Getting Draft Ready: A Needs Assessment

We've seen a lot of mock drafts (mostly one round), but no overview of just what the Steelers will/should be looking for in the upcoming draft. Though we have a general idea of what the team's needs are it's nice to see Scouts Inc. (via ESPN -- subscription required) turn their attention to our favorite NFL team. Here's a recap of the article, with some brief quotes:

• Center: "Sean Mahan was Pittsburgh's only free-agent signing of note last year, and he was a disaster."


• Offensive Tackle: "Marvel Smith is still playing at a high level, but he is up for free agency a year from now and is battling a chronic back issue."


• Defensive End: "When Aaron Smith tore his biceps last season, Pittsburgh's run defense completely fell apart."


• Running Back: "The offense struggled running the ball near the goal line and was more of a finesse group overall last season. That isn't the Steelers' style."


• Offensive Guard: "The Steelers are going to make one more effort to re-sign Alan Faneca, but assuming he takes his services elsewhere, Pittsburgh is thin at guard."