pick 20

So again, you are overvaluing production in terms of a prospect versus what coaches ask their players to perform. I have already talked about this ad nauseum the entire Collegiate Season as to why Peter Woods wasn't able to produce; a suspect Clemson Offense no less.

 

We agree to disagree, we need more from a first round pick. Give me A'Mauri Washington at NT instead.

 

A quasi generational IDL is a pretty damn good starting point; doubly so considering Cam Heyward doesn't have much longer at age 36. If not him, me and @mac daddyo are in agreement for Sonny Styles... though as I said, he isn't going to be available given how comically rare a Defensive Player like him becomes available in a draft. Wild Card option is Vega Ioane from Penn State as the team needs an immediate IOL starter and Vega would be the best plug 'n' play option the Steelers could get. That said, if the Steelers are targeting someone else, Francis Mauigoa would be a name to look out for as his overall Pass Production is average by even starting NFL Offensive Tackle levels but would be upgraded to an instant impact rookie level if he is converted to Guard. This is all assuming he is available; someone I also don't believe will be either.

 

Give me A'Mauri at NT and move Benton to Heyward's spot.

 

If we are talking about later round prospects, Dominique Orange fits hand in glove with Pittsburgh. A'Mauri would too but his tackling consistency isn't as good as Orange's is. In addition, while both players have leverage inconsistency woes, Washington's lack of gap discipline would cause more harm than good for Pittsburgh's Run Defense. Given how the 2025 Steelers Class was supposed to fix those issues, grabbing a player that is the antithesis would undo the whole point of an increased focus of stopping the run.

 

If QB isn't an option in the first, I would like to see them play a ton of chess and get as many Day 2 picks as possible. We currently have 5 Day 1 & Day 2 picks; if we can up that to 7, that would go a long way towards rebuilding this roster and fast. It would obviously have growing pains along the way, but worth it.

 

the first thing that may need changing is the coaching of the defense and how it could determine who fits. styles, queen, wilson and the D-front all need used better. the deficiencies that these players are showing could be coaching inflicted.

as far as the front, yes i do want some more blood added but i don't take benton, black or harmon off the field. i add too them and make some slight changes to who plays where.

i'm also not opposed to a free safety being added in the first few rounds. again it comes down to coaching them and how they are used. ILB and outside LB could use reenforcing as well and how they are used. much of this is predicated on again how they are used. this defensive staff along with MT are terrible at how the personnel are used. throwing more misused players at a flawed system doesn't help much. free agent signings will also be huge.

 

Gennings Dunker OL Iowa. Played OT in college, will likely move to OG for the NFL. Could be this draft's DeCastro/Nelson.

 

With any luck then Teryl Austin is gone. Cory Undlin from the Houston Texans would definitely be someone I would be willing to inquire about. Very bright young Defensive Mind who has had success in both Houston and San Francisco before. Ryan Nielsen from Buffalo would be another.

 

Disagree here. Not him moving to IOL but him being the next DeCastro.


Francis Mauigoa from Miami has a much better chance of being David DeCastro than Gennings. As it stands, Gennings overextends far too often and is too rigid in his movements; this being very clear when he is attempting to redirect himself to stay in front of defenders. Biggest reason why he isn't David DeCastro though is his far inferior foot quickness. Very stiff in his ankle flexion.


Mauigoa doesn't have great foot quickness either... for an Offensive Tackle. Very good but not great. As an IOL?! He easily has Pro Bowl to All Pro potential there. Add in the fact that Mauigoa is a far superior overall athlete and possesses comparable strength to Gennings and you have a prospect who is closer to David DeCastro.

 

How many mullets are you allowed to have on one OL?

 

?! As many as you want.


My issue isn't with Dunker as a player. I actually like him a lot. The issue for Dunker is that is overall lack of flexibility, quickness and speed in pass protection, coupled with his tendencies to overextend no less, make him hard for me to say that this player is someone I'd feel comfortable drafting to be a starting IOL.


Vega Ioane doesn't have these issues.... at 330lbs. Dunker is 315lbs on a good day. Now, Ioane also is rigid in his pass protection sets but not nearly to the same degree as Gennings.

 

*Mullet meaning the haircut. Business in the front and party in the back.


How concerned are you about the ankle flexibility of a run blocking OG in a run first offense?
I'll take either player. Just give me one that will start for us there for the next 10 years.


Once the actual workouts start, I'll get more into ability to pull, hold point of attack, road grader strength, and pass protection strengths and weaknesses. For now, we need to replace Isaac on the OL. I'm not crowning anyone, nor writing anyone off yet.
Another idea is simply going with Spencer Anderson.

 

Nick Eason, a former Clemson player, has asked his Defensive Lines to do some truly unusual assignments since becoming a Defensive Line Coach. For that matter, since 2022, Clemson possesses one of the most unusual, quirky IDL setups in all of College Football. Some snaps can see them two gap but maintain the LOS in a pass rush situation whereas others have the IDL one gap in run defense but disrupt. Essentially, he, along with Tom Allen, have Clemson's Defense designed primarily for both EDGE and ILB playmaking.


Funnily enough?! Peter's best plays came as, you guessed it, playing the Wide 9. That isn't hyperbole either; a 6'3, 315lbs. man who can bend at a near perfect angle, is a pretty powerful weapon. The mere fact he has that level of overall flexibility and agility despite having such a compact frame already adds great value to a very feature rich skillset.


Again, should he get that far?! I wouldn't mind him being the pick at pick 20. That said, he will be long gone by the time the Steelers are on the clock.

 

As far as Run Blocking overall?! Not very; Gap Based Run Scheme or Zone Based being irrelevant. An IOL is going forward and will have limited movement as far as where he needs to go to get to his landmarks in the running game. That is an area where Dunker shines. Not only that, he is one of the best overall IOLs in the class as far as knockback ability along with displacing people in the run game.


However, while that sounds all well and good, best way to attack an NFL Defense is through the air. If a IOL is not up to par in terms of Pass Protection, they won't be starting IOL in the NFL. In fact, those that are get routinely exposed; Daniel Faalele being one of them ironically enough. As far as your suggestions regarding on how to fix this, sadly, for Gennings Dunker, outside of the overextension, everything else is based on his limited traits and tools from a Pass Protection Standpoint. He is too rigid and not quick enough to be a starting IOL; doubly so in a scheme that runs as many Play Action calls as Arthur Smith's does.


As he is now?! Will he be able to someday fix those issues?! It is possible. Remember though, I grade players based on what they *are in year one* and not what they *will become in the future.* Gennings could be a solid IOL but that is basically it. If you have an IOL like Vega Ioane, one that has starter potential (at worst) out of the gate?! You take that all day, every day.


Offensive Line Play in the NFL is a mess as it is. Finding even starting capable ones is difficult enough. Vega's ceiling far exceeds Dunker's because he is just scratching the surface of his.

 

Ok. I'm still not seeing how you know any of what you claim to know about Dunker as an IOL. He has played Rt OT.


I understand you like player 1 over player 2. And maybe in time I will find a favorite between them as well. But the first week in January you are saying Dunker will not be a NFL starting level OG. While claiming Ioane will be. I don't think you know that.

 

As I said, foot quickness, overall flexibility and proper discipline in pass protection sets (i.e. don't overextend, possess a good base, etc.) are fundamental components that allow a College Offensive Tackle to stay as one in the NFL. If they don't have the capability of these attributes, they will be relegated to being IOL for the amount of space that player has to cover is decreased; making said attributes not nearly as needed. Keywords though are *not nearly* for the player still needs to have a solid level of tools and traits.


Gennings Dunker doesn't. Turn on the tape and you will see. If anything, much of his overextensions is a result of him realizing his lateral limitations.


Vega Ioane has his own set of problems. His lack of consistency in hand placement is a concern for sure. That said, he has more good reps in pass protection than he does bad. Vega's biggest one though is that he will miss his landmarks in the running game every so often. However, his technics, size and overall athleticism more than make up for it.


So again, in short?! IOL is very much a traits and tools position. Vega has them with room to grow. Dunker is what he is.

 

I do understand the words you are saying on this. What I am saying is you don't know what you are claiming to know.

 

?!


What would that be?! I already said that Gennings Dunker wouldn't be good as a RT in the NFL. I have then stated that, while I do see him as an IOL, I wouldn't select him given his limitations. Arthur Smith's own Offense needs seriously athletic lineman overall, from top to bottom, to utilize the very same level of movement in the passing game as is seen in the running game. Finally, Vega Ioane is the best prospect that Pittsburgh can get in terms of being an instant, plug 'n' play starter for the team.


This isn't about *liking player one vs player two.* I grade based on outcomes and not draft position. Pittsburgh is being accounted for here as the team is in need of IOL help more so than the team is willing to admit. That much, we agree on. What we disagree is on the *who.*


Given how Pittsburgh has made it a big focus to draft Offensive Lineman based on their size, athleticism and technique, Vega fits this to the T more so than Dunker does; hence why he should be the pick.

 

Every year when talking about draft prospects somebody always says how 'that player won't be there at that pick', or 'how a player won't be this or that', or 'level of competition won't translate'. Yada yada! And always like they know something nobody else does. Well, they don't know what they think they know. Nobody knows.

 

I haven't selected a 'who' yet.

 

So what seems to be the problem then?!

 

Not a problem.

I'm only pointing out that when you say a prospect won't work here, you put it out there like it's some fact. It's not, it's only your opinion. Maybe Dunker won't be a very good NFL OG. But to claim that now like it's a done deal, is just dumb. There are far too many examples throughout the history of this sport.

 

Dunked did play RG at Iowa a few games.