Now that the Steelers 2012 season is over, it is time for Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin to start focusing on preparation for the 2013 NFL Draft. The two positions they really need to focus on are outside linebacker and safety. With James Harrison and Troy Polamalu getting up there in age and battling nagging injuries, it is time to find their replacements since it has become painfully obvious that guys like Jason Worilds, Ryan Mundy, perennial practice squad member Damon Cromartie-Smith and Chris Carter are not the long term solution at those positions.
When healthy, the OLB combination of Woodley and Harrison was arguably the best in the NFL at getting after the quarterback and being a disruptive force in offensive backfields everywhere. The problem is, that over the last couple of years, an aging, injured and otherwise ineffective James Harrison is no longer feared, allowing teams to double up on Woodley to neutralize his ability to rush the quarterback, putting more pressure on the secondary to provide tighter coverage.
With their first pick in the draft, 17th overall, the Steelers need to bring in an OLB who can come in right away who can have an immediate impact on the pass rush and take the double teams off of Woodley and free him up. They need to put a call in to Athens, Georgia to Bulldogs OLB Jarvis Jones. Jones transferred to Georgia in 2010, from USC, following a freshman season that saw him make 13 tackles (5 solo) including 1.5 tackles for losses for -2 yards.
In Jarvis Jones' s two years at Georgia, he made the offensive backfield his home by recording 28 sacks and 44 tackles for losses totaling 235 yards. This 6'3" 241 lb OLB, with 4.7 speed in the 40 yard dash, is the disruptive force the Steelers need to pair up with Woodley, even if they must trade up to get him. He dominated in the best and most physical conference in college football and will most likely do the same in the NFL.
At the Safety position, Troy Polamalu is still one of the best in the NFL....when healthy. He still has great closing speed and the ability to make game changing plays and hits, once again....when healthy. Troy is still worth keeping around but it's time to draft his replacement, and for that we go back to Athens, Georgia and look at Bacarri Rambo.
With the size and speed to play either Safety position, 6' 0" 210 lbs 4.5 in the 40, Rambo, a sure tackler, is just as comfortable coming up to stuff the run as he is in coverage. In his career at Georgia, he racked up 162 tackles (110 solo) and intercepted 16 passes which ties former Georgia All-American Jake Scott for most ever at UGA. Rambo is a very physical player who fits in with the physical style of defense played by the Steelers, who are in need of ball hawking defensive backs who can catch the football and force fumbles with bone crushing hits.
Both Jarvis Jones and Bacarri Rambo are impact players who could come in right away and be productive on a defense who needs an infusion of young talent. They played in a defense at Georgia that does a lot of the same things the Steelers do. Jones will certainly go in the top half of the first round of the draft while Rambo will go no later than the middle of the third round. Either one of these players would make a great addition to the defense of the Pittsburgh Steelers, but I say go for both.