It seems crazy, I know, but...

I could see that.

 

Isn't Dickerson a probowler? Was it not obvious at the time he was going to become one? Everyone said he was head and shoulders the best C prospect. With potential Pro Bowl pedigree.


There are always players in every draft that everyone agrees are going to be very good at the next level and somehow everyone would rather wait till the 2nd or 3rd to draft them.

Maybe in year 1. But by year 2 he was ranked a top 5 guard. Which is not a surprise. He always looked the type who's be a mauler at Guard.

So is Dickerson. But even if they weren't top 5 at their positions, they were simply better value than an RB.

I like Najee, and hope he wins a Superbowl with us. But I hated that pick. And still do

 

I agree, I don't think he'll last past 21.

 

The running back class is irrelevant. If anything, that the other backs in a draft aren't as good would make one who is worthy a better pick, not worse.

Harris was consistently regarded as a first-round pick. I understand the argument against taking a back in the first round, or at least waiting until after they built up the line, but he was a solid contributor on a playoff team as a rookie, and finished strong on a team that nearly got there this past season despite an injury that ruined a big chunk of his season.

Sure, I'd rather they had Creed Humphrey, but keep in mind that he lasted until late in the second round. They could have had him instead of Freiermuth, too.

 

Dickerson was not head-and-shoulders ahead of Humphrey, but most rankings had both guys as second-round players. Harris was universally a first-round talent. The only question was if teams would pass because they didn't think any running back should go in the first.

That class also had another elite back, Etienne, who ended up going right after Harris.

 

Dickerson had at least two knee injuries in college, I understand them passing on him.

 

It was passing on Humphrey that drove me nuts then and still does now, even with as much as I like Freiermuth. I imagine if Khan and Weidl were making the call then, he would be a Steeler.

 

Oh yeah it was Creed and not Dickerson. Thanks!

I mean... I hated the Freiermuth pick too. But I'm happy with it now. That said, I think most pundits didn't think there were any first Rd RBs that year. The 2 that got picked were considered late 1st to early mid 2nd.

 

Fair enough.

 

I think most RB's (even the best ones) are considered "late first or early second". You get Chubb, Henry, Taylor, Harris, Jacobs, Etienne, Hall, Cook, etc. at those picks. You'd have to be truly special to have a shot at the Barkley, McCaffrey, Elliot zone.