2019 Draft Predictions
I don’t know about yinz, but I’ve been licking my wounds for long enough and it’s time to get back to football. As you all know, the new Ballers season begins officially with our annual draft predictions contest, and it’s time to see if our defending champion Walsh can be unseated. With the draft coming up in less than two weeks we can drag our feet no longer.
I normally kick things off with my own set of predictions, but honestly I’m not ready yet (or to be more accurate, I’m even less ready than usual). So, I’ll let you guys jump in the fray first this time around. Remember, earlier date of predictions is a tie breaker, so get your predictions in as soon as you can.
As a reminder, the rules are posted below.
- 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 5-1, Demetri Jones, OT
- Round 5-2, Ethan Noonan, QB
- Round 7-1, Dra’Michael’La’Trillium Jenkins, WR
- Round 7-2, 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).
Good luck!
I reserve the right to update this until the draft!
1st Round (20) – Byron Murphy, CB, Washington
2nd Round (52) – Darnell Savage Jr, S, Maryland
2nd Round (trade) – Chase Winovich, OLB, Michigan
3rd Round (66) – Miles Boykin, WR, Notre Dame
3rd Round (83) – Traded
4th Round (122) – Ulysees Gilbert III, ILB, Akron
5th Round (141) – Foster Moreau, TE, LSU
6th Round (175) – Traded
6th Round (192) – Traded
6th Round (207) – David Sills, WR, West Virginia
7th Round (219) – Cole Tracy, K, LSU
UDFA – Diontae Johnson, WR, Toldeo
UDFA – Andrew Van Ginkel, LB, Wisconsin
UDFA – Quincy Williams, LB, Murray State
Stay with my first for the competition, but here is an update due to Savage moving up:
1st Round (20) – Byron Murphy, CB, Washington
2nd Round – Trade up for Darnell Savage Jr, S, Maryland
2nd Round (52) – Traded
3rd Round (66) – Chase Winovich, OLB, Michigan
3rd Round (83) – Miles Boykin, WR, Notre Dame
4th Round (122) – Traded
5th Round (141) – Foster Moreau, TE, LSU
6th Round (175) – Traded
6th Round (192) – Ulysees Gilbert III, ILB, Akron
6th Round (207) – David Sills, WR, West Virginia
7th Round (219) – Cole Tracy, K, LSU
I’m no Walsh but here are my predictions
1 : Devin Bush Michigan ILB pick # 20
2 : Rock Ya-Sin S/CB Florida pick #52
3 : Deebo Samuel WR South Carolina pick # 66
3 : Darnell Savage S Maryland pick # 83
4 : Chase Winovich OLB Michigan pick # 122
5 : Foster Moreau TE LSU – pick # 141
6 : Benny Snell RB Kentucky pick # 175
6: Keaton Sutherland G pick # 192
6: Albert Huggins DT Clemson pick # 207
7: Mecole Hardman WR GA pick # 219
Well here goes. My first prediction is if the Steelers can get Devin Bush at #20 or by moving up no more than 5 spots, that is what they do. In that case, I think Earl’s mock is pretty close to what I would have put in except I have no interest in Winovich.
But I’m going to start with the assumption that they won’t be able to get Bush without overpaying, and so I predict they will look for a trading partner to trade out of the first round in order to stock up in rounds 2-4. For my mock I am predicting they will trade their #20, #141, #175, and #207 to Indianapolis for their #34, #59, and #129. This will give the Steelers no first round picks, but three second round, two third round, and two fourth round along with a sixth and seventh.
This is mostly a red-shirt draft.
2 #34 Rock Ya-Sin, CB
2 #52 Jahlani Tavai, ILB
2 #59 Darnell Savage, S
3 #66 Miles Boykin, WR
3 #83 Maxx Crosby, Edge
4 #129 Miles Sanders, RB
4 #122 Drew Sample, TE
6 #192 Daylon Mack, DL
7 #219 Matthew Gay, K
I’m not wild about any of these guys starting (except maybe the kicker if Boz shows up as a head case), but with the recent FA acquisitions the CB, ILB and WR don’t need to be immediate plugins. Somebody needs to push Bud to either get better or get out (I’m betting the latter) and Maxx is that guy. The TE and RB picks only need to spell the starters and be available in case of injury. The DL and OL recruits are developmental prospects.
Edit 4/21 4:11 – I decided the Steelers should be looking at safety help at some point. Inserted Savage, necessitating a change in TE selection and booting out the late OL pick.
ok here it goes. was going to be completely sarcastic (i.e. qb, p, LS) but here’s my dart throw. unfortunately i am not forecasting trading up (to get a devin) or down.
1-byron murphy (hated making this as everyone else has but dont see any other scenario) -CB
2- Paris Campbell- WR
3- Darnell Savage Jr- S
3- Terrill Hanks – LB
4- Greg Little – OT
5- Shareef Miller- DE
6- Kaden Smith- TE
6- Ben Burr- Kirven- ILB
6- Mitch Wistnowski- P
7-Quadree Ollison – RB
EDIT: instead of Darnell Savage in round 3A i pick Justin Thornhill-CB/S Virginia
After the top 3 or 4 I went with players I knew very about since that seems to be what the Steelers always do anyway. No need to trip over you guys.
1. Byron Murphy – CB
2. Miles Boykin – WR
3.(a) Chase Winovich – OLB
(b) Jace Sternberger – TE
4. Emanuel Hall – WR
5. Mike Edwards – S
6. (a) David Long – ILB
(b) Bobby Evans – OT
(c) Mark Fields – CB
7. Paul Adams – OT
UDFAs:
1. Mike Weber – RB
2. Yosuah Nijman – OT
3. Javon Patterson – C/G
Here it is. I think they are only interested in one of the Devin’s or Murphy really for the first round. If one of them is, all my picks are busted. I originally had them trading out of the first when none of those were there, but then I realized this is the Steelers. I do have them using some extra late picks to grab an extra day 2 pick.
1: Darnell Savage S, Maryland
2: Case Winovich OLB, Michigan
3: Miles Boykin WR, Notre Dame
3: Greg Little OT, Ole Miss
4: Mack Wilson ILB, Alabama
4: Foster Moreau TE, LSU
5: Ugochukwu Amadi CB, Oregon
6: TRADE
6: Austin Bryan DE, Clemson
7: TRADE
UDFA:
Mike Weber RB, Ohio State
Tre Lamar ILB, Clemson
Isaiah Buggs DT, Alabama