PITTSBURGH - One year after choosing Ben Roethlisberger, the Pittsburgh Steelers are faced with this perplexing problem heading into the NFL draft: How do they top that?

The answer: They don't.

The Steelers don't choose until 30th in the first round - 19 spots lower than when they selected Roethlisberger with one of the most successful picks in their history. If they had passed on the quarterback who became the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, it can be argued they might be selecting a lot sooner Saturday.

Choosing just three picks before the second round begins, the Steelers aren't looking to hit another home run. Rather, they'd like to add at least one player who can play immediately - perhaps a linebacker or an offensive lineman - then add depth at the numerous positions where they're thin.

The Steelers aren't dismissing the possibility their first-rounder can start now - after all, No. 30 pick Kendall Simmons started every game at guard as a 2002 rookie.

"We see reports that the draft's soft and not deep, but we're pretty optimistic," director of football operations Kevin Colbert said Monday. "There's guys definitely available on the first day that can help our team."

Recent history shows the No. 30 pick can be very productive. The Lions took 1,000-yard back Kevin Jones a year ago, and the Titans got Pro Bowl linebacker Keith Bulluck at No. 30 in 2000. The Colts took productive wide receiver Reggie Wayne in 2001 and the Chargers got starting safety Sammy Davis in 2003.

Colbert and coach Bill Cowher consider the draft to be deep at wide receiver, cornerback and the offensive line, all areas where the Steelers need more players. They lost three former starters - wide receiver Plaxico Burress, guard Keydrick Vincent and tackle Oliver Ross - to free agency, thus weakening the depth of the team that went 15-1 and was a victory away from the Super Bowl.

Their only major offseason acquisition so far is former 49ers receiver Cedrick Wilson, who will compete with Antwaan Randle El to start at Burress' spot. Neither has the 6-foot-5 Burress' size, so a tall, rangy receiver might be a draft day fit. So might a linebacker for their 3-4 defense or a cornerback to challenge holdover Willie Williams.

"This is the fastest group of wide receivers and cornerbacks I've witnessed," Colbert said. "It was real exciting to see. It was impressive. It's why we think it's a pretty good draft."

They would seem to need help at tight end, and either Virginia's Heath Miller or Stanford's Alex Smith could be available. But the Steelers rarely throw to their tight end, who is effectively a sixth offensive lineman in their system, and Cowher doesn't seem eager to rewrite the position's job description.

"We've been talking about the tight end position since I've been here," Cowher said. "It's never been one that's been used much in the passing game."

Since the Steelers aren't in urgent need at any one position, Cowher said they have the freedom to draft the player they judge the best available.

"I really think we do have the luxury of not having to reach," Cowher said. "When you're picking on the first round, you want to take the best player and let the draft board work itself."

The Steelers will rank the top players from No. 1 to 30 then, in theory, choose the player they rank the highest. It worked last year, when Roethlisberger easily was the highest-ranked player left at No. 11.

The Steelers will stage their own mock drafts Thursday and Friday, but Colbert said drafting so low obviously creates far more possibilities than picking 11th did.

"You can pretty much pick the top 20 guys pretty easily, but where those 20 go, we don't know," Colbert said. "One trade can trigger 10 different scenarios. Sitting at No. 30, you just wait and see where it goes."