Oregon center Jackson Powers-Johnson

There are probably 3 Day 1 centers in the draft and they are pretty unlikely to all go before #51. Its not a position that many guys get drafted in the first round, and there are just enough "red flags" for each of them for it to be a done deal that these guys are all going early. Barton played all down the line and not much center recently, JPJ has only been a starting center for one year and apparently this medical rumor, and there isn't much about Frazier in round 1 but he's got the most experience and history at the position. If two of the centers go prior to 51, we can always dangle that 3rd round pick we got for KFP and move up a bit to get a center.

I'd be willing to bet its a OT, C, WR, CB draft for us.

 

Didn't Baltimore draft their center in first?

 

Holly Hell, If you want to be 100% convinced that the Steelers are not taking JPJ with Pick #20 check out all these names of players the Steelers are interested in. This tracks all the players the Steelers visited at the combine, all the players Tomlin and Khan visited at their proday, and all the players on their Top 30 Draft Interviews.

Guess who's name is not mentioned on any of these lists.... JPJ.

Pittsburgh Steelers 2024 visit tracker: NFL Combine, Pro-day, and pre-draft meetings (stillcurtain.com)

You will have to visit the link to see the lists of all the players, because there is like 100 names on it. Most players appearing on multiple lists.

Or, it could go down as the biggest fake-out in NFL Draft History.

 

One thing it doesn't list are All Star Games. Tomlin spent a lot of time with JPJ at the Senior Bowl.

 

Is it weird, I could have swore I had seen JPJ do an interview where he was talking about speaking to Mike Tomlin. After reading that list, I have to wonder is this fact or fiction that Mike Tomlin has ever spoken to JPJ?


EDIT: Just to be clear I am not saying that JPJ is lying about Speaking to Mike Tomlin, just that I am now wondering if my BRAIN is lying to me about seeing that interview.

 

Zach Frazier excels as a zone blocker, he would be a better fit for Smith's offense.

 

I have no idea where to put this, and don't want to start another thread, but my God, that's not what 352 pounds is supposed to look like.

 

wonder how many canadian college players make into the NFL

 

Best info I could find (3 years out of date)-
Since 1945, only 36 players from Canadian universities have played in the NFL. Only 12 have been drafted. Most famous, probably, is Lawrence Duvarney-Tardiff, who was the only actual Dr. ever to be drafted (some received their doctorates after being drafted). He is also the only Doctor to play in the Super Bowl. He sat out the 2020 season as he was on the front lines of covid care in Quebec.

 

2 pieces of news- 1st, Powers-Johnson and Blake Fisher (T, ND), are in for visits today (4/10).
https://steelersdepot.com/2024/04/steelers-host-two-pre-draft-visitors-wednesday/

And JPJ is falling down the draft boards to mid-2nd, possibly because of medicals.
https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.c...on-oregon-medicals-injury-history-concussions

A history of multiple concussions is a red flag.

 

I see that Kiper now has Graham Barton mocked to the Steelers at #20. Barton is rated as top blocker of all of the IOL in the draft but the question mark is that he hasn't played center since his freshman year.

 

And one of the question mark about JPJ is he only played center his senior year.

 

https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.c...on-oregon-medicals-injury-history-concussions

Does JPJ’s history of concussions concern anyone?

 

I think there are enough question marks about each of the top center options to believe that one or more of them will be available in the early and mid stages of the second round and in trade up striking range for Omar and Co. I think the Ravens' C Linderbaum was a better prospect than all 3 of Barton, JPJ, and Frazier and he went pick 25. I keep seeing people who think that a C or even 2 will be gone by our pick in the first.... I wouldn't be surprised if all 3 are on the board, and potentially 2 on the board come pick 40-45.

 

Very happy to see this. I wonder if he will meet with Arthur Smith or Russell Wilson during his visit.

And even though JPJ played in the "Senior" Bowl he was not a senior. Played a little Defense his freshman year, bounced around as a backup on the O-Line his sophomore year, and then finally became the starting Center his Junior year. He is still only 21 and learning the center position.

 

He did not play. He left after 2 days due to a hamstring. But he did at least get the invite.

 

Blake Fisher and goncalves name has been popping up.

 

Yes, the guy the Steelers should have taken five picks earlier.

 

Sedrick Van Prann's stalk has fallen after the season not because of his play on the field which earned him 2nd team All American. Nor because of injuries because he has started 43 straight games at center, it's because his "measurables" aren't considered elite. He is 6'4" and 300 lbs. which isn't an ideal weight for a center, he has short arms at 31.5 and smallish hands for a center at 9.5". However despite all of that his play on the has been excellent while starting for 3 years in college's best conference. If the Steelers do take other positions in rounds one and two then they could still draft Van Prann in round 3 and have their starting center.

 

i have read the steelers do not have jpj as their top center. i believe it's frazier.

 

Sure, but you don't want to over think things. If JPJ is actually falling because of this, we might have a shot at trading one of our 3rds to move back up in the 2nd to get him. I think its going to be T, WR, or CB in the first. I think our plan is to move up for our guy in round 2 at C.

 

Go caves has a problem staying healthy.