1 of 5

Though the Pittsburgh Steelers were able to keep wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders, who had received an offer sheet from the New England Patriots, that doesn't mean they are in great shape at the position.

Alongside Sanders, the Steelers have Antonio Brown, Jerricho Cotchery, Plaxico Burress and a cadre of younger and untested receivers who will have to put in a lot of work just to make the final roster. A boost of youth is just what the Steelers need—perhaps Tennessee's Cordarrelle Patterson.

Pros

Patterson meets a significant need on the Steelers' offense while also potentially being the best player available when the Steelers pick 17th-overall, which is the ideal confluence of events. Patterson is considered by many to be the top receiver in the draft, with the perfect combination of size, speed, athleticism and good hands.

The Steelers need to add youth and explosiveness to their receiving corps and both are certainly apparent when watching Patterson play.

Cons

The Steelers aren't known for being very aggressive in the first round of the draft—the last skill position player they selected there was Rashard Mendenhall in 2008. Other, more "Steelers-appropriate" players should also be available at 17th overall, lowering the likelihood that Patterson is their pick.

There's also the issue of rookie wide receivers generally not making a major impact in their first season. Patterson, therefore, may not break out until 2014, which is good, but it would be better if he was more NFL-ready immediately.

Patterson may ultimately not be the best overall Tennessee wide receiver in the draft—teammate Justin Hunter is gaining momentum, especially as he's looking fully recovered from his 2011 ACL tear.