Cajun's 7 rd mock draft!!!!

This is my 1st mock draft and will change as the draft approaches. I've waited to after the combine and senior bowl and wanted to get an idea of our roster and who's staying and who's leaving and our needs( future & present ). I've also done it a little different as I've listed my preference and then a second choice should 1st choice may be gone.

1) Jonathon Cooper/ Ziggy Ansah= We just resigned foster so we look solid on the line. I still think cooper would be the smartest pick here. He plays both OG and center, is very mobile to fit our presumed switch to zone-blocking scheme. I think Foster, even though he's been our most consistant OL ( except Pouncey ) is not mobile enough to start LG. We have Beechum and Foster so now Colon can be a June 1st cut to save cap $ and I also feel Gilbert may be gone when his rookie contract is up. Just not the player we thought he was and won't be worth that HUGE 2nd contract. If he's gone Up next is Z. Ansah. I'd prefer Jarvis Jones but he'll be gone. Ziggy is raw and won't start but that much raw talent would be hard to pass even if we needed to switch schemes to maximze his talents.

2) Manti Teo' ILBer/ Matt Elam safety / Phillip Thomas-safety= Teo' should now be a 2nd rd guy after the champ game and combine. He's still a hard hitter and smart football player. He's the perfect signal caller/run stuffer and Timmons is still the cover LB. We'll re-sign Foote for 1 more year so he'll have time to learn and bulk up in the weight room. He'll also be a good STer till his time comes( hopefully )
- Matt Elam is probably gone as well as Kenny V. and Reid. I want a safety kinda early and had considered Phillip Thomas in the 3rd where he may still be available. If Teo' & Elam/Vaccaro are all gone I may be forced to take Phillip Thomas safety-fresno State here.

3) Phillip Thomas Safety/ Da'rick Rogers WR Tennesse Tech/ Christina Michael RB Texas A&M= If Teo' is the 2nd pick and Thomas is available we need to take him here. If we take Thomas in the 2nd we go Offensive weapons either WR or RB. In the 3rd I like Rogers as he's 6'2" with a 40in vertical, strong with good speed for his size and good hands. If he's gone look for Michael the RB for A&M. He's big/strong and fast with good vison and has played in multi styled offenses and OL blocking schemes.

4) Le'Veon Bell RB Mich St.= another big strong fast guy. If we get either Phillip or Rogers in rd 3 we must go RB and Bell is the best left. I place RB over WR in rd three but Rogers is a better talent than any RB left.

5) Brandon Jenkins OLB FL ST/ Cornelius Washington OLB Georgia= Here's the steal of the draft. Washington played well opposite Jones and at the combine put up good numbers. He won't make it to the 6th or 7th rd as previously mocked by other sites. Brandon Jenkins didn't play his senior year as he broke his foot in the 1st game. He didn't participate in running drills at the combine as he still hasn't healed just yet. He was projected as a possible 1st-2nd rd pick before the season due to his sophmore/junior numbers. He'll slide due to health concerns but once healthy he'll be a force to deal with. If he performs well at his pro-day he may move up to the 4th pick.

6) Nico Johnson ILB Ala.= no combine due to recovering from a sports hernia surgery. He slides in the draft and if he's here as projected by some he'll be a wise pick.


7) Melvin White DB Louisiana-Lafayette= Aty 6'3" he's a big DB who has played both Corner and safety. Should be a good ST while learning the defense and pushes victorian out.


Go ahead and let me have it. Tell me your thoughts and remember I'm no Draftnik, and This is my 1st attempt this year!!!!


Cajun-

 

I would be happy with ur second picks on the first two. I doubt jenkins or washington make it to the 5th. I like both of them. I seen one mock that had us taking washington i the third and after his combine he may not last that long

 

i'm right on board with cooper in the first, as I see ansah going long before we pick now.... I would much rather see a pass rusher in the 2nd though..... I would love it if we got rogers or Michael in the 3rd (although rogers would be my choice if given one, however if john cyprien were available, then he would be my pick)...absolutely love bell, and think he would be a steal in the 4th........i'm almost positive Jenkins and Washington are long gone, but if by some miracle one of them was available, i'd be quite upset if we didn't pull the trigger.....I also believe nico Johnson goes earlier, but again, if he were available in the 6th, it would be a great pick.....most say that white won't be drafted, but I do believe we need a developmental db though..........all in all, not a bad mock

 

If Jenkins doesn't run on his pro day I believe he'll be there. He he runs and runs well He'll be gone, we'd have to move to rd 3 to get him. Washington was at 1st projected rd 7 but he's climbing boards. I have at a mid 5th right now. I don't see him climbing much further but you never know.

Cajun-

 

Folks the Steelers have invested heavily in the
OL, I don't think there will be anymore money thrown
at this position. We need PLAYMAKERS, if we draft
THESE PLAYMAKERS we maybe able to right the ship!

 

I would love to see Cooper on the team. The fact that Harrison was released along with the signing of Foster, leads me to believe that the Steelers will draft a defensive player at #17. I won't be terribly unhappy if we sign Ansah there.

 

Yeah. Gotta agree here. I like the way our line is shaping up.

I think we need help in other places. I think we could go a variety of ways in the first round depending on who is available at that time. We could go RB, WR, OLB, OLB, NT, CB or S. OL is one of the places I think we should ignore in the first round.

 

Here's my thoughts on this and obviously I disagree with you both. In the game of football it all starts with the Line-of-Scrimmage. We have ignored the LoS for years but then we woke up investing in the DL with Ziggy & Heyward and then the OL with Pouncey and continued with Gilbert/Adams and DD.

Are we finished and ready to move to another position? Here's where I disagree. I'm not so sure Gilbert is in our future longterm. DD has only played part of a seasson. Foster is NOT our LG in my opinion. Yes he's been VERY reliable and versatile but we're switching to a zone-blocking scheme that requires more mobile interior lineman and Cooper fits that perfectly along with pouncey and DD. We would have one of the more if not the MOST dominating lines in the NFL.

Also it's been proven you can find very good WRs & RBs between rds 3-6 and with that dominatiing Line we return to a dominating run game and keep our oft injuryed 30 yr old franchised QB healthy.

Cajun-