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Steelers' draft strategy

Discussion in 'Steelers Talk' started by blackandgoldpatrol, Mar 10, 2026 at 12:22 PM.

  1. Steel_Elvis

    Steel_Elvis Staff Member Mod Team

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    I don’t agree regarding WRs. The challenge is knowing which WRs are actually going to prove to be worth the 1st round pick. The Rams got Nacua in the 5th round, but he was exceptional from day 1 and in retrospect would have been worth a high 1st round pick. The position may not be as hard to project as QB or CB, but it’s still tough.
     
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  2. S.T.D

    S.T.D Well-Known Member

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    Is he exceptional, or is the Qb, and scheme really good??
    The only Wrs I have ever thought were worth 1st round picks have really been after the fact, and they are guys that have looked awesome with every single Qb they have played with. For example: Mike Evans, or D Hop in his day, but that is few, and far between. That's why I said not too many Wrs are worth a 1st round. Look at how many Wrs looked good with Ben for example, and afterwards disappeared, and the only ones I can think of that really did anything after they left Ben, went to other great Qbs , the ones that didn't, disappeared.
    It's really hard to find Wrs that look good with multiple Qbs.
     
  3. Blast Furnace

    Blast Furnace Staff Member Mod Team

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    Would be such a risky pick but it’s Florio so not going to put too much stock into it.
     
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  4. Rollers

    Rollers Well-Known Member

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    I am good with this. Especially the D line
     
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  5. steelersrule6

    steelersrule6 Well-Known Member

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    I see 3-4 WRs going in the first round if all of the top OL are gone, I'm good with Omar Cooper Jr. at #21.
     
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  6. steelersrule6

    steelersrule6 Well-Known Member

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  7. jeh1856

    jeh1856 We want in so we can bark to go out again

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    Not fake news but irrelevant for a WR
     
  8. jeh1856

    jeh1856 We want in so we can bark to go out again

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    ARII made it clear the draft will be a collaborative effort between Omar McCarthy and the rest of the staff

    McCarthy certainly will not have the clout many assume Tomlin did

    Omar certainly will not draft anyone McCarthy does not want
     
  9. Blast Furnace

    Blast Furnace Staff Member Mod Team

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    It always is but Khan makes the picks, he’s gotta be feeling a little frisky this draft.

    upload_2026-3-15_18-20-24.gif
     
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  10. mac daddyo

    mac daddyo Well-Known Member

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    Any thoughts on double safeties? Brisker is only signed for one year and Elliott is only signed for one more. Thienman-Clark? :shrug::cool:
     
  11. Brice

    Brice

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    I fully expect the Jets to take Simpson at #16.


    Now, would the Steelers trade up to get ahead of New York at #16?


    I also keep seeing Mock Draft's that have the Browns taking Simpson at #6; that blows my mind, but it would definitely be a Browns move after drafting 2 QBs last year, and renegotiating Watson's contract this year, to add a 4th QB to their roster in Round #1. :facepalm:
     
    Last edited: Mar 16, 2026 at 2:27 AM
  12. Steeldude

    Steeldude Well-Known Member

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    Say no to Simpson. He isn't worth the 21st pick. Average arm, short NCAA career and faded away when defenses figured him out.

    Key defensive strategies that disrupted Simpson include:
    • Increased Blitz Frequency: While Simpson was efficient against the blitz early in the season, defenses ramped up pressure as more tape became available. His passing grade and completion rate dropped significantly when facing consistent pressure in his final eight games.
    • Disguised Post-Snap Looks: Coordinators utilized more "exotic" and disguised coverage looks late in the season to capitalize on Simpson's tendency to "over-diagnose" or hesitate when his pre-snap read was challenged.
    • Interior Pressure: Defenses found success with interior pressure, which speeded up Simpson's process and forced "misfires" or throws off his back foot. This also exposed his limited lateral acceleration.
    • Forcing Vertical Struggles: Teams increasingly played to stop the run and dared Simpson to beat them deep, knowing he struggled with deep-ball touch and vertical accuracy (completing only 5 of 25 attempts attacking the deep middle).
    • Attacking Ball Security: Defenders capitalized on his emerging ball security issues, as he recorded fumbles in five consecutive games when the pocket collapsed.
    ====================

    Ty Simpson Performance Split (2025 Season)

    First 7 Games - Completion% 70.2%; Passing Yards/Game 275; TD:INT Ratio 18:1

    Last 6 Games -
    Completion% 58.1%; Passing Yards/Game222; TD:INT Ratio 2:1
     
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  13. Steeldude

    Steeldude Well-Known Member

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    A 4.46 doesn't necessarily mean you can get off the scrimmage or run well after the catch. At the podium he sounded dumb as a stump, but perhaps he was nervous. I would rather address another position than take a chance on WR that could be a problem. If the Steelers select him then so be it. I am not saying he is horrible or that picking him at 21 is the end of the world. He could very well turn out to be a great WR. The Steelers have had issues with problem WRs like Pickens, Antonio Brown, Martavis Bryant and Diontae Johnson. It really depends on who is available at 21. I will hope for the best.

    https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/usc-wr-makai-lemon-caught-141327480.html He could have some ADD.

    Pro day times are 0.10s to 0.17s faster on average than at the NFL combine.
     
  14. Michael E

    Michael E Well-Known Member

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    My biggest issue with Sadiq is that Oregon doesn't seem to run conventional offense and rarely do Oregon players do anything in the NFL.

    Physically, he's got all you want, whether he's an undersized TE or oversized WR, he would be a tough matchup for a short CB or a slow LB to cover.

    Now, if WE draft him, would we use him? The under-utilization of TEs over the past 30 years has been a bur in our saddle. Even when we had really good ones, they always seemed like a safety-valve or an afterthought. We have a new HC/OC, any change?

    I am firmly against drafting players you won't use enough to make it worthwhile. So hopefully someone is hitting the brakes on Sadiq if there is no plans to routinely get him 7+ targets a game. Pass.

    Would be like trading up for an MLB only to run schemes that doesn't have him on the field half the defensive plays.
     
  15. steelersrule6

    steelersrule6 Well-Known Member

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    You're really trying to say Lemon is a headcase because of a Combine interview :facepalm:. Newsflash: not everybody is comfortable with public speaking.
     

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