2024 Draft

That's the guy I want!!!!!

 

50% of the defense spending go to 3 players, TJ, Minkah, and Cam. While I agree they need to go cheaper on defense, just looking at the overall defensive spending is misleading.

 

I agree, but that's why You draft .....to get better players, and get cheaper. I'm not saying don't draft elsewhere. We definitely need a center.

 

C for sure
G for sure

I also think they need to use a mid-round pick on a QB. I subscribe to the philosophy that you take a QB at least every other year. You always need a backup and you never know when you score on a Tom Brady or Brock Purdy.

 

We have holes to fill with these picks, not trying to get younger and ship off money in the guys we're paying

Defensively we could use a CB or S early and potentially an ILB, though not as high priority as the other two positions. Mid-late round DL will suffice.
Offensively we need QB and C super badly. We could take a T too but less priority than the other two. Mid-late round WR is fine as a flier.

 

What??? I didn't understand the 1st part. I hope You don't think I'm try to ship guys off. You get Younger, and cheaper at the positions that are not working....not the ones that are.

 

The biggest problem is the coaching is not developing players anymore. They are filling holes with free agent signings. Many free agents are players that have a flaw or are coming off injuries, such that their previous team did not want them anymore. The Steelers need upgrades in assistant coaches to teach and develop more players. As we have seen with the injuries, depth was better than last year, but there are still areas where development of players isn't happening. This includes positions at center and wide receiver, and probably d-line (Loudermilk and Leal have been disappointing).

 

The original comment sounded like you wanted to replace our stars with younger players to "get cheaper and younger" on defense. It was just a misunderstanding by me of what you wrote. That is all

 

Ok.
It was probably my wording. My bad.

 

Unfortunately in todays NFL with the value of contracts not to mention star veterans like Watt, Heyward and Fitzpatrick only getting older each year ... it is no longer feasible or realistic to wait three years for a player to develop. Its unfortunate but at an absolute minimum they have to bring in some legitimate competition next year to compete with KP at the very least. I would love that QB from LSU Daniels but he will be long by our pick and I am not confident that Tomlin and this coaching staff is adept at developing QB’s. First and foremost we have to fix the coaching before anything else.

 

My way to early draft:

1.) WR
2.) OC
3.) DL
4a.) OT
4b.) QB
6.) ILB
7.) S

UDFA: P, CB, ILB.

 

My needs are:
1) Safety
2) Corner
3) DefensiveLine
4) Offensive Tackle
5) Wide Receiver

I would take the best available at these 5 positions, but I would focus on defense.

 

Not all of our holes will be filled through the draft, as some should be looked at via FA. We should look to the FA pool to see which ones could be solved that route the easiest and then set ourselves up in the draft to cover fewer holes.

Biggest needs at the moment in order below, though I do think we could take a DL at some point with both our starting ends being over 30 next season. It just isn't an immediate need, and we have other positions to cover.
1. QB
2. Center
3. Corner
4. Safety
5. Tackle

I'm not sold we are actually going to draft a QB, but it has to be addressed in FA or via trade. Center and Corner are my favorite positions for the first round, but I could see us take a stab at S or OT. I just don't know the crop of players coming out at those positions, so who knows if there is value there or not. I will say if we draft any other positions with our first 2 picks this year on anything other than the 5 positions I listed above, we're trolling.

 

I've been looking at Micheal Pratt, QB, Tulane in the 4th. We have 2 4th round picks so maybe 4B if he is there.



https://www.espn.com/college-football/player/_/id/4685039/michael-pratt

Thoughts???

 

Way to early list but ill play
CB
Dl
C
QB
Safety
Ot
These are positions I would like
for Steelers to upgrade whatever order that maybe realistic
And maybe attainable thru fa/ trades

 

Guys I would be looking at in Round 1 (in no particular order):

QB, Bo Nix, Oregon
QB, Jayden Daniels, LSU

OT, Graham Barton, Duke
OT, Tallies Fuaga, Oregon State
OT, JC Latham, Bama

DT, Leonard Taylor, Miami

CB, Nate Wiggins, Clemson
CB, Kalen King, Penn State
CB, Terrion Arnold, Bama
CB/S, Cooper DeJean, Iowa (I'm a big fan of this guy, can be great at both positions)
S, Kamren Kinchens, Miami


I feel like there are some good offensive guards and centers that can be had in rounds 2 through 5. I prefer them going Free Agency with C.

 

Another Time magazine cover maybe "Half A Ton Of Trouble". 1975 edition so maybe we will have the pieces in place in 2025 for the 50th anniversary

 

Thanks! Not an NCAA guy but now I can look those guys up. I've been wondering what is out there for Center and Punter.

 

What about ILB?

 

If Holcomb and Alexander come back that will help a bit. I think the Steelers may be looking at Trotter (LB) Clemson but there are so many holes to fill it is hard to predict.

 

Current draft needs for me have been updated. They are as follows;



1.) Offensive Tackle:

This has flip flopped for me all season. Truth be told, it is essentially a tie between this position and Center. However, the likes of Jackson Powers Johnson (yet imo), Sedrick Van Pran and Zach Fraizer (all very good Centers imo) would not constitute a Top 20 pick. JPJ has the best odds to do so but I will need to see more from him for the team to make such a decision. Getting back to the Offensive Tackles, boy oh boy... Dan Moore's has GOT TO GO!! Thankfully, say hello to the best OT Class since 2016. Yep, let me repeat that; say hello to the best OT Draft Class since Ronnie Stanley and Laremy Tunsil. Even better?! Pending on how the Steelers finish the season, there will be no shortage of top flight candidates within the Top 20 Picks for there are four of them to choose from (five if Graham Barton measures well at the combine).

2.) Center:


.... do I need to say much more about this?! Kendrick Green, JC Hassenauer, Mason Cole. All I can say is oof. Here is a radical idea! How about draft the player who knows how to play the position not just efficiently but also proficiently. This class has three that I can name (see above) but others like Seth McLaughlin from Alabama and Beaux Limmer from Arkansas would not be bad choices in the later rounds. That all said, for those of you that have followed me since the beginning of the 2023 Off Season, for early projections, I did and still do want Sedrick Van Pran. That said, Jackson Powers Johnson has shown he has something to say about being the Number One Center.

3.) Inside Linebacker:


This may shock/not shock some but please, hear me out. I am all for having another major partner in crime for Joey Porter Jr to lockdown passing attacks for the next half decade. That said, ILB has been a massive chasm in the Defense ever since Ryan Shazier had to retire due to an unfortunate career ending injury. It isn't for the lack of the team trying... but those results simply have not worked out. While I am no where near as bullish on the ILB/MLB Class now as I was entering the season... there still is quality talent to be had. Edgerrin Cooper from Texas A&M could be on the Steelers radar but don't count out Jerimiah Trotter from Clemson either. Late round options like Cedric Gray from North Carolina and Payton Wilson from North Carolina State are also options.


4.) Slot Corner:


Corner should, and I repeat *should*, be a lot higher on this list. However, the main reason it is not is due to two people: Cory Trice Jr and Darius Rush. Again, counting on two relative unknowns (complete unknown in Trice's case) isn't an ideal strategy. That said, Darius Rush has seen some action and will likely be around for another year to showcase his talents. Beyond the boundary options lie a major problem; no Slot CB. Said position is a far greater area of need than the Outside Corner position despite both Levi Wallace and Patrick Peterson becoming cap casualties. Mike Sainristill from Michigan or Billy Bowman Jr from Oklahoma would be rock solid options here.


5.) Wide Receiver:



Save the best for last right?! No seriously, the 2024 WR Class is easily the best the class has seen since 2014 (Sammy Watkins, Mike Evans, Odell Beckham Jr, Brandin Cooks, DeVante Adams, Allen Robinson, Jarvis Landry and even Martavs Bryant... to name a few). I don't think me stating how tremendous Marvin Harrison Jr is.. so just put on a highlight video for it is the same thing he did to many CBs in College Football. The rest of the class is also very loaded; up to five, if not six, First Round capable WRs that can be taken.. not including MHJr. Given how this is the fifth pick option for the Steelers, either Dorian Singer or Brenden Rice from USC would do just fine here.




Now most will believe that I forgot safety and trust me, I didn't. While it is true that the team is in dire need of one, the 2024 NFL Free Agency Class does have some good candidates early; Jeremy Chinn, Taylor Rapp and Chauncey Gardner Johnson... to name a few. Tomlin's penchant for picking pedigree may also see the team add Darnell Savage as well. Others like DeShon Elliot or even Jordan Whitehead could work as well. If not?! Cannot say I am a big fan of the 2024 Safety Class after so much promise from a season ago. Tykee Smith from Georgia or even Cole Bishop from Utah would be solid late additions. As for early additions like Tyler Nubin from Minnesota , James Williams from the University of Miami, Rod Moore from Michigan or even Kamren Kinchens from the University of Miami?! Their draft slots put them in direct competition with the likes of Center and ILB; positions that the team is in far dire need of an upgrade than Safety.

 

Im thinking Safety, Kamren Kinchens Miami at 16.

 

DBs, and center. In that order, and then fill where needed.

 

I don't think any position should be off the table in the first round with the exception of edge. Get the best player remotely possible, regardless of position. I have my preferences, like anyone else. But we're a year away from TE from being a potential need considering Muth's rookie deal is over in 24... Then we're looking at the potential of not giving Harris a 5th year option, but I wouldn't go RB in the first round especially considering that we have Warren, but having a solid change of pace from Warren isn't a bad idea at some point in this draft or next year's. We're looking at a real possibility of someone like Larry O being a cap casualty, as well as many others. Not saying that we don't need DB's and OL; however, there's just many many holes across this entire roster. I'd like to trade some guys and acquire some draft capital to fill these needs. I don't think that we need to draft an outside CB in the first round; however, if the BPA is a CB, you take him.

 

STD, do you think Trice makes it back to form post-injury? What do you think of Rush? I really liked him coming out in last year’s draft.