could get drafted by Steelers but you don't want them to

[MOSteelers56]

13 hours ago, jebrick said:

I like VanNess but he needs a year to learn his craft.  for the Steelers, they would want to put 25-30lb on him.  Hopefully muscle.  He would be a good Cam replacement in a year or so IF he could put on the 30 lbs.  Do the Steelers have a year to wait?

 

He’d be a very 1999 Steelers pick. If he could put on the extra mass I think he’d be a real stud.

[warfelg]

43 minutes ago, MOSteelers56 said:

He’d be a very 1999 Steelers pick. If he could put on the extra mass I think he’d be a real stud.

NFL level nutrition and diet can do it. He came to Iowa 6’5” 250 and is leaving at 6’5” 265. 15 pounds going from a HS training to NCAA? There’s a reason Iowa kids do well in the NFL. 

[Chieferific]

39 minutes ago, MOSteelers56 said:

He’d be a very 1999 Steelers pick. If he could put on the extra mass I think he’d be a real stud.

All you hear is how strong he is.  His nickname is Hercules.  His bench was 17.  I know people are gonna say arm length.  But 17 ain't great no matter your arm length. 

[jebrick]

The Steelers are not going to pick him unless something crazy happens.  I was just saying he would not be bad for the Steelers, just take a year.  He is very Aaron Smith like in his build and style.  Problem is, Steelers took Smith in round 4 and sat him a year to get the weight and strength up.

[Chieferific]

4 minutes ago, jebrick said:

The Steelers are not going to pick him unless something crazy happens.  I was just saying he would not be bad for the Steelers, just take a year.  He is very Aaron Smith like in his build and style.  Problem is, Steelers took Smith in round 4 and sat him a year to get the weight and strength up.

Exactly, not that I've heard anyone here clamoring to take him at #17 he's "projected" to go in the 1st Rd.  A rotational guy in college.  VERY Aaron Smith-esque tho. 

[MOSteelers56]

1 hour ago, jebrick said:

The Steelers are not going to pick him unless something crazy happens.  I was just saying he would not be bad for the Steelers, just take a year.  He is very Aaron Smith like in his build and style.  Problem is, Steelers took Smith in round 4 and sat him a year to get the weight and strength up.

I like the Aaron Smith comp too. I feel a little better about the potential pick because the game is so different now. I’d love to have Aaron Smith now that he wouldn’t have to just sit there and play patty cake with 2 OL guys(albeit at an extremely high level). Can you imagine what he would have looked like if we could have unleashed him? Nasty potential. I’d be decently happy with LVN at 17. Cam isn’t getting any younger and I’m really starting to think 17 is a dead spot for potential first year contributors. JPJ is kind of the only guy in that range. 

[3rivers]

1 hour ago, Chieferific said:

Exactly, not that I've heard anyone here clamoring to take him at #17 he's "projected" to go in the 1st Rd.  A rotational guy in college.  VERY Aaron Smith-esque tho. 

Smith was an ideal 2 gap 5 tech. VanNess is more of a 4-3 Edge from what I can tell. I see no similarities, yet VanNess suits the current scheme as an Edge3 with Watt and Highsmith. 

[jebrick]

16 minutes ago, 3rivers said:

Smith was an ideal 2 gap 5 tech. VanNess is more of a 4-3 Edge from what I can tell. I see no similarities, yet VanNess suits the current scheme as an Edge3 with Watt and Highsmith. 

Aaron Smith was a 1-gap penetrater in college.  He just was not that good at it but had a very high motor and arms long enough to scratch the back of his knees while standing ( not really but he did have long arms).  The Steelers made him a great 2-gapper.  LVN has a similar build and motor but people are projecting him as a EDGE.

[3rivers]

8 minutes ago, jebrick said:

Aaron Smith was a 1-gap penetrater in college.  He just was not that good at it but had a very high motor and arms long enough to scratch the back of his knees while standing ( not really but he did have long arms).  The Steelers made him a great 2-gapper.  LVN has a similar build and motor but people are projecting him as a EDGE.

Smith was the ideal DE for LeBeau's scheme. I thought Tuitt did well too but Hood was a 1 gap DL and did his best but wasn't able to be like Smith or Tuitt.  I don't know what this FO will do when it comes to drafting prospects.  Hopes are they opt for players that are already to play the position they are drafted for and have been playing.  2-3 years to develop a prospect makes the pick almost a wast for the first few years. 

Maybe they trade Daniels and 17 to move up and get their LT.  then 2 CB's after that 32 and 49. 

[JustPlainNasty]

Simpson most overhyped LB prospect since well... your avatar?  If you want to play him outside in a 4-3 maybe, but seeing his ability to read plays and take on blockers is like looking for sasquatch. 

Edited April 19, 2023 by JustPlainNasty

[VigilantZombie]

Jalen Carter... I will see myself out

[43M]

On 4/18/2023 at 8:54 PM, JustPlainNasty said:

Simpson most overhyped LB prospect since well... your avatar?  If you want to play him outside in a 4-3 maybe, but seeing his ability to read plays and take on blockers is like looking for sasquatch. 

I mean, is he really THAT overhyped?

His stock has fallen and is now looking like a late 2nd or early 3rd prospect to many, with the earliest projections Im seeing now in the late 30s.

Might still be overhyped, but I dont even think he is the most overhyped LB prospect in this draft.   I think Nolan Smith takes that one, but thats just my opinion.

Edited April 20, 2023 by 43M

[JustPlainNasty]

40 minutes ago, 43M said:

I mean, is he really THAT overhyped?

His stock has fallen and is now looking like a late 2nd or early 3rd prospect to many, with the earliest projections Im seeing now in the late 30s.

Might still be overhyped, but I dont even think he is the most overhyped LB prospect in this draft.   I think Nolan Smith takes that one, but thats just my opinion.

The fact that Simpson is or was even mentioned as a 1st round LB was absurd IMO.  I guess he's an athlete that has to learn to play a position and the only one that fits his size speed is linebacker, maybe he can play FB and special teams. Like I said, play him outside in a 4-3 and maybe he'll fit.  Deyon Henley is an athlete that can reasonably play LB, he has work to do as far as downhill instincts but at least he can play the position remotely as it is supposed to be played. The kid from Auburn is an even better athlete and has a little more instincts, not a lot more, but he's not afraid to mix it up, where I only see Simpson as hesitant to take on blockers or come down hill inside.  

Im not exactly sold on Smith either.  I see a lot of negative stuff here about Van Ness but truthfully I see a lot more of consistent transferrable ability with Van Ness and not so regular with Smith, not saying Smith is incapable just that I dont see it jumping out at me but rather a very good combine performance.  Let me know when Jayson Oweh or should I say Odafe Oweh takes over the league. Theres a lot more to pass rushing than running a fast 40 and jumping 40 inches.. Oweh pretty much did both at his PSU Pro Day in 2021 at 6'5 257 lbs  4.37 and 39.5" inch vert. 11'2" broad  . He was very much expected to do that as well so it wasnt home field cooking at PSU.. as he and Parsons raced all the time and it was predicted he would outperform Parsons in those areas. However he shouldve to stayed in school and learned how to be a pass rusher not just rely on athleticism being better than the guy across from him. He now has 8 sacks in two years and is not really starting, I believe just rotating in. 

I would prefer many many other options over Simpson especially in rounds 1 & 2. I just think its a wasted pick for this team. I'd say dont force it. My favorite choice for the position would be to convert Nick Herbig into the role and use his pass rushing ability when you want to. If I had to take a more conservative LB Id take Campbell of the top prospects. Not exciting but he's solid, probably a much higher valued prospect about 7-8 years ago. 

Edited April 20, 2023 by JustPlainNasty

[Steeler Hitman]

On 4/8/2023 at 10:22 AM, Chieferific said:

All you hear is how strong he is.  His nickname is Hercules.  His bench was 17.  I know people are gonna say arm length.  But 17 ain't great no matter your arm length. 

I am probably a little biased in my assessment of strength/weight lifting based on a certain position. He is young and has plenty of time to grow and get stronger.  He will soon get some of his grown-man strength.  I like Van Ness and he is the kind of player I have been wanting for quite some time.  I would be fine with him staying at his current weight and size, but just getting stronger/maturing.  

When the Steelers go into their Nickel and Dime they have 255 - 260 Edge guys.  I would prefer someone in that 280-285 range playing more of a traditional 4-3 DE. While these guys typically won't get you 12-15 sacks, or have the production of Highsith and Watt, they have a tendency to be strong when teams try to run the ball on you in those situations. Having an edge guy that size gives you the same thing that a change-of-pace RB can do.  

I loved Warren Sapp's quote about never bench pressing on the field of play or during a game.  Some players are just talented.  I like Vann Ness. Maybe not at #17, but he is a solid prospect and would be good in our system.  I am curious to see how Isaiah Loudermilk does this year.  He was a 5th round prospect and I see a lot of similarities to Cam.  It took Cam some time to develop, mature, and get stronger.  He's all man now!!!

 

My two don't draft or no thank you prospects are Nolan Smith and Trenton Simpson.  I just don't think they are good fits for our scheme.  I think both would be very solid in a more traditional 4-3 than playing Edge and ILB for the Steelers. 

[MOSteelers56]

32 minutes ago, Steeler Hitman said:

I am probably a little biased in my assessment of strength/weight lifting based on a certain position. He is young and has plenty of time to grow and get stronger.  He will soon get some of his grown-man strength.  I like Van Ness and he is the kind of player I have been wanting for quite some time.  I would be fine with him staying at his current weight and size, but just getting stronger/maturing.  

When the Steelers go into their Nickel and Dime they have 255 - 260 Edge guys.  I would prefer someone in that 280-285 range playing more of a traditional 4-3 DE. While these guys typically won't get you 12-15 sacks, or have the production of Highsith and Watt, they have a tendency to be strong when teams try to run the ball on you in those situations. Having an edge guy that size gives you the same thing that a change-of-pace RB can do.  

I like Van Ness too. We need a Cam replacement badly. Without Cam our D-line is pretty pitiful. He's already 35 years old and it usually takes DL a little while to get cooking. I'd take LVN if the top CBs and OTs aren't there at 17. I'd really like to get him if we traded back with 17, but I know that's a bit of a pipe dream.