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Draft Day Thread:


Steeler Hitman

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2 minutes ago, kurgan said:

This is an interesting take (the second part).  I think of these guys as ice cream flavors.

Harris/Etienne are like do I want chocolate chocolate chip or chocolate chip cookie dough.  Both are great.  I prefer CCCD, but maybe others prefer CCP.  Canada might want one back, us Stillers forever guys want the other.  Williams is Moose Tracks... a fine option if they are out of the other two.  But, not what I came to the store for in the first place.  The other guys are taste preferences.... rocky road, peach cobbler, PB, etc etc.  If you have it, you are OK with it, but you really wanted the first two.  But, you will deal with what you got based on what you are feeling like.

Excellent analogy. I think I am to the point that I want CCC or CCD. Keep your other flavors. I want something chocolate. I am tired of compromise. 

Your second point has been the biggest issue I've had this offseason.  Rooney wants the run fixed.  We want the run fixed.  Coaches as well.  Bottom line, OL was built to pass pro and one-cut run for Bell.  You cannot make a change in one year, or even two. 

I agree. But I think we are closer to that than many think as you pointed out below with Banner, Dotson, DD, and even the free agents we signed are guys who will block you. Will it be perfect? No, but much better than it was with a few tweaks and a player here or there.

People say OL was bad, others say we don't have a lead back.  It is a circular offense.  As was pointed out in another thread, we have to decide what we are.  HOW do you run the football??  Power, zone, spread option??  Outside, inside, one cut, read??  Bell left and the backs we got couldn't be him, so the OL was left in a lurch.  We can't draft a Bell, but even if we could, we don't have the same OL.  Now we change OC.  Do we draft a back that fits what Canada wants??  That changes EVERYTHING.  What if he dips in two years??

I agree with all of this as well. I don't really know what direction they plan on going or what they want to do. But, i would like to see closer to the tough mauling, mean manglers of OL's we used to have. They changed somewhat to protect Ben and his passing. And they should have to protect him. Get some guys who can move people to protect him now.  The philosophy in how to protect him has changed in my mind from pass blocking only to ground control/defense. I would like to see the Steelers do what Denver did with Elway and Peyton (strong rushing attack and solid defense). I think Ben is still capable of surprising teams with his arm, but that can't be the norm.

These are all things that we don't have access to.  All I can say for sure is that letting Connor go was a sign, as was drafting Dotson.  Tells me we want to run power based stuff.  No hop steps and looking for cutting.  Banner, DDC and Dotson are all Power Based guys.  It may not be 100% what Canada wants, but he can make it work.

Agreed. Adapt your scheme to what you have as you transition. Power rushing and a good to great defense will help an aging vet QB and support a young and upcoming QB as well. 

The RB we add needs to be a 100% system fit or at least a complimentary back that will do something different.  Jury is out on McFarland, but I would think a tandem back with him and Snell as your wham guy COULD work, IF you decide on a philosophy and fit that accordingly.

I think you are spot on with everything you are saying as well. I think that we just need to find a consistent back that Harris, Etienne or Williams would be. McFarland is a speed/scat back, Snell is a three yards and a cloud of dust back, Billage is a Connor type, Samuels is a third down potential H-Back, FB Watt was underutilized in the running (short yardage) and passing game. We have a specialty set of Swiss Army Knife types of RB's, but no solid K-bar or axe. 

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10 minutes ago, Dcash4 said:

I understand that the team has said it's unlikely that they would trade up. But if they are unwilling to trade up for the most important position in football by far without a future plan currently on the roster -- they need to be removed from their decision making positions.

I would understand not moving up if the cost is too high and you are not in love with the prospect, but if you do like Fields and he does fall to 10...your love for the 8 picks you have needs to be thrown so far into the ocean as possible. 

So if they think they may need to trade up next year then why not collect a pick or 2 for ammo.  There are only 32 Comp picks handed out so there is not guarantee.

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50 minutes ago, cjfollett said:

Agree, I find it very hard to believe they would trade up for anyone this year. They have stated multiple times that most years they rank 24 players they would draft, and they take the highest one left -- most years. It's possible that they only have 15 targets or so, and if they are all gone, they trade down. I don't know how that works, but would love to be in the room.

 

I would too. I have never been privy to those inside conversations. That would be a blast. I do understand the rating/grading. Most years you might have 12-15 players that get a true first round grade. There have been some exceptional draft years when you may have up to 20. So the further down you fall, the more likely you are drafting guys with true second round grades. This seems to get confused with the Big Board as players are ranked by many draftniks from between 1 - 100. Teams boards are obviously much deeper to include comp picks each round and free agents.

Then you have those players graded. I think this is what happened with Terrell Edmonds and Artie Burns after higher graded players were drafted. The Steelers stuck to their board and went with their position/rank and or need (in the case of Jarvis Jones).

I have been on the RB in round one train early and why many other draftniks have argued the draft value vs. need and BPA. Zaven Collins and Najee may both have high second round grades, but I believe would be strongly considered if one or the other is not there. Matt Jones may be a top ten pick, but I don't have a first round grade or value on him. Good potential QB, yes. Is he in the same class as Trevor Lawrence grade wise? No. 

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13 minutes ago, jebrick said:

So if they think they may need to trade up next year then why not collect a pick or 2 for ammo.  There are only 32 Comp picks handed out so there is not guarantee.

@jebrick 

1. I think the team wants to win now. Get Ben and the pieces in place complimentary parts for 2021.

2. I think teams have learned how to manage the comp pick system/formula. Losing Bud, they will get a 3 as things stand. They will have that extra pick to use similar to what they did with Denver to move up and grab Bush. Ben may be back for another year, either way, I still say draft or look to get a QB to develop. I don't think they love a QB in this draft that they would build around other than Fields or Lawrence. 

I believe that they may believe they have the future in former #1 Dwayne Haskins. They loved him coming out and are curious to see if he can mature and learn from his past. He is a longshot at best to have this happen, but so are many so-called blue and red chip QB's that have been drafted. History tells us that drafting a QB high doesn't guarantee success. 

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58 minutes ago, Steeler Hitman said:

I would too. I have never been privy to those inside conversations. That would be a blast. I do understand the rating/grading. Most years you might have 12-15 players that get a true first round grade. There have been some exceptional draft years when you may have up to 20. So the further down you fall, the more likely you are drafting guys with true second round grades. This seems to get confused with the Big Board as players are ranked by many draftniks from between 1 - 100. Teams boards are obviously much deeper to include comp picks each round and free agents.

Then you have those players graded. I think this is what happened with Terrell Edmonds and Artie Burns after higher graded players were drafted. The Steelers stuck to their board and went with their position/rank and or need (in the case of Jarvis Jones).

I have been on the RB in round one train early and why many other draftniks have argued the draft value vs. need and BPA. Zaven Collins and Najee may both have high second round grades, but I believe would be strongly considered if one or the other is not there. Matt Jones may be a top ten pick, but I don't have a first round grade or value on him. Good potential QB, yes. Is he in the same class as Trevor Lawrence grade wise? No. 

In 2018 they had Shazier on stage to make the pick and I believe the NFL wanted that TV moment. I'd be willing to bet that when Tennesee took Rashaad Evans, the Steelers wanted to trade down -- maybe even out of round 1. Again, pure speculation, but if not for Shazier, I believe they would have traded down.

In the Tomlin era, other than picking Edmonds, I believe the Steelers have followed their board. Even Burns was the logical pick given the Steelers' lack of depth and misses in the 2015 draft. Jarvis Jones was a good pick at the time, he just did not pan out. Perhaps the only other pick to crticize would be Evander Hood, but that was pick #32, and I recall a lot of Steelers fans wanted Robiskie or Unger there. I personally wanted Unger, but it is what it is.

Anyway, all this is to say that when the dust settles, I firmly believe the Steelers will pick at #24 or lower, and they likely will not trade up for anyone this year.

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In the Colbert era, they have traded down, in the 1st round, twice.  Both in 2002 so they could take Casey Hampton in front of the Colts.  This would be a good year to trade down but if the Jets take Harris ( mistake for them) then the Steeler will not trade down

 

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I just can't wait for them to pick so the speculation be over , we can probably usually dislike the pick 

Give me Harris or ETN and call it a day, but wouldn't be surprised if it's a LB (browning or davis , a ton of freak of nature's it seems this year) 

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7 minutes ago, RamblinMan99 said:

Zaven Collins is by far the best choice.
 

6’4” 260 lbs playing on the inside.  Who wouldn’t want that for their defense?  

Call me crazy but give me Baron browning 

250 and run a 4.52 and a 6.7 3 cone that's insane

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4 hours ago, jebrick said:

Nope.  They will do a huge reach on Trask and I will need to get a new TV

Now you're just being silly. Tombert didn't go to Florida's ProDay. If they are reaching for any QB in the 1st, it'll be Ian Book, seeing that ND was one of the 9 schools Tombert attended. 😎

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Ok, seriously...when was the last time the Steelers selected their 1st rd player from a school they did not attend the ProDay for...not counting 2020, of course...

Seriously, it's been who knows, how long??  I think DeCastro was the last 1st Rd pick that they didn't attend, and we all know that was an AMAZING day for Steeler Fans, as NO ONE expected he'd be there, and even Tombert couldn;t screw that one up, lol...

Basically, save for another huge surprise drop, (and not counting one of the top QBs, or Surtain, or some other amazing drop), expect Harriss, Etienne, one of the Alabama WRs, Micah Parsons, Kwity Paye, JOK (my personal hope, tbh...), Oweh, Ojulari (my 2nd 'hope' choice), Barmore, or Dickerson...and if they are gone, expect a 'slight reach' like Samuel, Campbell or Stokes, or maybe Freiermuth, Leatherwood, Mayfield, etc. In all honesty, I think it's Harris.  Not crazy about that, but at least he's intelligent and has a seemingly good head on his shoulders.

Those are your choices, all...that's the pool we have to pick from tonight; I really don't think Darrisaw, or Jenkins are even in play tonight, sadly...my hope is JOK or Ojulari...but if it's RB, I'd prefer Harris over Etienne.

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1 hour ago, RamblinMan99 said:

Zaven Collins is by far the best choice.
 

6’4” 260 lbs playing on the inside.  Who wouldn’t want that for their defense?  

I wouldn't want that to be the first choice (based on priority of need), but man he would be a beast. A guy who is nearly as big a Levon Kirkland and can run! Depending on how the board falls, it is possible, but I think unlikely. I can dream.

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47 minutes ago, Steeler Hitman said:

I wouldn't want that to be the first choice (based on priority of need), but man he would be a beast. A guy who is nearly as big a Levon Kirkland and can run! Depending on how the board falls, it is possible, but I think unlikely. I can dream.

I like him a lot too, and think he would be the missing piece to our defensive front.  
 

One hell of an insurance policy for Devin Bush too.

I’m just not a fan of taking RBs in the first round.  

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