It’s widely known the Pittsburgh Steelers are hoping to land one of the top inside linebackers with their first pick in the NFL Draft this week.

Since losing Ryan Shazier to a spinal cord injury in December 2017, the Steelers have been searching for an adequate three-down replacement, a player who can run sideline to sideline and also make plays in the middle of the field.

On the other hand, it’s an odd-numbered year, which means it should be time for the Steelers to take an outside linebacker with their top pick.

The cycle started in 2013, when Jarvis Jones came aboard with the No. 17 overall pick. Two years later, it was Bud Dupree’s turn as the Steelers grabbed him with the No. 22 selection. In 2017, with the Steelers holding the No. 30 choice, they grabbed T.J. Watt.

Jones and Watt sit on opposite ends of the spectrum. Jones never got a second contract from the Steelers, and his NFL career, now over, included six sacks in four seasons. Watt, with two seasons on his resume, has 20 sacks and a Pro Bowl appearance.

Then there is Dupree, whose production — much like his selection among the outside linebacker trio — can be found squarely in the middle. It took him four seasons, twice as long as Watt, to reach 20 career sacks, but he also is coming off a season in which he set career highs with 42 tackles and 13 quarterback hits.

The Steelers thought it was enough production to allow his $9.3 million fifth-year option to become guaranteed in March.

“Bud Dupree had his best year last year and collectively, he and T.J., they’re pretty good,” general manager Kevin Colbert said in February. “I like that change that coach (Mike) Tomlin made putting T.J on the left (side of the formation), putting Bud on the right. Does Bud still have more? Absolutely, but Bud is a starter on a winning team.

“Is it a playoff team? No. Does he have more to give? Absolutely. From an effort standpoint? No, it’s not a lack of effort. It’s let’s turn that effort into production. Can he? Will he? We’ll see.”

Before the Steelers discover whether Dupree can complete that transition, they might try to add some depth to the outside linebacker group in this draft class. After all, Anthony Chickillo, who was re-signed to a two-year contract, is the only backup on the roster with more than one game of NFL experience.

Considering the ongoing need to replace Shazier in the middle of the defense, the Steelers likely won’t take an outside linebacker until after the first round. Still, if both of their targets — Devin White and Devin Bush — are gone, and one of the top pass rushers is on the board at No. 20, the Steelers could keep that every-other-year cycle going.

The 2019 class is littered with high-profile edge rushers, a group led by Ohio State’s Nick Bosa and Kentucky’s Josh Allen. Bosa is projected to be the second overall player taken, and Allen is a consensus top-five pick. Mississippi’s Montez Sweat is third on most analyst’s lists, but he could be gone by the middle of the first round.

A player who could be intriguing to the Steelers is Florida State’s Brian Burns, who had 10 sacks last season and 24 in three years playing for the Seminoles. Clemson’s Clelin Ferrell also carries a first-round grade.

“I think with pass rusher, with edge rusher, once you get into the 20s in this draft, I know there’s a lot of depth, but these guys are going to fly off the board,” NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah said. “Once you start getting into the 20s, we’ll see maybe a Brian Burns could fall down there a little bit, maybe a Clelin Ferrell could fall down there.”

If the Steelers get their inside linebacker in the first round, they could turn to the outside when their second-round pick comes at No. 52. A player who could fall into their laps there is Thomas Jefferson graduate Chase Winovich of Michigan.

“After you get past that initial group of pass rushers, he’s in that second tier,” ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr. said. “He’s not a lock second-rounder, but he’s got an opportunity to be a second-round choice when all is said and done. I’ve liked him all along.”

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