As I posted earlier, the Steelers don’t have any huge holes to fill due to free agency so the first day of the draft was as predicted, boring.

There were a bunch of trades, and three quarterbacks among the top 17 picks. There were two centers picked in Round 1 for the first time in, well, forever, and another head-scratcher by the Oakland Raiders.

The NFL pushed the start of its 2009 draft back to 4 p.m. to accommodate ESPN, and whether the first 64 picks packed enough drama to merit the move can be debated. But for Steelers fans, the theme of the day took on the time-honored television phrase: stay tuned.

The Steelers closed the first round by picking Missouri defensive lineman Ziggy Hood, and when their turn came at the end of the second round, Director of Football Operations Kevin Colbert and Coach Mike Tomlin surveyed their board and decided the best course of action was to defer. And so the Steelers ended the day by trading their second-round pick, plus their No. 4 selection, to Denver for both of the Broncos third-round picks – the 79th and 84th overall.

And so, when the draft resumes at 10 a.m. on Sunday, the Steelers will have three picks in the third round – the two they acquired from Denver – plus their own, which will be the 96th pick of the draft.

“It was a chance to pick up some extra picks,” said Colbert. “It was a nice group of guys who were left and rather just taking one of those guys I think we will have a good chance at getting three. It was inviting. Like I said hopefully we’ll come out of it with three quality guys tomorrow.

Written by Pat Lovell - The Steeler Fanatic
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