Steelers woes due to a lack of draft success

These two articles in the PTR really put things into perspective. When you think we could have had players like Cliff Avril, Ray Rice, Elvis Dumervill, Sean Lee, Josh Cribbs, Brandon Marshall and Chris Canty instead of players like Ricardo Colclough, Fred Gibson, Bruce Davis, Anthony Smith, Limas Sweed, Jason Worilds and Tony Hills, it makes you pause to consider whether or not the Steelers FO and scouting department are missing more than they're hitting. I realize we've had some good drafts along the way and Colbert has done a nice job for the most part with first rounders, but let's be honest, first rounders are a little safer bet than players chosen in subsequent rounds. When you consider that out of 18 defensive players chosen since the 2008 draft, only one, Ziggy Hood, is now starting and he's not an effective starter it's concerning. Unfortunately, the Steelers will have to live with these draft misfires, especially on defense, for several years now while they retool.

http://triblive.com/sports/2793187-85/s ... z29wm5h8T9

http://triblive.com/sports/2793186-85/s ... z29wm5h8T9

 

What has happened is the Steelers had a dominant Dline and so they drafted LBers on defense but they needed so much help on the offensive side of the ball that the best draft picks went there. I think the Dline is one good player away from making a difference, Ziggy Hood is servicable as a back up but he isn't a difference maker so I would call him a bust as a first round pick. If he was formidable like Aaron Smith was then you could have McClendon on nose and Keisel on the opposite end and the oline would have to double team someone on every play instead of just run plays but as it stands now, Ziggy leans on a lineman and thus a lineman is free to block the blitzing LBer which is why we can't get pressure. I think overall the draft has been ok just most good picks have been going to the offensive side of the ball.

 

Which begs the question, why isn't McClendon starting or at least getting much more playing time than he is? He was a beast in pre-season and has handled himself well in limited opportunities in the regular season. Let's face it, Hampton is OLD, SLOW AND FAT! Tomlin needs to shut his mouth the next time he even thinks about talking about "earning your hat" blah, blah, blah. McClendon earned his hat and so far Tomlin has been reluctant to give him adequate playing time.

 

While its easy NOW to look back and say they could of taken this or that player...especially now that we know how good some of them have become...back when they were drafted it was a crap shoot as all drafts are...some of those players/positions may not have been a need/etc back then who knows. All teams hit and miss during the draft...its part of the gamble. Its always easy after the fact to think like this...

 

Of course, but I think the bigger point is that we've traditionally drafted well. We're a team that builds through the draft, so when we miss for an extended period of time, it's going to seriously hurt us, perhaps more than most other teams in the league.

 

When your 1st rd draft pick is announced and everyone says ...WHO? you know you are in trouble.

 

I realize that every draft contains risk, but don't you think that it's disconcerting that out of 18 defensive players drafted since 2008 only one is a starter and a mediocre one at that?

 

The Steelers hit on their 1st rd picks after that it's been dicey.

 

More to the point, there is nothing to say that those players we're talking about missing on succeed in the same way if they're drafted by us. Josh Cribbs could have been used sparingly and struggled behind a weak ST unit. Dumervill could have sat behind James Farrior, made an early mistake or two and ridden the bench since. Any one of them could have got lit up in preseason and never played again. Etc. etc.

I'm not defending our draft history. But I agree with Tomlin_Era on this. And I would also remind people of just how incredibly positive virtually everyone on this board was after last draft.

 

I agree about hindsight....the problem is...a lot of it was "FORESIGHT"

James Laurainitus should have been picked over Hood.....everyone on "A MESSAGE BOARD" would have thought so.

Worilds over Mount Cody, Sean Lee, and Brandon Spikes?

Frederick, Beachum, Clemons, Paulson over Burfict?

Everyone over Randy Moss time and time again?

none of those are hindsight....most were common sense to anyone who watches football....but I guess if you actually SCOUT football it shows you something that the rest of the world misses.

HACK

 

Never understood the point in going back and looking at who the Steelers should had drafted. Pointless to live in the past in regard to the draft. The people that draft the players know more about the players and why they selected certain player over others then the fans. Boo freaking whoooo because the team didn't select the player fans thought they should had selected, move on.

As I see it, the Steelers woes are due more to injuries then any other factor. Even with the injuries, the team had the opportunity to win every game they loss.

 

Depth my friend....depth.....Injuries don't bother you as much if you have depth......depth comes from good drafting.....and some of us follow the draft as much as the actual season......and the Steelers...as well as every other team get it wrong....a lot.


HACK

 

So the fact that out of 18 defensive guys selected in the draft, it's not a factor in our losses that 0 of them have made any kind of impact? That has everything to do with a teams success. If even 6 of those guys had turned into starters, it's possible we wouldn't be talking about why we lost 3 games so far.

 

Isn't just as possible to say that if Ben hadn't thrown a pick 6 against Denver we might have won that game? Or if the fumble bug hadn't hit against the Raiders we would have won that game? Or if the offense had turned 40 yard kick returns by Rainey into points we would have beaten the Titans?

 

Sure, but long term, I'll gladly trade all those things you mentioned for draft picks turning into quality starters. We build through the draft, if we continue to miss, we're going to be in serious trouble moving forward. I still love this past years draft, I just hope it doesn't fall apart like some of our past drafts.

 

and if my Aunt had junk she would be my uncle.....We are what are record says we are.


HACK

 

That's comparing apples to oranges. The defensive players we've drafted over the last 5 years are expected to contribute and it's a matter of the teams' sustained success that they contribute. When we've drafted 18 defensive players the last 5 years and it can be argued that NONE of them are contributing in any meaningful way at this point, that's much different than a play here or there in a game that affects the outcome.

 

EXACTLY.. hind site is 20/20.. this original post is not worth a comment

HINES

 

Then why did you comment?

Apparently two staff writers with the PTR felt it was worth the time to devote articles to it. Shoot, they even got paid. I created this post for free. Hey, TTF, can we talk???

 

i posted to the other guy that said its a crap shoot.. position needed.. not the the OP.. nor will i respond to this anymore..

HINES

 

Gee, you sound like my wife!

 

The one is Mendy vs. Rice. Had we done that, I can nearly guarantee that we would be complaining about Rice faltering as a Steeler and complaining we could have have Mendy who would be thriving in the same system Rice is currently in.

 

I agree

 

I don't even consider that one.....at that time Mendy was pretty much universally considered a better prospect than Rice......Without hindsight...I still take Mendy first.....and Stewart and Chris Johnson...and Matt Forte....all before Rice.

Rice is a great player....but I saw nothing from his college tape or combine that said he would become what he has become.

HACK