Steelers Draft and Mel Kiper sucks thread!!

We broke after mini-camp...coach told us we didn't have to be back until July 25th!! *BRAVO* *YAHOO* *DRINK* *HIGH*

 

I'm definitely getting ready for Training Camp....good times! *HIGH*

I'm feeling pretty good about the 2014 Pittsburgh Steelers, but a little concerned about quality depth at corner, outside LB, and WR. And I'm always worried about both lines.

RIP Coach Noll

 

Been gone for awhile, life's been getting real busy the last couple of weeks but I'll finally be free of some of it come 6 days.

 

I typed up my redraft and then it became lost so I can going to list my players and let people comment, then provide my explanations, it should be more fun this way

Steelers me
Ryan Shazier Ryan Shazier
Stephen Tuitt Stephen Tuitt
Dri Archer Ross Cockrell CB Duke
Martavis Bryant David Yankey G Stanford
Wesley Johnson E J Gaines CB Missouri
Jordan Zumwalt Quincey Enunwa WR Nebraska
Daniel McCullers Beau Allen NT Wisconsin
Rob Blanchflower Brelan Chancellor WR/KR North Texas

 

Were all these players available at the pick you have them?

 

I picked Tuitt in every collaborative draft had a gut he'd be there and solid value . If he turns out good then he & Heyward will be bookends for years to come .

 

Gotta tell ya...I prefer the Steelers picks.

 

You betcha!

 

That's fine. It would be a bit weird if you said you preferred my list, as you have heard much more about who the Steelers drafted. What would your redraft look like? Would you pick every player the Steelers took? Many people on this forum study film and have a good knowledge of college players, so to anyone who is willing who is on your list. If you don't like one of my players allow me to make an argument to try to win you over.

 

That's an interesting question Baramay. I suppose it depends on whether I am making the list based on what I would have done on draft day or whether I am using my current, albeit limited, knowledge of the players.

On draft day, I wouldn't have taken Ryan Shazier. I honestly hadn't spend any time studying him because like a fan, I didn't see his position as one that we should draft in the first round. Today, there is no way I would have drafted anyone else at that spot because the reviews of the kid (albeit in shorts) have been nothing short of fantastic.

Tuitt was a no brainer when he fell to the second round.

I'll give it a go both ways:

On Draft Day:

1) Darqueze Dennard
2) Stephon Tuitt
3) Martavis Bryant - I was screaming at the TV for them to take this kid in the third!
4) Telvin Smith, ILB, FSU - Needed a playmaker in the middle and I liked this kid.
5a) Lache Seastrunk, RB - I didn't even have Archer on my radar and I would have taken a RB later.
5b) John Urschel, OG - Liked him better than Johnson at the time.
6a) Zach Moore, DE, Concordia - Could develop into a pass rusher at OLB.
6b) Daniel McCullers - I liked the pick then and I like it now. Huge upside with zero risk at the end of the 6th.
7) Jeff Janis, WR, Saginaw Valley - I was calling for this kid from like last November.

Now:

1) Ryan Shazier - At this early point, I don't see how anyone can be disappointed in this pick.
2) Tuitt
3) Dri Archer - I didn't want a RB and thought this was a luxury pick, but this kid could be special.
4 Martavis Bryant - Could end up being the steal of the draft.
5a) Shaq Richardson - We needed a CB in this draft and he was probably the best one left
5b) Urschel - Johnson is growing on me as a swing man, but I liked Urschel
6a) Zumwalt - Really impressed with this kid's versatility and drive so far.
6b) McCullers
7) Janis - I still really like that kid!

 

Interesting concept with the redrafts. I think you guys should take the hindsight out of it. Of course you'd hear a ton of good news about your players in OTAs but unless you're searching, you probably won't hear much about other drafted players so it skewers the opinion.

After all, every team swears they had a great draft when players are still in shorts.

 

I disagree to a point. I agree that basing your total opinion of a player on what has transpired since the draft is not a good way to evaluate, but in a case like Shazier, I think hindsight is valuable, at least for me.

Sure, at the time I wouldn't have picked him, but within two days I was ecstatic about the pick because I spent some time watching highlights and reading scouting reports on the kid. Things I hadn't done prior to the draft. I was focused on a few players at just a couple of positions (something no good front office would ever do) prior to the draft.

The good reviews in shorts have only gotten me more excited about him but I am not basing my draft opinion on those reports alone.

 

I missed a player 5a) steelers Shaquille Richardson me Lache Seastrunk RB Baylor

 

Are you doing a Ravens or Steelers redraft?

 

Yeah but how many 1st and 2nd round picks don't have highlights of them dominating and positive scouting reports? The good reviews in OTAs are almost a given unless the player just really doesn't get it on the pro level. For example, Kelvin Benjamin was considered a project because of his hands and route running. It was a few weeks ago but I read about him catching everything thrown his way. In fact, when was the last time OTAs have actually produced negative reviews on a first round pick in the AFC North?

I get what you're saying though. You get the hindsight because it's your team. I just don't think you can use it accurately to do a redraft since your aren't getting the exact same feedback for every other drafted player.

 

Neither lol. I'm not big on college football and usually only do my research after the Ravens are done playing that season. At best I could do a 3-4 round redraft

 

I think we are actually in agreement here but that's so rare you are continuing to argue with me out of principle.

I can't realistically use what has happened since the draft (i.e. OTAs and minicamp) to base my evaluation of the pick.

However, I think it is completely fair to use PRE-draft evaluations and film in hindsight to make those evaluations for this redraft. I do spend quite a bit of time "scouting" college players for the draft, but spent very little time on guys like Shazier and Dri Archer. So, obviously, on draft day I would not have taken either of those players.

For this exercise, I think its fair for me to use the same materials that I used for every other pre-draft evaluation I made to understand whether I like or dislike the pick.

 

Translation . . .

Spoiler

 

Ok so you did a predraft based on what you would have done draft day and what you would have done draft day if you did full research on all players?

I get you. I still feel like that's a certain degree of hindsight, mainly because I feel you've now researched more "pre draft" reviews of Stephen Tuitt than you have someone like Ego Ferguson, for example.

Unless you've actually done research of the predraft reviews of all players, it's still a "well if I had known more about the guy the Steelers drafted the day before the draft, I would have _____". If that makes sense

 

True, but I can only do what I can do...to paraphrase Yogi Berra.

As the draft was going down, I had a good idea who I wanted...that was my first listing.

Now that the draft is over and I have had an opportunity to research the players the Steelers drafted that I hadn't previously researched, I can look at them and say, "I would have taken that guy over this guy too!', or "Nah, I still like my guy better."

I'm not going to research all 300 prospects just to make sure that I am listing the guys that I would have definitely preferred over all others.

There was really only one player left on my first round list that I really wanted when they took Shazier and that was Dennard. Having looked at the two players, Dennard might have been the safer pick but I don't think there is any question that Shazier is more of a playmaker and I am happy with the pick.

The only other guy who I would not have taken who I changed my mind on was Dri Archer. I can honestly say that I was pissed when they took him over Bryant at the end of the 3rd. However, grabbing Bryant half way through the 4th made that a bit easier to swallow. Once I took the time to understand what the kid is all about, I like the pick. It was a luxury pick for a team that, to me, had bigger needs, but he is an explosive playmaker and that seemed to be the focus of this draft. Since he hasn't really done much in the offseason workouts, I can't really say that I was swayed by early reports of football in shorts. It was more the videos online of his explosiveness. If he's used right, he will be an impact player.