What positions have the Steelers valued most in the draft in the past 25 years?

As we inch closer toward the 2015 NFL draft one thing you’ll hear and read a lot about is how the Steelers haven’t selected a cornerback in the first round since 1997 when they took Chad Scott out of Maryland. With the Steelers in desperate need of cornerback help there is growing speculation this is the year for that long streak to end.

That got me to thinking about the position the Steelers have valued the most over the years. Going back to over the past quarter century (a period spanning three head coaches and three general managers or personnel directors) the Steelers chose a receiver the most – four times. They also chose three defensive ends, three guards and three tight ends in that span.

If that seems like a lot of tight ends in the first round, it is. Only one other team in the past 25 years drafted more tight ends than the Steelers in the first round. That was the New York Jets, who selected four in that period (Johnny Mitchell, Kyle Brady, Anthony Becht and Dustin Keller). No other team selected more than two.

The Steelers have always valued tight ends. They did under Chuck Noll, who in addition to Eric Green in 1990, chose Bennie Cunningham in the first round in 1976. They valued tight ends under Bill Cowher, who chose Mark Bruener in the first round in 1995 and Heath Miller in 2005.

Under Mike Tomlin, the Steelers have utilized the skills of Miller to the max, and offensive coordinator Todd Haley likes to have tight ends at his disposal. He has kept four on his roster for most of his tenure as coordinator.

Yet in Tomlin’s eight years as head coach the Steelers have only used a draft pick higher than the seventh round on a tight end once. And that was in his first year in 2007 when Matt Speath was chosen in the third round. The others – David Johnson, David Paulson and Rob Blanchflower – were seventh-round choices.

It’s not that the Steelers have neglected the position under Tomlin. It’s just that he enjoyed the prime years of Miller and Spaeth. But with Miller and Spaeth nearing the end of their careers could this be the year Tomlin uses a first-round pick on a tight end?

If he does there is only one option: Maxx Williams of Minnesota, who is widely regarded as the top tight end prospect in the draft.

With bigger needs at cornerback and outside linebacker it seems like a stretch that the Steelers would take Williams. Then again, how many people had the Steelers taking an inside linebacker in the first round last year?

It’s also important to note the college game is not producing the prototypical NFL tight end much anymore. Williams played in a pro-style offense, but he left Minnesota after only three years and is 20 years old. He will grow into a tight end that can block, but he is far from a finished product now.

That leads questions for the Steelers and other teams that value tight ends:

1. Do they grab a guy like Williams in the first round when he is available?

2. Or do they begin to devise ways to run their offense without the prototypical tight ends they are used to employing?

If this is not the year the Steelers draft Miller’s replacement they could still draft a tight end in the middle rounds who could eventually replace Spaeth. One name to watch is Jeff Heuerman of Ohio State, who is expected to be selected in the third or fourth round.

Here is a list of the tight ends selected in the first round over the past 25 years:

2014 –  Eric Ebron (Detroit)

2013 –  Tyler Eifert (Bengals)

2012 – none

2011 – none

2010 –  Jermaine Gresham (Bengals)

2009 –  Brandon Pettigrew (Detroit)

2008 –  Dustin keller (Jets)

2007 –  Greg Olsen (Bears)

2006 –  Vernon Davis (49ers) and Marcedes Lewis (Jaguars)

2005 –  Heath Miller (Steelers)

2004 –  Kellen Winslow (Browns) and Benjamin Watson (Patriots)

2003 –  Dallas Clark (Colts)

2002 –  Jeremy Shockey (Giants), Daniel Graham (Patriots) and Jeramy Stevens (Seattle)

2001 –  Todd Heap (Ravens)

2000 –  Bubba Franks (Packers) and Anthony Becht (Jets)

1999 – none

1998 – none

1997 –  Tony Gonzalez (Chiefs) and David LaFleur (Cowboys)

1996 –  Rickey Dudley (Raiders)

1995 –  Kyle Brady (Jets) and Mark Bruener (Steelers)

1994 – none

1993 –  Irv Smith (Saints)

1992 –  Derek Brown (Giants) and Johnny Mitchell (Jets)

1991 – none

1990 – Eric Green (Steelers)