t get to show off his receiving skills until the Senior Bowl where he looked good in matchups against linebackers. I would say his combine makes him a third round pick. Jace Sternberger, TE, Texas A&M Sternberger wasn’t a pre-draft visitor but he is somebody who would be very attractive in the third round. He has good toughness in the middle of the field to make catches and is a good yards after catch receiver. He also has good route running ability. Sternberger also adds an ability to block and that makes him an attractive option as a #2 tight end. Khalen Saunders, DE, Western Illinois Saunders is an intriguing option for the Steelers. He dominated at Western Illinois. He also showed a commitment to football when his wife had his baby during the Senior Bowl and he stayed in Mobile. This is a player that the Steelers have met with. The Steelers also have a need for a sixth defensive lineman as Letterrius Walton has not been signed. Jachai Polite, OLB, Florida I know he didn’t interview well at the combine, but the tape is there. He has the on-field talent to take over for Bud Dupree if his contract expires in a year. Polite has a quick first step and is aggressive shedding blocks. He is a guy who was getting consistent pressure in the SEC. He also was used standing up and so playing the outside linebacker position will not be that foreign to him. Byron Murphy, CB, Washington It is kind of a surprise that he is still on the board and if he his there in the third round, I think he is the pick. He is an absolute playmaker with good instincts which is something the Steelers will like. He probably does not have first or second round coverage ability but he will be good value in the third round. He also was a pre-draft visitor. Yeah Juan Thornhill, SS, VIrginia This would also be good value in the third Round as I think Thornhill is the best strong safety in this draft. He is a guy who can help in run support and play in the box. He is also a guy who is decent in coverage and can play the deep zone. He has the versatility to start out in the dime for the Steelers. He also would give the Steelers depth at safety if Sean Davis were to leave.<doc-sep>The Pittsburgh Steelers have gone and done something no one expected them to — they were aggressive in the 2019 NFL Draft and trade up 10 spots to get the player they coveted. When the team traded with the Denver Broncos and selected Devin Bush, ILB from Michigan, there were repercussions. With the Steelers making waves with the pick, there are some who could fall on the winners side of the deal, and also some who could fall on the losers end of the docket. Here, in the Winners and Losers column, we examine both sides. Winners Devin Bush This is an obvious choice. Bush was seen as such a hot commodity the Steelers swapped first round picks, their 2019 second round pick and a 2020 third round pick to get him. Talk about a confidence booster. Getting drafted is one thing, but having a team jump up in order to get you is another. The Steelers have a ton of faith in Bush as a potential stud on the inside of the defense. Steelers Fans I took over the reigns of this site before Bud Dupree was the team’s first round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, and every year the fan base has been dumbfounded, or angry, at the teams pick. Dupree was too raw. Artie Burns was a reach. T.J. Watt was a combine phenom and nothing more. Terrell Edmunds would have been available in the 3rd round. Either way, there was always a gripe with the pick. While there are always outliers, the fan base seems very pleased with this pick. This is a first for me, and I’m not really sure how to handle it... Denver Broncos If you were a Broncos fan, you should be happy with the team’s decision to trade back. They stayed in the first round, still drafted a player they wanted and also were able garner another second round pick in a draft where plenty of talent remains on the board. Oh, and they also received a 2020 3rd round selection. Pretty nice haul for the Broncos and John Elway. Losers Mark Barron The Steelers picked up Barron in free agency, and the thought was he could be a potential starter, but after the selection of Bush those thoughts have probably diminished. No one is crowning Bush just yet, well, maybe I am, but Barron is suddenly looking like a sub package player and nothing more. Not that he won’t see the field, but it just might not be the role he envisioned when signing on the dotted line. Sounds familiar, right Morgan Burnett? Jon Bostic After the Steelers made their pick, many asked which ILB would be the odd man out. Easy...Bostic. Bostic is a player who just doesn’t have the lateral speed and coverage ability to play all three downs in today’s NFL. Therefore, not only could he be outright cut, but he would see very limited snaps if he does make the team. Cincinnati Bengals For the second straight year the Steelers traded up in the draft to take a player many had going to the Bengals. Last year it was the Steelers who traded with the Seattle Seahawks to get Mason Rudolph right before the Bengals selected. Many thought the Bengals wanted to take Rudolph as an insurance policy for Andy Dalton. This year, after the Bengals cut Vontaze Burfict, there were many who saw Bush filling Burfict’s shoes as the inside linebacker of the future. Well, not anymore. Vince Williams Unlike Bostic, there is little-to-no chance the Steelers cut ties with Williams, not after giving him a new contract last year, but you can expect his time on the field to decrease this season. If Bush lives up to the hype, and I realize that is a big if, he will be an every down linebacker. With Barron being a hybrid safety/linebacker he would be the perfect player to come onto the field as Williams goes to the sideline. Williams is a large part of the Steelers’ defense, but his playing time likely took a big hit Thursday night.<doc-sep>NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - APRIL 25: Devin Bush of Michigan poses with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after being chosen #10 overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers during the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft on April 25, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) The Steelers traded up to the 10th overall pick in the NFL Draft. After taking Devin Bush, this team is continuing to head in the right direction. Most of Steelers Nation was calling for it. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported it. It’s only the third time since 2003 the Steelers have traded up in the first round, but the Steelers did it again Thursday night to take Michigan product Devin Bush. Also like most, including yours truly, a trade-up was met with skepticism. After all, the Steelers just don’t do it that often. Last year’s draft was an opportunity for them to move up to address the hole at inside linebacker, but the trigger was never pulled. The difference between 2018 and 2019 was simply flexibility. With the return on the Antonio Brown trade, which included an the 2nd pick in the 3rd round, it gave general manager Kevin Colbert the option to potentially forfeit their 2nd round pick to try to move up. And that’s exactly what happened. In order to move up to Denver’s 10th overall pick, the Steelers gave the Broncos their 20th overall pick, their 2019 2nd round pick, and their 2020 3rd round pick. If that sounds like a lot, it’s not. As stated before, the Steelers still have two picks Friday night, both in the 3rd round. They also are expecting a compensatory 3rd round pick in 2020 for the departure of Le’Veon Bell in free agency this offseason. The two picks the truly gave up already had contingency plans. With that 10th overall pick, the Steelers acquired one of the best defensive players in the draft, and at the greatest position of need on the team. Devin Bush brings elite athleticism, speed, and tackling to the inside linebacker position. Now, the former Michigan Wolverine has yet to play a snap on an NFL field, but he has all the makings of a legitimate inside linebacker in the modern NFL. Read more about Devin Bush here. Add this draft pick with the offseason signing of Mark Barron, and now a position that was an albatross in 2018 now has good depth with four players that can play. Ladies and gentlemen, savor this moment. This one move doesn’t save the Pittsburgh Steelers. They still might not be quite good enough to win a Super Bowl in 2019. But they are definitely heading in the right direction. Making this bold of a move in the 1st round of the draft tells all of us that the Steelers are committed to addressing the biggest needs of this team with potentially great players. The Steelers failed at addressing inside linebacker in 2018. And now, they’ve passed with flying colors in 2019. Believe it or not, the Steelers have had a successful offseason. They traded away the biggest noise of the locker room. They addressed positions of need with quality players in free agency. And now they’ve drafted a potential mainstay at inside linebacker. Forget all the media noise that’s surrounded the Steelers this offseason. This team is heading in the right direction. Trading up for Devin Bush is only more living proof of that.<doc-sep>The Pittsburgh Steelers selected Michigan linebacker Devin Bush with the 10th overall first pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. The Steelers, who traded with the Denver Broncos to acquire the 10th overall pick in the draft, are looking to use the draft to considerably strengthen their roster after a disappointing 2018 season that saw Pittsburgh miss the postseason for the first time since 2013. Below is the immediate reaction to the team's selection of Bush.<doc-sep>
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - APRIL 25: Devin Bush of Michigan reacts after being chosen #10 overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers during the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft on April 25, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) The Pittsburgh Steelers did something they never do and that is trade up to draft their guy. They took linebacker Devin Bush in round one of the NFL Draft on Friday night. The Pittsburgh Steelers draft got under way and boy did it start with a bang! News broke earlier Thursday that the Steelers were trying to trade into the top 10 picks to get their guy and it took until the 10th pick was on the clock to come to fruition. The Steelers struck a deal with the Denver Broncos to swap the 20th overall selection and the 10th overall selection. The Steelers also sent this year’s second round pick, 52nd overall, and a 2020 third round selection to Denver to complete the deal. It was no secret who the Steelers were targeting as Devin Bush was still on the board. Cincinnati was rumored to be keen on Bush so the Steelers exacted a little revenge from 2016 when the Bengals took William Jackson one pick ahead of the Steelers and they took Artie Burns next. Pittsburgh jumped one spot ahead of the Bengals in the deal and selected inside linebacker Devin Bush from the University of Michigan. The move was exciting and rare for the Steelers in the draft. The last time they moved this far they took a guy you may have heard of by the name of Troy Polamalu. The Steelers have been high on Devin Bush since the 2017 collegiate season. They have sent various scouts and personnel to study and evaluate him on multiple occasions the last two years. Pittsburgh obviously has a glaring need for inside linebacker without Ryan Shazier healthy. Bush will fill this role immediately barring anything drastic or him struggling out of the gates. I did a film room study on Bush ahead of the draft that you can check out here. You can also view his combine profile here. Devin Bush is a smaller linebacker sitting at just 5’11” 234 pounds but he makes up for it with great athleticism. He tested very well in the speed and agility drills at the combine and his pro day shot him up my personal board, in particular due to him running a drill mainly for defensive backs and looking like he was a defensive back. Bush’s sideline to sideline speed is something the Steelers have been lacking since Shazier went down. He possesses a speed/power combination that makes him a great asset in the middle of the defense. He was not asked to do it a lot in college, but he has the ability to be asked to sit in zones in the middle of the field as well as cover tight ends when necessary. His bulk allows him to not be bullied by them while his speed allows him to stick with the tight ends of today. Bush can also complement Vince Williams‘ keen ability to blitz from his inside backer spot. He has the speed to hit the gaps and cut through slower blockers and the bulk to face them straight up and get around them to disrupt the quarterback. The addition of Bush could be the missing piece the Steelers defense needed to begin to be a more consistent unit. They had made great strides in 2017 until they lost Shazier and seemed to lose themselves as a unit. Bush will be able to immediately step in and become the starter alongside Williams in the Steelers base 3-4 defense. Should he struggle or come out of the gate slow, the Steelers did a great job making sure they have an insurance policy in signing Mark Barron in the offseason. The Steelers still have eight picks left, even after the trade up for Bush. Look for them to target corner, tight end, receiver and running back in the rest of the draft and possibly add safety depth after Morgan Burnett was released upon request. Pittsburgh basically gave up their 2nd rounder this year to move up 10 spots and get their guy they needed. The third for next year is somewhat of a wash as it is expected Le’Veon Bell will net them a third round compensatory pick in 2020.