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The 2014 Draft Class And UDFA's

Discussion in 'Steelers Talk' started by TerribleTowelFlying, May 10, 2014.

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  1. TerribleTowelFlying

    TerribleTowelFlying Staff Member Site Admin Mod Team

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    Oct 12, 2011
    Here is the 2014 Draft Class. I'll update with the UDFA's as they come in.

    http://thesteelersfans.com/steelers-2014-draft-class-udfa-tracker/

    1 Ryan Shazier, LB, Ohio State

    2 Stephon Tuitt, DE, Notre Dame

    *3 Dri Archer, RB/WR, Kent St.

    4 Martavis Bryant, WR, Clemson

    5 Shaquille Richardson, CB, Arizona

    *5 Wesley Johnson, OL, Vanderbilt

    6 Jordan Zumwalt, LB, UCLA

    *6 Daniel McCullers, NT, Tennessee

    7 Rob Blanchflower, TE, Massachusetts

    *Compensatory pick

    UDFA's: (Some of these UDFA names may not be officially signed)

    Chris Elkins, C, Youngstown State
    Eric Waters, TE, Missouri
    Josh Mauro, DE, Stanford
    Howard Jones, OLB, Shepard
    *Devon Carrington, S, Stanford
    Kaycee Ike, OT, UAB
    Brendan Kay, QB, Cincinnati
    Ethan Hemer, DE Wisconsin
    Will Simmons, OL, East Carolina
    *Mike Franklin, DL, Shepard
    Roy Philon, DT, Louisville
    *Jake DeMedal, S, St. Francis
    *Dillon Baxter, RB, Baker
    * Corey Brown, WR, Ohio State Signed by Panthers
    *Jordan Hall, RB, Ohio State
    *Steve Greene, OL, UCONN
    *Najja Johnson, CB, Buffalo
    *Adam Gress, OT, Penn State
    *Mason Espinosa, QB, Ohio Wesleyan

    *Workout scheduled/not officially signed.
     
    TerribleTowelFlying, May 10, 2014
    TerribleTowelFlying, May 10, 2014
    #1
  2. mac daddyo

    mac daddyo Well-Known Member

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    Oct 22, 2011
    that not a bad draft on paper.:cool:
     
    mac daddyo, May 10, 2014
    mac daddyo, May 10, 2014
    #2
  3. TheSteelHurtin2188

    TheSteelHurtin2188 Well-Known Member

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    It looks good to me.
     
    TheSteelHurtin2188, May 10, 2014
    TheSteelHurtin2188, May 10, 2014
    #3
  4. TheSteelHurtin2188

    TheSteelHurtin2188 Well-Known Member

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    TTF your slippingArcher was a comp. Put the coffee down and step away from the keyboard. Lol
     
    TheSteelHurtin2188, May 10, 2014
    TheSteelHurtin2188, May 10, 2014
    #4
  5. TerribleTowelFlying

    TerribleTowelFlying Staff Member Site Admin Mod Team

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    Oct 12, 2011
    Heh heh, missed one. Thanks, hurtin.
     
    TerribleTowelFlying, May 10, 2014
    TerribleTowelFlying, May 10, 2014
    #5
  6. TheSteelHurtin2188

    TheSteelHurtin2188 Well-Known Member

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    No problem
     
    TheSteelHurtin2188, May 10, 2014
    TheSteelHurtin2188, May 10, 2014
    #6
  7. PWP

    PWP Well-Known Member

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    I don't like it very much ,I think we had room to move early and get CB'S and DB'S .Just as the NFL has all but abandoned the RB position I fear the Steelers should try and abandon the front 7 approach..

    IMO we simply didn't do enough on the back end to be competitive next season or for seasons to come . In a league that has went pass crazy and all the age we have on the back end coupled with below average CB'S I see no way that we can contain the Spread type Offenses we are going to see.

    I hope I am wrong ,but we will see...
     
    PWP, May 10, 2014
    PWP, May 10, 2014
    #7
  8. TheSteelHurtin2188

    TheSteelHurtin2188 Well-Known Member

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    Ask the panthers how a stout front 7 works or how about the niners. I would like to see what Sherman looks like when the qb has all day to throw.
     
    TheSteelHurtin2188, May 10, 2014
    TheSteelHurtin2188, May 10, 2014
    #8
  9. Steel_Elvis

    Steel_Elvis Staff Member Mod Team

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    Nov 4, 2011
    Interesting view, but I disagree. I think drafting Shazier is all about containing today's spread offenses. Also, if Tuitt can regain his 2012 form, he is a very quick, penetrating 5 technique. I also think that adding Shark last year, and the speed of Mike Mitchell this year gives us an additional speed infusion. Would I have liked to get another corner? Yes. Would I have reached for one when better players were available who fit what we do and need? No.
     
    Steel_Elvis, May 10, 2014
    Steel_Elvis, May 10, 2014
    #9
  10. PWP

    PWP Well-Known Member

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    You are missing the point.The front 7 doesn't have time to get there with 3 and 5 step drops.. Teams know that... The Teams you mentioned can put 5 solid CB'S /DB'S out there against a 5 WR set or spread set.

    What are the Steelers going to do ? I can tell you right now get torched..I think this draft set us back at least 5 years .I feel we are officially in rebuild mode.
     
    PWP, May 10, 2014
    PWP, May 10, 2014
    #10
  11. thesteeldeal

    thesteeldeal Well-Known Member

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    Agree. The rules clearly favor the O and it's receivers and although Seattle does have a impressive secondary overall ,the strength is in their safeties who get overshadowed by Sherman's brashness( he is talented too). They win because of the front seven and the quality is in their depth upfront and their ability to rotate fresh players. Overall I like what we did but where do we play all our LBs ? I think we could of done without Zumwalt,but we will see.
     
    thesteeldeal, May 10, 2014
    thesteeldeal, May 10, 2014
    #11
  12. TerribleTowelFlying

    TerribleTowelFlying Staff Member Site Admin Mod Team

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    Oct 12, 2011
    Wow. I don't know if I could disagree more. Guess we'll have to wait and see.
     
    TerribleTowelFlying, May 10, 2014
    TerribleTowelFlying, May 10, 2014
    #12
  13. SteelLaw

    SteelLaw Well-Known Member

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    When you have a 6.2 ILB with 4.4 speed who needs and extra CB? Just saying.
     
    SteelLaw, May 10, 2014
    SteelLaw, May 10, 2014
    #13
  14. contract

    contract Well-Known Member

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    I think we nabbed the fastest player (Archer), the biggest player (McCullers), and possibly the youngest player in the draft (Tuitt). So if the football thing doesn't work out, maybe we can put on a circus freak show. Had we drafted Sam, we could've had a sword swallower too.
     
    contract, May 10, 2014
    contract, May 10, 2014
    #14
  15. contract

    contract Well-Known Member

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    Really good. Of course, we all thought the Mendenhall/Sweed draft would be a home run too. Who knew?
     
    contract, May 10, 2014
    contract, May 10, 2014
    #15
  16. SteelCity_NB

    SteelCity_NB Staff Member Mod Team

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    Oct 23, 2011
    If the glass is half full:

    1. Shazier will be a STUD, Multiple pro bowls. IMPACT player.
    2. Tuitt will be a sout run stuffer who can collapse the pocket. Not a Star, but solid.
    3. Dri Archer will develop into a Darren Sproles type player. Big mismatch. Explosive return man.
    4. Martavis Bryant will finally be the big man Ben has been looking for. Huge Red Zone threat.
    5a. Shaq Richardson steps into our CB depth. Doubt he would ever be a #1 or #2 CB.
    5b. Wesley Johnson becomes what Beachum was, a backup to 5 position. Very athletic.
    6a. Zumwalt is a core ST player.
    6b. McCullers anchors our Dline and completely clogs up running lanes. Supplants McClendon in time on 1st two downs.
    7. Branchflower replaces Palmer as the #3 TE, used mainly in blocking situations.

    If the glass is half empty:

    1. Ryan Shazier, while productive, gets completely overwhelmed. Just not big enough.
    2. Tuitt never reverts to his 2012 self. Inconsistent. Doesn't make a second contract.
    3. Archer never finds a defined role with the team. Washes out within a year or two.
    4. Bryant becomes Sweed 2.0, lack of concentration and drops. Gone in a year or two.
    5a. Shaq Richardson is cut in camp ala Terry Hawthorne.
    5b. Wesley Johnson just isn't strong enough to play in the NFL. Gone in a year or two.
    6a. Zumwalt is not athletic enough for NFL. Cut in camp
    6b. McCullers just doesn't translate to today's NFL. Cut or claimed off PS.
    7. Not an NFL player. Cut in camp.
     
    SteelCity_NB, May 10, 2014
    SteelCity_NB, May 10, 2014
    #16
  17. dobbler-33

    dobbler-33 Well-Known Member

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    Nov 13, 2011
    WOW
     
    dobbler-33, May 10, 2014
    dobbler-33, May 10, 2014
    #17
  18. TerribleTowelFlying

    TerribleTowelFlying Staff Member Site Admin Mod Team

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    Oct 12, 2011
    Steelers have reportedly signed:
    Youngstown State C Chris Elkins
    Missouri TE Eric Waters
    Stanford DE Josh Mauro
     
    TerribleTowelFlying, May 10, 2014
    TerribleTowelFlying, May 10, 2014
    #18
  19. contract

    contract Well-Known Member

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    Jan 11, 2014
    I know I'm going to hell, but I couldn't resist.
     
    contract, May 10, 2014
    contract, May 10, 2014
    #19
  20. contract

    contract Well-Known Member

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    Best case scenario is McCullers becoming the next Ted Washington Jr.

    The bad news is that McCullers can't run. The good news is that he doesn't need to run because his wingspan is sideline to sideline. :lolol:
     
    contract, May 10, 2014
    contract, May 10, 2014
    #20
  21. TarheelFlyer

    TarheelFlyer Well-Known Member

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    I have 3 picks I really didn't like: Archer, McCullers, and Zumwalt. I think we had enough competition at the ILB position. I like the RB himself, but would have preferred to get a top 3 round CB at that spot. We might have overdrafted them from the value perspective, but they would have fit a need better. McCullers is competing with a bunch of guys already here.

    I would have preferred a CB at 3. I would have preferred an OLB instead of ILB. I would have preferred another CB instead of McCullers.
     
    TarheelFlyer, May 10, 2014
    TarheelFlyer, May 10, 2014
    #21
  22. SteelCity_NB

    SteelCity_NB Staff Member Mod Team

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    Reading we signed Howard Jones, OLB from Sheperd! LOVE IT! This guy will stick. James Harrison 2.0
     
    SteelCity_NB, May 10, 2014
    SteelCity_NB, May 10, 2014
    #22
  23. TerribleTowelFlying

    TerribleTowelFlying Staff Member Site Admin Mod Team

    23,297
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    Oct 12, 2011
    Yeah, I'm just updating the OP now. Refresh as new ones come in.
     
    TerribleTowelFlying, May 10, 2014
    TerribleTowelFlying, May 10, 2014
    #23
  24. PWP

    PWP Well-Known Member

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    Oct 26, 2011
    As stated I hope I am wrong ,but if you look at the draft Teams are staying away from RB'S and are loading up on CB'S and DB'S . Plus Teams are all putting more and more spread plays in there Offense.. Teams also loaded up on WR'S and a lot of Great spread type TE'S are coming out...

    I just can't see what the Steelers did to combat the trend, When Teams start flexing these Weapons our below average CB'S will be exposed greatly..

    I can think of 1 game that makes these fears seem so real and so near....Do you remember the Pats game a few seasons back where they spread us out and we came running at Brady and he simply played pitch and catch all over the field ?

    This is how you beat the zone blitz. If your CB'S and DB'S can't play in the same time zone every underneath route is wide open... I see no way our guys can man up,,, again I hope I am wrong but fear that I am not....
     
    PWP, May 10, 2014
    PWP, May 10, 2014
    #24
  25. thesteeldeal

    thesteeldeal Well-Known Member

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    Oct 18, 2011
    Don't really get or like the Zumwalt pick unless they feel he can bulk up and play OLB,but it's not what they are saying about him right now . We have a serious logjam at ILB. Where is Shaq. Barrett ? If you were gonna take a chance it should of been him I feel.
     
    thesteeldeal, May 10, 2014
    thesteeldeal, May 10, 2014
    #25
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