draft

The draft is really deep in lber this year so i say a guard in the first and i bet tao from nd or miller from unc will be there in the 2nd. Then a tall wr in the fourth and tell ward he can go out like franco. I bet the seachickens would take him also

 

I should add tao is my favorite ilb in the draft. He has a motor that doesnt quite he went to nd so je has some brains and from what i read he has his head on hiss shoulders and is a classy guy. Seems he would fit our system very well.

 

I heard during their bowl game that tao was returning for his senior season.

 

There are only 2, get that 2, guards which rate a potential first round pick in this draft. While I agree that G must be addressed, I don't see us going that way in the first round. I look at our draft this way:

1. ILB - replacement for Farrior
2. OG - Foster probably keeps the starting RG, but Legursky needs to be pushed out by C. Scott or the draft pick.
3. NT - Hoke is done. Hampton MIGHT be done. McLendon I like, but we need another unless we are switching to the 4-3
4. OT - You are looking at backup spots here. Colon and Gilbert should start next year, but we need some depth.
5. S/CB - With Gay potentially leaving and McFadden leaving CB is a potential need. S is a need unless we believe that Cromartie Smith is a potential solution.
6. WR - Brown was a 6th round pick...let's take another shot. With Cotchery a UFA, Ward maybe retiring or cut. WR is a need preferably a big one who can work middle.
7. Best Player Available

 

Damn well i guess what i read about him being classy and smart is true. I like hightower but i think we would have to take him in the first or trade way up in the second or back into the first. Niether of which i like.

 

We absolutely need a nt. Hampton is lazy and will be no where near ready to play next year. That said next year is mclendons third year so thats when players really seem to break out. I cant wait to see brown next year he will be a top 3 wr. Back on topic now so i think we need depth at nose and im saying 5th round. I dont think gay is going anywhere him and coach lake and hom amd ike are really close. Also i like mundy i think we are fine at safety. His first big start 2batch forced fumbles.

 

1st round pick will be a guard, DT, or linebacker. All everyone will get mad because they didn't draft a CB.

 

Here is my current mock:

1. ILB - Hightower, ALA
2. OG - Ryan Miller, Colorado
3. NT - Dontari Poe, Memphis
4. OT - Andrew Datko, Fla. St.
5. S/CB - Isaiah Frey, CB, Nevada
6. WR - Conner Vernon, Duke

 

Love Hightower and Datko. Would go with Osemele or Zietler before Miller, but would take him if he's top guard left. No way Poe falls to the third. Probably our best shot at nosetackle there would be Chapman from Alabama. And in 5 I would take that flyer on Osweiler. He'll have a couple of years to learn, minimum, under Ben. 6 and 7 BPA. They've done well with that the last couple of years.

 

Are we not bringing Starks back? If we do couldn't we move colon or gilbert inside? I still think we need a stud tackle but it seems the oline is not as bad as it seem. but that could be my rose colored glasses.

 

No, if I am the GM, I am not until later in the year potentially. Have we heard about the ACL injury yet? If it is torn, I doubt that he will be back ready to play by training camp.

Now if Starks comes back, I think we could go: Starks/Gilbert/Pouncey/Foster/Colon and have a decent line, assuming Gilbert shows he can pull. That being said, you still have NO depth on the team. You have Legursky, then maybe C. Scott and Essex if he is resigned.

 

Starks seems to have the work ethic to come back maybe not at the start but he would be a great insurance policy. Hampton will be no where near ready next year and will probably be 450 pounds.

 

I don't think Hightower will fall to us. He's just too good. Burfict might though only due to his behaviour and anger problems. I think we have the people in place to mold someone like that though. Plus I'm scared if we don't take him, Baltimore will, and I don't want to face another Ray Lewis for 15 more years. Burfict is a stud, if we draft a LB in the 1st round, it better be him if he's available, because Hightower probably won't be.

 

Burfict is EVERYTHING this team stays away from, and in all honesty he doesn't have the skill set to play in this D based on our needs. We need a playcalling ILB who stops the run, that fits Hightower to a T. Burfict is Timmons with mental instability and and issues. On what planet do the Steelers take that player EVER? It just doesn't happen. If you have problems on/off the field with issues, you get passed over. When it comes to Hightower making it to us, ever underclassman which declares makes it more likely to come to us at 24.

 

if we take a delineman he needs some pass rush ability.

 

If we take a D-lineman in the first round, I'll eat my hat.

 

My opinion- no set plan- get more size, maybe find low mileage cheaper hungry FA before draft will change things but if not i go OL - NT -OL -DL (best value no particular order). Do this and with the past few drafts you have set the foundation (hopefully) of being strong in the trenches and injected youth into positions that has gotten old and the injury bug. ILB and CB and WR can all be found later.

I also start making more commitment to run the ball. This will help with play action and Ben doing what he does well.

 

it may be datko. i would love for martin to drop to us though. another guy that the light went on for and will be back and wants to start is essex. he saw the light when he wasen't brought back immediately. he has vowed to get in shape and not fall back into his old habits in the off-season. i think it really hit home for him. an in shape essex is a good lineman. an out of shape essex is not. i think we see a different player by next year. we could possibly see , datko, essex,pouncey,colon, gilbert as our starting line. this could be a pretty decent bunch across the board. it is the offenses turn to pick first. it's held true every year tomlin has been here.

i'm not a big hightower fan as far as being a good fit here. he's weak in pass coverage. he's more of a thumper pass rush guy. jerry franklin from arkansas, could be a good one though. good all around big and fast. i'd like to see him here suited up next to timmons. kuechly would be my first pick, but he won't be there in the 2nd. he's a guy that could handle the green dot. franklin though is pretty smart also. he could be had a little later. 4-5-6 round range.

 

Hightower's weakness in coverage doesn't bother me as I want him off the field in throwing in throwing situations anyway. Harrison and Woodley are going to rush the QB. 2 down lineman in Heyward and Hood and Keisel are going to rush the QB. That leaves 7 other spots. Timmons stays on for coverage. Troy and Clark stay on. 4 CBs come in allowing still great coverage and potentially Troy or Timmons or Clark blitzing.

 

we need more team speed on defense. it's starting to take it's toll on us. franklin runs in the 4.6 range at 250 lbs. i'd love to see he and markelle martin on our defense next year. he's a nice mix of troy and clark, with more size and speed for the safety spot. franklin can run with rb's and TE's in coverage allowing timmons to be that extra blitzer in the qb's face. he's great at that up the gut.

 

heres who I want to get

1. Luke Kuechly, ILB, Boston College
2. Alameda Ta'amu, NT, Washington
3. Brandon Mosley, OT, Auburn
4. Omar Bolden, CB, Arizona State
5. Chris Gallipo, OLB, USC
6. Darius Fleming Outside Linebacker Notre Dame
7. Jonas Gray Running Back Notre Dame

 

That would be a perfect draft. I don't think it's going too work out quite like that though.Would be nice as hell.

 

I'm a huge Alabama fan and I'de love it if the Steelers could get Hightower or Chapman. Hightower would be perfect for our defense but Im pretty sure he wouldnt fall that low in the draft. But you never know


Champan on the other hand would be an option for us at nose guard. The kid is 6'1" / 310 pounds and you can see every play that he plays with a lot of heart. Theres no laziness in him that there might be with big snack lol

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OG, NT, ILB, Safety, CB, QB, FB,