Resetting Steelers 2020 Draft Class after Minkah Fitzpatrick Trade

PITTSBURGH — The Steelers blockbuster trade for defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick has been hotly debated since the Steelers shipped a first-round draft pick in 2020 to the Miami Dolphins for the former Alabama defensive back, who practiced with the team for the first time on Wednesday.

One place it probably hasn’t been very popular? The Steelers’ amateur scouting department.

The trade, which sent the team’s first-round pick away — something the team hadn’t done since 1967 — comes after Pittsburgh general manager Kevin Colbert had already traded the team’s third-round pick at the draft to move up and get linebacker Devin Bush.

That leaves the Steelers a little light when it comes to selections next April. Here’s what they’re currently working with:

🏈 Steelers 2nd Rd pick
🏈 Dolphins 4th Rd pick
🏈 Steelers 4th Rd pick
🏈 Jaguars 5th Rd pick
🏈 Steelers 6th Rd pick
🏈 Steelers 7th Rd pick

That leaves Colbert and his staff one fewer selection that the typical seven as things stand right now, but it’s definitely a bit bottom-heavy. If the Steelers have a good season, they might not pick until the late 40s or 50s.

The good news is that with the Dolphins apparently tanking, that fourth-round pick is more like a third-rounder.

Of course, it’s a long time until April. The Steelers could always move back up into the first round or add another pick between now and then.

They also appear to be in line to earn at least one compensatory draft pick after the loss of Le’Veon Bell as a free agent to the New York Jets.