Steelers Draft and Mel Kiper sucks thread!!

63-0 yeah not so good. Upset alert ! Can northwestern pull it off ? Carlos Hyde just plowed in for 6!

 

Kyle Kalis, redshirt freshman guard at Michigan. Keep an eye on this kid, he's going to be a fast riser in coming years.

 

CJ Brown went to my high school and graduated two years before I did (fun fact his brother plays receiver at James Madison). Needless to say I was very disappointed that he got knocked out so early against Florida State. Good dual threat player but I don't see the NFL in the cards for him, maybe he gets a camp tryout somewhere.

 

I love the freshman QB from FSU Jamison, I think he has all the entangibles of Manuel but is more athletic, and goes through his progressions faster, I would love for the Steelers to get this kid!

 

Clowney didn't play because of bruised ribs? Seriously, is he showing his true colors this year or do you guys think this is acceptable?

 

I'm pretty sure you guys won't agree with me, but I found this pretty funny (from bites' favorite place, ESPN):

 

Ohio State, I'll stand on my take on Roby, NOT top ten, Shazier, again explosive at times,needs to shed blocks better. Braxton Miller was short arming or not putting enough arc on the ball during periods,, his OL has a lot to do with his succees. Hyde is a stud, took the game over, not thrilled with his conditioning, but better than Clowney. Speaking of which,, Clowney left game with a rib injury. End of the game, I did not like the spot Northwestern got, replay did not give enough clear footage to overturn the spot. I thought the QB regained control of the balln and did enough forward progress without his knee touching down.. Whenn the whistle sounded, could not tell, but they usually let the runner lunge or reach before they blow the play dead.

 

That's cute, Lyman, but the fact is we're the best 0-4 team in the NFL right now. The first two losses were demoralizing, but at least the latter two showed signs that we're beginning to come together, as frustrating as they were. That's a presumptuous declaration ESPN makes about the lives of Steelers fans everywhere in that we're all depressed whales eating our cares away. My life is on the upswing and the Steelers happen to be one of the very few dark spots about it.

We'll win some games and maybe make things interesting. I see the Browns are enjoying some success right now, which I say is well-deserved.

 

Here's a projected draft order based on this week's results and predictions

1. Jaguars
2. Giants
3. Buccaneers
4. Steelers
5. Raiders
6. Rams
7. Rams - from Redskins
8. Eagles
9. Jets
10. Bills
11. Vikings
12. Panthers
13. Texans
14. Chargers
15. Falcons
16. Browns
17. Titans
18. Cardinals
19. Bears
20. Bengals
21. Cowboys
22. Ravens
23. Lions
24. Dolphins
25. Packers
26. 49ers
27. Browns - from Colts
28. Patriots
29. Seahawks
30. Chiefs
31. Saints
32. Broncos

A major problem with Walt's is that his is based on personal opinion. The 1-3 Falcons (probably 2-3 after this week) are 20th, for example. Also, apparently the AFC South is so bad that no one wins it in his draft, as no AFC South team is picking in the 20s. I've named the Colts the winners in mine.

The Chiefs and Saints look to be the only two undefeated teams after this week, with the Colts beating the Seahawks, the Bengals beating the Patriots (my feelings are confused by that one), and the Cowboys leading the Broncos in the first half. Remarkable considering 2012 for the Chiefs and Saints.

EDIT: The Broncos now lead the Cowboys 21-17 with 3:59 to play in the first half. We could see a minor change at the bottom of this draft after today.

EDIT 2: Here's a Steelers mock draft based on the above order.

1. Jake Matthews/Cyrus Kouandijo, OT, Texas A&M/Alabama
2. Ra'Shede Hageman, DE, Minnesota <--------probable riser, unfortunately
3 (comp.). Da'Quan Jones, NT, Penn State
4. De'Anthony Thomas, RB, Oregon
5 (comp.). Boseko Lokombo, ILB, Oregon
6. Ryan Grant, WR, Tulane
7. Shamar Stephen, DE, Connecticut <----------love his potential

UDFA. Kirby Van Der Kamp, P, Iowa State/Chris Watt, OG, Notre Dame/Jemea Thomas, CB, Georgia Tech

The Browns have our third-round pick. We get a third because of Mike Wallace.

The Cardinals have one of our late round picks which I suppose depends on stipulations over Levi Brown. I gave them our 5th rounder to be safe. We get a fifth because of Keenan Lewis.

EDIT 3: Draft order adjusted based on actual game outcomes. The Raiders beat the Chargers and the Broncos held on to beat the Cowboys. We now pick 4th instead of 5th overall.

 

Really, 2 DE's I thought DL is one of our strongest positions, unless 1 of those guys or both are OLB conversions?? After 4 games Sanders has showed me nothing I'd want to cut him a check for I say we go WR in the 2nd round this year, I like the Evans kid from Texas A&M, makes manziel look good, and is good against the press. Don't know about the ILB, it all depends if we see Spence or not this year and if he does well, I'm not really ready to give up on Williams either, he is a rookie.

 

We also have Arnfelt and Williams both rookies this year, Arnfelt is on the PS, and Williams on the IR, I feel real good about Arnfelt especially, I think he's your proto DE in the 3-4, I think he's the 2nd coming of A.Smith or Keisel(-beard). Williams is a project don't know if he's going to amount to anything.

 

Wow. I can't comment on the players, really; but I can't see those particular positions being addressed. Three defensive linemen?? We could stand to draft one (preferably DE) because in two years' time, Keisel will be gone (retired) and maybe Hood as well (FA). Meanwhile we definitely need a Left Tackle. But we could also use another TE (we saw what happened this year without Heath). And if Sanders goes, we'll also likely need a mid to late round WR. I personally would love to see a QB drafted but that's probably not going to happen. But the real needs on the team (outside of LT) are at ILB and Safety (a corner wouldn't hurt either). The big reason for the collapse of the run D is the play of the inside LBs. The DLs hold up the other team's OL so the LB's can make the plays-- but the LBs aren't making the plays. And who is gonna be playing safety? Clark is old and is having his worst year in a long time-- it's time to accept that he's old and done. Troy is usually injured, and probably only has one more year (maybe two) left in him. Shamarko Thomas can't play both spots, and we haven't seen enough of him to say for sure that he can play even one of them (though I assume he can). We need a future starting safety, starting ILB, and starting LT out of the next draft. And it would help to grab a TE, DE, and CB if we're lucky. That's a tall order. If this team drafts 3 DLs, we need to accept that they are basically giving up on the next couple of years and need to start trading their stars. Just in terms of roster spots, it's hard to imagine two DL rookies even making the team, even if they are awesome as rookies.

 

Before I address this specifically, let me state my motives for that mock. It was done based on who the Steelers might take, not who I want. I don't even want a first-round OT and really wish the Steelers do better to, you know, fall out of the top 5. Only a couple of the picks I made and prospects I covet coincide with each other.

This was a BPA mock the whole way. I would be lukewarm with it if it actually turned out how I projected. I don't like either of those Oregon players that much and wish we could have picked a more dominant WR than Ryan Grant.

That said, I love all the defensive linemen I slotted to us.

Hageman is a naturally massive man with a ton of upside. He's potentially Richard Seymour Jr.. Jones is naturally bigger than McLendon and is playing great for Penn State right now. Stephen would need time to develop, but potential is there, and in the seventh round that's what you want.

The outlook for DL in the offseason isn't good. Three of the four ends on our roster right now will be free agents. I would hope we don't lose all three, but the possibility that we lose two is very real. Even if we only lose one, if Brett Keisel is one of the two we retained, a late round pick on a developmental DE prospect could be in the cards.

I don't look at practice squad stalwarts and depend on them to eliminate a draft need. I look at the roster and only the roster because those are the players who are good enough right now to matter. Maybe Arnfelt carves a spot for himself, but I had hopes for Corbin Bryant to obviously no avail. Some had hopes for Adrian Robinson to no avail. Frank Summers. Mortty Ivy. Etc.

I'm preparing for life without Sanders as we speak. I really want Sammy Watkins, but for that to make more sense we would need to win enough games to lower ourselves out of the top 5. Watkins is top-10 material, but with three high-caliber tackles also primed to go in the top 10, WR over two OTs (assuming one goes in the top 3) just isn't good value.

I thought so too, at one point. I was all over Austin Seferian-Jenkins before his stock started falling and we started tanking. The fact is, though, David Johnson has been pretty good and he's the only TE we have who is set to hit free agency. If he's re-signed, our cup runneth full of TEs already and another draft pick would be overkill. Miller, Spaeth, and Johnson our three TEs with Will Johnson our FB is something I'm okay with.

Player quality is something that's too subjective for me to rely upon when it comes to forming a draft. Troy Polamalu is considered one of the all-time great safeties and a surefire Hall of Famer by some. Others think he doesn't cover well and is overrated.

I think you overvalue our need at ILB because we have a rookie starting there right now. A rookie starting at ILB in a Dick LeBeau defense just doesn't happen. He's understandably struggling and to write him off right now would be a mistake. With this in mind, to overvalue it as a draftable need by putting the pressures of possibly starting on yet another rookie would also be a mistake.

If Vince Williams remains nearly as unprepared to start at ILB as he has been thus far and Larry Foote is let go, I see ILB as a prime position to get the James Farrior treatment in that we sign a veteran who can compete to start right away.

I don't see safety as a need at all. It's one of the few positions on this team with which I have felt completely secure since the draft. We have five safeties on this roster when we only need four, and Ryan Clark is hopefully gone after this season. Robert Golden is a coach favorite, and if he's as good as advertised he should step into the starting FS role in 2014 without missing a beat.

Incidentally, we could really use quality young blood at corner.

Look at it this way. I think the Steelers can learn from the Ravens by building a deep rotation on the DL. If Hood is retained in free agency, he, Heyward, and Hageman if we draft him can help provide that, with another pick for good measure to surprise/compete in the fourth end spot. You don't honestly expect a seventh round pick at a position of stronger need to make waves, do you? What seventh-round safety, ILB, CB, LT, or TE do you see who can come in and solve our problems at those positions? That late in the draft, need goes out the window - you just want value and potential.

 

Report on Clemson - Syracuse , Watkins is special changes the game. Boyd is RGIII good but not Andrew Luck good. The have a DE that will be an OLB. Cat is quick : Vic Beasley. Syracuse has got talent but not in clemson's class , however the ILB Marquiss Spruill is a real playmaker and very instinctive.

 

At 4 we have a shot @ Matthews, if Hundley and Mariotta are in this draft pushes guys back. Hurst, OT, NC will go min round one 'cause he handled Clowney in week 1. JMFO. I watched Lewan get beat by shorter quicker players from UConn, still like Kuandjio better. If I'm picking 4th I am taking Barr, not a need but BPA, in fact I prefer him over Clowney. Mid round if they pass on Watkins I really like Aberderis, already uses his body well , solid hands & route running . he's a perfect #3 WR . These trades Colbert is making JUST STOP this NOT the year to be giving up early picks in rounds. Was Thomas worth the 70th pick in the draft, he11 no.

 

BTW Earl Wolff started his second game with Chung injured. He did ok was tied for 4th on the team in tackles vs. Giants and had a PD. Not sure if the game is on replay this week but I really liked this player and want him to succeed. Saw glimpses of JJ Wilcox vs. Denver he is adjusting well to the NFL. Remember Defense is new to him, was a RB early in his career.

 

Especially the early ones, we don't have depth good enough to be making moves like that. If you have good depth you can take a little more chances. We need way too much to restock this team before we get in a long drought. I can handle a season or 2 of subpar play, just as long as I see that the team is heading upward towards the top and not getting stuck in a funk like other teams.

 

Unexpected result in tonight's game shakes thing up in the early draft order. Jets fall while Falcons shoot into the top 5.

So much for your 20th overall, Walt.

 

Demo, don't forget that the Steelers are also getting a pick in that trade with Arizona

 

Anybody see Derek Carr QB Fresno play yet? I caught some highlites on Saturday and liked the little I saw.


Louisville is on thursday night this week.. I think vs temple..

enjoy,

one of the idiots