Steelers Draft and Mel Kiper sucks thread!!

BB,

Your boat is ugly and your bait stinks !!!!

 

Someone took the bait and the reel is spinning....

enjoy,

bb

ps - We love ya Lyman!

pss - Have you seen my Keel?

 

Keep an eye on the RB from Toledo - Kareem Hunt - He caught my eye yesterday and forgot to post about him..

He dropped about 20 lbs prior to the senior ball - looks quick -can catch..

From PFF:
Toledo RB Hunt is a sleeper in a loaded RB class

Toledo?s Kareem Hunt has been a PFF favorite for a while now, having earned the highest grade among all running backs in 2016, and he has impressed thus far in Mobile. Hunt was very effective as a pass-catcher in the North practice, making difficult catches look routine and making the case that he can stay on the field on third downs in the NFL. Hunt also showed off his elusiveness which helped him force 98 missed tackles during the season by making Michigan cornerback Jourdan Lewis miss in the open field on a toss play.

enjoy,

bb

 

From PFF:

Villanova edge rusher is talented, but needs to improve technique

Tanoh Kpassagnon had an impressive one-on-one session, but it?s worth pointing out some of his struggles on double-team drills. Seeing him have difficulty in that drill wasn?t a huge surprise, as not only is the step up in competition level from Villanova likely an issue, but the fact that he is nearly 6-feet-7 makes his frame an easy target for offensive linemen. Going forward he needs to focus on maintaining a lower pad level and use his natural length and strength to prevent blockers from locking onto him.
--------------------------------------

I really like this kids upside... 5 technique DE?

enjoy,

bb

 

With the NFL being a copy cat league and Bells success this guy will get some attention.
The NFL goes around in circles in that the RB are making a comback.
Maybe not the bug bruises YET but certainly the Bell type.

 

Mayor mentioned, out of 8 possible pass rushers at the senior bowl, none have a 1st round grade.

 

yeah - agree - but I'm betting one/some will develop into that type of player - that's what makes the draft so much fun for me.. looking at kids that wont be drafted in the 1st or 2nd round and watching them develop. The kid from Ohio and the kid from Villanova are 2 guys that have up side and it may take a few years.... The LB from Temple is another one - If we'd draft him as an OLB/ILB - he'd play ST for a few... but again - he has the potential...

enjoy,

bb

 

MOBILE, Ala. -- Day 2 is in the books at the 2017 Senior Bowl, and what we saw on Wednesday were much crisper practices compared to Day 1. And I expect Thursday's wrap-up sessions to be the best of the week. Players are competing and starting to get it. Here's who stood out to me on Wednesday:


O.J. Howard, TE, Alabama
Howard's had two really impressive days here, and I think he'll probably end up being the first Senior Bowl player taken in the draft. You can see he's really worked on his blocking and has improved in that area. He has a perfect combination of height, weight, speed, toughness, and athletic ability. The comparison I have for him is Greg Olsen. If you have a chance to draft a Greg Olsen, you go get him. And I think you'd have to get him with a pick in the early 20s.

Haason Reddick, ILB, Temple
I had several scouting friends of mine asking me if I had seen Reddick. I had and loved what I saw. At 6-foot-1 and 237 pounds, he rushed the quarterback, where he's comfortable, and showed he could play in coverage, both in man and zone. And in team drills he was everywhere. For a guy most consider a "tweener" he made a big statement on Wednesday. He's an ultra-versatile player. If you think of Lawrence Timmons -- and I'm not saying Reddick is Timmons -- he came out of Florida State 10 years ago as an explosive guy the Steelers put in their 3-4 scheme as a inside WILL (weakside) linebacker. They use him as a cover guy but also they bring him on the rush in certain situations. That's where I think Reddick fits. I've been told he'll test well, too, at the combine and his pro day. His arrow is pointed way up from what I've seen here.

Obi Melifonwu, S, Connecticut
Melifonwu, at 6-4 and 219 pounds, was all over the field on Wednesday. He's got outstanding range, making up so much distance in a hurry. Bob Diaco, the coach at UConn the past three years, said Melifonwu has more ability than any safety he's ever coached, and that includes Harrison Smith, the all-pro player for the Minnesota Vikings whom Diaco coached at Notre Dame. He's a matchup chess piece with movement skills. If Greg Olsen comes to town, you say, "That's your guy." The next week a wide receiver like Mike Evans comes to town, you say, "Go get him." I thought Melifonwu had an outstanding practice session on Wednesday.

QBs Antonio Pipkin (Tiffin) and Davis Webb (Cal)
I learned a few things about these two quarterbacks and I can't wait to see them on Thursday in their final practice here and on Saturday in the game. Tipkin is only 6-foot-1 but the ball flies out of his hands. He struggled on Day 1, but I thought he looked a lot more comfortable out there on Day 2 and made some big adjustments, especially under center. Now I want to see him lock in on Day 3. With Webb, the ball comes out beautifully. He threw the ball a ton at Cal but not under center. He's gotten better and better this week with each day and each snap. The big question on Webb is his accuracy. A lot of issues in this area showed on tape.

Damontae Kazee, CB, San Diego State
He's pretty small (5-10, 183) but plays big. Every tape I watched on him he was an off-corner. On Wednesday he was a press corner only. Those are two very different disciplines. He got his hands on everybody. He's got great feet, and he competes at a very high level. He's a quick-footed corner who's better than people thought. He really had a good day.
--------------------------
DAy 2 Mayock report... Look who he mentions under the Reddick blurb...

enjoy,

bb

 

Watching Desmond King
He looks a little slow to me
Mayok mentioned him as a possible safety at the next level.
I don't think he can cover speedy little WR like Brown and is a bit short to cover bigger Bryant type.
Also, TE might have their way with him.
I don't see him as a 1st rounder.

 

Something I read from bleacher report on the Senior Bowl.

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MATT MILLER'S SCOUTING NOTEBOOK: SENIOR BOWL BUZZ AND UPDATED 2-ROUND MOCK DRAFT
North squad quarterback C.J. Beathard of Iowa (15) practices for Saturday's Senior Bowl college football game in Mobile, Ala., Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2017. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Brynn Anderson/Associated Press
Matt Miller
NFL Draft Lead Writer
January 27, 2017
MOBILE, Ala. ? The first event of the NFL draft process is here. The 2017 Reese's Senior Bowl is this week, and in the stands of Ladd-Peebles Stadium, you'll see John Elway, Reggie McKenzie and Ted Thompson among the other NFL general managers evaluating the 100-plus players on the North and South rosters.

For the players on the field, this week of practices is incredibly important. Dak Prescott and Carson Wentz were here last year wowing scouts, and the players lacing up their cleats this week know that a solid performance can start a climb up draft boards throughout the next three months. No pressure, right?


With a solid class of seniors and graduated juniors on the field, the practices have been entertaining and educational. Seeing a small-school player like wide receiver Cooper Kupp hold his own against top-tier Division I cornerbacks answers many questions about the ability of the Eastern Washington star to project to the next level.

Who made money this week? Which teams are falling in love with which players? Here's what you'll find below:

Updated two-round mock draft
Two up-and-coming head coaching candidates
Winners and losers from Senior Bowl week
The 49ers passing on Kirk Cousins?
Five players who made money at this week's Senior Bowl


The Scout's Report

?Two names I'm hearing a lot in Mobile are Matt Burke and Mike McDaniel. Neither one is familiar to casual fans, but the two coaches (Burke the new defensive coordinator for the Dolphins, and McDaniel currently an offensive assistant for the Falcons) are seen as future candidates for head coaching jobs.

?While not attending the Senior Bowl, Joe Mixon is a name on everyone's mind. The talented Oklahoma running back was suspended for the 2014 season after punching a woman in the face. Mixon, who I've graded as a first-round talent on the field, is a player teams are still digging on, but one scout I spoke with in Mobile believes he'll be drafted in the second round.

?The offensive tackle class isn't well-liked by scouts and analysts alike, but one personnel director told me this week he has a Round 1 grade on Alabama's Cam Robinson as a right tackle.

?One position group scouts do love is running back. During a dinner with one scout, he remarked this is the deepest running back class he's ever seen, with as many as six first-round grades floating around. The scout named Leonard Fournette, Dalvin Cook, Christian McCaffrey, Joe Mixon, Alvin Kamara and D'Onta Foreman as potential top-32 players.


?Many in the media and in the football world are connecting the dots between Kirk Cousins and the San Francisco 49ers, with potential new head coach Kyle Shanahan thought to love his former quarterback. One high-level personnel man I spoke with this week doubts the San Francisco connection for two reasons: the draft picks it would take to secure him and the high salary Cousins will command as a free agent.

LSU's Leonard Fournette
LSU's Leonard FournetteWesley Hitt/Getty Images
?Leonard Fournette ranks as the No. 2 player on my board, but will he be drafted that early? One scout I spoke to doesn't think so given the depth at the running back position in this class: "A lot of teams can wait and get Dalvin [Cook] later, so why draft Fournette early?"

?The love for Malik Hooker is legit. The Ohio State safety is a top-10 player in the class. One scout this week told me Ohio State tracked his interceptions while he was a member of the scout team, and he grabbed 40 in his redshirt season.

?Ohio State's Marshon Lattimore has many high grades around the league, but I continue to hear of teams that value Florida's Quincy Wilson as the top cornerback in the class. My board reflects that same belief, with Wilson over Lattimore for the CB1 ranking.

?Two small-school linemen generated a lot of pre-Senior Bowl buzz, but neither Forrest Lamp (Western Kentucky) or Antonio Garcia (Troy) were able to build strong performances. Lamp went out with a high ankle sprain Wednesday, but one scout who watched him exclusively during the first day of practice said he "struggled a lot with inside speed and power. He's a project." As for Garcia, who weighed in at 293 pounds, the same scout said, "We'd need to add a lot of strength there, and you have to wonder if he can even hold more weight."






5 Names to Know, Senior Bowl Edition

5. EDGE Jordan Willis, Kansas State

Jordan Willis, the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, needed to show the bend and twitch of an athlete in Mobile to push his stock up draft boards. He accomplished that and made my early look at him look very wrong.

Willis' ability to get around the corner and attack the quarterback resulted in 11.5 sacks this past season, and he displayed those same traits in Mobile. Willis' fit as a 3-4 outside linebacker or 4-3 defensive end will have his value soaring for teams. Don't be surprised if he's a late second-rounder.



4. WR Cooper Kupp, Eastern Washington

Cooper Kupp, the small-school wide receiver on everyone's mind coming into this week, did not disappoint with his separation skills and hands. Kupp was the best receiver on the field for either team and showed that he's fighting for the No. 3 wide receiver spot in the class.

There are times where he'll have a concentration drop, but Kupp's speed and route running were top-notch. And while Kupp weighed in under 200 pounds, I'm told he'll be heavier for the combine now that he's healthy and can commit to working out again.

Eastern Washington's Cooper Kupp shined in Mobile.
Eastern Washington's Cooper Kupp shined in Mobile.Steve Dykes/Getty Images


3. S Obi Melifonwu, Connecticut

You don't see many 6'4", 219-pound safeties who can flip their hips and run like Obi Melifonwu.


Teams are talking about Melifonwu as a tight end eraser. He's physical enough at the line of scrimmage and has the length to be developed into an effective press safety. His over-the-top range is also impressive.

I'd like to see Melifonwu attack the ball better in high-point situations, but his measurables and traits are off-the-charts good.



2. CB Desmond King, Iowa

Desmond King may end up playing safety in the NFL, but no matter where he lands or what position he plays, he'll be one of my favorite players in the class.

King has a short frame but a thick and well-built physique (5'10", 206 lbs). He's aggressive, tough and competitive on the field. In talking to a coach at Iowa, he raved about King's leadership skills and "whatever it takes" mentality.

His lack of long speed and length may mean a nickel or safety move, but King has the goods to carve out a long, productive career as a second-round pick.



1. LB Haason Reddick, Temple

Nothing could stop Haason Reddick, who played both linebacker and defensive end in practices. He was a monster all over the field, making plays as an inside linebacker in run/pass drills and again when asked to put his hand in the dirt and rush the quarterback.

Reddick's size (6'1 ?", 237 lbs) isn't an ideal fit for a true defensive end position, but his movement in space is opening doors for him as an off-ball linebacker who can then dip down on third downs and rush the quarterback. If you want a versatile, attacking linebacker, he's a fit.


Round 1 isn't out of the question for Reddick, a player whose style and traits scream New England Patriot.





The Mock Draft

The draft order is close to being set with just two teams hanging in the balance. Before the Super Bowl and free agency change everything, here's one last look at the first two rounds:

Updated Mock Draft
Pick Team Player
1 Cleveland EDGE Myles Garrett, Texas A&M
2 San Francisco QB Mitch Trubisky, North Carolina
3 Chicago QB DeShone Kizer, Notre Dame
4 Jacksonville RB Leonard Fournette, LSU
5 Tennessee (f/Rams) WR Mike Williams, Clemson
6 New York Jets S Jamal Adams, LSU
7 Los Angeles Chargers S Malik Hooker, Ohio State
8 Carolina DE Derek Barnett, Tennessee
9 Cincinnati LB Reuben Foster, Alabama
10 Buffalo DL Jonathan Allen, Alabama
11 New Orleans EDGE Solomon Thomas, Stanford
12 Cleveland (f/Eagles) QB Deshaun Watson, Clemson
13 Arizona CB Marshon Lattimore, Ohio State
14 Philadelphia (f/Vikings) WR Corey Davis, Western Michigan
15 Indianapolis EDGE Charles Harris, Missouri
16 Baltimore CB Marlon Humphrey, Alabama
17 Washington S Jabrill Peppers, Michigan
18 Tennessee CB Quincy Wilson, Florida
19 Tampa Bay TE O.J. Howard, Alabama
20 Denver T Ryan Ramczyk, Wisconsin
21 Detroit EDGE Taco Charlton, Michigan
22 Miami EDGE Takkarist McKinley, UCLA
23 New York Giants TE David Njoku, Miami
24 Oakland RB Dalvin Cook, FSU
25 Houston CB Sidney Jones, Washington
26 Seattle CB Teez Tabor, Florida
27 Kansas City CB Tre'Davious White, LSU
28 Dallas DL Montravius Adams, Auburn
29 Green Bay CB Gareon Conley, Ohio State
30 Pittsburgh EDGE Ryan Anderson, Alabama
31 Atlanta DL Caleb Brantley, Florida
32 New England RB Christian McCaffrey, Stanford
33 Cleveland T Garett Bolles, Utah
34 San Francisco LB Jarrad Davis, Florida
35 Chicago T Cam Robinson, Alabama
36 Jacksonville S Budda Baker, Washington
37 Los Angeles Rams G Forrest Lamp, Western Kentucky
38 New York Jets RB Alvin Kamara, Tennessee
39 Los Angeles Chargers WR John Ross, Washington
40 Carolina S Justin Evans, Texas A&M
41 Cincinnati CB Adoree' Jackson, USC
42 Buffalo LB Zach Cunningham, Vanderbilt
43 New Orleans QB Patrick Mahomes, Texas Tech
44 Philadelphia RB Joe Mixon, Oklahoma
45 Arizona QB Brad Kaaya, Miami
46 Minnesota G Dan Feeney, Indiana
47 Indianapolis CB Cordrea Tankersley, Clemson
48 Baltimore EDGE Tim Williams, Alabama
49 Washington S Desmond King, Iowa
50 Cleveland (f/Titans) LB T.J. Watt, Wisconsin
51 Tampa Bay S Marcus Williams, Utah
52 Denver TE Jordan Leggett, Clemson
53 Detroit RB D'Onta Foreman, Texas
54 Miami LB Raekwon McMillan, Ohio State
55 New York Giants EDGE Dawuane Smoot, Illinois
56 Oakland LB Elijah Lee, Kansas State
57 Houston LB Haason Reddick, Temple
58 Seattle EDGE Jordan Willis, Kansas State
59 Kansas City S Eddie Jackson, Alabama
60 Dallas WR Cooper Kupp, Eastern Washington
61 Green Bay TE Evan Engram, Ole Miss
62 Pittsburgh WR Carlos Henderson, Louisiana Tech
63 Atlanta TE Bucky Hodges, Virginia Tech
64 New England EDGE Carl Lawson, Auburn
Matt Miller


Parting Shots

10. Is this the end of Ben Roethlisberger's run? The quarterback hinted at retirement while talking to radio station 93.7 The Fan, which automatically puts the Steelers' draft needs in a tailspin.

Is it likely Big Ben will retire? I doubt it, and the people I've talked to doubt it, but you have to take this talk seriously. It's possible Roethlisberger is just hurt after a loss to New England and is wondering how long he wants to play. It's definitely possible he could be considering retirement, too.

Because of that uncertainty, the Steelers have to be smart about looking at the position in free agency and the draft with backup Landry Jones a free agent.



9. Boston College defensive back John Johnson had a good week of practices, flashing coverage skills from the safety position and range to make an impact on plays over the top. He's moving up my board and earned a scouting report in 140 characters this week.







8. The top quarterback in Mobile was Pitt's Nathan Peterman. What do I see on the field that makes him a riser?






7. Houston edge-rusher Tyus Bowser was a much more complete player than I expected to see. Here's my 140-character take on the Day 2 prospect.




6. Ryan Switzer is a fun player to watch. What's the scouting report on the North Carolina wide receiver?






5. Josh Dobbs may be the smartest player in the draft with an aerospace engineering degree, but can he play ball?






4. A hot topic around Mobile wasn't just the barbecue or Yuengling but the number of agents taking low fees to represent players and the influx of non-football agents now representing rookies after focusing on NBA or MMA contracts in the past.

One rumor circulating around Senior Bowl practices is that Myles Garrett signed a deal including a 0 percent commission. Agent fees have gone down in the past?from 3 to 1.5 percent?but a 0 percent deal is unheard of.

Many agents also complained to me about "new" agents coming into the market and flooding prospects with inflated marketing advances (one in the neighborhood of $500,000) to secure their services.

This may not be of interest to the hardened draft fan who comes here for mock drafts and rumors, but it's something that I heard every day in Alabama.



3. Who were the three biggest risers during Senior Bowl practices?

Temple LB Haason Reddick
Temple LB Haason ReddickBrynn Anderson/Associated Press
Haason Reddick?The Temple linebacker prospect was amazing every day. He packs a big punch as a hitter, showed off range and agility in pass drops and was at his best rushing the passer in both team and individual drills. I'll be going back to the tape on Reddick, who may run in the 4.4s when it's time for the scouting combine.


Cooper Kupp?Answering questions about how well he'd fare when playing top-tier competition was a huge moment for Kupp this week. He was the best route-runner of the group and showed nice upfield burst and power when attacking on vertical routes. His hands were equally impressive.

Zay Jones?It's easy to see why Jones set records at East Carolina as a receiver. Throughout practices, he showed excellent body control as a route-runner and when adjusting to the ball in the air. His hands were also consistent to a point where if the ball was catchable, he was bringing it in.



2. On the other side of the coin, who were three fallers in this year's group?

Antonio Garcia?The pre-Senior Bowl hype on this kid was too much. Garcia's numbers at Troy were fantastic as a pass-blocker (zero sacks allowed in 2016), but his lanky frame and poor handling of power rushes will remind too many scouts of T.J. Clemmings with better feet. Daeshon Hall notably worked him in one-on-one drills.

Amba Etta-Tawo?Stiff routes, slow transitions and poor hands plagued the Syracuse wide receiver. Senior Bowl week can be tough on receivers as they adapt to the quarterbacks around them, but Etta-Tawo was making mistakes no other receiver on the field did. With his lack of athleticism, there are too many questions.

C.J. Beathard?A lack of arm strength kills any buzz Beathard could have generated here. On a day with just a little wind, Beathard struggled to throw with the zip to push the ball down the field. There's an Aaron Murray without the wins feel here, which likely makes Beathard a late-rounder.




1. With three days of practice completed, here are my award winners from the 2017 Senior Bowl:

Most Impressive Offensive Player?TE O.J. Howard, Alabama

Most Impressive Defensive Player?LB Haason Reddick, Temple

Best Quarterback?Nathan Peterman, Pitt

Best Running Back?Jamaal Williams, BYU

Best Wide Receiver?Cooper Kupp, Eastern Michigan, and Zay Jones, East Carolina

Best Tight End?Howard

Best Offensive Lineman?Julie'n Davenport, Bucknell

Best Defensive Lineman?Montravius Adams, Auburn

Best EDGE?Tyus Bowser, Houston

Best Linebacker?Reddick

Best Defensive Back?Desmond King, Iowa





Matt Miller covers the NFL and NFL draft for Bleacher Report.

 

Hearing a lot of positive things about the kid. I live in Tiffin and got the chance to see Nate Washington play a couple times. Wasn't fortunate enough to watch Pipkin though.

 

breed, good write-up, but I don't like who they mock to us in either of the first two rounds. It's good that they caused Tim Williams to fall into the second round (teams will be leery of his drug test failures while keeping Randy Gregory in mind), but Ryan Anderson isn't much better.

 

Agreed!
I'm really starting to lean towards OJ Howard or Adoree Jackson.
I know we need an OLB but not sure there will be one with a first round grade.

 

I doubt Howard is going to be there by the time we pick. I think we missed a chance at a first round tight end when we passed on Hunter Henry last year.

 

You can almost bet on Howard being gone at #30. This is the best player at the senior bowl and probably the best athlete at the senior bowl.. TE's like this (gronk like, Wittman John Makey, Mark Bavaro...) Don't come along all that often.. The Change the way a Defense prepares.... Match up night mares... cbs has him going #16 to the Ravens - if he slips past them - the Giants or someone else will draft him...

enjoy,

bb

ps - reminder 2:30pm EST - senior bowl today

 

Agree on talent and the probable non availability but one can hope for Decastro type day.

Thoughts on Adoree Jackson?

 

Hey bb, what are your thoughts on Pipkin. Any chance the Steelers take a chance in the 5th-7th rounds on him?

 

If the Ravens pass on him there is a good chance he goes at 20 to the Broncos.

 

Need to watch some tape on Davis Webb
QB Cal. Looks real good in this game.
Peterman looked great in practices but not good in the game IMO

 

Someone mentioned that they saw a mock where Howard went to the Ravens. I think he's actually Top-15 material at this point. It'd be a steal if the Ravens were to grab him. The Saints would find him difficult to pass up at #11 what with them unable to replace Jimmy Graham so far.

Jackson has a limited ceiling. He could boom in the NFL, but he won't rise any higher than late-first because there's not enough tape on him at any one position to place him as a bonafide starter in the NFL. I wouldn't mind it, but he wouldn't be my first pick.