The more I think about it, the more I can't get on board with drafting a RB in the first round.

1. Bell is playing in 2018. Like it or lump it - it is gonna happen. We know that when Bell is healthy, he tends to soak up all the snaps. Bell then bolts for greener (get it?) pastures in 2019.
2. Conner is still an unknown. He seems to be okayish at running the ball and decentish at catching the ball and clueless at blocking. Unless everyone is comfortable with that evaluation, Conner MUST play more snaps in order to understand what his ceiling is a player.
3. Every draft class will have multiple capable and really exciting RBs (non Barkley level).

Taking all this together, why take a RB in the first round this year, unless you are convinced that Conner is not an option as an NFL starter? There are rarely enough snaps in Pittsburgh for 2 RBs to get actual NFL game action, let alone 3. No chance to evaluate and develop both Conner and a rookie this year.

Now, granted this changes if the RB selected is outside the first round or maybe 2nd. I don't expect a 3-7 round pick to play heavy snaps in their 1st year.

Same logic can be applied to TE, OL, DL, WR, and specialists. So strictly based on playing time and pace of development - it is a LB or DB in Round 1...?