Pittsburgh can’t look back on the past and dream about success. The Steelers have won two of the last five Super Bowls and are the definition of success. Some of the best Super Bowls ever played have consisted of the Steelers winning, and in order to keep it up, Pittsburgh has to be victorious in this year’s draft. Fortunately for the Steelers, undeniable success in the first round has lingered in Pittsburgh for the last five years.

In 2003, Pittsburgh drafted USC safety Troy Polamalu, and in 2004 the Steelers drafted Miami (OH) quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. In 2005, Virginia tight end Heath Miller was taken, and Ohio State receiver Santonio Holmes was selected in the first round of the 2006 draft. In 2007, Florida State linebacker Lawrence Timmons was drafted, and in 2008, Illinois running back Rashard Mendenhall was taken.

Once again, all the players I listed above were drafted in the first round, and if you have any sort of knowledge of football whatsoever, then you can see how the Steelers draft success has a way of converting its self into winning football games.

With the Pittsburgh Steelers venturing into the Super Bowl last year, I have had multiple times to watch their play, and pick apart their strengths and weaknesses. One thing that strikes me immediately is how their offensive line plays. Last year’s departure of future hall of fame tackle Alan Faneca quickly revealed Pittsburgh’s troubles at offensive line.

With the offensive link broken, if there were any other quarterback in the league lining up for the Steelers, there would have been a ton of interceptions against defenses such as the Ravens. Ben Roethlisberger’s wild scampering behind the line saved Pittsburgh’s offensive line from total collapse in last year’s playoffs, and it’s just a matter of time before it catches up to him.

Darius Butler, cornerback out of Connecticut, is the only potential non-offensive lineman prospect that may be drafted by the Steelers. Over the offseason, Pittsburgh lost former cornerback Bryant McFadden to free agency, making cornerback a moderate need. Yet, Butler has been burning his way up NFL team’s draft boards, and may even go before Pittsburgh’s first round pick at 32nd overall.

Some testify that there won’t be a worthy enough offensive lineman still around when Pittsburgh is on the clock with the 32nd overall pick. Yet, coming out as the 5th best offensive lineman, Eben Britton, offensive tackle out of Arizona, has plenty of potential to play for any team of his choice. Britton may be selected by teams earlier in the first round, such as Philadelphia, which would leave Pittsburgh with one last option that happens to be 6-foot-4, 310 pounds.

Having 78 knockdowns in just 12 games, Eric Wood, offensive lineman out of Louisville, is a physical force on the field. By the way, during every one of Louisville’s 391 drop-backs last season, Wood never allowed a single sack all year. Another addition to Wood’s draft stock is having the ability to play center, guard, or even tackle. With dynamic versatility such as that, Wood reluctantly fits the Steelers needs at offensive line.

Though Pittsburgh may be used to it by now having won the Super Bowl, the Steelers have the last pick in each round giving them a disadvantage when the second round arrives. It would be a pleasure to obtain Andy Levitre, offensive guard out of Oregon State, at 64th overall. Duke Robinson, guard out of Oklahoma, should be Pittsburgh’s safe pick if Levitre isn’t around. Both of these players will at the least provide depth at the guard position.

When the third round pulls in, Derrick Williams, wide receiver out of Penn State, would be a brilliant selection in the third round. Williams is the best return specialist in this year’s draft, and being available in the third round is an opportunity that Pittsburgh can’t afford to pass up.

With expectations as high they’ve ever been, the Pittsburgh Steelers must come away from this year’s NFL draft with enough offensive linemen to keep them in the Super Bowl for many years. Anything less will disappoint Steelers fans no matter how many games they win.

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