Expect the Steelers to focus on defense in the upcoming NFL draft, although free agent signings at safety and to a lesser extent inside linebacker mean they have the option to consider the best athlete/player available on the first two days a bit more than in the recent past. Below is a list of team needs, most desperate first. Players the Steelers talked to at a post season all star bowl, the combine, their pro day and/or took an official visit to Pittsburgh are listed roughly in order of their perceived value. When there is overlap a prospect is listed only once, official visits and then the pro day/combine taking precedence in that order. A rough estimate of expected draft round proceeds each prospect. These are not necessarily exhaustive lists, someone could have been missed. Some of the visits were likely just the Steelers doing their due diligence on players that have some question-mark on and/or off the field. Just because someone was not specifically talked to or asked to visit is far from a reason to think they will not be strongly considered in the draft.

ILB: The defense collapsed last season after the injury to ILB Ryan Shazier. Free agent signee ILB Jon Bostic is in no way a competent replacement for the versatile Shazier. Bostic is basically an undersized version of run stuffer Vince Williams. Backups ILB Tyler Matakevich and ILB LJ Fort also play a similar game. Adding athleticism and pass coverage ability in the absence of Shazier is an absolute necessity.

Official Visit: (1) ILB Leighton Vander Esch - Boise St, (2) ILB Malik Jefferson - Texas, (3) ILB Darius Leonard - South Carolina St, (4) ILB Dorian O'Daniel - Clemson, (4) ILB Joel Iyiegbuniwe - Western Kentucky, (7) ILB Matt Thomas - Florida St, (7) ILB Chris Worley - Ohio St, (7) ILB Jermaine Carter - Maryland

Combine: (1) ILB Rashaan Evans - Alabama, (7) ILB Shaun Dion-Hamilton - Alabama

Pro Day: (3) ILB Jerome Baker (OLB/S)

Senior Bowl: (3) ILB Fred Warner - BYU (OLB)

S: Cap casualties S Mike Mitchell and S Robert Golden will not be missed. Versatile free agent signee S Morgan Burnett is currently best suited as a strong safety after having played free safety and slot corner in the past. S Sean Davis actually has a similar skill set to Burnett, appearing to be best utilized in the short term as a backup and dime safety. A pure coverage free safety is still a need despite not having been a priority under HC Mike Tomlin in the past. CB Cameron Sutton converting to free safety is another option.

Official Visit: (2) S Ronnie Harrison - Alabama, (2) S Justin Reid - Stanford, (2) S Marcus Allen - Penn St, (4) S Tarvarius Moore - Southern Mississippi, (4) S Kyzir White - West Virginia, (5) S Trey Apke - Penn St

Combine: (1) S Minkah Fitzpatrick - Alabama

Pro Day: (3) S Jessie Bates - Wake Forest, (4) S Terrell Edmunds - Virginia Tech, (7) S Tre Flowers - Oklahoma St

OLB: Aging veteran depth OLB James Harrison and OLB Arthur Moats are gone. Even with the success of last year's first round OLB TJ Watt the rest of the depth chart is not awe inspiring. The fifth year option on former first round OLB Bud Dupree was somewhat surprisingly recently exercised. Dupree like OLB Jarvis Jones before him has been a bitter disappointment. Dupree did show some flashes as a pass rusher down the stretch last season. He remains over matched against the run. Should he regress or get injured like in his first two seasons the Steelers are in big trouble. Backups OLB Anthony Chickillo and OLB Keion Adams don't engender much confidence. For some unknown reason the front office and coaching staff spent almost no time publicly evaluating edge rushers in the pre-draft process.

Pro Day: (7) OLB Macklin Weaver - Eastern Illinois

CB: The Steelers mercifully released CB William Gay. CB Artie Burns and CB Joe Haden are the starters. CB Mike Hilton was a revelation last season in the slot. CB Coty Sensabaugh and Sutton provide depth. Five corners are no longer enough in the league's current environment. Haden's injury history suggest a long term replacement will be needed sooner rather than later. That could be Sutton or he might end up at free safety. Sensabaugh is more short term stopgap.

Official Visit: (3) CB Duke Dawson - Florida, (4) CB MJ Stewart - North Carolina

Pro Day: (1) CB Jaire Alexander - Louisville, (FA) CB Trey Johnson - Villanova

WR: The top three of WR Antonio Brown, WR JuJu Smith-Schuster and WR Martavis Bryant are set for next season. Bryant bitterly complained returning from a year long suspension after losing his starting job to Smith-Schuster. He is highly unlikely to be back at the expiration of his rookie contract after next season. Slot WR Eli Rogers will try to return from a torn ACL suffered in last year's playoffs. He lacked athleticism and explosiveness before the injury. Former second round bust WR Justin Hunter gets another opportunity after signing as a free agent last off season. WR Darius Heyward-Bey remains as a veteran stopgap, his real value is as a gunner on special teams. GM Kevin Colbert has done a solid job of finding receiver talent in the third round or later.

Official Visit: (2) WR Christian Kirk - Texas A&M, (6) WR Justin Watson - Penn, (6) WR Quadree Henderson - Pitt, (7) WR Richie James - Middle Tennessee, (7) WR Russell Gage Jr - LSU

Pro Day: (2) WR James Washington - Oklahoma St, (7) WR Devin Gray - Cincinnati

NT/DE: Undersized NT Javon Hargrave won the starting job as a rookie and for the last two seasons has provided defensive coordinator Keith Butler with an active, athletic interior presence. Resigned backup NT Daniel McCullers is a big body that at least takes up space when on the field. Like last off season finding a more dynamic backup that could share time with Hargrave and help provide more pressure in the middle in sub-packages isn't the worst idea. Again it's also not a priority. Starters DE Cam Heyward and DE Stephon Tuitt are both Pro Bowl caliber. DE Tyson Alualu was better than expected as a depth signing last season. DE Laterrius Walton has shown some flashes, proving adequate in base sets when needed. Only four defensive ends are traditionally kept on the active roster. The last two off seasons the Steelers have shown a bit more interest in sub-package edge rushers that would not fit into the traditional outside linebacker role because of an inability to drop into coverage.

Official Visit: (2) NT BJ Hill - North Carolina St, (6) DE Bilal Nichols - Delaware, (7) DE Greg Gilmore - LSU

Combine: (1) NT Da'Ron Payne - Alabama, (2) DE Harrison Philips - Stanford, (3) DT Derrick Nnadi - Florida St, (3) DT Deadrin Senat - South Florida, (5) NT Kendrick Norton - Miami FL

Pro Day: (7) NT Joshua Frazier - Alabama, (7) DE Curtis Cothran - Penn St

RB/FB: Once again RB LeVeon Bell appears to be on pace to sit out the entire preseason and sign his franchise tender right before the start of the regular season. Like last year long term contract talks are going nowhere and currently on hold. RB James Conner tore an MCL and missed the end of the season. Counting on Bell to return in '19 or Conners to stay healthy does not seem wise. A long term starter appears to be a future need just like last April.

Official Visit: (7) RB Reggie Bonnafon - Louisville (WR/QB), (FA) FB JD Moore - LSU (TE)

Combine: (2) RB Kerryon Johnson - Auburn, (7) FB Ryan Nall - Oregon St

Pro Day: (1) RB Derrius Guice - LSU

QB: At least 36 year old QB Ben Roethlisberger hasn't talked retirement this off season. QB Landry Jones returns as the primary backup, the front office and coaching staff seem to realize he is a backup at best. QB Josh Dobbs showed nothing last preseason despite getting major playing time thanks in part to an injury to Jones. Giving up quickly on last year's fifth rounder is far from out of the question. A quarterback to groom for the future has quickly become a priority. Like last off season interest has been shown toward borderline day one and two prospects.

Official Visit: (FA) QB Brogan Roback - Eastern Michigan

Combine: (1) QB Lamar Jackson - Louisville

Pro Day: (2) QB Mason Rudolph - Oklahoma St

OT: Blind side protector OT Alejandro Villanueva has developed into an asset, kudos to exceptional line coach Mike Munchak. OT Chris Hubbard performed well filling in for OT Marcus Gilbert when he missed time due to injury and suspension. Hubbard then left for more money in Cleveland. OT Jerald Hawkins right now is the top backup, not particularly good. Mailata is an interesting project for Munchak. The Steelers attended the huge framed, ultra-athletic Samoan pro rugby player's pro day and invited him for a visit. He has no football experience.

Official Visit: (3) OT Brian O'Neil - Pitt, (7) OT Jordan Mailata - None

Pro Day: (FA) OT RJ Prince - North Carolina (G)

G/C:The interior line of C Maurkice Pouncey, OG David DeCastro and OG Ramon Foster all return. Backup OG BJ Finney has held up OK when on the field the last two seasons. OG Matt Feiler also provides depth. Since Hawkins should be able to slide inside the obligatory third day offensive line pick seems more likely to be used on a tackle.

Pro Day: (6) C Tony Adams - North Carolina St

TE: Lack a dynamic playmaker at the position. The decision not to release TE Vance McDonald for further cap relief makes a day one or two pick being used on a tight end seem unlikely. McDonald, TE Jesse James and TE Xavier Grimble provide decent enough depth for a team with so many other passing game weapons. Dissly as a pure blocking tight end does provide an interesting late option.

Combine: (1) TE Mike Gesicki - Penn St, (3) TE Ian Thomas - Indiana, (5) TE Troy Fumagalli - Wisconsin, (6) TE Will Dissly - Washington

End.