Is Colbert really that good?

Wanted to ask a question and get opinions on this. Is Kevin Colbert really that proficient at finding quality first round talent or could you and I have a great deal of success in the first round by simply taking either the consensus first round pick or the best player available? I think a GM's true worth for finding talent is measured from the second round on. We've had some successes here (Brown, Wallace, etc.) but I think we've had way more disappointments i.e. Bruce Davis, Limas Sweed, Kraig Urbik, Tony Hills, Joe Burnett, etc. I'm also getting concerned about the recent first rounders. The verdict is still out on Cam Heyward but recent picks like Ziggy Hood and Mendenhall have been, for the most part, disappointing.

What do you think? Is Colbert really a great talent evaluator and draft guru?

 

It's not up to one person to evaluate potential talent for the team. The team usually reaches decisions based on several different opinions.

A GM's true worth is helping to put teams together that remain competitive and win.

The nature of the NFL draft is that teams will have way more disappointments then successes. Again, it boils down to remaining competitive and winning. Steelers are not going to make the playoffs or win the SB every season. Becoming more realistic with expectations(draft, winning, ect) should help to alleviate concerns.

 

Yeah you will miss on a lot more than you hit.

Colbert is good, I wouldn't say he is a genius though.

He has made some crazy choices lately IMO: Drafting Dixon, Spaethe, Frank Summers, and Sepulveda way too early IMO.

 

I must ask...Why has Ziggy been a let down?

Mendenhall might not be the runner I want him to be...but he has been greatly underutilized in Pitt....he could be a massive weapon out of the backfield.....or even with a decent FB.

HACK

 

you can't hit them all every year. if we draft 7 per year and keep them, 7 from another year have to go to make room.

 

Mostly based on my observation as a fan, but there is apparently some tangible data out there that has him very lowly rated as an impact defensive lineman. He gets run on a lot with great success according to one site which tracks such things (sorry, read this the other day somewhere but don't have the source). Hood may turn out to be a decent player, but I don't get the impression that he is the kind of DL that can really impact a game. He seems to me like a backup utility defensive lineman that may be able to spot start on occasion and play multiple positions across the line, including NT. He's kind of the Doug Legursky of the defensive line, not exactly what you want out of a number one draft pick.

 

What has he done? He has literally three seasons in already and has done....nothing? He does not stop the run and does not pressure the QB. He seems to be just a fat. Hoke did a better job at rushing the QB as a DT than Ziggy does as a DE.

Heyward at least showed us playmaking ability in the little actino that he saw.

 

He has over 1000 yard average for all three seasons behind a week oline in a passing offense. Mendy is a good back and could be very good if used right.

 

Todd Haley has a knack for getting the most out of the weapons in his offensive arsenal, Mendy should get an opportunity to prove it this year if his ACL heals properly. The first thing Haley ought to tell him is to take his dancing shoes off and put his running shoes on!

 

When you consider the success that the Steelers have had with the fact that a majority of the players are drafted, not signed as free agents or trades; I would have to say the evidence points to the answer being, yes, Colbert is that good (along with the rest of the Steelers organization).

 

:goodpost: This... ^
Along with whoever pointed out that you can`t just draft seven players, and keep seven players, without releasing seven players...
This year, is going to be the exception to the rule, when we have more roster spots available than normal...
But, In general, when you think about how low we usually get to pick in the draft(because of our usual success during the previous season), and the talent of the players here, who draft picks would have to prove they were better than, to get on the roster...(with the exception of O-line)...
I would have to say they have done an outstanding job...
Making the playoffs, ALMOST every year, is what most other teams, only dream of being able to do!!!

 

To answer the question. I say he is top 3 as gm's go. Alot of teams miss on first rounders and colbert really hasn't. People want to say he has missed in late rounds, but this roster is hard to crack. Won't be this year though, so we will see how he does. I feel damn lucky to have him

 

I think the jury is still out on Ziggy. I think he has been disappointing in one aspect (pass rush, because he was so highly touted), but he gets crap for his run D that he doesn't deserve. I am convinced all of his problems are not physical, but rather the way he is playing the game. I am convinced it can be changed with coaching... That is, if the coaches want to change him, they can. They appear to be satisfied.

Anyone who is disappointed with Mendenhall can't put that on Colbert. Coach, BA, OL, take your pick. He was a steal and should be a top 5 back. I think he is top 5 in talent, easily.

If you want to know if you could do it, write down who you WOULD pick every year and see how you look 12 years later. If you want to know if he's better than other GMs, look at other teams/GMs going back 12 years. General consensus is that Colbert has never missed, and I think that's fair. Even looking at the guy most people don't like out of the 12, Ziggy... Look at who was drafted after him. Who do you want? Ziggy was about the only choice. Also, I think if we take him at #33 instead of #32, people don't care half as much.

 

Here's an interesting chart from the Pro Football Focus, a site which grades players in all positions. This is their most recent consensus top 100 defensive lineman in the league. Keisel is #66, Heyward is #93. Guess who didn't make the top 100? Yep, I would say a 3rd year player who was a former 1st round pick has been a "letdown" when he is not recognized as being in the top 100 players of his position.

http://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/20 ... kings-idp/

 

Neat list. A little curious how Keisel just barely edged out Albert Freakin' Haynesworth.

Still not even half-way through my season review, Ziggy looks to me like he needs coached up. I don't really see him get pushed back (but I do see him give ground to shed blocks -- alright with me as long as he gets off the block, which he does when he does that move). It just looks like he's playing... weird! I really feel like if they look at the tape, and tell him what to do differently, he should be able to do it. And then he'd be great. He has all the physical tools. The mystery is that we have good coaches, and I haven't heard a thing about him being a slacker. In fact, before all the talk about Antonio Brown being the hardest worker on the team, I heard that about Ziggy Hood. And this was his third year. Maybe he's just a moron?

In any case, let's be real here: his run defense isn't what's bad. Teams don't just run right by him. Our run defense again was great this year, with him in there for most of it. Aaron Smith played there at a HOF level, Keisel at a Pro Bowl level. People think Hood needs to be at least as good as Keisel (7th rounder) to be a success. I don't think so. For that draft, at that position, if he is a "solid starter" for the rest of his career, I'm happy! You can't get a dynamite playmaker every year. Sometimes solid, steady contributors are the best you can do, and that's not a bad thing. If someone like Deshea Townsend had been a first round pick, would that have been a failure? I don't think so. Far from flashy or perfect, but I don't want to imagine that decade without him. Now, I will say that with the addition of Heyward, Ziggy suddenly doesn't look like we HAVE to have him, but we didn't know Heyward was coming 3 years ago. And I believe Ziggy played a huge role in the run D not falling apart in 2010 when Smith went down for the 3rd time, like it had fallen apart the first two times.

The good news is what's really bad about Ziggy is his pass rush. And I think that's the easiest thing to fix. Bring in Bill Cowher for a heart to heart... RUSH the QUARTERBACK.

Edit: I knew it! Something had to be wrong with that list. It's dated before the season started. September 1st, 2011. Having Heyward in there makes no sense. I know he looks very good when he's in and I think he may end up being the first Steeler DL player to actually get a little famous, but his sample size is far too small. They were probably assuming he'd play more. Justin Smith is way too low. Haynesworth? Fairley? Check out the DBs. TJ Ward #2, Polamalu #19, and McFadden ahead of Taylor.

 

I think he does a great job. For all the praise the Pats get for drafting, they miss more than we do.

 

The good news is what's really bad about Ziggy is his pass rush. And I think that's the easiest thing to fix. Bring in Bill Cowher for a heart to heart... RUSH the QUARTERBACK.

Edit: I knew it! Something had to be wrong with that list. It's dated before the season started. September 1st, 2011. Having Heyward in there makes no sense. I know he looks very good when he's in and I think he may end up being the first Steeler DL player to actually get a little famous, but his sample size is far too small. They were probably assuming he'd play more. Justin Smith is way too low. Haynesworth? Fairley? Check out the DBs. TJ Ward #2, Polamalu #19, and McFadden ahead of Taylor.[/quote]

Snack - I saw that Sept 2011 date too which is why I said it was the most recent review. I don't know how often they revise these lists & grades but I still think it's noteworthy that ziggy did not make the top 100 as a third year man but heyward did as a rookie. Smacks of disrespect but it's probably for a reason. Again, this list not just one man's opinion, but a collaboration of three guys who study game tape. There's a link on the sight that discusses how they grade and what they're looking for. Just saying, but if we had a decent prospect in him, and I think we should know after three seasons, he probably should have made this sites top 100 list.

 

Also, there are things that you just can't blame on anyone. Like if you are looking at a prospect and he looks great on film, has a great interview, great combine performance and a clean bill of health but then comes into the league and suddenly falls off or gets hurt... its like no one could have predicted that it just happens.

 

Kind of like Sweed. Who knew the guy was a head case? He clearly had the size, speed, and seemed to get open enough. The guy just couldn't get past his mental hiccups.

 

I think Colbert does a great job. We have been to 3 superbowls with him. He drafts smart, sometimes he gets burned by a dud in the draft, but that happens. He's gotten more quality players than bad players. Makes smart free agent signings, i.e. Farrior and Clark, without ever making a big splash free agent signing.

 

I think Colbert is looked upon at a higher degree then most GM's because of how this organization is run.We build through the draft mainly so a couple of bad picks could be fatile to us.Every now and then we pick up a FA and not a top caliber one that would make a great impact immediately.We haven't did that since bettis and k greene.

 

I don't think Ziggy is a bad player, but I never thought he was the best fit for this defense and ultimately was the wrong pick for the Steelers. I always thought he would do better as a DT in the Colts or Eagles defense... small pass rushing DT's who have big motors.

 

It's not really a review though.

I guess it does show disrespect, but there are so many things wrong with that list and the other ones that it's hard to take it seriously. I'm not saying I'm better than them, I'm just saying it's hard to be right before the season.

 

Typically, after every Steelers draft is completed they are given a B- or C rating by the so called experts. Teams that consistently draft higher in the first round and throughout like the Bengals and Browns are given an A or B rating but in the end the Steelers are much more competitive.
The only area I really fault Colbert in is with regards to drafting OLineman. For almost all of his drafts since he has been with the Steelers he has really failed to address this concern in the first couple rounds. Other than that he does very well in drafting players to meet the system.

 

Seriously! It's the same thing every year! "Wow, the Steelers do such a good job year in and year out of picking good, solid players that fit their scheme. They never have many glaring holes and can afford to select players to groom for a year or two before stepping in as a starter. They've done a good job of that again this year. C+" ...And I'm like, "yeah... yeah... WHAT? C+???" What they say and what they grade often don't match up.

I read a in a draft magazine yesterday a quick review of 2011's draft. It just had one sentence and a grade for each pick. Cameron Heyward's said, "Generally underwhelmed as a rookie. Barely made it onto the field. C." So it's like, okay, you didn't watch any of the games or even look at the Steelers' depth chart. But you get paid to write for this magazine. Hmm...

Yes, it's a position that he did not address in the first two rounds at all between 2002 and 2010. In all that time he took countless OL in the mid to late rounds, and only Starks and Colon were any good. He thought he could cheat it, and he was wrong. Looks like he finally figured that out though. Pouncey and Gilbert were good calls. He is 4 for 4 on OL in rounds 1 and 2. That's something. It's his mid-late OL scouting that sucks.