Pittsburgh Steelers: 3 Must-have players in the 2018 NFL Draft
By Derek Snyder
3. Dalton Schultz, Tight-End, Stanford
For the Steelers offense to continue taking that “next step”, I believe they’ll need to find a better long-term option at tight-end. While Jesse James has done a decent job of replacing long-time Pittsburgh tight-end, Heath Miller, he hasn’t been a super reliable option for Ben Roethlisberger either.
Again, for this franchise to get back to playing championship football, they must take a chance on a young, but proven option in the 2018 NFL Draft. If you ask me, I believe that player is Dalton Schultz from Stanford University.
Take a look at what Charlie Campbell wrote about Schultz in his player rankings on Water Football:
"“Scouts have told me that they like Schultz and see him as a do-it-all Y tight end similar to Jason Witten. They say that Schultz is a good route-runner, excellent at catching the ball, and a really good blocker. In 2017, Stanford used Schultz’s blocking skill to help open holes for Bryce Love. Against Notre Dame, Schultz put those well-rounded skills on display as he opened holes in the ground game while also making an athletic touchdown reception in the fourth quarter. In the Cardinal’s ground-based offense, Schultz totaled 22 receptions for 212 yards and three touchdowns. He is a sleeper prospect who team evaluators really like and could end up being a second-day pick.”"
Contrary to popular belief, the Steelers don’t need to tight-end like Rob Gronkowski; instead, they need to find someone who is an extremely good blocker and will make the big catch on third down. If Pittsburgh believes their offense should run through Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown, Schultz is the perfect example of a player who would play a great complimentary role.