My post-combine mock

1- Ezekiel Ansah OLB BYU
2- Barrett Jones OL Alabama
3- Bacarri Rambo S Georgia
4- Stepfon Taylor RB Stanford
5- Tyrann Mathieu CB LSU
6- Michael Mauti ILB PSU
7- Brandon Kaufman WR EW
I think Ansah makes it to #17 unless New Orleans takes him at #15 or the Cowboys/Giants trade up ahead of us. Jones, Rambo and Taylor have proven that they can compete against premier college programs. Mathieu and Mauti are high-ceiling players with risk. Kaufman 6'4 215 was very productive against lesser talent.
Thoughts?

 

The Steelers will entertain drafting/keeping a player that is contrite and remorseful of their past transgressions. I fully believe that Mathieu is on the Steelers board.

 

OK, so you're not a believer in Mathieu.. Any thoughts on the rest of the mock?

 

Colbert is on record saying he won't shy away from draft picks with character issues because of Rainey. How sincere he is, who knows but Rainey is the only one who bit him in the ass because he's off the team. Moo can still end up contributing (and I think he will actually be pretty good) and Adams is proving to be a very good pick.

The latest on Ta'amu's case is here. His lawyer is working on a plea deal, doesn't go into details on what that plea is: http://www.wpxi.com/news/news/local/lawyer-working-plea-deal-steelers-taamu/nWCts/

I like the mock 58, not sure about the WR though.

 

It's a solid draft. However, I don't know anything about Kaufman and I get concerned with any draft that doesn't include a WR who will see the field Day 1 as on less than our #4 guy - unless your thinking we do grab Breaston or keep Plax - or go somewhere else in free agency.

I personally think that someone will grab Ansah in the top 15. There is a lot of raw talent there, and pass rushers are premium picks who go high.

 

I certainly wouldn't be disappointed if this mock came to fruition. I'm not gaga over Ansah like alot of you around here, but I could live with it. If I was a betting man (and I am), if Barrett Jones is available in Round 2 for us, he will 100% be a Steeler. He is exactly the type of OL guy we LOVE.

Love Rambo in the 3rd. I love the fact this is such a deep Safety class, we could still get a starting calibre player down the road in Round 3. I think Taylor's speed is a legitimate issue but in Round 4, why not. If the Honey Badger is around this late in the draft, I would take him, I do agree though, I don't think the Steelers will. I like Mauti in Round 6, worth a shot.

 

Totally disagree on Rambo. I see a game changing playmaker. A complete FS that has a nose for the ball. A willing tackler with hands like a WR. As for Taylor, I think he's made for our new blocking scheme. Good vision and patience with good cutback ability. You don't need great speed to run the ball behind the zone scheme. Just ask Terell Davis or Arian Foster. That's what makes the draft so interesting though. Nobody know's for sure how a player will pan out.

 

I generally agree, and I'd like to have as many potential trade down deals worked out in advance in case we/they want to trigger, but I wouldn't want to trigger a trade until we know who's available when we go on the clock for pick #17. You never know who may be there.

 

It's definitely possible. There's only 16 teams ahead of us and not all of them are entertaining edge pass rushers. Of the team's that are some will value either Jordan, Werner, Jones, Mingo or Moore higher than Ansah. There will be QB, OL, DT, WR and CB's in the top 16 as well. It's totally plausible to think Ansah may be available.

 

I have a lot more video to watch before I can give a complete list of players that I wouldn't pass on at #17, but I would definitely include Lane Johnson to the list. You don't pass on a franchise left tackle unless you have one (and I have seen nothing to indicate that we do). I had Kenny Vaccaro on that list, but after watching more film I am no longer seeing him as being better than a bunch of other guys that are log-jammed near the bottom or R1/top of R2. I also had Keenan Allen on that list, but I am starting to like a lot of the receivers that are projected in R2 and R3, so while I think Allen is the best, I may like adding an extra pick and taking one of the other guys later. I'm not sure that I would include Ansah. I am warming up to him as 3-4 OLB, but IF he is there at #17 there will probably be at least a couple of 4-3 teams calling us to jump into the 17th spot, and we may be able to parley a trade that is better than the pick value chart. So, I guess my list may be a lot shorter than 17 players, but I can't say for sure now.