Breaking down the Pittsburgh Steelers' 2018 draft class.

Round 1, No. 28 overall: Terrell Edmunds, S, Virginia Tech

My take: The Steelers needed improvement in the secondary and believe they just got better with Edmunds, who wasn't considered a first-round pick by many analysts but clearly was by Pittsburgh. General manager Kevin Colbert said Edmunds was the best player remaining on their board at No. 28. Coach Mike Tomlin lauded his versatility as a free safety, strong safety and subpackage linebacker. The Steelers will have "a number of things on the menu" for him, Tomlin said. Edmunds was a team leader at Virginia Tech, ran a 4.47-second 40 and is a vocal communicator on the field, which should help him play early. Now they must sort out a safety lineup that already includes free-agent signing Morgan Burnett and former second-round pick Sean Davis. There are no excuses for a secondary that is loaded, with veteran Joe Haden and four Day 1 or 2 picks drafted since 2016.

Family affair: For the second straight year, the Steelers spent a first-round pick on an NFL sibling -- T.J. Watt last year and now Edmunds, whose brother, Tremaine, was drafted No. 16 overall by the Buffalo Bills. The Steelers learned all about the family at a dinner with the brothers and their parents around Virginia Tech's pro day. Colbert said he learned Terrell was the more vocal brother. He also learned he must take care of his new draft pick, or else. "I remember my mom questioning them to death," said Edmunds about the dinner. Colbert was with the Miami Dolphins organization when it drafted father Ferrell Edmunds in 1988.

Tough it out: Playing through a shoulder injury that required surgery in November might have affected Edmunds' draft stock, but the Steelers considered that a positive. Edmunds finished the season with 59 tackles, 1.5 sacks and 2 interceptions in 10 games despite a nagging injury.

"For him to play as good as he did last year with an injured shoulder was truly impressive for us," said Colbert, who added Steelers doctors are comfortable with Edmunds' shoulder. The year before, Edmunds finished with four interceptions.

Round 2, No. 60 overall: James Washington, WR, Oklahoma State

My take: The Steelers acted quickly to replace Martavis Bryant with No. 60 pick James Washington, who averaged 20.9 yards per catch as a senior at Oklahoma State. Pittsburgh hopes to rediscover the magic they found with last year’s second-round receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, who led all rookies in touchdowns and receiving yards last season. The knocks on Washington are size (5-foot-11) and his 4.54-second 40 time, but he plays faster than that time, is physical at the line of scrimmage and has a flare for chunk yardage. The Steelers know how to draft receivers and might have just found another gem. “Tough guy, runs fast, scores touchdowns,” offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner said.

Receiver crop: Washington has a degree in agriculture and says he’s a farmer. He does cattle ranching back home in Stamford, Texas, mostly helping his dad with heavy lifting. Now that he’s headed to Pittsburgh, he plans to utilize what he has learned on the field. “Hard work and dedication,” said Washington when asked about his best attributes as a player. And as a playcaller, Fichtner likes that Washington provides “several tricks,” meaning he can do a bit of everything and catches the ball cleanly.

Pittsburgh Punisher: The Pittsburgh media joked with Washington over a conference call that the Steelers share a facility with Pitt, which Washington torched for 14 catches, 420 yards and 2 touchdowns in two Heinz Field games. Washington laughed it off as just a game, but he’s glad the Steelers were scouting him those days. “Hopefully that opened their eyes,” Washington said.

Round 3, No. 76 overall: Mason Rudolph, QB, Oklahoma State

My take: The Steelers look deep into the future and take a third-round chance on an eventual Ben Roethlisberger replacement. By trading up for Oklahoma State quarterback Mason Rudolph at No. 76 overall, Pittsburgh is actively protecting itself whenever Roethlisberger, 36, decides to retire. Pittsburgh targeted Rudolph early in the draft process and spent a lot of time with him at his pro day. His drop to the early third round made this a more palatable move for a team that could have Roethlisberger for at least another three years. But what do you do with Rudolph during that time? Stash and wait? Either way, the inside linebacker crop was thinning out, so the Steelers ditched need and went for value here.

Hoping for the call: Rudolph wanted to be a Steeler because he felt he developed a connection with the coaches. He texted offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner earlier this week to let him know that. He has long admired Roethlisberger and looks forward to jumping into the playbook. “You’re sitting behind an unbelievable player and a good dude,” Rudolph said. “I’m a competitor to the bone. I’ll come in and work my butt off to learn the system.”

The long game: The Steelers throw the deep ball more than most NFL teams, and Rudolph’s specialty is going vertical. He produced a gaudy 13,618 passing yards in three-plus years as a starter, good enough for 9.41 yards per passing attempt. Fichtner believes Rudolph’s anticipation and touch from the pocket will help him in his transition to the pro game. “There’s a lot to love about him,” Fichtner said.

Round 3, No. 92 overall: Chukwuma Okorafor, OT, Western Michigan

My take: The Steelers' selection of project offensive tackle Chukwuma "Chukes" Okorafor doesn't fill a major need but bolsters a position of strength with a 6-foot-6, 320-pound behemoth with natural talent. Pittsburgh will bet on offensive line coach Mike Munchak to turn him into an eventual factor after the departure of Chris Hubbard in free agency. A weak inside linebacker class forced the Steelers to get creative in the third round with Okorafor out of Western Michigan and Oklahoma State quarterback Mason Rudolph. But for a team that's navigating a finite championship window, these moves don't scream "all in."

Unfinished product: Munchak said Okorafor has rawness but has improved each year and has "great strength." Okorafor started 39 games over three years at Western Michigan, and the Steelers are excited about the upside for a player who can man both tackle spots.

"For a big man like him, it's hard to get around him," Munchak said. "He's capable of doing everything we want him to do."

Well-traveled tackle: Okorafor was born in Nigeria, and in 2010 his family emigrated from Botswana to the U.S. He got a late start on football as a result, but Munchak said that's not necessarily a bad thing -- which means he hasn't developed too many bad habits. Okorafor became the 11th-best recruit in Michigan out of Southfield High School. He prefers to go by the name "Chukes."

Round 5, No. 148 overall: Marcus Allen, S, Penn State

My take: The Steelers are clearly going for value over need. They've selected two safeties in their first five picks while the hole at starting inside linebacker remains. But Pittsburgh loves the physicality of Allen, who's got ideal size at 6-foot-2, 215 pounds. "He will strike you," defensive backs coach Tom Bradley said. And Allen wanted to end up in Pittsburgh, where he spent summers as a youth. "It's all tears of joy right now," Allen said.

How he fits: The Steelers have eight safeties on the current roster, so seeing the field beyond special teams will take serious effort. But the team stresses the importance of subpackage football, so perhaps Allen can find a home as a hybrid dime linebacker and run supporter. "[Being] around the ball is what he does best," Bradley said. Burnett and Davis could have the inside track on the starting safety job while Edmunds develops.

Round 5, No. 165 overall: Jaylen Samuels, RB, NC State

My take: The Steelers planned to get running back help at some point in the draft and went with a hybrid option in Samuels, who has experience as an H-back or even a tight end. The Steelers are looking for matchup help on third down and feel Samuels, at 225 pounds with a 4.54 40 time, can help in the open field against dime defenses. He’ll start in the running back room. Samuels says he has a “knack for the end zone,” and the numbers back that up. He scored 11 touchdowns on 71 rushing attempts and four scores on 69 catches in 2017, good for a touchdown every 9.3 touches.

How he fits: Le'Veon Bell and James Conner will remain one and two on the depth chart, leaving Samuels to compete with Fitz Toussaint and Stevan Ridley for the third tailback spot. The Steelers have roster spots open at several offensive spots, which bodes well for Samuels’ versatility, assuming he can stick on special teams.

Round 7, No. 246 overall: Joshua Frazier, DT, Alabama

My take: This pick is intriguing because of Frazier’s upside and his connection to Steelers defensive line coach Karl Dunbar, who coached Frazier for two years at Alabama. The 6-foot-2, 321-pound Frazier was a touted prep recruit who lost his job to first-round pick Da'Ron Payne due to injury. Frazier still played in a rotation, and Dunbar liked what he saw from the player. "He can command two blockers," Dunbar said. This pick aligns with a Steelers draft that prioritized versatility and value over need.

How he fits: The Steelers have quality depth on the defensive line but are strongest at the end spot. At tackle, there should be a back-end roster spot available for Frazier or veteran Daniel McCullers. Javon Hargrave is entrenched as the starter but hasn't dominated in that spot. The Steelers like to use a healthy line rotation to keep players fresh, similar to what Frazier saw at Alabama. If he can show a penchant for run-stopping, he'll have a chance.