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Steelers keeping options open as draft approaches

By WTOP Staff

WILL GRAVES
AP Sports Writer

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Steelers ticked off most of their to-do list during a busier than expected offseason.

Safety Troy Polamalu, tight end Heath Miller and cornerback Ike Taylor signed salary cap friendly contract extensions. Promising outside linebacker Jason Worilds accepted his transition tag while the team parted ways with enigmatic former Pro Bowler LaMarr Woodley. The Steelers offset the departures of wide receivers Emmanuel Sanders and Jerricho Cotchery by signing Darrius Heyward-Bey and Lance Moore.

All of those moves, however, were under the team’s control.

Now comes the hard part: trying to prepare for a draft that might be as unpredictable as it is deep.

Stuck in the middle of the first round with the 15th overall pick following a second straight 8-8 season, the Steelers won’t lack for options save for one. Don’t expect them to get greedy looking at the top of the draft board. General manager Kevin Colbert doesn’t envision a scenario where the team trades up.

“There won’t be any movement up on our part,” Colbert said. “I can say that pretty sure.”

That’s about the only thing set as the Steelers attempt to figure out which direction to go. Pooling from what he called the deepest draft class he’s seen in 30 years, Colbert said the Steelers stay at 15 they’ll get a player that would have been a Top 10 pick most seasons.

Of course, a little chaos at the top of the draft could change all that. Colbert called drama surrounding the top quarterback prospects the “linchpin” of the entire first round. If Johnny Manziel, Blake Bortles or Teddy Bridgewater stick around the green room at Radio City Music Hall longer than expected, Colbert can see the Steelers playing a willing partner if another club ponies up the picks necessary to swap spots with Pittsburgh and take one of the signal callers.

“The more picks the merrier,” Colbert said.

The Steelers have nine picks total, including two each in the fifth and sixth rounds. Though Colbert insists the team won’t rule out any position in the first round, the Steelers have depth and experience issues at wide receiver, cornerback and along the defensive line.

Not that Colbert is worried, saying the abundance of top-end talent will have a carry-over effect throughout the three-day draft. Colbert anticipates being able to grab players in the later rounds that would have gone higher in the draft in other years.

Pittsburgh typically avoids moving around, particularly in the first round. The last time the Steelers swapped picks in the opening round was 2001, when they moved down three spots from 16th to 19th and earned two extra selections from the New York Jets in the process.

The draft and free agency isn’t the only way the Steelers could gain depth before training camp opens.

Coach Mike Tomlin said inside linebacker Sean Spence, who hasn’t played a snap in two years while recovering from a devastating knee injury, is “healthy and practicing” though it is too soon to determine whether he’ll be able to contribute. The same goes for defensive end Nick Williams, who missed all of last year with a left knee injury.

Tomlin and Colbert didn’t rule out a possible return by defensive end Brett Keisel, who remains unsigned. The Steelers are looking for bodies along the line after Al Woods and Ziggy Hood left and Keisel was not immediately brought back. Pittsburgh signed free agent Cam Thomas, but there is a significant drop-off in experience behind Thomas and projected starters Cam Heyward and Steve McLendon.

“We’re not done in that area,” Tomlin said. “It’s incomplete. Hopefully we’ll rectify that.”

___

AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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