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Worst thing Steelers could do in round 1?

Discussion in 'The Bill Nunn Draft Room' started by Maddog78, Apr 12, 2021.

  1. Maddog78

    Maddog78 Well-Known Member

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    The more I listen to SteelersDepot podcasts, the more it seems that Najee Harris is their guy. He checks ever historical box at a position of need. He will have many suitors, however, so I fear that the Steelers may do something rash like trade up for him.

    Drafting a RB in round one would be bad enough on a team with so many needs, but giving up draft capital to do it would be one of the worst moves I could imagine.

    Others that keep me up at night: drafting Kyle Trask, reaching for a RB after Harris goes at 1.23, drafting Jason "Mike Mamula" Oweh, reaching for another Burns/Edmunds.
     
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  2. TuRnDoWnForWaTT

    TuRnDoWnForWaTT Well-Known Member

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    I would also hate to see the Steelers trade up in this draft. Too many positions of need.

    However, the Steelers have put themselves in a situation where they have to get a RB1 in this draft. You can not go into the draft with Ballage, a 3rd round project, and McFarland as your backs. That would be even worse than the last two years.

    All of the 3 top backs will be gone before the Steelers 2nd round pick. The Steelers may have no choice but to move up to get the guy they want.
     
  3. steelersrock151

    steelersrock151 Well-Known Member

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    Kenny Gainwell and the other kid from NC aren’t bad choices for the second and third round. I particularly like gainwell.
     
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  4. Rollers

    Rollers Well-Known Member

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    offensive line is deep in this draft. They will not trade up for a running back.
     
  5. mac daddyo

    mac daddyo Well-Known Member

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    there are plenty of really good RB's in this draft not just a top 3. benny snell is here with ballage and mcfarland too. this is a deep, deep draft at many spots. one of the best and deepest in recent memory at so many positions. they all don't have to come in the first 2-3 rounds to get starter quality players in this one. :cool:
     
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  6. Blast Furnace

    Blast Furnace Staff Member Mod Team

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    I have a hard time seeing them even taking a RB in rd 1 let alone trade up for one. That’s not going to happen.

    I agree with Mac, there’s more good RB’s in this draft than just the top 3.
     
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  7. Maddog78

    Maddog78 Well-Known Member

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    Trey Sermon won't be gone by 2.55.
     
  8. TuRnDoWnForWaTT

    TuRnDoWnForWaTT Well-Known Member

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    For me, the RB situation is dire.

    I have completely given up on Benny Snell. I'm not saying the Steelers have. But I have. He just doesn't have the burst to be an NFL starting back. His play is so inconsistent. He seems to struggle reading his blocking, and finding holes. I have seen him run through tackles on plays, and I have seen him lack that ability on others. He just isn't going to cut it if we need him to play on a every down basis.

    McFarland has shown a lot of promise. I do think he could turn into something. I don't think he is there yet. IMO, he definitely contributes more this year. But as a every down back, I'm just not seeing it.

    Ballage is what he is. Really no upgrade there.

    If the Steelers don't find a starter in this draft they are in trouble. I don't want them to trade up for one either. But there are teams ahead of them that will snach up Etienne and Harris. The Steelers are not the only team in this draft desperate for a back.
     
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  9. TuRnDoWnForWaTT

    TuRnDoWnForWaTT Well-Known Member

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    No. He won't. But, Im not convinced he is a day one starter. That's what is needed.
     
  10. mac daddyo

    mac daddyo Well-Known Member

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    i am. :cool:
     
  11. mac daddyo

    mac daddyo Well-Known Member

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    we don't need just one back to do all the work. tandum backfields or even three deep backfields are being used a lot. greenbay, chiefs, TB, cleveland, baltimore, giants, chargers, seahawks, indy, dolphins, many are going this route with much success. as i said there are some really good ones in this draft, well into it. :cool:
     
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  12. steelersrule6

    steelersrule6 Well-Known Member

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    I don't see it as dire, they just need to draft one of the top 4 RBs, also get a LT and a center. I don't think we're going to see a LeVeon bell cow situation at RB, all the other RBs on the roster will get snaps.
     
  13. AskQuestionsLater

    AskQuestionsLater Writing Team

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    Worst things the Steelers could do in Round One?! Quite a few. Some that I currently can think of but oh trust me... there are more.... there are more.


    • Trade up for Justin Fields: Just..... no. I would love to go fully in depth with this but for discussions sake, not enough draft capital for this.
    • Trade up for Micah Parsons: Refer to Justin Fields explanation.
    • Trade up for Mac Jones: HELL. TO. THE NO!!! Meet discount Andy Dalton. STAY. AWAY.
    • Trade up for Christian Darrisaw: This one hurts to put down but sadly, while the Offensive Line is important, not worth the draft capital.
    • Trade up for Jaelen Phillips: ...... Yeah.... no.
    • Reach for a Offensive Player: If the likes of Harris and Etienne are gone, Leatherwood is the only viable option at that point. Do NOT touch anyone else.
    • Reach for a Defensive Player if no Offensive Player is available: No Nick Bolton, no Tyson Campbell, no Jamin Davis and OH MOST DEFINITIELY no Gregory Rosseau.
    • Reach for Jayson Oweh: Hmm.. let us see; Jadeveon Clowney 2.0! Better athlete but far more raw at the position than any other player in the draft. Um, no.
    • Reach for Dylan Moses for pick 24: I initially had him within the Top 10 of my Big Board when the 2020 NCAA Season started. He is now a top 75 player. Just. Say. No.
    • Reach for Jalen Mayfield at pick 24: He was terrible at his Pro Day. Matt Canada needs an athletic tackle for his scheme to work. Jalen Mayfield does not fit.
    • Draft anyone should Najee Harris be there at 24 (with one exception): Najee Harris fixes part of the issues with the run game. Other players from other positions can be added later on.
    • Draft Najee Harris over Jeremiah Owusu Koramoah: Are you missing out on a dynamic runner in Harris?! Sure. Would you be missing out on a transformative talent in J.O.K.?! Absolutely. Does Keith Butler need another chess piece?! Most definitely.
    • Draft Travis Etienne over Jeremiah Owusu Koramoah: Refer to Najee Harris explanation.
    • Draft Alex Leatherwood over Jeremiah Owusu Koramoah: Refer to Najee... again.
    • Draft Caleb Farley over Jeremiah Owusu Koramoah: Look at Najee..... again!!!!
    • Draft a Wide Receiver in Round One: None that I can name so a non factor here but never say never.
    • Draft Zaven Collins over Jeremiah Owusu Koramoah if Najee is not available: Dating back to 2010, Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin essentially telegraph their 1st Round Pick. Collins does not line up with this trend. Even if he did, he is not the chess piece J.O.K. is.
    • Draft Alex Leatherwood over Caleb Farley if J.O.K., Najee Harris and Zaven Collins are N/A: Alex Leatherwood will be a very good pro. Caleb Farley has All Pro Potential. Draft the player and not the position here.
    • Draft Wyatt Davis for pick 24: Unless something major shows up with Dotson, Davis is a hard no for me.
    • Draft Landon Dickerson for pick 24: MAJOR RISK HERE. Those medicals better have checked out. Otherwise, a waste of a pick here.
    • Draft Pat Freiermuth for pick 24: Refer to Landon explanation.
    • Draft Baron Browning for pick 24: I get it that the team needs a Buck Linebacker but Browning in Round 1 is way too rich for my tastes. Great athlete but great learning curve that lies ahead for him. Would I be mad if were the pick? Not really but I believe there would be better options at that point as well.
    • Draft Christian Barmore for pick 24: The best Interior Defensive Lineman in the draft he is. Interior Defensive Lineman this team can do without.
    • Draft either Tyson Campbell or Eric Stokes if both Offensive and Defensive Players of interest are not available but Asante Samuel Jr is: Some may not like me saying this but Samuel Jr does more for the Steelers than either of the Georgia CBs. His NFL Bloodlines though makes him the winner by default.
    • Draft Kwity Paye at pick 24: A pure 4-3 Defensive End who never stood up in pass rushing or coverage situations?! Oh... this sounds so familiar; all the more reason the Steelers should, and will, avoid it.
    • Draft Trevon Moehrig over Asante Samuel Jr if all Offensive and Defensive options are exhausted at pick 24: I love Trevon but again, based off of the history, it is simply not on his side.




    Plenty more I could name but this is the short list of it all. These players though were mentioned as said players have fit the trend that Mike Tomlin has been using since 2010.
     
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  14. Maddog78

    Maddog78 Well-Known Member

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    Meh. They can cobble together a backfield for another year, lots of FA guys still available.

    I'd rather see a guy like JOK next to Bush for the long term than a RB that gets his wheels ground down by Tomlin in 3-4 seasons.

    That said, if Najee is there, I don't care who else is I think they're taking him.
     
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  15. steelersrock151

    steelersrock151 Well-Known Member

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    Short list- Do's-
    1) Draft JOK
    2) Draft Najee Harris
    3) Draft Zaven Collins.
    4) if all are gone, draft, in order- Caleb Farley, Alex Leatherwood.
    5) trade back

    Short List- Don'ts-
    1)Trade up for anyone
    2) draft a non-position of need
     
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  16. TuRnDoWnForWaTT

    TuRnDoWnForWaTT Well-Known Member

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    The problem is Mac, every team you listed has a better RB corps than the Steelers do, with the exception of maybe Mia. Chubb and Hunt are lightyears ahead of Ballage and Snell as a tandem. Same can be said for most of the other teams you mentioned.

    I am not one who subscribes to the theory that any old back will do. I personally still believe RB1 is still the 2nd most important skill position on the offense.

    If we had three good backs, and wanted to platoon them, I would be fine with that. We do not. We have subpar talent all across the position.
     
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  17. mac daddyo

    mac daddyo Well-Known Member

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    we will add a draft pick at some point but with that our backs are good enough if they have blocking.:cool:
     
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  18. turtle

    turtle

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    draft an OLB or S
    draft Landon Dickerson
    trade up
     
  19. Maddog78

    Maddog78 Well-Known Member

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    Tomlin does. It's always the simple route that depends solely on the talent of the player. When said player goes down, he says "Next Man Up" to the swooning media and they lose a playoff game because Ben Tate is not Le'Veon Bell.
     
  20. Maddog78

    Maddog78 Well-Known Member

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    The two teams in the Super Bowl would disagree. Basically, the entire league would. 8 1000-yard rushers, those teams combined for 2 playoff wins. Investing a lot of draft capital in RBs is a fool's errand in today's NFL.

    https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2020/rushing.htm
     
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  21. TuRnDoWnForWaTT

    TuRnDoWnForWaTT Well-Known Member

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    The team that won the Super Bowl had Leonard Fournette #4 overall selection in 2017 starting at running back. Behind him is Ronald Jones, who was a second round pick.

    The team that lost the Super Bowl had, Clyde Edwards Helaire, 1st Round, #32 overall selection in 2020 starting at running back. Behind him was Leveon Bell.

    Don't give me this crap that backs don't matter. They do! Good teams have them. The Steelers do not.
     
  22. Wardismvp

    Wardismvp Well-Known Member

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    Overlook their OL needs and RB needs.
     
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  23. Steel Hog

    Steel Hog Well-Known Member

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    I'm curious as to what their OL situation was for those teams drafting a back in the 1st round. We're they as bad as ours is now? We need both. Is it more important to find the back to run to daylight or the line that creates it? With RBs shelf life so much shorter, getting the OL takes priority as the OL makes the back more than the other way around I believe. Either way, it all depends on what our QB is able to do which kind of leans back to the OL again. JMO>
     
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  24. TuRnDoWnForWaTT

    TuRnDoWnForWaTT Well-Known Member

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    It all goes hand in hand.

    A subpar running back can find success running behind an elite line.

    An elite back can find success running behind a subpar line.


    You kind of have to have one or the other, if you can't have both. Right now the Steelers have neither.
     
  25. TuRnDoWnForWaTT

    TuRnDoWnForWaTT Well-Known Member

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    To answer the original question. The worst thing the Steelers could do with their first round pick would be to draft a QB.

    So many holes to fill, and plenty of talent will be available.
     
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