marcus peters?

Wrong, Wallace didn't become a locker room problem until the end of his contract, when his head started getting to big with his huge payday looming overhead.

 

Thought you were referring to his whole time here.

Maybe what Tomlin took away from that ordeal with Wallace and Mendy was don't let it fester, so this time he gets rid of the problem.

Personally, I think no matter how Tomlin handled it, he'd be getting heat from the fans.

 

I've watched a clip or two each on a bunch of the DBs to start getting myself acclimated to them. It's too soon for me to draw definitive conclusions since I may have just seen some guys have off days, but I'm not impressed with the corners or safeties that are projected to go early. There's no doubt that some will end up being good, but there is nobody out there that I consider to be a sure thing. Waynes looks the part, but he's going to need some work (and will probably be gone by 22 anyway). Landon Collins at safety looks like a really solid in-the-box safety, but he's not likely to be anything more than adequate against the pass. Really, the only guy that I think is close to a sure thing is Senquez Golson. However, at 5'9", 176 he may be limited to nickel/slot corner (I think he's a pretty sure bet to be a really, really good nickel). I also liked Kevin White from TCU during the season, but I still need to watch him outside of live game action. Ekpre-Olomu is also really good, but his injury raises at least a yellow flag. We can really use a bigger corner, but I think the better players at the position are the 5'9" guys. At first glance, I think that the bigger corners who are projected to go near the end of the 1st round are 50/50 prospects (i.e. 50% likely to be NFL starters), while the guys projected in the 3rd are maybe 45/55 prospects (not much difference). We'll see if my opinions change on any of them as I watch more film. Right now I would take Waynes if he makes it to 22, but probably not rank any other DB in my top 22 prospects.

 

To add insult to injury, I think that the edge rush prospects most likely to be year 1 contributors will be gone by pick #22. I really, really want to have an OLB or DB worthy of pick #22 make it that far, but I don't see it being likely. I wouldn't reach for position, and it's not as easy to just "trade down" as some folks like to suggest. I rarely want to trade up in the first, but this may be the year to do it. If a guy like Ray or Fowler slips to a point where we could move up by offering our 3rd rounder as compensation, it could make very good sense to pull the trigger.

 

Well, I didn't say anything about web rankings. From what I've seen, Ray and Fowler are top notch OLB prospects. They are both plug and play quality starters who could be 10+ sack guys as rookies. Gregory, Dupree and Beasley have more question marks, but have some elite physical traits. I see a big drop off after Ray and Fowler, but some teams may fall in love with the physical potential of Gregory, Dupree or Beasley and push Ray or Fowler to the teens. Unlikely, but if it happens I would not be afraid to pounce. It's not like Steeler 3rd round picks have been sure things anyway. I admit I have to watch more of Harold and Mauldin, but from what I've seen of Mauldin he seems to lack quick twitch movement. I need to watch more of Kikaha, but what I saw of him made me think he could be a big time liability against the run.

 

I've learned to consider college stats as less than 10% of the evaluation scoring. I've seen many, many college stat monsters stink at the next level, and I've seen many players with pedestrian college stats become NFL stars. I'll watch more tape if I get the chance, but from what I saw he gets pushed around too easily in run defense and loses contain on the edge. A smart QB or OC would exploit that all day.

 

I'm not sure why you seem to keep reading more into my posts than what I actually said. I agree that we need to improve the pass rush. Just because I have reservations about the guy that you like best doesn't mean that I somehow want to ignore the position. However I certainly don't want to toss pick #22 at a pass rusher no matter what. We need to get the best player we can at a position where we can use help. You think that's Kikaha, and I don't (at least not yet based on what I've seen on tape). Kikaha had a bunch of sacks in college, and that's a plus. However it doesn't mean that he's a lock to get a single sack in the NFL. Guys who put up big numbers in college fail in the NFL every single year. It literally happens every single year. I am concerned that Kikaha may be one of those guys. That was my point. I'll try to watch more on him, as well as Mauldin and Harold. However have watched a good amount of Fowler and Ray, and I think those guys are worth trading up for. Especially when I think about what we typically get out of our 3rd round picks. I'll gladly give up our 1st and 3rd for a day 1 starter at OLB.

 

I wouldn't reach for anyone just to fill a specific position need. In my observation reaching almost always backfires. If the 1st round worthy guys are gone at #22, then you've got to go with a different position unless you can find a dance partner to trade down with. While I'm on the Kikaha subject, to my eyes he looks like a near finished product. His pass rush moves look mature to me. I don't know that there's a lot of upside left to develop. He may never again see an opposing tackle worse than the best tackle he ever faced in college. Those are the kinds of prospects that make me nervous, because every college player needs to improve to take the next step. I am intrigued by the little I've seen of Harold, and need to watch more. He looks to have coachable upside.

 

I think we will see at least 2 DBs, though it may or may not be 2 corners (We'll try, but won't reach). If K. Johnson is as good as advertised, I'd like to get him In the 2nd. Maybe Johnson in the 2nd and Golson in the 3rd as a double up. I really like what I've seen of Golson - small, but a real playmaker. Think Willie Gay, but faster and quicker.