2014 Draft

[ATL96Steeler]

It doesn't seem like a great fit initially, but the more I think about it...leaving him out of the mix for a second...the pool for us @ 15 is more or less...DEF, Mack, Nix, Gilbert/Dennard/Mosley...do you see another direction they might go? Mack is not dropping to 15, we agree on Nix, I'm not sold on Gilbert or Dennard as top 15 talent. Mosley would be a reach imo...I'd welcome any of them as picks, but impact players I'm not sure.

OFC...Ebron, Watkins, Evans...again who am I leaving out? Extending Miller, bad pro day probably eliminated Ebron, Watkins will likely be gone, and Evans could be gone.

Again, I'm with you on an OL, but if Lewan is sitting there @ 15, it looks better than it did before...just saying. Right now we're iffy @ OT on both sides, he played enough snaps to be viewed as solid if he was every going to be solid and he's not really. I view Gilbert in the same light I did Hood, except Hood lined up every Sunday. Some people think Adams will be a better RT than Gilbert.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

It doesn't seem like a great fit initially, but the more I think about it...leaving him out of the mix for a second...the pool for us @ 15 is more or less...DEF, Mack, Nix, Gilbert/Dennard/Mosley...do you see another direction they might go? Mack is not dropping to 15, we agree on Nix, I'm not sold on Gilbert or Dennard as top 15 talent. Mosley would be a reach imo...I'd welcome any of them as picks, but impact players I'm not sure.

OFC...Ebron, Watkins, Evans...again who am I leaving out? Extending Miller, bad pro day probably eliminated Ebron, Watkins will likely be gone, and Evans could be gone.

Again, I'm with you on an OL, but if Lewan is sitting there @ 15, it looks better than it did before...just saying. Right now we're iffy @ OT on both sides, he played enough snaps to be viewed as solid if he was every going to be solid and he's not really. I view Gilbert in the same light I did Hood, except Hood lined up every Sunday. Some people think Adams will be a better RT than Gilbert.

The thing I like most about Gilbert is he's still young, so there is still upside. He has shown the ability, but he still has room to improve. I can agree that he's still iffy, but I'd give him another year before rushing into another OT prospect. Just my opinion, but I would definitely be happy with Lewan though!

Gilbert/Dennard... Not sure which guy is the better, but IMO I think Dennard fits the mold better. Both are definitely on the radar.


You have both pools about right. The only person I would even consider on offense is possibly Benjamin. But if I was going that route I would definitely be trying to trade back. The same could be said for most of the pool at 15. Sure fire picks would be Evans, Watkins, and possibly Ebron. Hard to figure out where they are going to go.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

We're on the same page in terms of a wish list I guess, OT is not at the top...just starting to think how Colbert might go...realistically in terms of fit/needs for PIT @ 15th slot, the pool is not really that large. You never know what will happen on draft day.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

We're on the same page in terms of a wish list I guess, OT is not at the top...just starting to think how Colbert might go...realistically in terms of fit/needs for PIT @ 15th slot, the pool is not really that large. You never know what will happen on draft day.

Yea i've been dumbfounded before... 2011 was the last time I felt that way. The Heyward pick was a bit out of left-field for me. Made sense though! Usually I'm pretty close to who they pick; the player will typically be on my top 5 wishlist.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

At one point I thought I had the top 5 down pat, now I'm not sure...the players are really close at the top. I still think HOU and JAX will go QBs...the question is STL...I feel like ATL with 10 picks are going to call about moving up for Clowney. I also don't think they will go better than 1.6 & 3.68 Maybe someone else will join ATL.

As you trickle down to CLE I have a feeling if Bridgewater/Bortles are off the board CLE will not go QB.

When you get to 15...I see Dennard in several mocks, but obviously we need a CB...Hageman has dropped off some boards, but I still like that pick. I'm honed in on Watkins and or Evans even though I feel they will be gone. I'm more lukewarm on Ebron now...after that OT might present the best value...Hageman still perks my interest.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

At one point I thought I had the top 5 down pat, now I'm not sure...the players are really close at the top. I still think HOU and JAX will go QBs...the question is STL...I feel like ATL with 10 picks are going to call about moving up for Clowney. I also don't think they will go better than 1.6 & 3.68 Maybe someone else will join ATL.

As you trickle down to CLE I have a feeling if Bridgewater/Bortles are off the board CLE will not go QB.

When you get to 15...I see Dennard in several mocks, but obviously we need a CB...Hageman has dropped off some boards, but I still like that pick. I'm honed in on Watkins and or Evans even though I feel they will be gone. I'm more lukewarm on Ebron now...after that OT might present the best value...Hageman still perks my interest.

If CLE isn't going with Manziel in that instance, then they would most definitely go Watkins. At least from what I've been reading.

Well we can all agree that Evans is our guy at 15. If they move back then I'd be much more open to just about anyone mentioned. I would have loved Pryor/C-Dix @15 if the Mitchell signing never happened. But yea, I see your point about Lewan @15. Makes more and more sense.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

If CLE isn't going with Manziel in that instance, then they would most definitely go Watkins. At least from what I've been reading.

Well we can all agree that Evans is our guy at 15. If they move back then I'd be much more open to just about anyone mentioned. I would have loved Pryor/C-Dix @15 if the Mitchell signing never happened. But yea, I see your point about Lewan @15. Makes more and more sense.

CLE would be foolish to take JM @ 4, but I I've seen worse. If they want a QB, be fucking bold...pkg 1.4 and 1.26 to jump JAX and they are right back on the clock @ 3.35 for a WR...then again, I hope they do take JM.

Evans...yea. looking that way...I hope it happens, but couldn't fault him for taking Lewan.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

CLE would be foolish to take JM @ 4, but I I've seen worse. If they want a QB, be fucking bold...pkg 1.4 and 1.26 to jump JAX and they are right back on the clock @ 3.35 for a WR...then again, I hope they do take JM.

Evans...yea. looking that way...I hope it happens, but couldn't fault him for taking Lewan.

No matter what CLE does they will mess it up... It's CLE

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Well since the draft is a few weeks away… It's time to relight the draft talk flame! For most of us this is old news, but I'm sure more and more people will start surfacing on the boards… In light of that… Here is my summary so far:

In the 1st round this year I would be happy with just about anyone lol… Biggest areas of need IMO are CB, NT, WR, DE, LB (either OLB or ILB depending on where they see Moats fitting), TE, OT?, RB.

CB's: I'd be happy with either Dennard or Gilbert @15. Both are instant starters, and they need impact guys back there. But they could easily find 1st round talent in the 2nd round in Fuller, Roby, Verrett, & Roberson/Watkins/Purifoy. Rostered CB's are: Allen, Taylor, Gay, McCain, Blake, Green, D Smith. As you can see, they need bodies! I believe PIT had about 10 CB's on the roster before OTA's even started. So I could see PIT "double dipping" by taking 2 CB's in this draft, then signing a UDFA. Blake & McCain are likely fighting for a ST spot since both are VERY fast.

NT: Nix is the only 1st rounder worth considering, but could be traded back for. As we all know it takes a very large man to anchor the 3-4 NT position. The only 3 guys I would consider after Nix are: Ellis (La Tech), Carrethers (Ark St), and McCullers (TEN). But those 3 guys could be landed in rounds 3-5, so obviously if they pass on Nix then these guys will be around. Hard to imagine PIT wants to use a 1st round pick on a position that wasn't used very often last season. But that could be because McLendon wasn't as trustworthy.

WR: Watkins will be gone, but Evans & Benjamin should be around @15. Evans seems to be the SportsHoopla-club favorite. More athletic and faster than Benjamin. But judging off face-value, Benjamin is the exact same player that Plaxico Burress was coming out of college. The measureables are uncanny! If they don't land a big WR in the 1st, then expect them to target Allen Robinson (Penn St), Adams (Fresno St), Moncrief (Ole Miss), Jordan Mathews (Vandy), or Bryant (Clemson). All 5 of those 2nd Round guys have good size (>6'1"), and would challenge Wheaton day 1 of camps.

DE: Not a lot of prospects fall around the 15 mark in the 1st round. Guys like Hageman (Minn), & Tuitt (ND) are targets for either late 1st round or early 2nd. They could possibly land a guy like Martin (UNC) in the 3rd. But I'm really holding onto the thought that they finally push McLendon to the DE position where he is better fitted. Think of Heyward & McLendon as our DE's! That would be NASTY!

LB: ILB Mosley is the obvious target if they went this route in the 1st. He is touted as the next Ray Lewis. He could provide stability to the inside where Farrior left his void. He is the only ILB worth considering as for the others are 3-5th round prospects. For OLBs: Barr & Mack will most likely be gone so Van Noy (BYU) is a solid 2nd round prospect. They will decide between ILB/OLB when they figure out where Moats fits in best. As of now he is listed as OLB, but could easily start at ILB.

OT: Robinson & Mathews would be impossible to pass up, but they will be gone before 15. Lewan would be the only 1st rounder outside of those 2 worth the pick at 15. Hard to imagine PIT drafting another O-lineman this high when they already have 8 under contract next season (only dress 7 in games).

RB: DEFINITELY not for a 1st round pick… But they have a gaping hole for return specialists/ RB3 roles. Look for PIT to fill this void in later rounds (maybe rounds 4-6). FB Will Johnson could fill the RB3 but he is not a return guy. Wheaton will likely take KRs, but who else?

TE: Ebron is an instant impact starter, and would be a solid pick at 15. He had a bad pro day which raised eyebrows, but I'm not concerned. He's a playmaker, and PIT is in need on one on offense. Not to mention Miller is the only other solidified TE on the roster. Spaeth is good for one thing, blocking… The Paulsen experiment is not likely to pan out, and David Johnson left for San Diego… So TE could very well be on the radar! Amaro (T-Tech) & Stefarian-Jenkins are others worth looking at, but should be traded back for or landed in the 2nd.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

I saw we got Carrethers...great job!

On the real front, I wouldn't mind seeing it go the same way.

To your points. It seems to drag on in this new time slot, but good to get FA done...I agree on the needs and pretty much the same order.

CB...I'm a 2nd rd guy on that front. Right now Allen and Gay are the 1 & 2 guys...Lebeau hates playing rookies unless they are clear cut best options...I don't think either Dennard or Gilbert would start barring injury or Ike just losing it all at once. With short term FS addressed in FS and Troy being extended, S. Thomas is likely to factor heavy in the dime sub pkg,

I'm not seeing a lot of snaps on DEF for 15th overall CB pick...Not a bad pick to groom a starter for next year.

NT...I'm grounded in the theory of not taking a 2 down player this high and I don't think Nix is anymore than a 2 down player...clearly a need though and he's the only 1st round grade guy. FWIW I think Nix slides down into the 20s...I really see NE getting him for some reason unless they go TE.

WR...I think it's possible Evans could be gone if DET does not go CB. Benjamin should and I would pull the trigger here even if he's not as refined...I think he'll make plays right away, but not be great. At the same time I'm okay with the 2nd tier taller guys in this draft.

LB...I'm not that high on Mosley even though he's the clear cut best ILB in this draft. He's faster than Williams, and I know PIT needs to get faster on DEF. Not sure he would take the job from Williams this season, but probably a better long term option. I think Moats is going to contribute. I still like the OLB pick later and they seem to have kept Shaq under wraps.

OT...I've warmed up to taking Lewan if he drops and going CB in the 2nd, WR/NT 3rd. I think Adams is the best RT on the team and they're still in stopgap mode imo with Beech @ LT. I think he actually fits well in the DIV...the best edge rushers are mostly smaller, quicker type players...the bigger DEs like Peppers, Aldon Smith, etc. will always give him trouble. This pick makes a lot more sense to me now than it did a month ago.

RB...I like the AUB RB, Trey Mason, but he'll be long gone before I would even think about that position.

TE...Ebron...agreed, in spite of the bad pro day, this guy is a matchup problem and should be an impact player this season. Haley would need to open up his playbook and use this guy though. I could see him being the slot guy in 2 WR sets, or the second slot in 4 WR sets, or wide. I think Moye went out to Cali with Ben to try to connect...He and Paulson I think are going to have trouble making the team if this draft is good.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

I think just for fun we should all submit our top 5 prospects for each round of the draft… But submit them one at a time (each day) before each round. That way we can adjust for the positions they actually take. Could be fun to see how far off we actually are from our way of thinking. If not that, then at least for some friendly bragging rights!

 

[ATL96Steeler]

I probably should know this, but I need to find out when the darn draft is!

Will try to do that...should be fun to see how much we really know about our team.

 

[Steelboy84]

Eric Ebron's name has been coming to light as the draft nears. If he could play a Gronkowski role for us, I'd take him.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

I probably should know this, but I need to find out when the darn draft is!

Will try to do that...should be fun to see how much we really know about our team.

The draft is next Thursday! May 8th!!

So submit your top 5 for round 1 before next Thursday...

I say we submit before Thursday and not during the draft because that would make it a lot easier to narrow down the list lol.

Then we can submit our top 5 for the next round from the time they make the selection for the round prior until the start of the next round. Obviously it would be smart to wait until all 32 teams have picked each day before submitting your top 5 for the next round.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Here's my list:

1. Evans
2. Dennard
3. Ebron
4. Lewan
5. ???

Picked my list off of whom I think is more practical to be there at 15. Basically I based my list off of BPA for the positions of need. I can't think of who I like for the 5th slot. It's sort of a tossup between a few prospects so I'll have to think more on it. And of course I might change it before Thursday because I like to overthink things sometimes.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

1. Evans...would be the best overall choice imo
2. Ebron...if used properly, could be a star
3. Lewan...I'm not sold on Gilbert long term, this guy has LT potential
4. Dennard...I actually could see them going Beckham Jr in lieu of CB
5. Barr...if all above are gone, this guy would be hard to leave on the board, very athletic, not Mack, but high ceiling

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

1. Evans...would be the best overall choice imo
2. Ebron...if used properly, could be a star
3. Lewan...I'm not sold on Gilbert long term, this guy has LT potential
4. Dennard...I actually could see them going Beckham Jr in lieu of CB
5. Barr...if all above are gone, this guy would be hard to leave on the board, very athletic, not Mack, but high ceiling

We have the same list lol. I am debating between Barr & Fuller (better than Gilbert IMO) for my #5 spot. Ebron is a tough one to put on the list, but I might drop him down a slot or two on my top 5. He has good upside, but only if Haley uses him correctly. If they try to use him in blocking situations then he is set up for failure. Might not be the instant impact guy we want. Another person I've been debating on is Allen Robinson or Benjamin.

 

[ATL96Steeler]

Yea...PIT needs are pretty evident.

Ebron, that's really the key, because if you're going to try to make him Heath II, then he could be a bust...an OFC mind like McCarthy, or Payton in NO, the kid could be a star.

By Thurs. I could see my list change a bit...I think they might go Beckham before they would go Nix, but I really would not mind seeing them drop back with GB and reaching a little bit for Benjamin...or us take Ebron for them and they take Benjamin and we trade.

 

[MISKO]

For Steelers GM Kevin Colbert, the draft is one of the most important events of the year. The draft is the best way to stockpile talent at a reasonable rate and consistent good drafting is what separates the good teams from the great ones. In this year's draft, Colbert is especially impressed with the depth at wide receiver and cornerback and Colbert admits that the Steelers have spent a lot of time analyzing the talent at both positions: “It created a lot of interesting and exciting discussion,” said Colbert. “We had to spend more time on the wide receivers and corners, especially the receivers because there are so many. We kept looking at ourselves and saying this is great because we had some nice options available to us that in years past we hadn’t. We took a lot of time sorting through the receivers. It never got boring because there were a lot of exciting receivers. The corners weren’t far behind.” What do you think? Should wide receiver and cornerback be priorities in this year's draft?

Black and Gold Forever

 

[ATL96Steeler]

For a team typically picking in the 20s, this year Colbert needs to hit with his top 3 to 4 picks this year.

With so much depth @ the WR position, I expect them to take another position @ 15 unless one of the top 2 are there.

CB...not a real fan of the names at the top of the position, but no way I could be upset with a CB pick @ 15 with Ike on his way out...guys like Fuller are now being looked at as 1st round potentials. The only need position I don't want to see PIT take @ 15 is NT...just not a Nix guy.