View topic - It's early, but, so far, the 2008 Draft Class looks weak

[cgschier Profile]

I know we are only 5 games into the 2008 season, but this season's draft picks are not paying any early dividends.

1. Mendenhall was hurt during his first start and while carrying the ball against the first physical team he has faced. Now he is out for the season. Next year will serve as his rookie season all over again. Sounds a bit too much like Ki-Jana Carter to me. Combined with his pre-season fumbles and he may have been grossly over-rated. I hope I am wrong.

2. Sweed could not beat out Nate Washington for the third receiver spot. Dallas Baker looked better in the pre-season.

3. Davis might be a great pick, although, with the depth at linebacker, we may never find out.

4. Hills cannot seem to find his way into the lineup despite all of the injuries to the OL, he is apparently not ready.

5. Dixon could be a good back-up in the future. However, who judges a draft on finding a back-up QB? Unless they want to give him some slash duties, he is of little worth holding a clip board.

Your thoughts....

[lloydrules Profile]

I know we are only 5 games into the 2008 season, but this season's draft picks are not paying any early dividends.

1. Mendenhall was hurt during his first start and while carrying the ball against the first physical team he has faced. Now he is out for the season. Next year will serve as his rookie season all over again. Sounds a bit too much like Ki-Jana Carter to me. Combined with his pre-season fumbles and he may have been grossly over-rated. I hope I am wrong.

2. Sweed could not beat out Nate Washington for the third receiver spot. Dallas Baker looked better in the pre-season.

3. Davis might be a great pick, although, with the depth at linebacker, we may never find out.

4. Hills cannot seem to find his way into the lineup despite all of the injuries to the OL, he is apparently not ready.

5. Dixon could be a good back-up in the future. However, who judges a draft on finding a back-up QB? Unless they want to give him some slash duties, he is of little worth holding a clip board.

Your thoughts....

Too early on MendH. But, he is certainly not a given great pick - especially when considering team needs. If you go for RB in round one, he better be awesome and you better need him. We have a probowl RB in his prime already. Granted, WP might be showing signs of injuries. But I really believe even without WP and RM we have enough talent at RB to win. Russel and Moore seem capable to me. I am willing to not cast judgment on RM _yet_. But, it's something to keep an eye on.

Sweed? Again, considering team needs, he better be a hell of a WR but has shown nothing yet. Granted, rookie WRs generally suck, no matter how talented. But this kid has shown nothing. Holmes showed flashes as a rook. This kid appears really weak. We had serious needs for both lines. You build, and keep, a team good by addressing the lines first. Both these picks blow that fact off. That is disconcerting to me. Hines is not done yet. Holmes is solid (although under-performing what most of us thought he would do this year) and Nate showed us that he does have some value, as per Sunday's game.

Davis? God. It will be two years before this guy can even hope to get playing time. That alone means this was a dumb pick. Why would they not go with an OL-man here, at least? Why would they take a LB who has no chance of playing bar injuries? As if this kid is going to supplant Silverback or Woodley.

Hills? He is a project, end of story. He has a history of injuries. He is no where any where close to being able to play. We've had no success with projects the last 10 years. This is an awful attempt of shoring up the OL.

Dixon? Fine. I like where they got him; love his potential. But this hardly makes up for all the misplaced picks of the day. I would be fine if they took the best OL in 1 and best DL in 2. i fear the future of this team's chances at winning a ring will be soiled by picks of the last 3 years, specifically ignoring the lines.

You never win a ring unless your lines are solid. See the Giants for an example.

[Steeledge Profile]

Your thoughts....

it's way WAY too early, and you look "darft" for posting this steaming pile...

[catesinator Profile]

The 2007 class also looked pretty weak last year with Timmons, Woodley, Spaeth and Gay barely playing and only Sepulveda playing any kind of role. This year Woodley looks like a beast, Timmons looks solid, Spaeth has improved his blocking and Gay has played a more prominent role when Townsend went down to injury.

Way too early to judge this class.

[catesinator Profile]

You never win a ring unless your lines are solid. See the Giants for an example.

It has been said to death. Name one offensive lineman worth taking in the first round at pick 23. Name one offensive lineman worth picking in the 2nd round at pick 45. The defensive line has been fine so far this season.

All the worthwhile o-linemen were off the board when the Steelers picked.

[McLovin Profile]

McLovin agrees that its too early to tell if this class looks weak or not...let's call them unproductive. McLovin is not a Colbert fan, but give him credit for not reaching or mortgaging the future to trade up to get one of those many OT's that went before taking the BPA in Mendy. At the time I'm sure all of you thought as McLovin did that it was a good pick and Mendy would be the power compliment to Willie's speed. Not his fault he's out for the year.

As for Sweed, again can't blame Colbert here. I liked Sweed much better than the likes of Malcolm Kelly and Devin Thomas who are also doing nothing in Washington. Roddy White to me is an example of needing to be patient with a WR. A high draft pick the Falcons were ready to give up on and after a couple years of learning is becoming great WR none of you even heard of. Has Sweed shown anything yet? Hell No...but at least Colbert took the BPA and didn't reach.

Bruce Davis is another pick McLovin liked. Patience boys with this one. Gildon and Joey were 3rd rd De's converted to LB and it took each of them 3 seasons of learning to make their impact.

As for Hills...injuries ruined his senior year. Texas gets a lot of Olmen drafted but few live up to their rep in the pros. Mike Williams drafted by Donohoe comes to mind. Colbert just taking a flier for need here...mid-round body kind of like Donohoe used to do with the likes of Chris Conrad and Paul Wiggins...hopefully hills turns out to be a little better.

Dixon a great pick according to McLovin. No way the poster can ask him to contribute yet. However, McClovin would like to see some Kordell, Randle EL like gimmick plays with this cat.

[lloydrules Profile]

You never win a ring unless your lines are solid. See the Giants for an example.

It has been said to death. Name one offensive lineman worth taking in the first round at pick 23. Name one offensive lineman worth picking in the 2nd round at pick 45. The defensive line has been fine so far this season.

All the worthwhile o-linemen were off the board when the Steelers picked.

No they weren't. I'd like to see this team with Duane Brown on the roster. Could have played RT this season and be groomed to take over for Smith in a few years at LT. And they could have traded a few spots down and got Otah if they wanted.

And in the 2nd round, they could have took Kendal Langford for the DL. He's 6-6, 290, perfect for DE in a 3-4. Miami got him a few picks later. He already had a sack by week 2.

So much for your claim. The Steelers would be far better off with Brown and Langford on the roster right now than they are with Mendie and Sweed. What a huge difference it would be.

[Scalaid6 Profile]

Could have said the same thing, this time last season. Timmons was hurt (hammy), Woodley hardly played. Sepulveda wasnt BOOMING etc. What a difference a year makes.

[lloydrules Profile]

Could have said same thing last year?

There is a difference.

Last year the horrid OL was exposed again. Should have entered the draft KNOWING to address the OL without risking it on a single project pick of Hills. You don't fuck around with projects when they OL is in such terrible shape.

Watch the Giants. Watch Dallas. Those are fucking OLine. That's what Pgh should have. A real OL that blows open holes and gives Ben time to find an open WR without having to dodge rushes most times he drops back.

How do you head into the draft and take a back, a receiver and a LB all BEFORE you address the line, when the huge NEED was the line. Then, they don't even try to cure it with #s buy using the 2nd day on the OL. Their next picks? A QB (like him) and then two reaches at LB and S. What? No OTs or OGs with those picks? Why not?

The Pgh Steelers pay Ben a $100 million deal and then do almost nothing to put a decent line in front of him.

That is like buying a top line Mercedes and not changing the oil for 30,000 miles. It's fucking moronic.

[Homer J Profile]

Remember, folks, you don't join the Steelers as a rookie. You pledge the fraternity. And damn few pledges contribute to the brotherhood. (Ben did, but only cause Maddox went down.)

Polamalu didn't do shit as a pledge, and everybody said he was a waste and would never be a decent brother.

Last year's pledge class didn't do shit, either. Timmons was always hurt. Woodley was on the bench.

Have those who called them wasted picks changed their minds yet?

It's too early to say anything about the 2008 pledge class, except that none of them have set the world on fire, yet. But there is a ton of potential there, so let's wait and see how it all turns out.