Pittsburgh Steelers Draft Rumors: Steelers wanted TE Eric Ebron in first round

May 8, 2014; New York, NY, USA; Eric Ebron (North Carolina) poses for a photo after being selected as the number ten overall pick in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft to the Detroit Lions at Radio City Music Hall. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports

The Pittsburgh Steelers shocked many people when they selected Ohio State linebacker Ryan Shazier with the 15th overall selection in the 2014 NFL Draft.

Could that be because they man that they truly wanted was already off the board?

And no that man wasn’t a cornerback or wide receiver.

According to ESPN’s Scott Brown, the Steelers really wanted to select North Carolina tight end Eric Ebron, who went to the Detroit Lions five picks earlier.

Brown wrote:

"Word is that the Steelers really liked North Carolina tight end Eric Ebron, and he may well have been their pick had the Lions not taken him at No. 10 overall. Ebron, who caught 62 passes for 973 yards and three touchdowns last season, would have provided Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger with a tall, athletic target, as well as a future successor to Heath Miller."

I looked at Ebron late last week and how he made sense for the Steelers offense, one that while it came on at the end of last season, still only ranked 20th in the NFL in total offense.

Ebron would have been a good fit with the Steelers and would have helped create mismatches against opposing secondaries.

Needless to say, it would have been interesting to see what the Steelers would have done had Ebron still been on the board at No. 15.