2023 Hitman's 1.Done Mock

[Steeler Hitman]

It is one-and-done for me. I am not including trades as I honestly believe that the Steelers will do some trades. My hope is that they leverage some picks to get some extra players between rounds 2-6.

 

Pick #17 - - Broderick Jones LT UGA 6’6 315. If there is no OT or CB here then I would trade down or look to trade down once they are off the board.  It is between Iowa DE Lucas Van Ness and Jones. The OT room is up and down as far as rankings, and I think the QBs will be overvalued and will drive some players down. Some teams may prefer other players.  Jones would fit what the Steelers are trying to do and surround Kenny with a “Pickett” fence. The player I would love to see fall here though is CB Devon Witherspoon.  The bromance between QB and LT will begin in a year.  I think he is a swing tackle for most of year one.  

 

Pick #32 - - Jack Campbell ILB Iowa 6’5 245. This is where the Steelers look to trade down and add another pick or two. I prefer to move down as well and add some picks. My choices are between C John Michael Schmitz, CB Emmanuel Forbes, and ILB Jack Campbell. There are other options at Center and CB. I am sort of torn between Campbell and Arkansas’ Drew Sanders. Sanders has some ILB blitz ability, but I love seeing a tall rangy 6’5 ILB with an IQ.  He’s not Lambert but he can still be a pretty good one in a year.  I am also going to call him Captain Jack!!! He already looks good in Black N Gold!!!

 

Pick #49 - - Emmanuel Forbes CB MS State 6’1 168.  Some teams are scared off because of Forbes size and he drops and becomes a solid slot CB. Isaiah Foskey OLB from ND was very tempting here.  I am gambling that I can get Steve Availa or Joe Tippmann later.  Hence, why the Steelers should trade down and add some value picks 2-4. Mighty Mouse to the rescue.  

 

Pick #80 - - Gervon Dexter DL Florida 6’6’ 310.  The Steelers are getting tough inside on both sides of the ball.  He was too good to pass up here. He’s young, bruising, and will develop into something special. I selfishly wanted to take Sydney Brown whom I just love as a player. Steelers need some IDL help more than at safety for 2023.

 

Pick #120 - - Luke Wypler C Ohio State 6’3 305. This may well be a blessing in disguise. I really wanted JMS or Tippmann.  Avilla would have been very nice as well, but this year is fairly deep in Centers.  The forgotten man may end up being one of the better players. I considered going Safety here I am pouting about not taking Sydney Brown earlier. I won’t remember in three years when Wypler is starting and at the center of the Pickett fence. Come get some!!!

 

Pick #241 - - Andre Carter Edge Army 6’7 255.  He didn’t test great and there are some questions including the military commitment, but at this stage, he is worth a flier. This is boom or bust, but in the seventh round, well worth the gamble if he develops into what many experts thought he could be as a pro. Being asked to be an occasional rotation to rush the passer, should help him get his mojo back while he gets stronger and matures to the NFL level. He is a project. We did pretty well with the last guy from Army we had (Big Al).

 

Pick #251 - - Noah Gindorff TE ND State 6’6 265.  The Steelers want to run the ball and neither TE excels at it. He has a role carved out immediately as a blocker and could be a decent short-range and red-zone target for Pickett.  The draft value is excellent here.  Brenton Strange from PSU is long gone because too many people know about him. Gindorff battled some injuries, but as a blocking TE, hopefully, he can help jumpstart the Steelers' rushing attack which will jumpstart the entire offense. 

 

[43M]

I like it.  Not Broderick Jones biggest fan at 17, but I could deal with it, especially if the rest of the draft went this way.

[Ward4HOF]

Like most of the players.  Not crazy about Dexter, but at that point in the draft...meh...

I do think Forbes is gone about 20-30 higher than you have him; his name's received a lot of buzz this week, but who knows?  There are times when that 'buzz' is nothing more than idle chatter.  I'd love to grab him though.  Also, I'm a big fan of Campbell--the best coverage ILB in the draft, not to mention his ability against the run.  If we walk away with this at the end of Saturday night, I'd be thrilled, as the 1st 3 picks make it, for me!!

Edited April 27, 2023 by Ward4HOF

[warfelg]

Just now, Ward4HOF said:

his name's received a lot of buzz this week, but who knows? 

Not directed at you @Ward4HOF but there’s been way too much “x received a lot of buzz” comments this week.  It’s just annoying TBH.  Everyone gets buzz.  We’ve gone from having only 13 players worth 1sts to now 45 guys with names in the 1st and another 90 in the 2nd.

[3rivers]

1 minute ago, warfelg said:

Not directed at you @Ward4HOF but there’s been way too much “x received a lot of buzz” comments this week.  It’s just annoying TBH.  Everyone gets buzz.  We’ve gone from having only 13 players worth 1sts to now 45 guys with names in the 1st and another 90 in the 2nd.

I only follow the Steelers but occasionally watch news about other team as well as nfl.com. I couldn't be a part of the nfl media and have to keep track of all the smoke for all the teams pre draft.   The amount of hype and rumours is a bit too much and it will be nice once it's over

@Steeler Hitman The Wypler pick is great, not sure it will happen but  making sure the C of the future is legit is a good idea instead of reaching for someone that will be needed as a rookie to start day 1.  This is why I like trading down, lots of good players for needs available in those rounds.  This draft has several Centers that are said to be good, so lets hope that Khan  drafts  one  and not at the end of the draft 

[Ward4HOF]

1 minute ago, warfelg said:

Not directed at you @Ward4HOF but there’s been way too much “x received a lot of buzz” comments this week.  It’s just annoying TBH.  Everyone gets buzz.  We’ve gone from having only 13 players worth 1sts to now 45 guys with names in the 1st and another 90 in the 2nd.

I get it...but I'm really only using it for a handful of guys; Forbes being one. And there are a few others.  There are way more that have not received 'buzz' than there are that have.  Hendon Hooker is one, but no other QB I know of really has.  Wright and Anton Harrison are the only OTs that have, that I can think of.  I'm not sure who else I may have attributed it to, but certainly, it's a WAY smaller group than the others I've discussed, that haven't.

[warfelg]

2 minutes ago, Ward4HOF said:

I get it...but I'm really only using it for a handful of guys; Forbes being one. And there are a few others.  There are way more that have not received 'buzz' than there are that have.  Hendon Hooker is one, but no other QB I know of really has.  Wright and Anton Harrison are the only OTs that have, that I can think of.  I'm not sure who else I may have attributed it to, but certainly, it's a WAY smaller group than the others I've discussed, that haven't.

That’s why I was saying I wasn’t singling out you.  But I went back to every mock done the last week and it was like 2 players per mock that got the comment of “won’t be there”. Then you take them in the next one in that spot and the same person is saying “oh they’ll be there later”.  It’s more of a little annoyance.  Some guys are going to slip and fall.  Some of these guys getting the late run up likely aren’t going to go that high.  It’s unusual that draftniks catch up on who teams like this late in the process.

[Ward4HOF]

12 minutes ago, warfelg said:

That’s why I was saying I wasn’t singling out you.  But I went back to every mock done the last week and it was like 2 players per mock that got the comment of “won’t be there”. Then you take them in the next one in that spot and the same person is saying “oh they’ll be there later”.  It’s more of a little annoyance.  Some guys are going to slip and fall.  Some of these guys getting the late run up likely aren’t going to go that high.  It’s unusual that draftniks catch up on who teams like this late in the process.

True.  I do think some medicals start getting leaked, or test scores *cough*-Stroud-*cough*, so we also need to be careful about these kinds of things, as it could easily be a team trying to leak some of the stuff, maybe to influence other teams.

I honeslty do believe the hype on Forbes though.  Several outlets, have reported it, and it's not just one source using another's to confirm, etc., since there seem to be some differences in the reasoning...regardless, we'll see tonight.  And if we do stay at 17, I know I'd much rather go Forbes, than Banks. 

[warfelg]

11 minutes ago, Ward4HOF said:

True.  I do think some medicals start getting leaked, or test scores *cough*-Stroud-*cough*, so we also need to be careful about these kinds of things, as it could easily be a team trying to leak some of the stuff, maybe to influence other teams.

I honeslty do believe the hype on Forbes though.  Several outlets, have reported it, and it's not just one source using another's to confirm, etc., since there seem to be some differences in the reasoning...regardless, we'll see tonight.  And if we do stay at 17, I know I'd much rather go Forbes, than Banks. 

I don’t buy it.  Like suddenly Zay Flowers is a top 10 pick right now.  Smoke is getting blown.

[Steeler Hitman]

1 hour ago, warfelg said:

I don’t buy it.  Like suddenly Zay Flowers is a top 10 pick right now.  Smoke is getting blown.

 

Someone always over drafts a player. However, Mel Kiper saying the Steelers would take him over other players of need and draft gade. "You big wanna be Todd McShay! Get Him!!! You big Steeler-hating Raven-homer! Get Him!!!! You Big saying something stupid and then doubling down. Get him!!!!"