2019 Offseason...Staff, FA, Draft Outlook

[ATL96Steeler]

I was expecting a take the top off guy at WR, but no qualms here with their track record with WRs...a little surprised Layne lasted that long, but I figured the 3rd rd they would still get a solid prospect and they did.

Like it so far!

 

[Superbelt]

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Benny Snell... Solidified the RB room with this guy. Another physical runner in the mix. Great field vision. Decent burst but lacks the speed. Still great competition for the RB corps, and solid insurance should Conner or Samuels get injured.

 

[Yo Tee]

Love the Snell pick. So far, not having too many problems with this draft. Next pick needs to be a Secondary player though, in my opinion.

 

[Yo Tee]

On paper, this is a great draft so far.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

TE Zach Gentry... Not loving this pick. I don't know if they panicked after Foster Moreau got pick 4 spots ahead of this, but nothing about Gentry really excites me. At least not when you read the scouting reports. Unable to block & an inconsistent catcher. Yeehaw

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

OLB Sutton Smith... Loving this pick more & more. Don't be fooled by the DE position next to his name on the trackers. He's 233 lbs, and played primarily in a 4-3 scheme. He's going to be an OLB with the Steelers. This kid dominated the MAC conference.

Consensus All-American in 2017, as well as a finalist for the Ted Hendricks Award as the nation’s best defensive end and the MAC Defensive Player of the Year. He set a school record and led the FBS with 2.3 tackles for loss per game (29.5 total), ranked third in the country with 1.08 sacks per game (14), also finishing with 63 total tackles, three passes defensed, and three fumbles forced. Smith’s production continued in 2018, again being named a Ted Hendricks Award finalists, earning multiple All-American awards, and receiving MAC Defensive Player of the Year honors. In 14 starts he posted 61 tackles and finished among the nation’s leaders with 26.5 tackles for loss, 15 sacks, three forced fumbles, and two blocked kicks.

DT/DE Isaiah Buggs... Very solid depth piece. Not as heralded as Quinnen Williams, but he was very disruptive. He led the Bama defense in sacks last year. He should challenge McCullers or immediately replace Walton.

Started all 15 games of his senior season, leading the Tide with 9.5 sacks among his 51 total tackles, 13.5 for loss. He also had three pass breakups and two forced fumbles on the year.

LB Ulysees Gilbert... A lot of accolades to this kid's resume. But given the corps of LBs, this kid seems like a project destined for PS. Not sure I agree with it. Would have rather seen an O-lineman or DB.

Gilbert is a two-time first-team All-MAC selection for the Zips, also earning the team's Defensive MVP honors (sharing with corner Kyron Brown in 2017). He paced the team in tackles as a sophomore (122, ranked ninth in the FBS with 10.2 per game) and junior (141, including 13 in the Boca Raton Bowl), also topping the team with 11.5 tackles for loss in 2016 and five sacks in 2017. Gilbert was a second-team All-MAC selection in 2018, starting all 12 games and compiling 85 tackles (7.5 for loss). As a true freshman, Gilbert made 11 stops as a reserve and special teams ace. He was a football (2014 Marion County Defensive Player of the Year) and basketball star in Ocala, Florida before matriculating north to play for the Zips.

OT Derwin Gray... Another raw OT prospect. A necessity so I'm glad it was finally made.

Big Ten coaches named him honorable mention all-conference as a 12-game starter at left tackle in 2017, and he was named his own team's top offensive lineman that season. He was an honorable mention All-Big Ten selection in 2018, starting 10 games at left tackle for the Terps.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

 

[SJ20]

After Dupree my excitement for UK football prospects just isn't there anymore. However, I really was impressed with Benny Snell in the Citrus Bowl against Penn State. He has a good chance to help the Steelers.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

After Dupree my excitement for UK football prospects just isn't there anymore. However, I really was impressed with Benny Snell in the Citrus Bowl against Penn State. He has a good chance to help the Steelers.

Don’t tell @SteelersPride that.. He thinks he’s just a college back, not an NFL back.

 

[SteelersPride]

Don’t tell @SteelersPride that.. He thinks he’s just a college back, not an NFL back.

Just check his combine, he tanked.
Gimme something besides he’s powerful? That gives him good pro upside?

 

[SteelersPride]

Don’t tell @SteelersPride that.. He thinks he’s just a college back, not an NFL back.

How do I put this. I like snell, I like his game, I like his story, I like his production. I hope he bucks his poor numbers and produces. But rbs with those combine numbers usually don’t.

I just think there was better value on the board. But I think that about a lot of our latter draft. I’m reading multiple reviews of the picks rounds 5+ and most outlets are mimicking each other

 

[SteelersPride]

Benny Snell Advanced Stats, Metrics and Analytics Player Profile

 

[Yo Tee]

Overall: A great draft for us, in my opinion.

They finally traded up to get the guy they wanted. Great move with Devin Bush.

Diontae Johnson is a small dude, about the size of AB. I think it's fitting that we used a pick from the AB trade to draft a similarly sized WR from the same Collegiate conference. KARMA BITCH!

Justin Layne was a great draft. Steven Nelson, Joe Haden, Justin Layne? Not too bad.

Benny Snell in the fourth round? Holy shit. So we got Conner, Samuels and Snell in the backfield? Damn, that's some youth and talent!

Zach Gentry, don't really know too much about him, but from the highlights I've seen, he's decent. Will be a decent backup to Vance. He's fairly speedy for his size but he's not gonna be gaining too much YAC.

Sutton Smith...YES! Great combine, 15 sacks last year. In my opinion, quite the steal for the 6th round.

Isaiah Buggs from Bama, he's not the best guy we could've gotten from Bama but he's a pretty good talent. He really needs to get his awareness up when it comes to the snap.

Ulysses Gilbert III, nice speed but he probably will end up on the PS.

Derwin Gray, I believe this guy was ranked too low in OT rankings. In my opinion, he's a top 10-12 OT in the draft and to get him in the 7th, is a steal. But, like Buggs, he's gonna work on his awareness. We will probably end up putting him as a guard, which will work best for him, I believe.

All in all, I can't see a SINGLE thing wrong with this draft. I love it and I am PUMPED!!!!

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

How do I put this. I like snell, I like his game, I like his story, I like his production. I hope he bucks his poor numbers and produces. But rbs with those combine numbers usually don’t.

I just think there was better value on the board. But I think that about a lot of our latter draft. I’m reading multiple reviews of the picks rounds 5+ and most outlets are mimicking each other

Fair enough. But think of it this way, the dude was drafted to replace Stevan Ridley. Not really tough shoes to fill.

 

[Yo Tee]

I'm also loving the signing of undrafted rookie kicker Matthew Wright from UCF. Such a great collegiate kicker. He made 153 PATs in a row, which is a school record. He also only missed 3 FGs in his entire college career and only 1 in the last 2 years.

 

[SteelersPride]

Fair enough. But think of it this way, the dude was drafted to replace Stevan Ridley. Not really tough shoes to fill.

in that sense i feel much better i just liked alot of other backs.

snell was a favorite of mine in college i want nothing but good for him.

im not trying to hate.....

 

[SteelersPride]

I'm also loving the signing of undrafted rookie kicker Matthew Wright from UCF. Such a great collegiate kicker. He made 153 PATs in a row, which is a school record. He also only missed 3 FGs in his entire college career and only 1 in the last 2 years.

we resigned jordan berry for f's sake were not keeping thta kid. He could hit every kick in camp, and workouts, and boz could kick 50% and tomlin would say

"chris is a professional" "Hes a bowling green man" "we have all the faith in the world in chris"

 

[Yo Tee]

we resigned jordan berry for f's sake were not keeping thta kid

Berry is a Punter. Wright is a Kicker. He'd be competition for Boz.