The Pittsburgh Steelers will find it difficult to make the post-season again next year if they don't improve their secondary. The Steelers finished 2014 ranked 27th in passing defense (253.1 yards allowed per game), 22nd in opposing completion percentage (64.5) and 28th in passing touchdowns allowed (30). That's a far cry from the dominant and intimidating defenses fans have come to expect from Pittsburgh.
As a result of their poor showing last year, it is widely expected that the Steelers will select at least two cornerbacks when the NFL draft rolls around later this month. Which corners could they target? UCONN's Byron Jones and FSU's Ronald Darby have been mentioned as possibilities. But ESPN NFL Draft Insider Mel Kiper Jr, suggests that Wake Forest's Kevin Johnson could be a great addition.
"The Steelers lack high-end talent at cornerback, and while Johnson, like all cornerbacks, doesn't project as a star right away, he can play right away and helps this team where it needs help the most," Kiper wrote in his Mock Draft 4.0. "A standout on a lousy team throughout his college career, Johnson has good length for the position and moves and mirrors as well as any cornerback in the draft. He can make man-to-man coverage look so easy at times, and he's an active run defender. It's hard to play while ahead in the NFL if you can't cover, and the Steelers can improve their defense with this selection."
Although the Steelers own the higher pick (No. 22), they may have to compete with the Dallas Cowboys (No. 27) for the right to draft Johnson. Dallas has plenty of secondary issues of its own and has been linked heavily to Johnson in recent mock drafts. We all know Jerry Jones isn't afraid to trade up for a touted CB (see: Claiborne, Morris).
The NFL Draft will kick off on April 30.
