Depth of draft not an issue

Pittsburgh is likely to keep its 11th pick or drop down in the order of selection.
By TOM WILLIAMS
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
PITTSBURGH -- Last year, the Pittsburgh Steelers engineered a draft day swap that enabled them to jump 11 spots to get a player they coveted.
Don't look for a repeat Saturday afternoon when the 2004 NFL Draft gets under way. Thanks to their disappointing 6-10 season, the Steelers hold the 11th pick.
According to Kevin Colbert, the Steelers' director of football operations, there's 11 solid choices on the board.
"We're most likely to sit [at 11]," Colbert said Monday. "We're least likely to trade up.
Direction
"We're real sure there are 11 good players so we don't have to go up to get one -- somebody will be there."
The Steelers have nine picks in the seven-round draft -- one in each round plus two sixth-round compensation picks for the St. Louis Rams signing wide receiver Troy Edwards as a free agent.
Colbert didn't rule out moving down in the first round "if someone shows they are really interested."
Colbert is happy to have extra choices because he's says the 2004 class has "unusual depth."
Calling the wide receivers turning pro "the best group I've seen in 20 years," Colbert cited cornerback and running back as other positions with many good players.
He said offensive linemen and safeties are the weakest positions.
In the last draft, the Steelers sent their first choice (27th overall) plus their third- and sixth-round selections to Kansas City for the Chiefs' top pick (16th overall). The Steelers selected USC safety Troy Polamalu, who ended up receiving considerable playing time by season's end.
Got production
Their fourth-round pick -- cornerback Ike Taylor from Louisiana-Lafayette -- also saw action.
However, that was about it for the Class of 2003 as second-round selection Alonzo Jackson, a linebacker from Florida State -- rarely dressed.
Except for a quick reference to Ohio State's Chris Gamble, Colbert and Steelers coach Bill Cowher declined to discuss specifics on this year's players, so no one knows how highly they rate quarterbacks Eli Manning (Mississippi) Ben Roethlisberger (Miami, Ohio) and Philip Rivers (North Carolina State).
Cowher downplayed the team's need for a quarterback of the future.
"We still feel good where we are with Tommy Maddox," said Cowher, blaming last year's inconsistent offense on an injury-riddled line. "We never got in sync and that all shouldn't be put on Tommy's shoulders. He's a quality quarterback."
Cowher said taking the best player available when they are on the clock is more important than filling a position in need.
Colbert and Cowher spoke hours before the NFL won a ruling keeping players who aren't three years past high school graduation from being available to be drafted.
The ruling has little effect on the Steelers because Colbert suggested they aren't interested in younger players because of their inexperience.
Opinion
"That's a little scary -- some of these guys only started for a year," Colbert said. "[Players with] less experience is a trend that's coming and those kids are going to have more difficulty adjusting so they're less predictable.
"[Cornerback] Chris Gamble is by far not a finished product -- he spent so much time on offense [wide receiver] last year that it's like he's just played a year-and-a-half."
The Steelers brain trust will conduct mock drafts later in the week. Colbert said they haven't finalized their ratings.
Asked about the debate going on between coaches, scouts and front-office personnel, Cowher described it as "ongoing."
williams@vindy.com