Colbert 50 hits & 105 misses - 3 keepers per draft

Below are all of Kevin Colbert's drafts. On average every Colbert draft has yielded 3 keepers rounded up. So Colbert selects a keeper every third pick. I counted keepers as starters, backups, and significant contributors with 2 or more good years. Keepers are emboldened. I added some players despite my personal feeling about their contributions. Except for "Dud" DuPree. I consider him a 1st round ... well ... DUD! Not unlike Jarvis Jones irrespective of the number of games started. The 2017 draft needs another year for some players not named JuJu and TJ. Add and delete to your heart's content. I have a couple of questions. In your opinion which Colbert draft was the best? Why? In your opinion which Colbert draft was the worst? Why? Anything surprise you? Why?

2017 Draft Picks
25th Overall (4 offensive, 4 defensive)

Rd. Player School Pk (Overall)
1 T.J. Watt (OLB) Wisconsin 30
2 JuJu Smith-Schuster (WR) USC 62
3a Cameron Sutton (CB) Tennessee 94
3b James Conner (RB) Pittsburgh 105
4 Joshua Dobbs (QB) Tennessee 135
5 Brian Allen (CB)Utah 173
6 Colin Holba (LS)Louisville 213
7 Keion Adams (LB) Western Michigan 248

2016 Draft Picks
25th Overall (2 offensive, 5 defensive)

Rd. Player School Pk (Overall)
1 Artie Burns (CB) Miami (Fla.) 25
2 Sean Davis (S) Maryland 58
3 Javon Hargrave (DT) S. Carolina State 89
4 Jerald Hawkins (OT) LSU 123
6 Travis Feeney (LB) Washington (Compensatory Selection) 220
7a Demarcus Ayers (WR) Houston 229
7b Tyler Matakevich (LB) Temple 246

2015 Draft Picks
15th Overall (2 offensive, 6 defensive)

Rd. Player School Pk (Overall)
1 Bud Dupree (LB) Kentucky 22
2 Senquez Golson (CB) Mississippi 56
3 Sammie Coates (WR) Auburn87
4 Doran Grant (CB) Ohio State 121
5 Jesse James (TE) Penn State 160
6a Leterrius Walton (DE) Central Michigan 199
6b Anthony Chickillo (LB) Miami (Compensatory Selection) 212
7 Gerod Holliman (S) Louisville 218

2014 Draft Picks
15th Overall (4 offensive, 5 defensive)

Rd. Player School Pk (Overall)
1 Ryan Shazier (LB) Ohio State 15
2 Stephon Tuitt (DE) Notre Dame 46
3 Dri Archer (WR/RB) Kent State (Compensatory Selection) 97
4 Martavis Bryant (WR) Clemson 118
5a Shaquille Richardson (CB) Arizona157
5b Wesley Johnson (OL) Vanderbilt (Compensatory Selection) 173
6a Jordan Zumwalt (LB) UCLA 192
6b Daniel McCullers (DL) Tennessee (Compensatory Selection) 215
7 Rob Blanchflower (TE) Massachusetts 230

2013 Draft Picks
17th Overall (4 offensive, 5 defensive)

Rd. Player School Pk (Overall)
1 Jarvis Jones (LB) Georgia 17
2 Le'Veon Bell (RB) Michigan State48
3 Markus Wheaton (WR)Oregon State 79
4a Shamarko Thomas (S) Syracuse* 111
4b Landry Jones (QB) Oklahoma 115
5 Terry Hawthorne (CB) Illinois 150
6a Justin Brown (WR) Oklahoma 186
6b Vince Williams (LB) Florida State (Compensatory Selection) 206
7 Nick Williams (DT) Samford 223*Acquired 14th pick in the fourth round (11th overall) via a trade with Cleveland. The Steelers traded their 2014 third-round selection to Cleveland in return.

2012 Draft Picks
24th Overall (6 offensive, 3 defensive)

Rd. Player School Pk (Overall)
1 David DeCastro (OG) Stanford 24
2 Mike Adams (OT) Ohio State 56
3 Sean Spence (LB) Miami (Fla.) 86
4 Alameda Ta'amu (DT) Washington* 109
5 Chris Rainey (RB) Florida 159
7a Toney Clemons (WR) Colorado 231
7b David Paulson (TE) Oregon (Compensatory Selection) 240
7c Terrence Frederick (CB) Texas A&M (Compensatory Selection) 246
7d Kelvin Beachum (OG) SMU (Compensatory Selection) 248*Traded original fourth-round selection (119thoverall) and sixth-round selection (193rd overall) to Washington in return for the 109th overall pick

2011 Draft Picks
31st Overall (3 offensive, 4 defensive)

Rd. Player School Pk (Overall)
1 Cameron Heyward (DE) Ohio State 31
2 Marcus Gilbert (OT) Florida 63
3 Curtis Brown (CB) Texas 95
4 Cortez Allen (CB) The Citadel 128
5 Chris Carter (LB) Fresno State 162
6 Keith Williams (OG) Nebraska 196
7 Baron Batch (RB) Texas Tech 232

2010 Draft Picks
18th Overall (5 offensive, 5 defensive)

Rd. Player School Pk (Overall)
1 Maurkice Pouncey (C) Florida 18
2 Jason Worilds (LB) Virginia Tech 52
3 Emmanuel Sanders (WR) SMU 82
4 Thaddeus Gibson (DE) Ohio State 116
5a Chris Scott (OT)Tennessee 151
5b Crezdon Butler (CB) Clomson (Compensatory Selection) 164
5c Stevenson Sylvester (LB) Utah (Compensatory Selection) 166
6a Jonathan Dwyer (RB) Georgia Tech 188
6b Antonio Brown (WR)* Central Michigan 195
7 Doug Worthington (DT)Ohio State (Compensatory Selection) 242*Acquired the 195th selection and CB Bryant McFadden from Arizona in exchange for the Steelers’ 155th overall selection. **Pittsburgh traded its seventh-round pick (225th overall) to Tampa Bay for QB Byron Leftwich.

2009 Draft Picks
32nd Overall (5 offensive, 4 defensive)

Rd. Player School Pk (Overall)
1 Evander "Ziggy" Hood (DE/DT) Missouri 32
2 (Choice to Denver)
3a Kraig Urbik (OG) Wisconsin (Choice from Denver) 79
3b Mike Wallace (WR) Mississippi (Choice from Denver) 84
3c Keenan Lewis (CB) Oregon State 96
4 (Choice to Denver)
5a Joe Burnett (CB) Central Florida 168
5b Frank Summers (RB/FB) UNLV (Compensatory Selection) 169
6 Ra'Shon "Sunny" Harris (DT) Oregon205
7a A.Q. Shipley (C) Penn State (Choice from Tampa Bay) 226
7b David Johnson (TE) Arkansas State 241

2008 Draft Picks
23rd Overall (4 offensive, 3 defensive)

Rd. Player School Pk (Overall)
1 Rashard Mendenhall (RB) Illinois 23
2 Limas Sweed (WR) Texas 53
3 Bruce Davis (LB) UCLA 88
4 Tony Hills (OL) Texas* 130
5 Dennis Dixon (QB) Oregon156
6a Mike Humpal (LB) Iowa 188
6b Ryan Mundy (S) West Virginia 194
7 (Choice to Atlanta)*Traded from 123rd to 130th with the N.Y. Giants. Received Giants' 6th round choice

2007 Draft Picks
15th Overall (3 offensive, 4 defensive, 1 punter)

Rd. Player School Pk (Overall)
1 Lawrence Timmons (LB) Florida State 15
2 LaMarr Woodley (LB) Michigan 46
3 Matt Spaeth (TE) Minnesota 77
4a Daniel Sepulveda (P) Baylor*112
4b Ryan McBean (DE) Oklahoma State (Compensatory Selection) 132
5a Cameron Stephenson (OG) Rutgers 156
5b William Gay (CB) Louisville (Compensatory Selection) 170
6 (Choice to Green Bay)
7 Dallas Baker (WR) Florida 277*Acquired via a trade with Green By for Steelers' 4th and 6th round picks

2006 Draft Picks
32nd Overall (7 offensive, 2 defensive)

Rd. Player School Pk (Overall)
1 Santonio Holmes (WR)Ohio State* 25
2 (Choice to Minnesota)
3a Anthony Smith (FS) Syracuse (Choice from Minnesota) 83
3b Willie Reid (WR) Florida State (Choice from Minnesota) 95
4a Willie Colon (OT) Hofstra (Compensatory Selection) 131
4b Orien Harris (DE) Miami (Fla.) (Compensatory Selection) 133
5a Omar Jacobs (QB) Bowling Green 164
5b Charles Davis (TE) Purdue (Compensatory Selection) 167
6 Marvin Philip (C) California 201
7 Cedric Humes (RB) Virginia Tech 240*Traded up to 25th from 32nd with N.Y. Giants

2005 Draft Picks
30th Overall (5 offensive, 3 defensive)

Rd. Player School Pk (Overall)
1 Heath Miller (TE) Virginia 30
2 Bryant McFadden (CB) Florida State 62
3 Trai Essex (OT) Northwestern 93
4 Fred Gibson (WR) Georgia 131
5 Rian Wallace (LB) Temple166
6 Chris Kemoeatu (OG) Utah 204
7a Shaun Nua (DE) Brigham Young (Choice from Carolina) 228
7b Noah Herron (RB) Northwestern 244

2004 Draft Picks
11th Overall (5 offensive, 3 defensive)

Rd. Player School Pk (Overall)
1 Ben Roethlisberger (QB) Miami (OH) 11
2 Ricardo Coclough (CB) Tusculum* 38
3 Max Starks (OT) Florida 75
4 (Choice to Indianapolis)
5 Nathaniel Adibi (LB) Virginia Tech 145
6a Bo Lacy (OT) Arkansas 177
6b Matt Kranchick (TE) Penn State (Choice from St. Louis) 194
6c Drew Caylor (C/LS) Stanford (Choice from New England) 197
7 Eric Taylor (DE) Memphis 212*Traded up to 38th from 44th with Indianapolis

2003 Draft Picks
27th Overall (2 offensive, 3 defensive)

Rd. Player School Pk (Overall)
1 Troy Polamalu (S) USC* 16
2 Alonzo Jackson (LB) Florida State 59
3 (Choice to Kansas City)
4 Ivan "Ike" Taylor (CB) Louisiana-Lafayette 125
5 Brian St. Pierre (QB) Boston College 163
6 (Choice to Kansas City)
7 J.T. Wall (FB) Georgia 242*Traded up to 16th from 27th with Kansas City

2002 Draft Picks
30th Overall (4 offensive, 4 defensive)

Rd. Player School Pk (Overall)
1 Kendall Simmons (OG)Auburn30
2 Antwaan Randle El (WR) Indiana62
3 Chris Hope (S) Florida State 94
4 Larry Foote (LB) Michigan 128
5 Verron Haynes (FB) Georgia 166
6 Lee Mays (WR)UTEP 202
7a LaVar Glover (CB) Cincinnati (Compensatory Selection) 212
7b Brett Keisel (DE) Brigham Young242

2001 Draft Picks
19th Overall (3 offensive, 4 defensive)

Rd. Player School Pk (Overall)
1 Casey Hampton (DT) Texas* 19
2 Kendrell Bell (LB) Georgia** (Choice from New England)39
3 Forfeited
4 Mathias Nkwenti (OT) Temple* (Choice from N.Y. Jets) 111
5 Chukky Okobi (C/G) Purdue146
6a Rodney Bailey (DE) Ohio State* (Choice from N.Y. Jets) 181
6b Roger Knight (LB) Wisconsin 182
7 Chris Taylor (WR) Texas A&M 218*Traded from 16th to 19th with N.Y. Jets. Also received Jets' 4th and 6th round choices. **Traded 50th and 112th picks to New England for their 39th pick

2000 Draft Picks
8th Overall (4 offensive, 5 defensive)

Rd. Player School Pk (Overall)
1 Plaxico Burress (WR) Michigan State8
2 Marvel Smith (DT) Arizona State 38
3a Clancy Kendrick (DE) Mississippi 72
3b Hank Poteat (CB) Pittsburgh (Choice from Oakland) 77
4 Danny Farmer (WR) UCLA 103
5a Clark Haggans (LB) Colorado State 137
5b Tee Martin (QB) Tennessee (Compensatory Selection) 163
6a Chris Combs (DT) Duke 173
6b Jason Gavadza (TE) Kent State (Compensatory Selection) 204
7 (Choice to Washington)

 

Keenan Lewis was a hit. He became a starter and signed a free agent contract with New Orleans. His departure began the struggles of the secondary. What are your guidelines for who was a hit or a miss? Trai Essex was a serviceable back up for a few years. Wheaton was a decent #3 or #4 receiver. Anything beyond the 4th round should not be considered a miss. If you hit on a franchise quarterback, that covers up a lot of misses.

 

If this is about Colberts drafting abilities and not the individual player. I think you need to bold players that got significant playing time and put up decent numbers. Also, players who played for other teams after because obviously somebody else saw value in them as well. Dupree, Coates, Jarvis, Keenan Lewis, Ryan Mundy, etc. This just seems like your personal list. Not every pick is going to be a Pro Bowler.

 

By the way, LoneGranger, I appreciate the work you did in compiling this list. My calculations show 37/71 picks are hits in top 4 rounds. There are 12 additional hits beyond round 4.

 

Anything beyond the 4th round should not be considered a miss.
Because anything there is just a luck shot? Well it is Colbert's business and responsibility to hit in all rounds. So I agree to disagree.

I did not select Keenen Lewis because of minimum of contributing for two years or more. Pro Football Reference shows only one year.


On Trai Essex we just differ on the value of his contributions. I think you are right. I was too harsh with Trai.


OK! I concede Wheaton. I guess I disappoint with his development. I saw more for him.

 

Colbert picks for the Steelers and no other team. If the player does not succeed with the Steelers, hi is a miss. Period! Full stop! I did pick players with significant playing time for the STEELERS, no one else.

 

You give Burns a hit a Dupree a miss. I don't necessarily disagree, but I find them similar in the value they have brought to the team. Neither has lived up to their draft position.

 

I wonder what the hit miss ratio is for every other GM.

 

Makes no sense because Keenan Lewis wasn't a bust. Probably the best corner we have drafted, he just signed else where. That's not a miss. You can't control those things.

 

Agreed. This list is flawed because the criteria is unclear. Lewis highlights one flaw. He didn't really emerge as a quality contributor until his fourth season. The Saints then offered him a lot of money to leave.

Also, are you counting guys from 2017 as misses? That's misleading at best. Sutton, for example, started some games as a rookie. How is that a miss? Connor did everything asked of him. He was stuck behind one of the best backs in the league. How can you count that as a miss already? Adams got hurt and Allen was always going to be a project.

Without a comparison to other teams, this list really doesn't mean much. It's actually quite misleading.

 

Wow in hindsight the 15 draft sure was a stinker.

 

Keenan Lewis was not a significant contributor when he was in Pitts except for ONE year. Not good enough.

 

In school you would be labelled as a easy grader. They have proved nothing to date. I stated my criteria which obviously differs from yours. I set the bar high. You place the bar on the ground.

 

You listed Hank Poteat and Tee Martin as misses?? Boy, are you strict!

 

In school, you would have been fired once they realized you were failing too many of the students, you failed to clearly explain your criteria and you used reasoning in your grading that is dubious at best.

Without context, and by that I mean a comparison to the rest of the league, your data is meaningless. Counting players from 2017 as misses already, to go back to the teaching analogy, is an offense that could get you fired. Your criteria is that a player must contribute for more than one season, yet you want to include players who haven't even been around for more than one season.

Your logic regarding Lewis is particularly flawed. He didn't produce for only one season due to ability. He had another oustanding season the year after he left as a free agent. I haven't closely examined your other "misses," but those I did look at closely makes me think your logic was flawed and that you were just looking for an excuse to bash Colbert.

 

Your criteria didn’t say contributor to the Steelers. Maybe it was implied.

But that wouldn’t be a good marker of the draft pick. The quality of the pick comes down to how good the player turns out. Whether they stay on the team or not isn’t decided in the draft.

 

Bash Colbert!? Are you a politician? I simply listed all of Colbert's draft picks and gave my opinion. Yours is differs. Big deal. How about you use the list of Colbert draft picks and tell me how many were good STEELERS' picks. What they did somewhere else is irrelevant. Colbert works for the Steelers as such he is expected to select successful draft picks for the STEELERS.

By the way I did teach as a Computer Science and Information Systems adjunct professor. My day job was at McDonnell Douglas. And for every class with students new to me and my methods; the students marched en masse to the Chairperson's office to complain about what I expected from them. What they hated was every class began with a quiz covering the previous class. The quizzes represented 1/3 of their grade. Jesus, Mary. and Joseph! He expects us to study! Yep! I did. At quarter's end they all earned an A or a B except for the usual 2 or 3 Fs for the sluggards. I offered to have weekend sessions to help all that believed they needed it. Most of my students took two or more classes from me. Once they realized they actually were learning something; they didn't mind my methods. Oh! I was never fired or even threatened with it.

 

Yes, it was implied since Colbert is employed by the Steelers and is drafting for the Steelers, then a successful draft pick is one who significantly contributed to the Steelers' success not some other team.

 

Colbert was rated the #2 GM to Belicheat. You should do the same thing with them for comparison and see how good we really have it.

 

Probably about the same as every other GM.

 

2008 and 2009 were his worst, 2015 third. 2010 easily his best

 

Actually I'll do it.

2017 Draft

Steelers got 7 tds and 7 sacks. Patriots got 5 sacks.

2016 Draft

Steelers got 4 ints and 6.5 sacks. Patriots got 3 sacks.

2015 Draft

The dreaded 2015 draft. Steelers got 9 tds and 22 sacks. Patriots got 2 tds and 23 sacks.

2014 Draft

Steelers got 18 tds and 23 sacks. Patriots got 12 tds and 7 sacks.

2013 Draft

Steelers got 8k yards. 50 tds and 16.5 sacks. Patriots got 4 tds and 18 sacks.

2012 Draft

Statistically the worst Steelers draft outside of Decastro and Beachum. Patriots hit on Jones and Hightower.

2011 Draft

Heyward and Gilbert. Patriots got Solder and Ridley.

2010 Draft

Pouncey, Worilds, Sanders, Brown. Patriots got McCourty, Gronk, and Hernandez.



Colbert has out drafted Belicheat every year besides 2012. 2010 is close but I think you have to give the nod to the Steelers.

 

only kept those I disagree on
there might have been some other good players on the list
who just weren't better than what we already had
or just never got a chance due to injuries

 

It's cool that you posted this, Lone Granger. Nice to look at all recent classes at once.

My only gripe would be that LT Walton would be a hit for me in 2015. I think he provides nice depth at DE.

 

I think if your only evaluation is either a hit or miss, then a later round pick that served as a backup did exactly what they thought they would do. Such as David Johnson. Expectations for them are not as high as say Dupree. Brian St Pierre stuck around the league for a while. Bottom line, he cashed a check. And if another team paid them, I really don’t understand how Colbert doesn’t get credit for drafting them.


By the way. These draft picks compete against each other. So not all are going to make it, for any team. So, what ratio would you want hits to total picks be?