Pre-Christmas Mock

[warfelg]

Mock Draft after last nights loss:

RD 1 - JC Latham OT Alabama

He's a very natural RT.  Moves well.  Strong.  Big dude like Jones at 6'6" 360 LBs, but also a really good athlete.  Has not given up a sack in a long time.  Can pull and move really well.  Has very strong hands that latch on and you can't get off of them.  His long arms also help against different rushers because they struggle getting into his core.  The downside is his weight gets him in trouble with his foot work, and that presents against elite edge speed.  Can have holding issues when he gets his shoulders in front of his feet.

NFL COMP: Lane Johnson

RD 2 - T'Vondre Sweat DL Texas

Absolutely massive man at 6'4" and 346 lbs.  Good initial burst and stays amazingly low for his height.  Leverages really well and has some really strong hands.  His ability to take on two blockers is great.  He's going to be a better twist NT sitting in an A-Gap forcing a G to have to help, as opposed to mask on mask with a C and controlling both.  Will be a touch of a liability as a pass rusher when asked to do that because of his lack of reps there. His power tends to be stuck in the initial momentum.

NFL COMP: Brandon Williams

RD 3 - Calen Bullock S USC

He's long and can high point the ball.  Good change of direction.  Should be able to chase the ball down field.  Tends to be a guy opposing QB's avoid.  Suspect to double moves and can be handsy. Is long but light.  Not a super great downhill tackler, but questions to weight play into this.

NFL COMP: Antwan Winfield Jr.

RD4a - Jackson Powers-Johnson C Oregon

Big and powerful.  Good snap location that's on a line to the QB.  Put on weight this year that got him better at heads up play with the NT's, but it hindered some of his movement ability.  Great positional blocker.  Would like to see him find a happy medium in weight.

NFL COMP: Jason Kelce

RD4b - Cedric Gray

Very rangy.  Plays the pass well.  Despite his lighter weight he can really pack a thump when he wants to.  Somewhat a Will/Mack/SS hybrid player.  Finds himself near the ball a lot when he's in the game.  His weight hurts in the run game as he needs to have a DL open lanes for him since getting through the blocks is a problem.

NFL COMP: Terrell Edmunds

RD 6 - Dylan Laube RB New Hampshire

Decent burst.  Good pass and catch ability.  Very instinctive as a runner with low pad height.  He hasn't done it, but I could see him being a good kick returner.  And a few snaps here and there.

RD 7 - Tez Johnson WR Oregon

I think he's a guy you sit there and go "but what's he great at" but then you realize he's just kind of.....good at all of it.  And guys like that always fall.  Has some suddenness and quickness off the line that plays well for a slot role.

[MOSteelers56]

We'd certainly be adding a lot of beef. 

If Latham at 360 is as athletic as your Lane Johnson comp implies him to be, he'll be one of the best RTs in the game soon. The Oregon center is supposed to be a stud horse. He's my favorite C right now. The giant Texas guy worries me, just because I'm weary of all DL guys that big. We do need some brute force on our D-line. I like Benton, but he is a much more finesse player than his size implies. Having a guy like Sweat to push the pocket could be really beneficial.

[August4th]

bring on the beef. I'd like a draft like this. 

[warfelg]

2 hours ago, MOSteelers56 said:

We'd certainly be adding a lot of beef. 

If Latham at 360 is as athletic as your Lane Johnson comp implies him to be, he'll be one of the best RTs in the game soon. The Oregon center is supposed to be a stud horse. He's my favorite C right now. The giant Texas guy worries me, just because I'm weary of all DL guys that big. We do need some brute force on our D-line. I like Benton, but he is a much more finesse player than his size implies. Having a guy like Sweat to push the pocket could be really beneficial.

Latham’s issue will be weight management. Otherwise he’s the OT3 in this class. The DL from Texas isn’t Hampton big. He’s Tuitt big where he weighs a lot but carries it well. Heyward having on last year with Benton and Sweat would make one hell of a line. JPJ is gonna be a good one. 

[AFF]

Can’t complain at all with building up the trenches.

Add a weapon at WR on the offensive side of the ball and I’ll be happy.

[43M]

Get a QB and WR in free agency and Id be okay with this.

Seems awfully optimistic for Jackson Powers Johnson to fall that far.   Not that I know alot about him, but I see him on a ton of draft boards.   Granted, pro scouts and teams may feel different, but no one who compares to Jason Kelce is falling to the 4th, especially when a quality center is coveted more than maybe ever.

[AFF]

1 minute ago, 43M said:

Get a QB and WR in free agency and Id be okay with this.

Seems awfully optimistic for Jackson Powers Johnson to fall that far.   Not that I know alot about him, but I see him on a ton of draft boards.   Granted, pro scouts and teams may feel different, but no one who compares to Jason Kelce is falling to the 4th, especially when a quality center is coveted more than maybe ever.

Yea I’m guessing Powers is a 2nd rounder come April but you never know.

[rlon]

I’d move powers up a round. First two picks are money. Like this draft, but I want another corner…slot capable.

[jebrick]

I do not think Powers-Johnson is there in the 4th but I like it.  Sweat will be a good one.

[zflairway]

I'd rather get a true left tackle and keep Broderick Jones at right tackle where his athleticism plays as a mauler in the run game. Someone like a Joe Alt would be a Hall of Fame type pick where you give your qb some time to actually make plays. And then you can get a qb down the road at that draft in Pittsburgh.

Not seeing where NT plays in any system in the future, but I do appreciate the shout. It's more of a 6th rd pick. Maybe like the dude from Florida State.

Jackson Powers is your Creed Humphrey type with the quick hands and he's probably a bit more athletic. Should go top 24 and is a first round candidate for the Steelers with a playoff push and first round exit.

Keep seeing Cedric Gray, and I ain't buying.

[warfelg]

4 hours ago, jebrick said:

I do not think Powers-Johnson is there in the 4th but I like it.  Sweat will be a good one.

I've talked to a few people and it sounds like he's a guy draftniks are going to overrate.

[zflairway]

14 minutes ago, warfelg said:

I've talked to a few people and it sounds like he's a guy draftniks are going to overrate.

maybe somin like Jackson Powers Johnson, Nugent, Sedrick Van Pran, Beaux Limmer, and Mike McMahon. You could probably figure it out in a day with all the tools at your arsenal

[rlon]

1 hour ago, zflairway said:

I'd rather get a true left tackle and keep Broderick Jones at right tackle where his athleticism plays as a mauler in the run game. Someone like a Joe Alt would be a Hall of Fame type pick where you give your qb some time to actually make plays.

What’s cool about being in that position is you can draft the best tackle, on either side. However, I am for drafting a right tackle that’s bigger and stronger than Jones and moving him to the left while you let Moore compete with the rookie on the right. I think it’s a hell of a lot more likely that the Steeler get the best right tackle in the draft as opposed to getting the best blindside protector. 

[zflairway]

19 minutes ago, rlon said:

What’s cool about being in that position is you can draft the best tackle, on either side. However, I am for drafting a right tackle that’s bigger and stronger than Jones and moving him to the left while you let Moore compete with the rookie on the right. I think it’s a hell of a lot more likely that the Steeler get the best right tackle in the draft as opposed to getting the best blindside protector. 

You know I'm just tired of posing 3/5, 1/5, or anything below a 4/5 when it comes to their first round picks. If you get too finicky with your board and don't let it come to you (in whichever form or fashion) then you will make more mistakes than not. You can't fit round pegs in square holes (without that little extra space).

Dan Moore is more of a guard for me. Seumalo is more of a right guard, as he's a little bit on the small side, albeit good movement skills. What they really need is a left guard that can be a mauler in the run game and a center. Not the flying BeeBee, who's just kinda average. The internal workings of the line were really decimated after the retirement of David DeCastro and regurgitation of the Mahan and the like at the center position.

Then you can be a little more selective with the tackle position, as Broderick Jones could play either left or right tackle, I would just prefer to post a 4/5 instead of a three.

[rlon]

7 minutes ago, zflairway said:

You know I'm just tired of posing 3/5, 1/5, or anything below a 4/5 when it comes to their first round picks. If you get too finicky with your board and don't let it come to you (in whichever form or fashion) then you will make more mistakes than not. You can't fit round pegs in square holes (without that little extra space).

Dan Moore is more of a guard for me. Seumalo is more of a right guard, as he's a little bit on the small side, albeit good movement skills. What they really need is a left guard that can be a mauler in the run game and a center. Not the flying BeeBee, who's just kinda average. The internal workings of the line were really decimated after the retirement of David DeCastro and regurgitation of the Mahan and the like at the center position.

Then you can be a little more selective with the tackle position, as Broderick Jones could play either left or right tackle, I would just prefer to post a 4/5 instead of a three.

I actually think DanMoore could be a great guard, but what is that based on? For me…Good run blocker, struggles in space when moving backwards but capable of pulling well and attacking IMO.