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Draft Process

Discussion in 'Steelers Talk' started by Blast Furnace, Feb 28, 2023.

  1. Blast Furnace

    Blast Furnace Staff Member Mod Team

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    I don’t think it was a smokes screen, I think they really did like Willis but never thought Pickett would still be there.
     
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  2. Blast Furnace

    Blast Furnace Staff Member Mod Team

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    And to be fair, Rivera likely would have been a very good player, the type you can build a defense around which is what Noll was going for.

    There is still no two ways about it though, passing on Marino was a mistake but like you said, he’s probably happy with how it all worked out minus no SB’s. I think probably everyone figured he’d be back for many more, I remember his rookie season, he just absolutely killed it.
     
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  3. Steel_Elvis

    Steel_Elvis Staff Member Mod Team

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    Me too. I even had a puke bucket next to the couch just in case.
     
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  4. JackAttack 5958

    JackAttack 5958 Well-Known Member

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    Señor Sack would have been an awesome player for the Steelers. He was freakishly fast and athletic for a guy over 300 lbs. I remember watching college highlights where he chased RBs down 40 yards downfield. I think the Steelers thinking was that they started one dynasty with a freakishly strong and athletic DT from Texas why not start another. But I do wonder what would have happened had the Steelers drafted Marino. I think two additional Lombardis at a minimum.
     
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  5. JackAttack 5958

    JackAttack 5958 Well-Known Member

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    Do you think Tomlin was prepared to take him in the first round? I kind of think he would have.
     
  6. Blast Furnace

    Blast Furnace Staff Member Mod Team

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    I think so but regardless of who, they had their hearts set on a QB in round one. Whether Willis was the next highest rated on their board I don’t know. But I don’t think they were leaving rd 1 without a QB.

    Everyone outside of Pickett would have needed to sit on the bench for a year and I believe that is why they went and signed Trubisky so fast, they planned on using him as a bridge QB and when Pickett fell to them that plan was moot.

    Willis, Ridder, Howell, all rode the pine until the very end of the season. Corral got injured so don’t know what the plan would have been for him.
     
  7. JackAttack 5958

    JackAttack 5958 Well-Known Member

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    I’m rooting for Willis, seems like a great kid. We all knew that he would be extremely raw, but he looked absolutely lost in the limited playing time he got this season. Not just the ordinary rookie, deer in the headlights lost. He looked like he really shouldn’t even be in the league lost. I’m not ready to write him off yet, but if Tomlin really was so enamored with Willis that he was going to take him in the first round, he’d better thank his lucky stars that Pickett fell in his lap at number 20.
     
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  8. Brice

    Brice Well-Known Member

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  9. jeh1856

    jeh1856 Beer is good

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    Someone posted elsewhere saying we should trade our later picks so we could move up more in the early rounds

    This chart gives a pretty good idea of how little value the later picks are

    You could trade picks 4-7 and possibly still not have enough capital to move up one spot in the first round
     
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  10. AskQuestionsLater

    AskQuestionsLater Writing Team

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    Figured I'd post this.





    Not surprising considering I would imagine this is what Colbert did. However, how the board is made will be much different. Weidl is as throwback of a guy when it comes to team building as one will get.


    Dude loves the trenches. Surprise, surprise, this draft has plenty of appeasing prospects for both lines. Ideally I'd go for the Offensive Line; namely that left side. With any luck, Broderick Jones Jr will be there at 17; something that is becoming less and less likely as each passing day goes by.


    If not Offensive Line?! Grant me and @S.T.D the wish that is the Corner position. Please oh please Draft a CB.
     
    Last edited: Mar 1, 2023
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  11. oldschool

    oldschool Well-Known Member

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    But you could move up higher in the 5th or possibly to the 4th.

    Then zone in on the undrafted crop hard.
     
  12. oldschool

    oldschool Well-Known Member

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    Bill Parcells famously said regarding 1st round talent - You either get your QB, or someone who protects your QB if you have one already or someone gets to the QB.

    That is a SOLID philosophy if I’ve ever heard one. I’m sold on it. ***. But in this modern pass friendly era, it might need to be expanded to a shut down corner too.

    We have Pickett and they (we?) are banking on him being “the guy”.

    Using Parcells perspective -Traditionally in the last 20 years, the Steelers are rarely picking low enough to go after the “protector” roll. At 17 this year we may be just on the edge of getting a franchise LT. Picking a left guard here might be to much of a value loss for who’s available. I don’t think a top edge is needed while we already have our guys and top DT’s will most likely be gone to unless we reach. Same with CB.

    If they don’t have a fav offensive lineman that fits the draft spot on their board, I see them trading down a few spots to STILL get their 1.2 or 1.3 prospect and gaining a day two pick in the trade since we are low on picks.

    But we are almost never in this position so, with the value, they HAVE TO get the guy who protects the QB. We have the guys to get to him already with Watt and Highsmith. I’m not sure the CB’s that will be available are true shut down guys and this team hasn’t been great at picking them anyway. Gotta be O-Line.

    We know how well they pick WR’s in later rounds and I’m sure the scouts have another diamond to key on for day two again.

    1-OL, 2-DB, 2.2-LB, 3-DL 4-WR

    5-7 I don’t care = TE, LB, DL, OL, S, but NOT A QB! Get a scrub QB in the undrafted market.
     
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  13. Formerscribe

    Formerscribe Well-Known Member

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    It wasn't just partying. There were rumors of drug use. Remember, this team had seen Joe Gilliam sabotage himself with drugs in the '70s. That may have been on their minds as well.
     
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  14. Formerscribe

    Formerscribe Well-Known Member

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    He did, then he was even better in his second season. That was the year the Dolphins made it to the Super Bowl with him.
     
  15. Formerscribe

    Formerscribe Well-Known Member

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    This is where I disagree with you. I think they liked Willis, but not in the first round. I think he went about where he belongs, in the third round, because he is so far away from being ready.

    I believe Dulac had it right before the draft, that there was only one quarterback they would take with that first-round pick, but he had the wrong quarterback. It was always Pickett, not Willis. It is just so important to get it right when you take a quarterback in the first round. Pickett has the ability to warrant being taken that high, but also the Steelers had the opportunity to be more sure about him than anybody else. Willis has superior physical tools, but he also has a much higher probability of being a total bust.
     
  16. 86WardsWay

    86WardsWay Well-Known Member

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    Yes. There were heavy rumors of continuous cocaine use. When he was drafted by Miami I thought at the time what a worse place to end up with that type of habit. You really have to hand it to him though cause he straightened right up and you never heard another peep about his partying. I attribute that to his relationship and have to credit his wife with keeping him clean. I felt at the time he would have wasted his life away down there.
     
  17. Vox Ferrum

    Vox Ferrum Well-Known Member

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    Come on Karl, are you telling is that after all these years Omar is not secretly calling Mel Kiper to get his input?
     
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  18. Blast Furnace

    Blast Furnace Staff Member Mod Team

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    I don’t know. Colbert very much wanted to get a QB in place for the team in his last draft, would they have had the patience to wait whether it was Willis or one of the others that they wanted?

    Clearly waiting would have been the right choice but I don’t know if they would have had the resolve to do that.
     
  19. Karl

    Karl Well-Known Member

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    I would imagine they would even call Charles Barkley if he could pick 'em.
     
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  20. Blast Furnace

    Blast Furnace Staff Member Mod Team

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    New era in Pittsburgh. Wonder if they will be more aggressive in FA, too.
     
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  21. defva

    defva Well-Known Member

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    Well, the draft, has officially been shaken up. With both stories coming out of Georgia
     
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  22. thorn058

    thorn058 Well-Known Member

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    According to Art Jr. He was more involved in scouting and football aspect while Dan was more of the day to day operations but that they got their hands into everything so they knew what it took to run the team. I'm sure by the 80's Art Sr. let Noll run things more with a free hand and Dan didn't insert himself into that dynamic.
     
  23. oldschool

    oldschool Well-Known Member

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    It was weed. Most people back then looked at it like it was heroin.
     
  24. Formerscribe

    Formerscribe Well-Known Member

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    I think they all also really wanted Pickens, so yeah, I could see them being smart enough to wait until the third round if Pickett had been gone when they picked in the first.
     
  25. oldschool

    oldschool Well-Known Member

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    Plus you have the built in 5th year with a first rounder to push off. With QB 2nd contracts it was a smart chess move.
     

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