2008 NFL Draft Preview
Steelers Draft Needs
By Jerry DiPaola

Kevin Colbert is a former college baseball coach and, before that, one of the most respected players on the North Side. He won't mind this analogy: Colbert hits home runs.

Which is odd, knowing how his personality compares to Tom Donahoe, the man who previously held his job - Steelers director of football operations.

While Donahoe spoke openly about many matters inside the Steelers organization and encouraged reporters to speak to coaches and scouts prior the NFL Draft, Colbert may not tell you the names of his kids, unless you had a good reason for asking.

But on draft day, Colbert-at least in a figurative sense-wears shiny rings on his fingers and wraps gold chains around his neck and trades up and down the board like he's watched one too many "Let's Make a Deal" reruns.

Troy Polamalu is a Steelers Pro Bowl safety because Colbert wasn't content sitting at No. 27 in 2003. He reported to work that day-actually wearing a relatively conservative dress shirt and tie-and immediately started investigating the cost of moving up to get Polamalu. When the San Diego Chargers, the one team above the Steelers with a distinct need at safety, looked elsewhere, Colbert sprung into action and made a deal with the Kansas City Chiefs, giving up third- and sixth-round picks for the right to move up 11 spots in the first round.

The Steelers never had used a No. 1 pick on a safety, but this is Colbert: He makes big plays on the first day of the draft when the window for acquiring the best players closes quickly.

Now, he must do the same, but in a less sexy, more workmanlike sense and find big people for his offensive and defensive lines.

Since he was hired in 2000, Colbert has used his top choice on wide receivers Plaxico Burress and Santonio Holmes, $102-million Super Bowl quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, the dynamic Polamalu, pass-catching tight end Heath Miller and linebacker Lawrence Timmons, whose athletic ability could turn him into a defensive playmaker if Colbert isn't mistaken.

This year, Colbert and the Steelers must do what they did in 2001 and 2002 when nose tackle Casey Hampton and offensive guard Kendall Simmons were the first selections: Find big people who can push other big people out of the way and allow players such as Roethlisberger, Polamalu and Timmons enough room to make plays.

Championships are won in the trenches where quarterback pressure is rooted. On the other hand, teams that protect their quarterback better than the opponent can chase him are the ones that win the important games.

The Steelers gave up too many points and too many sacks in 2007. Even after rallying to take the lead late in their playoff game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, they couldn't stop quarterback David Garrard from scrambling 32 yards on fourth-and-2 for the season's most critical first down. That early exit from the postseason might have been avoided if the Steelers-playing without veteran defensive end Aaron Smith-had someone who could put Garrard on the ground.

Also, allowing Roethlisberger to be sacked 47 times again, especially considering the Rooneys' financial investment in their quarterback, surely will lead to more defeats than victories and, perhaps, injury to the team's most prized commodity.

The Steelers began the off-season by trying to retool their offensive line and soften the blow felt when All-Pro guard Alan Faneca left for the New York Jets via free agency. The Steelers re-signed offensive linemen Trai Essex, 6-foot-4, 324 pounds, and Chris Kemoeatu, 6-3, 344, and signed Carolina Panthers castoff center Justin Hartwig, 6-4, 312. They also took steps to keep offensive tackle Max Starks, 6-8, 337.

Sense a trend?

Heft, power, might, strength - whatever you want to call it, the Steelers need it. The problem is that none of those players were coveted by other teams, and their future is uncertain, unless coach Mike Tomlin and his staff are able to develop them.

The defensive line is solid, but needs depth to bolster the three starters - Hampton, the 32-year-old Smith and end Brett Keisel.

The Steelers are fortunate that the 2008 draft is filled with good linemen, especially on defense. Getting one of them may require Colbert to work the telephone lines and find a way to trade up from No. 23. Difficult, but, if history has taught us anything, not impossible.

Virginia defensive end Chris Long and Louisiana State defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey will be taken among the top five picks, so the price for moving up that far will be too steep.

What do the Steelers think of Southern California defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis, who may fall into the second half of the first round? Enough to trade up to get him? At a shade under 6-foot-1, Ellis might not be worth mortgaging the rest of the draft, but he may not be there at No. 23. Maybe Miami defensive end Calais Campbell, 6-8, 282, will be, though.

Auburn defensive tackle Pat Sims, 6-4, 304, may slip into the second round where the Steelers have traded up in the past with mixed results (Kendrell Bell and Ricardo Colclough).

There is a good chance more than one of these three guards will be available when the Steelers pick 23rd - Toledo's John Greco, 6-4 3/4, 302, Utah State's Shawn Murphy, 6-4 1/8, 319, or Virginia's Branden Albert, 6-7, 310. A little later, they can take a serious look at Clemson guard Chris McDuffie, 6-4, 322.

Offensive tackle and wide receiver may be lesser needs, but tackle Marvel Smith's recent injury history and the release of wide receiver Cedrick Wilson cannot be ignored at some point in the draft. The Steelers need to acquire depth at both positions, plus think about the day when Smith and Hines Ward are no longer serviceable.

There are a lot of good, tall wide receivers that will be within the Steelers' reach-6-foot-4 Malcolm Kelly of Oklahoma and Limas Sweed of Texas among them-but the need for interior offensive linemen and defensive ends is greater. Still, offensive tackles Jeff Otah of Pitt, Chris Williams of Vanderbilt and Gosder Cherilus of Boston College are intriguing options.

Because there are so many holes to fill, Colbert needs to get on base a little more often in the latter stages of the draft, even if it's only a blooper over shortstop. The Steelers have not done especially well after the third round, hitting on linebackers Larry Foote (fourth round, 2002) and Clark Haggans (fifth round, 2000), cornerback Ike Taylor (fourth round, 2003), offensive tackle Willie Colon (fourth round, 2006), Keisel (seventh round, 2002) and little else in the past eight drafts (39 picks).

We already know Colbert can hit home runs. What the Steelers need now is a hitting streak.

Jerry DiPaola is an assistant sports editor for the Pittsburgh Tribune Review. He covers the NFL and the Steelers for PSR.