Steelers Now Expected to Go WR in First Round

The Pittsburgh Steelers are targeting a wide receiver? That doesn't add up.

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers are now expected to go with a wide receiver in the first round of the NFL Draft, at least according to one of the biggest draft experts.

In ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr.'s latest mock draft, the Steelers pass on a massive name to take Boston College wide receiver Zay Flowers. Pittsburgh has been open that they're looking for a slot receiver before the summer, but until now, very few believed that meant targeting one in the first round. 

The reason the Steelers shouldn't/likely won't go this route is threefold. 

For starters, they've done their homework on a few wide receivers, but haven't done much with Flowers. He's explosive and head coach Mike Tomlin probably caught him at a few big games while he was watching his son Dino, and maybe that was enough to know he was their guy. 

But for those trying to connect this to the Kenny Pickett situation, it's not the same. Pickett was next door. Tomlin could go scout him any time he wanted to, and could learn who he was as a person at any moment. 

He couldn't do that with Flowers. 

Second, the Steelers do need a wide receiver. It's actually one of their biggest needs and most obvious holes. But even if they land a star and Calvin Austin III turns into something spectacular, Pittsburgh has a bigger problem in the slot - Matt Canada. 

The Steelers' offense barely included the usage of a slot wide receiver last season. Even when Chase Claypool was around, there were minimal routes designed to make the slot their top target, and utilizing the middle of the field, in general, just wasn't a large part of the passing game. 

That could change, but until it does, don't expect it to. 

And finally, all the information and words directly from the voices of the team themselves. Art Rooney, Omar Khan and Tomlin have all made comments about their wide receiver group and what will be added this offseason. 

What they said doesn't scream first-round pick. And doesn't scream Zay Flowers at all. 

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