Steelers could affect Chiefs' first round draft options

Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert admitted in an interview on Sunday that his staff have "been tracking" the top cornerbacks in the upcoming NFL Draft. It's a key draft slot the Steelers hold since the Kansas City Chiefs follow them in each round.

"We can't say we'll take a cornerback first, second or third," Colbert said to Gerry Dulac in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "But there are enough that we should be able to get one."

Colbert is certainly telling the truth, as the Steelers have attended the Pro Days of corners like Eli Apple (Ohio State) and Mackensie Alexander (Clemson). There is also definitely a need for an impact player in the secondary. Given that the Steelers pick three slots in front of the Chiefs in each round, the Steelers could definitely be a team the Chiefs need to leap to get their man.

That said, these sorts of draft smokescreens are rather silly at this time of year. Most teams have their draft boards set to some degree and giving away any real information to the media, especially so directly, makes zero sense. If the Steelers can get someone to take a player they're not interested in, that's one more slot they don't have to worry about in front of them.

Then again, it could just be a case of Colbert stating the obvious. "A team with a need might take someone to fill it in the first few rounds," is hardly major news.

Given the way many mock drafts are falling, there's a predicted run on cornerbacks in the 20s after some of the top quarterbacks, pass rushers and tackles are taken off the board. Will a player like Apple or Alexander be there when the Chiefs pick? The Steelers might have something to say about it.