It's not that the Pittsburgh Steelers are getting long in the tooth at defensive end. Cam Thomas will turn 29 in December and Cameron Heyward is still just 25. But as football fans have learned, the defense is Pittsburgh's life blood. Consistently adding young talent to that side of the ball helps sustain this franchise's excellence. Once you remember that little factoid, the Steelers drafting Oregon DE Arik Armstead in the first round of the NFL Draft makes a bit more sense.
"The Steelers have needs all along their defense, including outside linebacker and cornerback, but Armstead is just a good value pick at this point," ESPN NFL Draft Insider Todd McShay wrote in his Mock Draft 4.0. "I consider him to be an underrated prospect (he's No. 7 on our board, but the sense I get is he could slip to the second half of the first round) with excellent length, power and violent hands. He's very good against the run, but his lack of production as a pass-rusher is something of a concern, even though he has all the tools to be a very good one. I've also heard some question the consistency of his motor and toughness."
McShay is right to point out Pittsburgh's glaring need at cornerback. The Steelers ranked just 27th in pass defense last year, allowing 53.1 yards through the air per game. Kevin Johnson or Marcus Peters are possibilities with the 22nd overall pick. However, Armstead may be too much of a physical temptation to pass up.
At 6-foot-7 and 292 pounds, Armstead has elite size for the position. He combines this with impressive explosion off the line to consistently get into opposing backfields. Yes, his lack of pass-rushing results is concerning and his consistency is a big question mark. But overall, Armstead is an impressive athlete with a high ceiling.
Will the Steelers take a chance on his potential?
