Steelers Draft and Mel Kiper sucks thread!!

Tommi Hill I could see, BJ Adams, Cobee Bryant but Donte Kent isn't even listed on the NFL website. never mind I found him. Value as a gunner or a returner.

 

And so end the Steelers' 2025 draft. Now we wait to see who signs as UDFA.

 

yeah chat tomorrow. 6 hours of tv my eyes got bleary.

I kinda like others doing their big board, and me adjusting it. Too much work, I gotta get back to reading books I'm a big Lee Childs/ Reacher fan.

 

Read em all. If you like Reacher you will also like Mark Greaney - Gray Man series.

 

The initial list of UDFA for the Steelers:

Sebastian Castro, safety, Iowa
J.J. Galbreath, tight end, South Dakota
Ben Sauls, kicker, Pittsburgh
Roc Taylor, wide receiver, Memphis
DJ Thomas-Jones, fullback, South Alabama
Aiden Williams, offensive guard, Minnesota-Duluth
Ke'Shawn Williams, wide receiver, Indiana

I'm sure there are more to come. The only one I really know is Castro, who I like as a guy to compete for a roster spot. I fully expected him to get drafted around the 6th round.

 

I was surprised how D-heavy this year's draft was. I expected a more balanced draft with all the holes on offense. I do know the team has used a lot of draft capital in the last two drafts on offense, so I guess turnabout is fair play.

I heard some criticism about drafting D when D is already our stronger unit and we have all this money invested in that side of the ball. But for me, that is actually a reason to draft heavily on the defensive side. The defense, despite being the most expense defense in the NFL, is not the best. There are still holes, but it does not make any sense to spend more money on the defense. Enough money is already being spent on that side of the ball-- even before TJ gets his big raise. All of the defensive improvements have to come through the draft. We have far too many highly-paid vets on that side already. An infusion of young, cheap talent is needed.

 

Who signed Hollin PIerce, we need OT depth.

 

I cannot knock Sawyer and Donte Kent, smarter people than me, chose them to be Steelers. Kent has nickelback written all over him, and ST star potential. I don't know the status of Ryan Watts, but I cannot argue for not drafting a safety. Carson Bruener, great story, man I still wanted OT depth. Sawyer is better than Matekevich, he can rush the passer. After 2 seasons of Jerimiah Moon, is that the best OLB4 we can come up with?

Howard is a good QB but he plays great in big games, so there's that. Now Steelers have 3 QB for camp, and low and behold somebody is going to cut one and we can stash him on the PS.

 

Pierce signed as UDFA with Philly. Makes sense since they're so close to Rutgers geographically. I would love to have had him sign here. The Steelers have to have some plan at OT. There are some veteran OTs out there that the Steelers didn't want to sign before the draft. After Monday, I think, you can sign released players without it counting against the Compensatory Pick formula for next year.

At least, I hope that is their plan. I cringe thinking about going into the year without backup depth at OT.

 

Another guy I liked late was Efton Chism; he signed UDFA with the Patriots.

I do like our signing of Castro though.

 

I'm shutting it down for a bit, I need some clarity on some issues.

Cheers.

 

Here are some of my rambling thoughts. They don't mean much of anything, nor am I trying to make any pronouncements. This is just me working through some of my thoughts.

Needs coming in: Defensive tackles (one big, run-stuffing nose and one guy to be an eventual replacement for Cam H.); OLB depth (a no. 4 guy on the outside); Safety (no. 3 safety guy or hybrid safety/nickel); CBs (one outside guy who can study behind Slay for a year and one true slot corner); OT (someone to be the no.3 tackle); OG (someone to groom to take over at LG next year); back-up QB; RB (preferably a bigger guy to carry the load but possibly a speed guy to compliment Warren); Slot WR.

What we got: Defensive tackles (one big, run-stuffing nose and one guy to be an eventual replacement for Cam H.); OLB depth (a no.4 guy on the outside); ILB depth (and special teams prospect); Slot corner (and special teams ace); back-up QB, RB (a bigger guy to carry the load).

They also signed Sebastion Castro (S) as UDFA, so they do have a safety prospect.

Potential holes still to fill: CB (starters this year are set but there is a hole going into next year-- got to hope Trice can develop under Slay); OT (I am hoping they sign someone in free agency because this hole is big); OG (we have depth for this year-- guard will be a draft priority next year); Slot WR (we will cross our fingers that Roman Wilson turns out to be The Man).

Packed DL rooms and LB Rooms (even secondary). On DL, Heyward and Benton return as starters. Harmon is a lock, and the team will hope they can get him in the line-up sooner rather than later. Then we have Yahya Black, Logan Lee (last year's pick who spent all year on IR), Lowdermilk, Leal, M. Adams, Lowry, and the free agent signing Daniel Ekwale. That's 10 guys, not to mention several first year free agent signings. How many do we keep? Six?

I think OLB is clear: Watt, Highsmith, Herbig, and Sawyer. Jeremiah Moon is odd man out.
ILB is a bit more packed: Queen, P. Wilson, Holcomb, Harrison, and now Breuner will fight it out with Robinson-- assuming they keep 5 inside. But I can't see them keeping more than four. I don't really know where Breuner fits unless Holcomb can't come back from his injury.

 

I can’t remember who complained about Kaleb’s speed, but here’s something for ya yinzers

 

Well they had to, Ryan Watts just retired from Football.
They also signed FA WR Robert Woods.
Maybe they dumpster dive for a swing Tackle.
Been reading a lot about the fall of Prime Jr. Some really good stuff, 3 owners told their GM to remove him from their board. Other flaws in his game came up, nobody had a first round grade on him. I think it was Boomer Esiason said it best, if you don't see him as a starter, take better players who could start. Helicopter Dad and his statement that he won't let his son play for some teams was compounded by the interviews he tanked. Cleveland has to release somebody come cut down day, will be interested over the summer to see who looks good and who keeps their yap shut. I got my money on Dillon Gabriel being QB3 and Watson on PUP. Browns interested in Dionte Johnson, how is that Locker room going to be with Shedeur and Dionte.
Hunter Wohler was drafted at 232 to the Colts, I will follow him to see how he does, I did the same for the DT Karl Brooks who plays for Green Bay.

 

Isiah Bond went undrafted and is unsigned. Both he and Mike Green were off my board.
There are some players on the current roster that will be the swing tackle.
Steeler not only released Ryan Watts, they released Montraveous Adams, thinning out the overcrowded DL room.

 

NFL Assistant Coach Tears Shedeur Sanders To Shreds With Scathing Critique Ahead of 2025 Draft | PFSN

Good read on character.

Here is a list of players Pittsburgh took and then where they were on DJ’s top 150

21. Harmon 25 DJ -4
83. Johnson. 53 DJ+30
123. Sawyer. 70 DJ +63
164. Black. 150 DJ -14
185. Howard 83 DJ +102

 

So if you wanted to grade players and are unsure where to put them, just watch the strip and score by Sawyer. Who was the RT for Texas, Cameron Williams. Williams looked slow and really got smoked badly, Sawyer really is not know for a great first step or a great dip and bend, yet he treated Williams like a turnstile. I had forgot about that play, and it reminds me that it really hard to grade OT. I had Williams at 109. He went 207. In fact 2 of the top twenty tackles on NFL.com didn't get drafted (Logan Brown, Hollin Pierce) . I had Sawyer rated ten spots too low, I see it now, but I was not way off like saying a guy is #5 and he goes 144. I did have the Steelers drafting Carson Bruener waaaaay back in the late summer early fall.

 

Never too early to talk 2026 draft.

Needs: QB1 CB2 OT2 WR2

Much better class of QB next year, who's to say Howard is a stiff, not me. Rudloph for me is insurance.

Slay is at the end of his career, need a new CB opposite Porter Jr. nobody knows if Trice will blossom this year, but you cannot say he won't or he will.

Will Broderick Jones see the light, will Troy Fantanu be good, nobody knows. The backups are Spencer Anderson Dylan Cook, Calvin Anderson. Yikes.

It is highly unlikely they will resign George Ticking Time Bomb Pickens. Best case scenario some time gives him a huge ass contract, Steelers get a 3rd round comp pick in 2027.

Here are your players.

Quarterbacks

Arch Manning. with NIL money, why rush the kid. Unless a really good franchise like the NYG is picking first, he stays put. Also the Saints are expected to blow, that makes a lot of sense for Archie.
Drew Allar he has gotten better every year, season ended on a sour note, I think he bounces back and puts up good numbers.
Garrett Nussmeir He has lost a lot of weapons, wondering if he can compete eith the Georgia and the Alabama Defenses. Can he hold up at his size, (6-2, 200)
LaNorris Sellers Huge kid, built like a linebacker, athletic, will he be Cam Newton or Justin Fields, I have NFI.
Cade Klubnik out of Clemson, not the biggest guy, wait and see.
Nico Iamaleava Wild card, tall kid needs to eat his wheaties. (6-6 210)

Cornerbacks

Malik Muhammid tall, rangy, he is velcro, early 2nd round grade.
Jermond McCoy similar to Muhammid, but not the same long speed.
Aveion Terrel, not the biggest or the fastest, but very smooth
Jacoby Johnson, everything about him says Steeler, his 40 time will determain his value
Daylan Everette could have entered the 2025 came back, super fast, tall athletic
Domnini Jackson also could have enterred the 2025 draft, is even faster than Everette

Offensive Tackles



Francis Maulgoa dude is a stud, he moves like a tight end, he will be gone top 5
Kaydyn Proctor Dude is humungous, but even at his size (6-7 360) he moves well. I wonder if he is RT only though.
Spencer Fano super high character, loves football, physicality is his specialty.
Caleb Lomo for his size, he kicks ass. But for the NFL he needs to add more bulk for the next Level;

Wide Reciever

Carnell Tate, another Ohio State reciever, it's like a factory in Columbus\
Makai Lemon this drafts version of Luther Burden
Antonio Williams, another slot WR, not really PIckens replacement.
Zach Branch the third slot WR in a row, not a class full of "big WR"
Nyck Harbor unless Draftek had a typo, he is 6-5 235 and runs a 4.2 forty. he currently has a 3rd round grade


Summary of what I am seeing, the 2026 WR class might be weak sauce, hence the trade for DK Metcalf. There is always FA to sign WR2, unless they think Wilson is more than a slot. RObert Woods is insurance but at the end of his career. Art Rooney II might have to squeeze open that rubber coin purse from the 1960's and hope there is a 1894-S barber dime MS65 when he looks inside. PIckett is going to want some cha-ching. I am not sure I speak for anyone else, but I don't want Aaron Rodgers, the same way I did not want Shedeur Sanders. I think they are both locker room cancer. I hope Broderick sees the light and Fantanu is as advertised.