~OFFICIAL STEELERS MB/TSF MB FANTASY DRAFT~

Things are moving along pretty good guys...awesome job. We'll be onto round 2 before you know it.

Thoughts on the Steelers selection (as I know not all of you voted)!?!

 

I like Hightower, but the more I think about it.... I wonder if Colbert doesn't go with Zeitler. I'd live to grab him in the second, but I'm hearing he might go late first round.

 

The mock rams braintrust announce that they have hired former Pitt Panther Player and current ratbird secondary coach, Teryl Austin as their D.C. I see the real rams are dragging their feet on this. Have a great day!

 

Heres my question why in the world did the Texans just draft an LB (Mychal Kendricks) in the 1st round that most sites give a 3rd rd or later grade. There were a TON of better LBs out there and available...this is a huge reach and in my opinion a dumb/wasteful selection.

 

Then I guess this is a realistic draft after all!

The real draft never plays out like WalterFootball says it will, or any other site. Tyson Alualu was supposed to go mid 2nd, MAYBE upper 2nd. He went what, 10th overall? DHB ahead of Crabtree and Maclin? James Carpenter? Happens all the time. Kendricks had a huge combine, I think. Some team could very well snap him up ahead of where he was scheduled.

 

Oh I know crap like that happens at times...but I'm just saying...wow...I'm just thinking with the guys who were there and better than this guy why take him? I'm curious to know...

 

After trading away Cushing who I felt was slumping after he had to stay off the steroids the Texans needed to find a replacement ILB. Now yes there were higher rated ones(namely the one that the consensus swiped out from under us with the Steelers pick but they are higher rated at specific skills. From what I have read Kendricks has speed to cover the quicker TE's that are developing as well as a solid tackler. He may not wow as some of the others do in pass rush situations but with the DL we have the pressure will come from multiple areas. The Texans are approaching this years draft with two areas of concern a playmaker to play opposite of Johnson and depth. We looked at Devon Still but with the base 3-4 still the predominate scheme for us it didn't look like a good fit. We needed to get better in passage coverage and this helped.

Truth be told I wanted to trade out of the first because I knew the position of need for the Texans would have the top players gone quick and the player Im looking at would be there later but it didn't work out that way.

 

Not to mention that everyone has been screaming for the last year that the Steelers need to go OL or CB and the guy who gets the most votes is Hightower with better quality guards and tackles than the Steelers have currently sitting on the board and they go for a linebacker? What gives with that?

 

I think, pretty much across the board, the reason for taking Hightower was that people felt that he was a far better value at the pick than any offensive linemen or corners.
I think that after last year corner is much less of a concern in previous years. I think that has to do with two things: a new coach who actually seems to coach the corners up and the fact that we chose two cbs in the draft last year (including the one everyone wanted in the second round in the third). Plus, once Jenkins, Kirkpatrck, and Clairborne were gone, all of the remaining cbs become mid to late second round values.
O-line is a little trickier, but the only o-linemen left who had close to a first round grade were Mike Adams and Osemele. Many people have concerns with Adams conditioning, and see him as very much a possible bust. Add the two suspensions and his pitiful performance at the combine and it made it tough to pick him. Osemele is a borderline first, and many felt that the talent available at the end of the second round at guard will be very near to him in ability.
Finally, he's a linebacker. What was a strength at the beginning of last year showed some serious vulnerability this year, with age and injuries taking their toll. Once Farrior was released, it kind of showed how shallow we were at inside backer.

 

Thought for sure that I was going to land Nick Perry for the Pack at #28, until the Pats pulled a not-so-fast one on me and snagged him right before my selection! Good pick for them since they have zero pass rush. Not sold on Mercilus, and figured Cox could provide a Keisel-type impact for the Packers at DE. Pats selection threw me for a slight loop, but Packers will adapt.

 

What SteelersRock said.

We can get a starting OL in the 2nd; we can't get an impact ILB in the 2nd.

 

Its been about 15 hours since the last pick. I hate picking for freak, but we need to keep this rolling. If no pick is made by 11:30, I'm going to make the choice for the Ravens (Probably either Curry or Mercilous, the best rush linebackers and top rated people on the board). If anyone has any other suggestions (Adams, perhaps, or a receiver?) let me know.

 

I'd be more inclined to go with either Mike Adams at left tackle or Stephen Hill WR GaTech before picking a rush linebacker for Baltimore.

 

I wouldn't pick a WR for them, but then again my 49ers are the following pick!

Adams makes sense to me, and I really think they might do a linebacker over WR.

 

The best OL and CB remaining are not worth a first round pick, let alone one as high as #24. Not only that, but they might be available for us in the 2nd, or at least guys that are as good as them might be. If we don't get Hightower, we likely don't get an ILB at all.

 

k, not a lot of input. I checked some online drafts, and the ones that didn't have Hightower or Konz pretty much went with Adams if he was available. So that will be the pick.

 

ATTENTION:

This is just a reminder (and not directed at one person or anything)...especially to some of the new people this year.

If you are on the clock and online MAKE YOUR PICK...no waiting around forever to see if you can trade/etc...this it to be fair to everyone...if you dont have a trade in place before your on the clock or a trade close...too bad. While yes you have 12 hours to make your pick...it doesnt mean you get to take the 12 hours. The ONLY reason it is 12 hours is due to people being in different time zones, countries, on different schedules, etc...not so people can sit there and try to work out trades/etc and take most if not all the 12 hours.

I have seen numerous people online for an extended period of time yet they never picked and then came back hours later and didnt make their pick (some did), but still...MAKE THE PICK! If I continue to see this going on...I will step in (I havent had to before...as its never been that huge of an issue...and I really dont want to do it)...and either make the pick for you or skip your pick.

Thanks!

 

One other thing that some people have been asking me via PM...as far as when a team is officially on the clock (if the clock expires from the previous team).

Ok...lets say Team A's clock expires at 9am...they dont make a pick and then 3 hours later someone else does for them. When does Team B's clock start?

It started at 9am when the other teams clock expired. Just like the real NFL...once the clock is up on one team (regardless if the pick is in or not) the next team is immediately on the clock. The clock doesnt start when someone else makes the pick for Team A 3 hours later. As technically Team A could be skipped...while we generally do not like to skip a team/etc...it happens. This is to try to keep things as close to the real life draft as we can.

I hope this clears some things up. Thanks!

 

I usually leave the tab open and just close my computer.

 

Also remember the clock drops down to 10 hours in the second round instead of 12.

 

And also remember not to take any of the guys that I want.

 

Of course!

 

FYI...until the situation from the Trade Thread is settled...it is still the Jags on the clock...Denver's pick does not count as of yet. Thanks!

EVERYONE please go read my last couple posts in the trade thread...there is important news/etc posted there. Thanks!