Mock on the Clock
Ah, spring is in the air. The NFL year has begun, free agents are prostituting themselves to the highest bidding johns, and our thoughts turn to our virginal loves in the upcoming draft. That means it’s time for Steel Ballers to put on their thinking caps, gaze into their steel balls, and dive headfirst into the thrills and humiliations of guessing the Steelers’ picks for 2016. Read on for rules and to submit your entry.
This year I decided to put more thought into how this will work. That means I put several seconds of thought into it, coming up with the following rules:
- As with last year, each participant will be permitted up to two different mocks. Only the better scoring mock will count.
- You will be granted one point for each pick correctly identified by name, regardless of when they are picked. For example, if you predict that John Doe will be picked in round 1 but he is actually picked in round 2, you will still get one point.
- You will be granted one point for each correct position/round combination. The specific player need not be correct, and in fact need not be specified at all. For example, if you said the first round pick would be safety John Doe (or just safety), and the actual first round pick is safety D’Long Johnson, this would be one point. Note that if the first round pick is John Doe you will have two points, one for the correct name, and one for the correct position/round combo. If you select a multi-position player (such as S/OLB) where you did not pick the correct name you will gain a half point if the actual selection matches one of the positions of your guessed player but only if you identify both positions in the pick. For example if your pick is a DE that you project as playing OLB, then you should identify the position as OLB. If the Steelers then select a different player who is a true OLB you will get full credit. If you identify DE/OLB you will get half credit in that instance.
- You may specify up to three UDFA picks.
- You will gain a bonus point if you correctly predict a trade up or down.
- In the event of a tie, the participant who entered his submission earlier will be the winner based on the time/date of submission.
- You may revise your submission up to midnight before draft day, however such edits will change your submission time/date which could hurt you in a tie break situation.
Suggested format for submission is as follows:
- Round 1, D’Long Johnson, LS
- Round 2, George Cantu, P
- Round 3, Laquan Church, K
- Round 4, Demetri Jones, OT
- Round 7-1, Ethan Noonan, QB
- Round 7-2, Dra’Michael’La’Trillium Jenkins, WR
- Round 7-comp, Nick Lavergne, RB
- UDFA, Antonio Morgan, CB
- UDFA, Ian March, TE
- UDFA, Irving Briggs, OLB
For full points potential, all of the above information types are needed (round #, name, position).
So… grab your steel balls and shake them, rub them, perform incantations over them, or whatever else you need to do to produce your vision of the future. Good luck ladies and gentlemen.
1. Will Jackson CB
2. Trade Down for a 3rd and 6th
3. Vonn Bell, S (they love those Ohio guys…heavily debated apple @1)
3. Jaylon Smith, LB (having him falling due to his knee)
4. Cardale Jones, QB
6. Shawn Oakman, DT/DE
7-1. Ben Curtis, OT
7-2 Reggie Gilbert, OLB/DE
7-c Peyton Barber, RB
udfa- Ronald Blair, OLB/DE
udfa- Jordan Lomax, S
udfa- Shaq Anthony, G
Kalel is first in the store! Well done son of Jorel.
I’m gonna do mine on or about April 27th.
I think you should get another point for getting the pick exactly right.
Not that I expect I will. My level of effort on this exercise is about 30 seconds of contemplation.
All I can tell you for sure is that it will be a Defense heavy draft and that the D is morphing into something unique. A 4 man front with something unlike what anyone is accustomed to playing behind that.
If you look at rules 2 & 3, you will see that you do get another point for getting the pick exactly right.
Suppose the Steelers pick Eli Apple, round 1/CB. Here’s what you’d get for various guesses:
1. Mack Alexander, round 1/CB – 1 point
2. Eli Apple, round 2/CB – 1 point
3. Eli Apple, round 1/CB – 2 points
Revised due to the comp pick.
1. Will Jackson CB
2. Trade Down for a 3rd and 6th
3. Vonn Bell, S (they love those Ohio guys…heavily debated apple @1)
3. Jaylon Smith, LB (having him falling due to his knee)
4. Cardale Jones, QB
6. Shawn Oakman, DT/DE
6c. Rashard Robinson CB
7-1. Ben Curtis, OT
7-2 Peyton Barber, RB
udfa- Ronald Blair, OLB/DE
udfa- Jordan Lomax, S
udfa- Shaq Anthony, G
Okay, here we go.
• Round 1, William Jackson III, CB
• Round 2, Vonn Bell, S
• Round 3, Javon Hargrave, DT
• Round 4, Harlan Miller, CB
• Round 6-comp, Avery Young, OT
• Round 7-1, Jatavis Brown, OLB
• Round 7-2, Victor Ochi, OLB
• UDFA, Peyton Barber, RB
• UDFA, Ryan Smith, CB
• UDFA, Riley Dixon, P
Partly because of dearth of quality edge rushers and safeties that might be available at 1-25, coupled with the fact that there are 3 or 4 viable CBs who might be there, I think the Steelers finally break with tradition and take a CB in round 1, and then double dip in round 4. Of course the apple cart could be upset if someone high on the board takes a tumble, but there just aren’t many options. I don’t think the Steelers will take a chance on Noah Spence unless he falls out of the first round.
Jeremy Cash is another SS possibility in round 2, and the Steelers have met with both Bell and Cash. I think if both are there they take Bell.
I like Fackrell as a high character guy who can be a leader like a Keisel to complement his mid-round skill set. They might go for a big DT here such as Javon Hargrave. [Edit 4/8: Replaced Fackrell with Hargrave following his visit to Steelers.]
I like Harlan’s upside, and besides we need another H. Miller on the team to fill that void.
I don’t expect much from Coker or some other low round QB, but can’t be worse than the current backup situation – still hoping for a decent journeyman to be picked up in FA. Any sort of garden vegetable should be able to compete for 2nd string. I’ve seen people who like Vernon Adams here, but I’m not sold. Too small and will probably do about as well as JFS in the big leagues, minus the douchery. Hey, maybe the Browns will take him in the first round. [Edit: 4/8 I decided to whack the QB selection which is quite honestly a waste. Plugged in Akron LB Jatavis Brown who can play ST and push others.
Would love to see Dixon compete for the P job. Hang time and touch would be nice for a change.
Here is my second mock, where I take some goofy chances. Pittburgh trades its first round selection to Detroit in exchange for Detroit’s 2nd and 5th picks in 2016 and 3rd round pick in 2017.
• Round 1, (traded to Detroit)
• Round 2, (from Detroit) Karl Joseph, S
• Round 2, Su’a Cravens, OLB
• Round 3, Javon Hargrave, DT
• Round 4, Harlan Miller, CB
• Round 5, (from Detroit) Ronald Blair, DE
• Round 6-comp, Avery Young, OT
• Round 7-1, KeiVarae Russell, CB
• Round 7-2, Anthony Zettel, DE
• UDFA, Peyton Barber, RB
• UDFA, Jalin Marshall, WR (returner)
• UDFA, Riley Dixon, P
I think I prefer Cravens due to his flexibility and playmaking potential, but I threw in Correa to make Mr. Walsh happy. Changed Neal to Joseph to go all-Walsh. Booyah! [Edit 4/14: Since Walsh has scaled back his Correa love, I’m putting Cravens back in.]
A few draft predictions:
(1) There will be 4 QBs taken in the 1st round. All will be reaches. They will be Wentz, Goff, Cook and Lynch. Teams are so desperate for QB talent that they are willing to drastically overpay for it.
(2) There will be 5 CBs taken in the 1st. Ramsey, Hargreaves, Apple & WJ3 are the obvious ones. Xavien Howard will be the last in the 1st. The passing game becoming the primary means that offenses now game plan, premium CB talent is even more valuable than it was a few years back.
(3) The Browns and their new moneyball brain trust will do something so Brownsie, that it will give new meaning to the expression, “Because, Cleveland.”
** I deserve extra credit when all of these predictions come to pass, but a deduction if WJ3 or Apple are still on the board and the Steelers take a S.
I really, really, really hope they do not take a DL. Please Football gods; be kind to us!
Another prediction that will be worth exactly nothing:
The Steelers will pass on MacKensie Alexander who will be drafted by Carolina and make all of us fans wonder what could have been in a few years time.
1-25 Vonn Bell, S, OSU (I think Joseph will be gone, they decide between Neal and Bell, edge to OSU player…Bell was my first choice for Safety so I will stick with him – and no CB 1st round contimues)
2-58 Kamalei Correa, LB, Bosie St (Jarvis go bye-bye)
3-89 South Carolina WR, Pharoh Cooper (Welcome back Hines Ward)
4–123 D.J. White, CB, Georgia Tech (With no 5th round pick, we take a CB in the 4th)
6-220 Tyler Ervin, RB, San Jose State (Not quite Rainey or Archer, but close enough for the Steelers)
7-229 Quinton Jefferson , DE, Maryland (Visited Pittsburgh, born in Pittsburgh…I think Porter likes him…enough to put him here)
7-246 Caleb Benenoch, OT, UCLA (Typical late round Steeler lineman who can play all positions)
1) karl joseph-s
2) kendall fuller-cb
3) carl nassib-de
4) harlan miller-cb
6) j.brown-olb
7) jaylon smith-lb
7) joel heath-de
1) Karl Joseph
2) Javon Hargrave
3) Jonathan Jones
4) Jatavis Brown
6) Harlan Miller
7) Vernon Adams
7) Cody Kessler
UFA) no fucking clue! Lol
First, what I’d like them to do:
Trade back to 31 with Denver. Denver gets (1)#25. Pittsburgh gets (1)#31 and (3)#94.
I would prefer a 1st round pick, rather than trading back to the 2nd, because it gives the team a 5th year option rather than a 4 year contract on a 2nd.
Most 2nd rounders are not guys like Tuitt, whom you know you want to extend after their 3rd year, even if their asking price is going to be a high one.
1. (31) Karl Joseph, S, WVU
2. (58) Noah Spence, Edge, EKU
3. (89) Sterling Shepard, WR, Oklahoma
3. (94) Harlan Miller, CB, SE Louisiana, (SCLSU Mud Dogs!)
4. (123) DeVontae Booker, RB, Utah
6. (220) Jaylon Smith, ILB, Notre Dame
7. (229) Cody Kessler, QB, USC
7. (246) Devon Cajuste WR/TE
UDFAs:
Elandon Roberts – ILB- Baylor
Lachlan Edwards, P, Sam Houston State
Tavon Young, CB, Temple
What I believe they will actually do:
1. (25) Vernon Butler, NT/DE, Louisiana Tech. Can play anywhere along the line inside 7tech, Uses leverage extremely well, especially for a tall man with long arms.
2. (58) Jeremy Cash, S, Duke
3. (89) Sterling Shepard, WR, Oklahoma
4. (123) Ryan Smith, CB, North Carolina Central
6. (220) Cyrus Jones, CB, Alabama
7. (229) Cody Kessler, QB, USC
7. (246) Joe Haeg, G/T, North Dakota State
UDFAs:
Akil Blount (son of Mel), ILB, FAMU
DE Quinton Jefferson, Maryland
Stephen Weatherly, OLB, Vanderbilt