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The Pittsburgh Steelers are set to begin their preseason slate against the Jacksonville Jaguars Saturday night. Ahead of head coach Mike Tomlin’s 19th season at the helm, the team will look to get back to the postseason once again. Veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers was brought aboard via a one-year deal. During April’s NFL Draft, the team took Oregon defensive tackle Derrick Harmon. However, Steelers coaches think that nose tackle Yayha Black might be one of the biggest steals of the draft, according to team beat reporter Andrew Fillipponi.
“Steelers coaches are beginning to think nose tackle Yayha Black is one of the biggest steals of the entire NFL Draft,” according to Fittipaldo, per Fillipponi. “Black was a fifth-round pick.”
While most eyes are on Harmon, Steelers coaches have had their eyes on both defensive tackles throughout the summer. At the moment, Keeanu Benton is slated to be the starting nose tackle in Pittsburgh’s 3-4 alignment. Although Black isn’t likely to be the starter at this point, he could still receive valuable reps as the season progresses. Will the fifth-rounder become a long-term piece for a defense that could use some young blood?
If the Steelers’ coaches are right, it looks as if they are expecting him to make an impact early. Black’s power, size and strength are big attributes for a nose tackle, especially since the 3-4 alignment needs that position to thrive. Benton and Black would likely take on double teams more often than not and holding at the point of attack is a key skill to have. Whether or not Black makes a name for himself early on, it’s easy to see why the team is so high on him.
While many teams wondered why the Steelers didn’t take a quarterback with their first rounder, Harmon is another player who should fit right in. He’ll likely play as an end in Pittsburgh’s scheme, which means we could see some more of him in the backfield moving forward. Although rushing the passer is primarily the job of star T.J Watt and the other edge rushers, it wouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone if the Steelers hit on both Harmon and Black during this year’s NFL Draft.
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