kurgan Posted April 21, 2020 Share Posted April 21, 2020 OK... did this last year with the below premise. I will do the same here, and regurgitate it for you all again. So... Colbert comes to me for an interview since he has seen my awesome mocks and tells me that he wants me to be his new right hand drafter. As a part of the interview, he tells me that I have to give him a mock 2020 draft with explanations and moves and what would change the course of the franchise forever. I tell him to gimme a couple of hours, and then come back with some ideas, and some trades and stuff, and he signs off of them. What follows is the document that I gave him with the haul that I got in this draft using the NFL trade chart, TDN's mock draft, Drafttek and all other kinds of sources. I know I reached on a couple of picks, but I wanted to make sure to get the guys that I want on the roster, even if that means reaching a bit. Since we all know this is the Steeler way anyway, Colbert had no issue with this. Info going in: Reading the tea leaves, an offensive playmaker will be our first pick.. we need some juice for the O. After that, we need depth for S, ILB and IOL, and future OT and Edge. We also need either a Hargrave replacement or at least a NG to push McCullers. If avaiable, we need to address TE. Also, Colbert likes to alternate picks, and 1 and 3 were used on D (Minkah and Bush). FO has said that we WILL fix the running game, which tells me that RB and/or OL will be an early selection. We have met with 3-5 round ILB types, late round DBs, mid round Edges, and top RBs. Also random TE/WR guys. When in doubt, I am going to err on the side of high character, P5, underclassmen, SPARQ-y guys that we have some connection to. Note: I used a combination of the TDN Mock Draft Machine and common sense. For most of 100+ I used the MDM, to simulate players being taken. I did the trades on my own, but filled in the trade picks with needs there. 2.49--Trade Down (Detroit wants 49, so we trade 49 and 135 for 67, 85 and 166) Reasoning: As I have learned in mock drafting/FFMD/other sites, 49 is a great place to be. WR is DEEP so we don't have to rush. In almost every scenario, Swift is gone, and 50/50 Taylor. Either way, I have options to slide down. Going on the assumption that offensive playmaker will be first, we don't have to pick here. Now, if a guy that we are in LOVE with slides, he can be the pick, but since I need picks and we have an opportunity here to go down 18 picks, I feel great about the value. Plus, in my mind, we can actually take both a RB and WR since we are picking up an extra pick (85). The bubble for me is going to be at QB #4/#5, and with Detroit having like 14 picks and an aging QB in Matt Stafford, they need to pick up a kid like Love, Eason or Fromm. In addition, there is no way in Hades that Colbert only makes 6 picks. This gives us 7 (right now). Others considered: Jonathan Taylor, Jalen Reagor. These would be the only two that I could see, but with recent revalations that Reagor may have lockerroom concerns and Taylor is not the hoss I am looking for, I am happy to wait on a back AND WR. 3.67--Cam Akers, RB Florida State 5'11" 212 Reasoning: So, consensus states that there are 5 main RB in the top (Taylor, Dobbins, Swift, CEH and Akers) and then a bit of a dropoff to the next tier (Moss, Evans, Benjamin, Gibson). My belief is that one of the backs will be available at 67. In most cases, Taylor and Swift go first, then Dobbins and CEH. There is usually a gap until Akers, and this is what I am counting on. To be honest, I think that Akers fits our system better than any back other than Taylor, and I am not fan of his usage and fumbling. Thanks to the guys in FFMD, I really took another look at Akers, and I like what I see. He is a tough runner, breaks tackles and is decent out of the backfield. He checks all the boxes as well (P5, underclassman, hearts and smarts, OK SPARQ-y) and has some connections to our new RB coach, who recruited him out of high school. Akers does not have to be the bellcow, and can learn behind Connor and be a bit different than Snell. He is already advanced in pass pro and passing concepts, and that will get him on the field earlier here. If/when Connors gets dinged, he is ready to share the load with Snell. Plus, the kid is literally 20 years old. Others considered: I would be OK with CEH, but I think that this is late for him here. If Akers goes, I would take WR here. There should be lots of options on the board here (Hamler, DPJ, Jefferson) that can help us this year. In this scenario, I would kick the RB need down the road, and focus on one of later (Evans, Dillion). 3.85--Lynn Bowden Jr, WR, Kentucky 5'11" 205 Reasoning: With the 'extra' pick I got from Detroit, I am taking another stab at helping the offense. I will admit that we have had no known interaction with this guy, but I love everything about him. First, he checks almost all the boxes (P5, underclassman, SPARQ-y, loves football, local-ish) and the ONLY character concern is punching a VA Tech player before the Belk Bowl last year. Most important, he LOVES the Steelers. He has proclaimed several times that he grew up a Steelers fan in Youngstown, Ohio and he has also stated that he is willing to do whatever it takes to help his team win. Famously, he went from a WR to QB last year, and led Kentucky to a bowl game. Dude is special, and he is a guy that we need on the team. He has a bit of an edge, swagger to him, but do not mistake that for AB type crap, dude has A+ character and has pulled himself up by the bootstraps. I cannot proclaim enough that this kid is a Steelers fan, and the last two players that I wanted real bad that were Steelers fans (Mecole Hardman and Kevin Byard) ended up pretty good football players. Now, as a player, Bowden has warts. He was a blossoming WR before jumping on the grenade and moving to QB. So, he has 'polish' issues. But, he has IMMEDIATE value as a gadget guy (Hines Ward/Antwan Randel-El) but is a long term slot option. He is not a burner, he is a tough SOB that is tough to cover with poor tacklers. He challenges every ball, and his highly competitive. I can see him as a guy that works off of screens from JJSS, EE or Vance and is put in catch and run situations. He is not like DJ at all, he is stockier and not as fast. He is quick and shifty. And he is a punishing, well-built guy that will not go down on first contact. In addition, he brings immediate ST value as a returner, gunner and cover guy on kick teams. Now, I know that some of you might feel this is an overdraft, but this dude's value is all over the place. Gil Brant has him at #44, TDN at #176. In FFMD, the Seahawks took him at 76. I've seen second round grades, 4th and even a 7th. I am fine with the value here at 85, at very LEAST he kicks Switzer off the roster, but in reality he will be much, much more. Others considered: If I would have taken a WR at 67, this would most likely be a RB. Akers would be a stretch, but Evans, Moss and Gibson would be on the table here. If I pulled the trigger on D here, I could see Akeem Davis-Gaither, Logan Wilson or a K'Von Wallace. But, I have a plan for that, and with 1 and 3 being spent on defense (Minkah and Bush), adding a dynamic weapon to the WR makes sense. 3.102--John Simpson, LG Clemson 6'5" 330 Reasoning: I tried... I tried to take someone else here. I almost talked myself into different guys here and it made sense, but I came back to my boy. I can't quit Big John. I know it may be early, but he went in the 3rd in FFMD, so he has fans. Again, I coached him 2 years in high school football, so I am biased. I literally saw him win 2 state championship wrestling tournaments. I was in the stands when he won the state championship in football his junior year (for another school). Anyway, he fits us. He is an old school power guard. He is Ramon Foster. He is a huge man, and accomplished. We have connections (pro day, Senior Bowl). He is a throwback, and I love it. Yes, he is not position flexible. He is a guard. He does not have great lateral agility, but is great climbing to the next level. Let Wiz play until the bye week, and then Big John takes over. Leave Feiler at RT. Or, have him be the swing guard... Others considered: Every IOL, OT and S left on the board. Notable names were Tyler Biadsaz, Ben Bredson, Ben Bartch, Matthew Peart, KVon Wallace, Geno Stone. As much as I wanted to take Wallace, we took him in FFMD, and I think he is amazing. But, I wanted to do something different. IRL, I would take Wallace here and Big John at 124, but I was nervous he was gonna get taken. I wanted him in my last mock, so I took him and told myself that I would fix S/ILB later. RB would have been an option here in D. Evans. 3.124--Brandon Jones, S/Star/$backer 6'0" 205 Reasoning: A guy that does not get enough love/is very impressive. Dude literally showed up with 32 notebooks at the Combine and in his interviews, pulled out the one with the team he was interviewing with and had notes on that team's defense, formations, adjustments and his fit. That is damn impressive. We have connections from our meeting at the Combine, and he has stated that he would like to play here. Schematically, he is an old school rover/SS. His run trigger ability is off the charts, and his competitive toughness is without question. His man coverage needs work, but he can sit in a zone and close and hit. Projection-wise, I see him as a safety option as a backup role, and as a subpackage matchup guy. Let's say we have a 'big nickel' set with 3 Safeties. Jones can sit in a zone and mirror either a deep middle third, or spy a QB like Lamar Jackson. He is slot versitile as well, which gives some options with Hilton/Sutton. He can be a matchup piece, and may be a part of the answer for losing Barron. He can serve to make Edmunds/Minkah more flexible, and also be used over TE/slot WR (in certain situations). Others considered: Edges, IDL, S and LB. Best names were Leki Fotu, Marcus Bailey, Alohi Gilman and Geno Stone. But, I like Jones here and needed to fix depth in the backend. 5.166--Tanner Muse, ILB/ST Clemson 6'2" 230 Reasoning: This is the 5th for the Detroit trade. I know @jebrick will hate this pick, but I have a draft crush on Muse. And, I am not a Clemson fan (although I coach in SC, I am a UGA fan). Muse played in Venables's multiple system and was a matchup player. He sometimes played Star, Nickelbacker, FS and ILB in the playoffs. I like him as a long term conversion prospect to ILB/nickelbacker. He has the size, strength, intangibles, character and mental makeup to make the conversion. We have connections with pro day/combine. Most importantly for me, is his special teams value. 6'2" 230 and runs a 4.4?? Play him on all four special teams. He is a warrior and will cover everything. With losing Dirty Red, Holton and Nix, we need some headhunters to cover kicks and do the dirty work. Danny Smith will love this kid, and then in 2021 we can start to look at him being a factor in defensive snaps. Others considered: Benito Jones and Joe Bachie Jr. Khaleke Hudson as well. Michigan ties and same reasons as Muse. But, again... draft crush. 6.198--John Penisini, NG Utah 6'1" 323 Reasoning: Tank against the run. Old school NG. Just what I want to push Big Dan off the roster. Can play in base and goalline, and come off for subpackages. Is quick to the gap to stop the run and can command the Center as an old school 2 gapper. He has almost no juice as a pass rusher, and should not be considered as such. Makes a nice little package with the DL we have on the roster, and can carve out a niche as our early down and GL plugger. Others considered: Lost out on Benito Jones, Brayvion Roy, Melvin Agim, and one of the Davis boys. So, left between Carlos Davis and Penisini, I went with the guy who I wanted to serve a purpose and with the cooler last name. The only other NG I would have considered was Garrett Marino, but he is like 26. 7.232--Derek Tuszka, EDGE North Dakota State 6'4" 251 Reasoning: Low ceiling, high floor pass rusher that dominated FCS competition. Fills our need as a late developmental edge from a small school. Not elite in any category, he is a decent pass rusher, an sets a good edge vs the run. Will be interesting to see if he can make the jump in comp level. Has the feelings of a Training Camp superstar, and will provide some depth with Ola and Tuzar having to step up this year. Like Bowden, his value is all over the place, I have seen him as high as a 3rd and in top 150s, to being undrafted. If he is taken, there are some other options that make some sense like DJ Wonnum from South Carolina, Trevis Gipson from Tulsa or Joe Gaziano from Northwestern. Others considered: OT/TE/CB prospects. Colton McKivitz, Scott Franz, Joey Magnifico (cool name), Sean McKeon, Dane Jackson, John Reid. Also, punters. But, one will make UDFA. 7.243-- Terrence Steele, OT Texas Tech 6'6" 312 (**--traded Duck Hodges to Tennessee, who wanted a backup with game snaps) Reasoning: I gotcha @jebrick!!! I literally made this trade at the end when I saw Tennessee took Steele, and manufactured a trade for Duck. I think trading Duck is important because as long as he is in Pittsburgh, he will stifle Rudolph's development. He will always be compared to Duck, and fans/coaches will look to him if/when Rudolph struggles. Plus, if we really want to see if Rudolph is playable, we need to "trade high"" on Duck, and he will not get more valuable carrying a clipboard. 7.243 may be the best deal we can ever get for him, and that is fine since he was a UDFA. Anyway, Steele is a decent prospect and needs a lot of work. Not a physical freak like Taylor or Heck, Steele is raw and worked in a pass first offense. He might be an interior convert, but is another bite at the Tackle apple, so to speak. Much like Derwin Grey last year, he needs a redshirt year, the buffet table, the weight room and a devoted coach. Not a bad tradeoff for a #3 QB. Others considered: Since I made this trade up, not really. Plus, no one needs a QB but a few teams, and they did not have players I wanted to 'trade." If I really had this pick, I would have taken a punter (Mann and Turk got taken--Atlanta and Baltimore). UDFA's (very important this year) Joseph Charlton, P South Carolina 6'5" 195 (NEED a punter, and he is best of the bunch that was left) Bryce Perkins, QB UVA 6'3" 215 (New #3 QB, can reside on the PS, and be Lamar Jackson during Baltimore weeks) Marquez Callaway, WR Tennessee 6'2" 190 (Word is scouts came to scout Jennings, but fell in love with Callaway. Not a fast guy, but heavy traffic guy who can convert first downs) Steven Gonzalez, OG Penn State 6'4" 341 (Dancing bear that can push some of the XFL guys and maybe get a PS spot. Huge human being) Gage Cervenka, C Clemson 6'3" 325 (Huge pivot man that can be a camp body. Another in the Clemson line.) Lavert Hill, CB Michigan 5'11" 182 (Have to get a Michigan kid or two on here, an overlooked corner that can make some noise in camp and push Alex Myers) Josh Metellus, FS Michigan 5'11" 210 (Played as FS in Michigan's defense. Not really quick enough to play a true FS, but can maybe push Marcus Allen/Dangerfield) Tae Crowder, ILB Georgia 6'3" 235 (Gotta get a couple of my boys on here. Great story, kid went from a ST player to starter and second leading tackler at UGA. Able and willing ST player, great kid, and is good at covering backs and TE's.) Michael Bennett, NG Georgia 6'2" 305 (Tough, stout kid that I coached against when he was in HS. Flipped from DL to OL and back, and played well as an anchor player in a 3-4. Can be used as a camp body and possible Henry Mondeaux comp) Bronson Rechsteiner, FB/RB Kennesaw State 5'10" 225 (I am going to mock this into existence. I will post the same thing I posted before: One of my fave prospects… I just want him to be a Steeler. Ok, 5’10” 223, 4.48 40 (same as Swift), 35 on the bench (6 more than any other back at the Combine, #3 OVERALL), been working out with Clemson players before his pro day (yep, Kennesaw State made it on 3/11). Triple Option FB, LOVES BLOCKING. Ok, best part. Dad is Rick Steiner, former WCW superstar. That means his uncle is Big Poppa Pump, Scott Steiner. Special teams captain/beast in the making, and short yardage master. I mean, we took a chance with Jonathan Dwyer, who was a Triple Option FB, so why not?? Plus, what a great story. Wrap up: OK, so I won't go into the roster since we are short on time, and I want you all's feedback. The draft really snuck up on me this year, not being in school, but I think I did a good job. Got two pieces for the offense for this year and on forward, got a subpackage guy, 2 future OL, Big Dan's replacement, a prospect Edge and a special teams monster. I also think I did well with UDFA's getting guys that can come in and compete and maybe take PS spots. Akers makes Connors replaceable whenever he goes down or leaves town (2021), Bowden is a different WR than we have right now, and can do some things on offense and ST, Simpson is a monster LG that will develop into a starter either in 2021 or after the bye week. Jones can serve as a backup safety and scheme specific subpackage player that gives us real depth beside Allen/Dangerfield, Muse can serve as TJ Watt's running buddy on all 4 special teams and be a long term option if UG3 does not work out. Penisini saves us money by pushing Big Dan to the street, Tuszka can develop on the 55 or PS as an option behind Ola/Tuzar and Steele can redshirt and be in the mix in 2021 when we are short on contracted Tackles. On the PS, Charlton will have every opportunity to beat Berry, Perkins can compete with JT Barrett for the camp QB, Cervenka and Gonzales can beat out the XFL bodies we signed earlier this week, Crowder and Bennett can flash and stay around, and Hill and Metellus have shots to make the roster by beating out incumbents. Rechsteiner is a pipedream for me, but he can play a bit and with expanded rosters, who knows. EDIT: Just noticed I went O, O, O, D, D, D, D, O. That was NOT intentional. OK... comments, criticisms, thoughts... everything. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigben07MVP Posted April 21, 2020 Share Posted April 21, 2020 Good work. Trading down and landing Akers, didn’t see that one coming! Akers, Bowden, Simpson, Jones would be a really nice haul and could all contribute year 1. Muse at the very least will be a stud STer (although I prefer Hudson). I probably prefer DPJ to Bowden but he is a fun player and I would welcome another gadget guy that we haven’t really had since Ward/Randle El left. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cbrunn Posted April 21, 2020 Share Posted April 21, 2020 Yeah can't go wrong with this one I'm a big fan of Akers and Bowden just fits his toughness and ST ability I know a lot of guys like Muse and they interviewed him, I'm just not that sold on needing to take him, especially after the Brandon Jones pick ...we have a few guys to play the Rover SS / Nickel LB role (you can argue they're inexperienced)...but we have nobody who plays over the top like Minkah does. Not 1 backup to play that position Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jebrick Posted April 21, 2020 Share Posted April 21, 2020 (edited) I try not to draft ST players in the 5th round :-) Derrek Tuszka is a perfect gamble for a late round pick. Edited April 21, 2020 by jebrick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurgan Posted April 21, 2020 Author Share Posted April 21, 2020 2 hours ago, Cbrunn said: I know a lot of guys like Muse and they interviewed him, I'm just not that sold on needing to take him, especially after the Brandon Jones pick ...we have a few guys to play the Rover SS / Nickel LB role (you can argue they're inexperienced)...but we have nobody who plays over the top like Minkah does. Not 1 backup to play that position We lost two ILBs this year... Barron and Dirty Red. Jones HELPS ease the loss of Barron, and Muse sort of replaces Dirty Red. Muse, to me, has more upside than Dirty Red to be able to play defense, and Jones allows us to cover some of the aspects that Barron did. I agree about the Minkah issue, there just is no one. Ashtyn Davis is the closest, but does not fit our mold at all. 1 hour ago, jebrick said: I try not to draft ST players in the 5th round :-) Derrek Tuszka is a perfect gamble for a late round pick. High upside ST/potential ILB in 2021... lol Thought you would like him and Steele. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steeler Hitman Posted April 21, 2020 Share Posted April 21, 2020 15 13 hours ago, kurgan said: 2.49--Trade Down (Detroit wants 49, so we trade 49 and 135 for 67, 85 and 166) Reasoning: As I have learned in mock drafting/FFMD/other sites, 49 is a great place to be. WR is DEEP so we don't have to rush. In almost every scenario, Swift is gone, and 50/50 Taylor. Either way, I have options to slide down. Going on the assumption that offensive playmaker will be first, we don't have to pick here. Now, if a guy that we are in LOVE with slides, he can be the pick, but since I need picks and we have an opportunity here to go down 18 picks, I feel great about the value. Plus, in my mind, we can actually take both a RB and WR since we are picking up an extra pick (85). The bubble for me is going to be at QB #4/#5, and with Detroit having like 14 picks and an aging QB in Matt Stafford, they need to pick up a kid like Love, Eason or Fromm. In addition, there is no way in Hades that Colbert only makes 6 picks. This gives us 7 (right now). Others considered: Jonathan Taylor, Jalen Reagor. These would be the only two that I could see, but with recent revelations that Reagor may have lockerroom concerns and Taylor is not the hoss I am looking for, I am happy to wait on a back AND WR. I like the option of trading down for more picks. I was pleased with getting two picks in the top 100. You get a better chance to add players who can make a quicker impact. My only con is if you really love a guy at 49 that you can't get at 67. Waiting 67 picks to grab a player is letting a top fifty play go most likely. Pro's and cons to both, but we got an extra pick at 85 for losing 49. 3.67--Cam Akers, RB Florida State 5'11" 212 Reasoning: So, consensus states that there are 5 main RB in the top (Taylor, Dobbins, Swift, CEH and Akers) and then a bit of a dropoff to the next tier (Moss, Evans, Benjamin, Gibson). My belief is that one of the backs will be available at 67. In most cases, Taylor and Swift go first, then Dobbins and CEH. There is usually a gap until Akers, and this is what I am counting on. To be honest, I think that Akers fits our system better than any back other than Taylor, and I am not fan of his usage and fumbling. Thanks to the guys in FFMD, I really took another look at Akers, and I like what I see. He is a tough runner, breaks tackles and is decent out of the backfield. He checks all the boxes as well (P5, underclassman, hearts and smarts, OK SPARQ-y) and has some connections to our new RB coach, who recruited him out of high school. Akers does not have to be the bellcow, and can learn behind Connor and be a bit different than Snell. He is already advanced in pass pro and passing concepts, and that will get him on the field earlier here. If/when Connors gets dinged, he is ready to share the load with Snell. Plus, the kid is literally 20 years old. Others considered: I would be OK with CEH, but I think that this is late for him here. If Akers goes, I would take WR here. There should be lots of options on the board here (Hamler, DPJ, Jefferson) that can help us this year. In this scenario, I would kick the RB need down the road, and focus on one of later (Evans, Dillion). I like the difference of style that Aikers brings from any other back than K. Whyte (who I would like to see more of as well). I like Dillon from BC as well, but he is similar in style to what we have. He would not be a bad one-two combo with Connor. 3.85--Lynn Bowden Jr, WR, Kentucky 5'11" 205 There are a ton of guys to pick from at the WR position. It all depends on who you like, how much of a priority and where they fall. I like the group that is here, but we could use that big Plaxico type or a speedster. I like Michael Pittman and think he will be an outstanding pro. He would be nice to pair with Ju Ju and have Johnson and Washington in the slots. I also think Cain can be a speedster as well. No complaint with your pick. 3.102--John Simpson, LG Clemson 6'5" 330 Reasoning: I tried... I tried to take someone else here. I almost talked myself into different guys here and it made sense, but I came back to my boy. I can't quit Big John. I know it may be early, but he went in the 3rd in FFMD, so he has fans. Again, I coached him 2 years in high school football, so I am biased. I literally saw him win 2 state championship wrestling tournaments. I was in the stands when he won the state championship in football his junior year (for another school). Anyway, he fits us. He is an old school power guard. He is Ramon Foster. He is a huge man, and accomplished. We have connections (pro day, Senior Bowl). He is a throwback, and I love it. Yes, he is not position flexible. He is a guard. He does not have great lateral agility, but is great climbing to the next level. Let Wiz play until the bye week, and then Big John takes over. Leave Feiler at RT. Or, have him be the swing guard... Others considered: Every IOL, OT and S left on the board. Notable names were Tyler Biadsaz, Ben Bredson, Ben Bartch, Matthew Peart, KVon Wallace, Geno Stone. As much as I wanted to take Wallace, we took him in FFMD, and I think he is amazing. But, I wanted to do something different. IRL, I would take Wallace here and Big John at 124, but I was nervous he was gonna get taken. I wanted him in my last mock, so I took him and told myself that I would fix S/ILB later. RB would have been an option here in D. Evans. Not a bad pick. I am a Tyler Biadsaz guy so I am a bit partial and think he would be a nice heir apparent at C for Pouncey and follow the long great line of Steelers C. Cushenbury wouldn't be bad either, but these guys will most likely go well before 102. I may have gone safety here depending on who was there. 17 13 hours ago, kurgan said: 3.124--Brandon Jones, S/Star/$backer 6'0" 205 Reasoning: A guy that does not get enough love/is very impressive. Dude literally showed up with 32 notebooks at the Combine and in his interviews, pulled out the one with the team he was interviewing with and had notes on that team's defense, formations, adjustments and his fit. That is damn impressive. We have connections from our meeting at the Combine, and he has stated that he would like to play here. Schematically, he is an old school rover/SS. His run trigger ability is off the charts, and his competitive toughness is without question. His man coverage needs work, but he can sit in a zone and close and hit. Projection-wise, I see him as a safety option as a backup role, and as a subpackage matchup guy. Let's say we have a 'big nickel' set with 3 Safeties. Jones can sit in a zone and mirror either a deep middle third, or spy a QB like Lamar Jackson. He is slot versatile as well, which gives some options with Hilton/Sutton. He can be a matchup piece, and may be a part of the answer for losing Barron. He can serve to make Edmunds/Minkah more flexible, and also be used over TE/slot WR (in certain situations). Others considered: Edges, IDL, S and LB. Best names were Leki Fotu, Marcus Bailey, Alohi Gilman and Geno Stone. But, I like Jones here and needed to fix depth in the backend. Like the pick, but probably a bigger priority for me and would've liked someone with a little more size or more of a FS and I would put Edmunds in that ($backer) role. to replace Marc Barron. If Leiko was there, I am putting some beef on the DL to help stop the rushing attack in late December, January, and February. 5.166--Tanner Muse, ILB/ST Clemson 6'2" 230 Reasoning: This is the 5th for the Detroit trade. I know @jebrick will hate this pick, but I have a draft crush on Muse. And, I am not a Clemson fan (although I coach in SC, I am a UGA fan). Muse played in Venables's multiple system and was a matchup player. He sometimes played Star, Nickelbacker, FS and ILB in the playoffs. I like him as a long term conversion prospect to ILB/nickelbacker. He has the size, strength, intangibles, character and mental makeup to make the conversion. We have connections with pro day/combine. Most importantly for me, is his special teams value. 6'2" 230 and runs a 4.4?? Play him on all four special teams. He is a warrior and will cover everything. With losing Dirty Red, Holton and Nix, we need some headhunters to cover kicks and do the dirty work. Danny Smith will love this kid, and then in 2021 we can start to look at him being a factor in defensive snaps. Others considered: Benito Jones and Joe Bachie Jr. Khaleke Hudson as well. Michigan ties and same reasons as Muse. But, again... draft crush. Not a fan of the pick especially after the previous one Jones. Hard not to like Muse and the team lost Dirty Red, but I like Spillane and Grant already. 6.198--John Penisini, NG Utah 6'1" 323 Reasoning: Tank against the run. Old school NG. Just what I want to push Big Dan off the roster. Can play in base and goalline, and come off for subpackages. Is quick to the gap to stop the run and can command the Center as an old school 2 gapper. He has almost no juice as a pass rusher, and should not be considered as such. Makes a nice little package with the DL we have on the roster, and can carve out a niche as our early down and GL plugger. Others considered: Lost out on Benito Jones, Brayvion Roy, Melvin Agim, and one of the Davis boys. So, left between Carlos Davis and Penisini, I went with the guy who I wanted to serve a purpose and with the cooler last name. The only other NG I would have considered was Garrett Marino, but he is like 26. You are hitting all of the needs. If I followed your mock and made the same adjustments that I mentioned, I may have gone Edge or hit safety again. 9 13 hours ago, kurgan said: 7.232--Derek Tuszka, EDGE North Dakota State 6'4" 251 Reasoning: Low ceiling, high floor pass rusher that dominated FCS competition. Fills our need as a late developmental edge from a small school. Not elite in any category, he is a decent pass rusher, an sets a good edge vs the run. Will be interesting to see if he can make the jump in comp level. Has the feelings of a Training Camp superstar, and will provide some depth with Ola and Tuzar having to step up this year. Like Bowden, his value is all over the place, I have seen him as high as a 3rd and in top 150s, to being undrafted. If he is taken, there are some other options that make some sense like DJ Wonnum from South Carolina, Trevis Gipson from Tulsa or Joe Gaziano from Northwestern. Others considered: OT/TE/CB prospects. Colton McKivitz, Scott Franz, Joey Magnifico (cool name), Sean McKeon, Dane Jackson, John Reid. Also, punters. But, one will make UDFA. 7.243-- Terrence Steele, OT Texas Tech 6'6" 312 (**--traded Duck Hodges to Tennessee, who wanted a backup with game snaps) Reasoning: I gotcha @jebrick!!! I literally made this trade at the end when I saw Tennessee took Steele, and manufactured a trade for Duck. I think trading Duck is important because as long as he is in Pittsburgh, he will stifle Rudolph's development. He will always be compared to Duck, and fans/coaches will look to him if/when Rudolph struggles. Plus, if we really want to see if Rudolph is playable, we need to "trade high"" on Duck, and he will not get more valuable carrying a clipboard. 7.243 may be the best deal we can ever get for him, and that is fine since he was a UDFA. Anyway, Steele is a decent prospect and needs a lot of work. Not a physical freak like Taylor or Heck, Steele is raw and worked in a pass first offense. He might be an interior convert, but is another bite at the Tackle apple, so to speak. Much like Derwin Grey last year, he needs a redshirt year, the buffet table, the weight room and a devoted coach. Not a bad tradeoff for a #3 QB. Others considered: Since I made this trade up, not really. Plus, no one needs a QB but a few teams, and they did not have players I wanted to 'trade." If I really had this pick, I would have taken a punter (Mann and Turk got taken--Atlanta and Baltimore). I hate this as I am a Duck Hodges fan and want to see him compete. I like Paxton, but I would let them dual it out. With the expanded PS rules, I believe that both would be eligible now (the one who loses out). If Duck stifles Mason, then Mason is not the guy that we would need at QB. I thought that Mason was a better round one prospect than Edmunds was when they were drafted. Both Mason and Duck were thrown into the fire way too soon. I am drafting the best punter available with this pick. 13 hours ago, kurgan said: UDFA's (very important this year) Joseph Charlton, P South Carolina 6'5" 195 (NEED a punter, and he is best of the bunch that was left) Bryce Perkins, QB UVA 6'3" 215 (New #3 QB, can reside on the PS, and be Lamar Jackson during Baltimore weeks) Marquez Callaway, WR Tennessee 6'2" 190 (Word is scouts came to scout Jennings, but fell in love with Callaway. Not a fast guy, but heavy traffic guy who can convert first downs) Steven Gonzalez, OG Penn State 6'4" 341 (Dancing bear that can push some of the XFL guys and maybe get a PS spot. Huge human being) Gage Cervenka, C Clemson 6'3" 325 (Huge pivot man that can be a camp body. Another in the Clemson line.) Lavert Hill, CB Michigan 5'11" 182 (Have to get a Michigan kid or two on here, an overlooked corner that can make some noise in camp and push Alex Myers) Josh Metellus, FS Michigan 5'11" 210 (Played as FS in Michigan's defense. Not really quick enough to play a true FS, but can maybe push Marcus Allen/Dangerfield) Tae Crowder, ILB Georgia 6'3" 235 (Gotta get a couple of my boys on here. Great story, kid went from a ST player to starter and second leading tackler at UGA. Able and willing ST player, great kid, and is good at covering backs and TE's.) Michael Bennett, NG Georgia 6'2" 305 (Tough, stout kid that I coached against when he was in HS. Flipped from DL to OL and back, and played well as an anchor player in a 3-4. Can be used as a camp body and possible Henry Mondeaux comp) Bronson Rechsteiner, FB/RB Kennesaw State 5'10" 225 (I am going to mock this into existence. I will post the same thing I posted before: One of my fave prospects… I just want him to be a Steeler. Ok, 5’10” 223, 4.48 40 (same as Swift), 35 on the bench (6 more than any other back at the Combine, #3 OVERALL), been working out with Clemson players before his pro day (yep, Kennesaw State made it on 3/11). Triple Option FB, LOVES BLOCKING. Ok, best part. Dad is Rick Steiner, former WCW superstar. That means his uncle is Big Poppa Pump, Scott Steiner. Special teams captain/beast in the making, and short yardage master. I mean, we took a chance with Jonathan Dwyer, who was a Triple Option FB, so why not?? Plus, what a great story. Wrap up: OK, so I won't go into the roster since we are short on time, and I want you all's feedback. The draft really snuck up on me this year, not being in school, but I think I did a good job. Got two pieces for the offense for this year and on forward, got a subpackage guy, 2 future OL, Big Dan's replacement, a prospect Edge and a special teams monster. I also think I did well with UDFA's getting guys that can come in and compete and maybe take PS spots. Akers makes Connors replaceable whenever he goes down or leaves town (2021), Bowden is a different WR than we have right now, and can do some things on offense and ST, Simpson is a monster LG that will develop into a starter either in 2021 or after the bye week. Jones can serve as a backup safety and scheme specific subpackage player that gives us real depth beside Allen/Dangerfield, Muse can serve as TJ Watt's running buddy on all 4 special teams and be a long term option if UG3 does not work out. Penisini saves us money by pushing Big Dan to the street, Tuszka can develop on the 55 or PS as an option behind Ola/Tuzar and Steele can redshirt and be in the mix in 2021 when we are short on contracted Tackles. On the PS, Charlton will have every opportunity to beat Berry, Perkins can compete with JT Barrett for the camp QB, Cervenka and Gonzales can beat out the XFL bodies we signed earlier this week, Crowder and Bennett can flash and stay around, and Hill and Metellus have shots to make the roster by beating out incumbents. Rechsteiner is a pipedream for me, but he can play a bit and with expanded rosters, who knows. EDIT: Just noticed I went O, O, O, D, D, D, D, O. That was NOT intentional. OK... comments, criticisms, thoughts... everything. Solid draft with hitting the boxes and adding another top 100 pick. Trades are hard to predict, but the QB scenario seems very real. Not a fan of the extra seventh rounder unless we can net a punter with it (although I might take the best guy in round six). i grade this a very solid B to B+. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurgan Posted April 21, 2020 Author Share Posted April 21, 2020 3 hours ago, Steeler Hitman said: Not a bad pick. I am a Tyler Biadsaz guy so I am a bit partial and think he would be a nice heir apparent at C for Pouncey and follow the long great line of Steelers C. Cushenbury wouldn't be bad either, but these guys will most likely go well before 102. I may have gone safety here depending on who was there. You are hitting all of the needs. If I followed your mock and made the same adjustments that I mentioned, I may have gone Edge or hit safety again. I hate this as I am a Duck Hodges fan and want to see him compete. I like Paxton, but I would let them dual it out. With the expanded PS rules, I believe that both would be eligible now (the one who loses out). If Duck stifles Mason, then Mason is not the guy that we would need at QB. I thought that Mason was a better round one prospect than Edmunds was when they were drafted. Both Mason and Duck were thrown into the fire way too soon. I am drafting the best punter available with this pick. Solid draft with hitting the boxes and adding another top 100 pick. Trades are hard to predict, but the QB scenario seems very real. Not a fan of the extra seventh rounder unless we can net a punter with it (although I might take the best guy in round six). i grade this a very solid B to B+. Thanks for your notes... I appreciate your thoughts. I could have went Wallace at 102, Fotu at 124, and then best IOL at 166. I see your notes about Hodges... with Ben, Rudolph, Lynch, Barrett and a UDFA (Bryce Perkins in this case) Duck seems a bit extra, and if I can flip him for anything at this point, I would take it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chieferific Posted April 22, 2020 Share Posted April 22, 2020 Quite the haul! This would make for a happy happy day. I personally think Akers is the best RB in this draft but I know that isn't a popular opinion (even with Pro Scouts). I'd prefer other WRs. One that can stretch the field but the pickins were prolly slim at #85 and Bowden certainly adds a dimension not currently on the roster. Simpson is the right kinda of OG for the Burgh. I like Kindley more but I understand your connection to him and he certainly is no slouch. Brandon Jones seems under rated. He may go earlier then people think. He'd be a nice addition and can open up some new scheming possibilities. You and I have always been on the same page with Muse. No need to go into it further. Sucks you missed out on Benito. He would be the giant fat cherry on top. But Penisini fills the same void (just not as well ). The 7th rdrs are fine and may be able to contribute sometime down the line (like most 7th rdrs.) I'd be very pleased with this draft. Well done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurgan Posted April 22, 2020 Author Share Posted April 22, 2020 2 hours ago, Chieferific said: Quite the haul! This would make for a happy happy day. I personally think Akers is the best RB in this draft but I know that isn't a popular opinion (even with Pro Scouts). I'd prefer other WRs. One that can stretch the field but the pickins were prolly slim at #85 and Bowden certainly adds a dimension not currently on the roster. Simpson is the right kinda of OG for the Burgh. I like Kindley more but I understand your connection to him and he certainly is no slouch. Brandon Jones seems under rated. He may go earlier then people think. He'd be a nice addition and can open up some new scheming possibilities. You and I have always been on the same page with Muse. No need to go into it further. Sucks you missed out on Benito. He would be the giant fat cherry on top. But Penisini fills the same void (just not as well ). The 7th rdrs are fine and may be able to contribute sometime down the line (like most 7th rdrs.) I'd be very pleased with this draft. Well done. Yea... I was kinda stuck between wanting to take who I wanted and who I thought the Steelers like. Akers was easy, and Bowden was a me pick. I get that we like either jump ball guys or speed guys. I could really see other WR in that spot or later (DPJ, Duvernay, AGG, Jefferson) but I wanted to take Bowden. He is just too good of a fit, and I love the kid. Same with Big John, although I would be ecstatic with Kindley as well. Jones was similar to Wallace for me, a big boxier and heavier, but same idealogical fit. I could have easily went Akers, DPJ, Wallace, Kindley... but that would have been the FFMD, and we already went down that road. In an alternate universe where I go WR at 67 (Say Hamler) and Wallace at 85 for the 2 biggest needs, I would probably take Evans or Dillion at 102/124 and take Simpson/Kindley at the other. The rest would stay the same. Or I could have went Edge at 102, and taken a late flier on a depth RB at 232 (Sewo, Rico Dowdle or Deejay Dallas). Conversly, I could have went Jones/Roy at 166 and tried to hope that Muse/Walker/Hudson would be there at 198. I am probably more down on Edge than other spots since I think Bud gets done long term and there are Vet options available after the draft. I think Ola and Tuzar step up as well. So many directions, so many guys I am excited about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chieferific Posted April 22, 2020 Share Posted April 22, 2020 Here's what I THINK the Steelers do (don't shoot the messenger)... #49: Lloyd Cushenberry OG/OC: Foster is gone and Pouncey is set to retire soon. Cush battles with Wiz and eventually takes over LG before ultimately settling in at OC when Pouncey retires. #102: Darryngton Evans RB: I believe they resign hometown hero Connor to a reasonable deal and add some explosiveness to the RBBC. They've been trying to draft a guy like this for some time. #124: Reggie Robinson CB: They've visited with 4 CBs. That's the most of any position group. They're gonna draft a CB. Robinson does well in Zone and Press Man (they seem to love PM CBs but never use it). Classic Steeler move to draft a smaller school CB and let him sit and learn. Good player too. #135: Joe Reed WR: My counter to @kurgan's gadget guy. They want a take the top off guy. He's it. Speed down the sideline along with the ability to lineup all over the field (including the backfield). That has Steeler gadget guy written all over him. #198: Tanner Muse: Can we all just agree he's gonna be wearing Black and Gold. They took him to dinner for crying out loud. #232: Colton McKivitz OT: I don't really like the pick but it's a 7th Rdr and they've shown interest in him. Developmental depth. Points to ponder: -No Edge taken. I think they are happy with Skipper and Ola and plan to break the bank with Dupree. Not saying I like it. I just see it coming. -No true replacement for Baron: ILBBC. I think they go with a mixture of VW/UG3/Edmunds/Muse to pick up that 60% we keep talking about. -No real Safety depth. Muse doesn't really count here imo. -Why CB instead of any position above? Did they forget about Layne? Don't know. But there is a reason they visited 4 CBs most of which are ranked in the top 100. Conspiracy Theory: All the interest in Muse and taking him to dinner was in fact done in an effort to pick his brain about teammate K'Von Wallace. Mind blown. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steeler Hitman Posted April 22, 2020 Share Posted April 22, 2020 13 hours ago, kurgan said: Thanks for your notes... I appreciate your thoughts. I could have went Wallace at 102, Fotu at 124, and then best IOL at 166. I see your notes about Hodges... with Ben, Rudolph, Lynch, Barrett and a UDFA (Bryce Perkins in this case) Duck seems a bit extra, and if I can flip him for anything at this point, I would take it. I can't disagree with your thinking there. It makes sense. I don't see Barrett as more than a camp prospect that hopefully can make someone's PS and develop. The bell is beginning to sound for Paxton Lynch. It is now or never for him in my opinion. Mason will be given more time to develop and he should. I think that Duck showed enough to be given a chance to compete. I see potential in Duck that just needs some time to marinate so to speak and develop. I am not one who will typically move on from developing players. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurgan Posted April 22, 2020 Author Share Posted April 22, 2020 7 hours ago, Chieferific said: Here's what I THINK the Steelers do (don't shoot the messenger)... #49: Lloyd Cushenberry OG/OC: Foster is gone and Pouncey is set to retire soon. Cush battles with Wiz and eventually takes over LG before ultimately settling in at OC when Pouncey retires. #102: Darryngton Evans RB: I believe they resign hometown hero Connor to a reasonable deal and add some explosiveness to the RBBC. They've been trying to draft a guy like this for some time. #124: Reggie Robinson CB: They've visited with 4 CBs. That's the most of any position group. They're gonna draft a CB. Robinson does well in Zone and Press Man (they seem to love PM CBs but never use it). Classic Steeler move to draft a smaller school CB and let him sit and learn. Good player too. #135: Joe Reed WR: My counter to @kurgan's gadget guy. They want a take the top off guy. He's it. Speed down the sideline along with the ability to lineup all over the field (including the backfield). That has Steeler gadget guy written all over him. #198: Tanner Muse: Can we all just agree he's gonna be wearing Black and Gold. They took him to dinner for crying out loud. #232: Colton McKivitz OT: I don't really like the pick but it's a 7th Rdr and they've shown interest in him. Developmental depth. Points to ponder: -No Edge taken. I think they are happy with Skipper and Ola and plan to break the bank with Dupree. Not saying I like it. I just see it coming. -No true replacement for Baron: ILBBC. I think they go with a mixture of VW/UG3/Edmunds/Muse to pick up that 60% we keep talking about. -No real Safety depth. Muse doesn't really count here imo. -Why CB instead of any position above? Did they forget about Layne? Don't know. But there is a reason they visited 4 CBs most of which are ranked in the top 100. Conspiracy Theory: All the interest in Muse and taking him to dinner was in fact done in an effort to pick his brain about teammate K'Von Wallace. Mind blown. Its a different vibe, but I could dance with it. Def not a type of draft that helps us this year. This is focus on 2021+ Cush is a future cornerstone and I would love him here, just doesn't fit our SB window. Evans is a great player, and someone that I would take if we missed on the big 5. Not sold on the CB, but I see your logic. This would actually make ALOT of sense if we get back to work and we see Cam Sutton at S (or someone else full time--Layne?). That would actually solve the issue of S depth and allow us to take a CB. I love Joe Reed, and had him in my last draft. I think he is woefully underrated, and would be the speed guy that we are missing. Muse is a good get, and McKivitz was a guy that I could see us taking as a project tackle. As for your points... the edge thing is strange b/c Colbert said it was a deep class. Maybe framing a UDFA?? I also do not like the ILB situation but I could see maybe a FA added. The DB situation makes sense if we are looking to transition someone to S full time. Maybe a Sutton or Layne?? TBH, there is a bit of mystery around the Muse dinner. Who else was there? Wallace, Simpson, Higgins, Terrell?? We know Muse was there and we have interest, but there had to be other dudes there. Like I was saying in FFMD, having Wallace and Muse would be pretty amazing. Brent Venables is an amazing DC and he plays a very multiple system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurgan Posted April 22, 2020 Author Share Posted April 22, 2020 4 hours ago, Steeler Hitman said: I can't disagree with your thinking there. It makes sense. I don't see Barrett as more than a camp prospect that hopefully can make someone's PS and develop. The bell is beginning to sound for Paxton Lynch. It is now or never for him in my opinion. Mason will be given more time to develop and he should. I think that Duck showed enough to be given a chance to compete. I see potential in Duck that just needs some time to marinate so to speak and develop. I am not one who will typically move on from developing players. Yea, Barrett is keeping the seat warm until we get a UDFA that can simulate Lamar. I don't think that Lynch is anything other than a decent #3 that can operate an offense and not look like an idiot. We would have to assume that if he were any good, he would have taken snaps last year late in the season. Although, to be fair, he wasn't added until week 8 or something, so he would have had to digest a whole playbook immediately. He might be better after an offseason. I think the writing is on the wall, and all advantages will be given to Rudolph. I am not against competition, but with Lynch and Rudolph with Ben coming back, I just don't see a path for him to play. In a vacuum, I would wait until training camp to see how it plays out and trade the loser (if Duck beats out Rudolph, for example) however, with our lack of draft picks and with Ben's return, I am not sure his value will ever be higher. But, maybe he comes in and makes some noise... I wouldn't be mad either way. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chieferific Posted April 22, 2020 Share Posted April 22, 2020 3 hours ago, kurgan said: Its a different vibe, but I could dance with it. Def not a type of draft that helps us this year. This is focus on 2021+ Cush is a future cornerstone and I would love him here, just doesn't fit our SB window. Evans is a great player, and someone that I would take if we missed on the big 5. Not sold on the CB, but I see your logic. This would actually make ALOT of sense if we get back to work and we see Cam Sutton at S (or someone else full time--Layne?). That would actually solve the issue of S depth and allow us to take a CB. I love Joe Reed, and had him in my last draft. I think he is woefully underrated, and would be the speed guy that we are missing. Muse is a good get, and McKivitz was a guy that I could see us taking as a project tackle. As for your points... the edge thing is strange b/c Colbert said it was a deep class. Maybe framing a UDFA?? I also do not like the ILB situation but I could see maybe a FA added. The DB situation makes sense if we are looking to transition someone to S full time. Maybe a Sutton or Layne?? TBH, there is a bit of mystery around the Muse dinner. Who else was there? Wallace, Simpson, Higgins, Terrell?? We know Muse was there and we have interest, but there had to be other dudes there. Like I was saying in FFMD, having Wallace and Muse would be pretty amazing. Brent Venables is an amazing DC and he plays a very multiple system. Bear in mind this isn't what I would do. My draft would include Akers, Kindley, Benito...etc. I'm predicting what they do. And as usual there are picks that leave me scratching my head. I actually almost picked Dye @49. How much would that have irritated you? He does pair well with Bush but I don't think they go that way. You don't think they had dinner with just Muse? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurgan Posted April 22, 2020 Author Share Posted April 22, 2020 4 hours ago, Chieferific said: Bear in mind this isn't what I would do. My draft would include Akers, Kindley, Benito...etc. I'm predicting what they do. And as usual there are picks that leave me scratching my head. I actually almost picked Dye @49. How much would that have irritated you? He does pair well with Bush but I don't think they go that way. You don't think they had dinner with just Muse? I get ya. I really think that its Taylor or Pittman at 49. Just makes too much sense. Colbert is gonna go offense. Taylor and Pittman are both Tombert type picks. I just can't see us going defense unless there is a DDC type fall of someone HUGE. But, I'm talking Winfield, Baun, Gross-Matos, Epanesa or even AJ Terrell. I like Dye. He actually could profile to a nickelbacker/Barron role. He does not fit our hearts and smarts mold, but he wouldn't bother me. He would at 49, but not necessarily at 102. It would eliminate Muse, but that's OK. For sure... there are different reasons that agents/players want to release who they are dining with, or NOT dining with. I cannot imagine that Tombert only took out the Muse family, they would have wanted to talk to Wallace, Terrell and Simpson for sure, and I'd imagine Higgins. I'd imagine the only reason that we know is that Muse's agent wants other teams to know that the Steelers are sniffing around. Took him from UDFA to 5-6 round. Same with other prospects that 'leak' video interviews. The safety from Memphis, Curtis Weaver, etc. Gain interest. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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