Top ILBs in upcoming draft

I will finally have my Top 32 this year. I will be doing mine after the combine though. My Steelers Mock will be coming up sometime today.

 

Thoughts on Cory Littleton of the Rams . I believe he is a RFA and depending on what round they tender him,he could be a interesting option. Very young and athletic. He was my MVP if the Rams had pulled out a close defensive game. He was all over the field and I believe he is definitely plug and play. Would he be worth a 3rd round tender? 2nd? You get a young proven talent and we would be able to use our 1st and or 2nd/3rd on other positions like CB or WR if AB is gone. Thoughts?

 

He was all over the place that game. I don't know much about him other than that though honestly.

I still like Jordan Hicks out of Philly if they go the FA route, which I hope they do. It opens up that first rounder so much more. I'd still grab a mid rounder too though. They need some speed there to develop.

 

He played well against NO too. I don't watch many Rams games but whenever I did that guy stood out. He was a UDFA in 2016 so he's young and up and coming. Curious to see where they tender him. I'm intrigued for sure.

 

My thoughts on him are hell yeah but then you have to look at what it will cost us, is he worth a 1st, 2nd or 3rd pick? I am gonna guess with all the FA's the Rams have and the lack of depth they have Littleton is gonna get a 1st round tender and according to OTC that is 4.429 mil. That is a bargain for a player like him, so the question is he worth our 1st round pick? My opinion is no since we will get 4 years of low contract from them, Edmunds got a 4yr/10.6mil deal last year.

Also the FA class is deep, Mosley, Hicks and Brown could be had without losing a pick assuming they don't get tagged, the rumor is Mosley will but Hicks is a nice option without losing the pick.

 

Sounds just like a player Colbert would target.

 

Excellent analysis. Every one of his strengths and weaknesses are probably the same as you could expect from any similar type players. You'd be very hard pressed to find someone excellent at both pass and run defense. Like you said,putting him in the right position to succeed would be the key to getting the best out of him. Like NYSF said plucking him at a 1st round tender is probably a little steep when you factor in that draft spot (20) and financially. At a 2nd or 3rd though it should be a stronger consideration. He already has NFL film so you kinds a have a idea of what you're getting. He is still very young and can improve as well....
I'll be keeping a eye on this just to see where he ends up being tendered.

 

I agree maybe not a 1st but at the same time what good is a low contract at 4 years if the guy can't play. Our first round defensive picks haven't exactly panned out lately

 

Well I don't know about that Watt and Shazier are pretty good and that are 2 of the last 4 and I am not judging Edmunds yet. I will say this having the attitude of giving our picks away cause we can't draft is #1 dumb and #2 wrong. I hate that so many here feel we have drafted so bad yet go look how many players we drafted are still on our team and then compare that to other teams. Yeah we have had some bad picks but they stand out cause of the many good ones we have.....jmo.

 

Well that's not good I am gonna say we need to stay clear lol

 

I agree that the first rounder would probably be a little steep. No one is saying "give " away picks. At least certainly I'm not....my point is you have to consider more proven talent over a unproven draft pick sometimes. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. It's just a thought and a option I'm not saying we have to sacrifice everything to go get him. He fills a need and if he would cost us a second or third rounder it should at least be considered....that's all. He's not like our typical aging,injured veteran we usually set our sights on. He's played on the big stage and IMO this team should be trying more than ever to win now and with our FA money being as much as its been in a long time. We should be spending it on proven talent. Especially on younger guys with proven NFL ability and upside....

 

......love it...., anyways I agree with what you are saying but draft picks are like gold especially 1st rounders. Yeah we would get a young proven talent but not sure if it is worth a 1st rounder. Any other draft pick I am all in not just for this player but others similar. I just don't like letting our 1st rounder go. I will say this I am starting to wonder if the win now ship hasn't passed us by with all the drama and possibility of losing yet another great talent.

 

tranquill as well. i actually like both these ND lbers. one thing for sure in this draft is the cupboard isn't bare in a position of need for us. well down the draft too. this would be a good year to double dip some positions.

 

I think Mac has been pimping this guy to the Steelers, also the guy from SteelersDepot had Hanks as the Steelers third round pick in his mock draft. He has the size 6'3 235, also a playmaker.

 

With so many guys with good talent available in rounds 2 & 3( Pratt, Tranquill, Lamar, Edwards, Smith & Hanks to name a few) I am really looking at passing on White, Bush and Wilson in round one. I am starting to think more and more S Adderley is our guy. jmo

 

Hmmmm....coming around on Adderly I see . Great minds do think alike. I wouldn't be mad at the pick but I would be surprised because of our draft history of selecting guys from Power 5 conferences. I do love the versatility though and like I was saying a few weeks ago we desperately need a true FS. Adderly could push SD back to SS and bump TE to dime backer once we cut Burnett,Gilbert and Dupree. The money we would have allocated to a safety in FA and the 17 mil. we save with those cuts could help go towards a ILB or OLB (Z.Smith) or even a CB or WR.( both weak IMO) Safeties in FA are dirt cheap anyway so we can bring one in to ease Adderly along and to provide better quality depth at the position. There will be a couple run and hit ILBs still available in the 2nd and I'm sure a CB or two as well. The kid from Kentucky(Johnson) you mentioned could be a prime candidate in the 2nd.

 

Well here is my thinking on Adderly, there was a ton of talk last year about the "dollar" defense that Tomlin likes. Ok so fast forward to the playoffs how did the Chargers keep Jackson in check? They ran the "dollar" defense that involves having 3 safeties. Now with Jackson being the starter and us having to play them twice I can see Adderly our our guy. I think the Johnson kid is gonna fall past the 2nd but it is still early.

 

Agree. As far as Johnson the combine wil make or break him I can see him going anywhere from 2-4