View topic - Live Draft Talk

[thesteelhammer Profile]

Colbert is just picking bodies now to fill spots on the camp depth chart.

Not taking best player available.

Guess you got to have someone to put out there in the 4th quarter of the first preseason game.

It just makes you wonder... So many people working all year for this three days... And then they throw everything in the garbage bin...

I do not like Colbert... Official

Anyway Hammer I wanted to thank you and the rest of the staff for the marvelous job. I appreciated it.

Thanks Ohio. Appreciate you making some conversation. Saw several other regualrs logged on this weekend, but they mostly keep quite.

[thesteelhammer Profile]

Well, that draft is in the bag for the steelers. Hope they are working the phones to get some undrafted guys to camp cause I feel like they left some talent on the board.

Anyway:
I don't love or hate this draft.

I think the first 5 (maybe 6) players should all contribute something this year, but I'm not sure that any of them will start this year.
The last 4 are probably all practice squad guys.

Jones will be expected to start at some point, and if he can pick up coverage responsibilities, he could be special...if his health concerns don't become an issue. The possiblities for Big Plays are definately there with Jones.

I'm not sold on Bell,not because I don't think he can play in the league, but because I think he's a lot like what we already have. I hope I am wrong, but he doesn't say "play maker" to me.

Wheaton will be another guy in our stable of WRs...he'll probably put up decent numbers as a 2 or 3 in a few years and then be gone in free agency. Still never going to be a game changing WR,

Thomas is the player I am most excited about in this class.... a little bit like Troy...a little bit like the colts Bob Sanders with a little better coverage skills.

Jones has potential, which showed in his early years, but he gets shaken and loses confidence...and that's not someone I want leading my team. Bottom line on him as a pick was value ... plenty of other QB's just as good available later, much later.

Hawthorne has the numbers, but something is just missing. Perhaps he can develop.(and not get burned to much in the mean time.) I'd rather take a player with the physical ability and upside than what i see as the next 2 picks.

Justin Brown and Vince Williams were both good college players, but lack the speed to be legit NFL starters...ever. You can't coach speed.

Nick Williams is still learning the game. Physical skills seem there for a NT, can he contribute enough to stick while we see if he can further develop?

I also don't like that they left the O-line and TE unaddressed. We also traded next years 3rd round pick, which concerns me; though, Hopefully next year we'll be flush with compensatory picks from all the free agents we lost this year.

[LenSherwood Profile]

Steelhammer,

Don't follow college football that closely, but the fact that you do and you are indifferent about this draft is a problem. This team needed homeruns in THIS draft. They are running out of talent. Now you never know--Wallace was one of the few guys that was drafted in the Tomlin era that surprised. But they are whiffing in the draft in his tenure. I watched the game film of Jones--highlights and I wasn't thinking that I was going to forget James Harrison. He seems light in the hips, got blocked on even his highlight films and he can only run a 4.9 at that light build? WTF? The division is going to be tougher.. Jesus Cincy is getting loaded. Next year looks bad still...

Thanks for you coverage. Always enjoy your analysis on Stillers.com

[thesteelhammer Profile]

ESPN's take on our draft:
http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/post/_ ... analysis-5

BEST MOVE

The Steelers had a top-five talent -- Jones -- fall into their laps at No. 17. So, how is that the "best move?" Pittsburgh invested a first-round pick in Jones when other teams were scared off by medical concerns and a poor pro-day workout. His fall is reminiscent of how Terrell Suggs fell in the 2003 draft, and you remember how that turned out.

Jones has the potential to be the best defensive player in this draft. He led the nation in sacks (14.5), tackles for loss (24.5) and forced fumbles (seven) despite missing two games last season. His burst, strength and athleticism coming off the edge make him a perfect fit for the Steelers defense and the heir apparent to James Harrison.

There is a risk involved because he's previously been diagnosed as having stenosis, the narrowing of the spinal column that has shortened NFL careers. But the Steelers couldn't pass on a disruptive rusher like Jones. Since leading the NFL in sacks in 2010, the Steelers ranked 17th in 2011 and 15th in 2012. Taking Jones is the first step to turning the NFL's top-ranked defense into more of a playmaking one.

Making the best move doesn't mean the Steelers had the best draft in the AFC North. That honor goes to the Bengals. The Steelers reached in the second round by taking Bell, a finesse back who will remind many of Rashard Mendenhall. Pittsburgh chose Bell over more explosive backs like Alabama's Eddie Lacy and UCLA's Johnathan Franklin.

Outside of drafting Jones, the Steelers' other great move was trading up in the fourth round to select Syracuse safety Shamarko Thomas, a high-energy and hard-hitting defensive back. Pittsburgh had to give up a 2014 third-round pick for him, but the Steelers could get a third-round compensatory pick next year for losing wide receiver Mike Wallace.

[thesteelhammer Profile]

more "experts" takes:

http://espn.go.com/blog/afcnorth/catego ... h-steelers

PITTSBURGH STEELERS

Kiper Jr.'s grade: B

Kiper Jr.'s comment: "The Steelers got a little bit of their bite back. I love the selection of Jarvis Jones in Round 1. I just thought Le'Veon Bell was a bit of a reach. I'll say this for him, however: Bell played behind some pretty awful blocking last year and still managed to be productive."

Hensley's take: If you read my post-draft analysis, you already know that I think taking Jones was the best move when looking at the drafts for every AFC North team. The Steelers needed a pass-rusher after cutting James Harrison, and they got the best one coming out of college this year at No. 17. On the opposite side of the spectrum, the pick I'm most skeptical about is the Michigan State running back Bell. He's a finesse back who could turn out to be another Rashard Mendenhall in terms of running style. I'm not enamored by Oregon State wide receiver Markus Wheaton or Illinois cornerback Terry Hawthorne, but it's hard to criticize given the Steelers' history with wide receivers in the third round and cornerbacks in the middle of the draft. The second-best player in Pittsburgh's draft class could turn out to be Syracuse safety Shamarko Thomas, a fourth-round selection.

[LenSherwood Profile]

There probably wasn't a lot of conversation this weekend because the Steelers were an 8 8 team and aren't exactly creating pandamonium levels of excitement in this post season. If this Jone's neck goes bad, this is likely another bust draft.