The Steelers don’t have a first-round draft choice this year. The last time they didn’t make a first-round pick was 1967.
Steelers General Manager Kevin Colbert is just fine not having a first-round choice.
That’s because the team traded its top pick to Miami for safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, who made the Pro Bowl and earned All-Pro honors in 2019.
The timing has worked out well for the Steelers, with teams unable to meet with prospects and most pro days canceled. Colbert attended only one pro day before the NFL imposed travel restrictions.
“Quite honestly, we’re very comfortable not having a first-round pick this year, especially when it’s in the form of Minkah Fitzpatrick replacing that first-round pick,” Colbert said Tuesday, via Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “Under the current circumstances, the uncertainty of the player you might be taking and to not have all the information you had in the past, I’m a lot more comfortable knowing we got an All-Pro player with that pick.”
Colbert said the Steelers did most of their evaluations during the college football season. The team will begin video/audio interviews with draft prospects Thursday.
“It’s not as good as sitting down in person with the guy, but we’ll make the most of it,” Colbert said.
The Steelers currently have only six choices in the April 23-25 draft.