Steel Balls

What do you think of the Steelers’ picks today? Is there anyone you wish they had picked up? Anyone you wish they had not drafted? Anyone who you knew they wouldn’t, that you believe will be a good pro?

Put it down in the comments. This will make for an interesting look back conversation in a year.

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Trade Tracker: http://espn.go.com/nfl/draft2014/story/_/id/10900002/trade-tracker

I took most of the grades from Scouts, Inc just for the sake of speed.

Bear in mind that this does not take into account anyone who’s pro day they attended and visited with there or any extended discussions they had with someone at the combine.  It may offer hints, but isn’t the only way to project what they are going to do.

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Okay gang, here’s your chance for future bragging rights. You get to pick in real-time to prove you really belong in the Steelers War Room.

Here are the rules.

1.You can’t make your pick until the Steelers are on the clock.

2.You can’t make your pick after the official pick is announced.

3. IMPORTANT!  To enter your pick, select Other and type in your pick followed by your username, e.g. “Limas Sweed, bgigli”. DO NOT pick an entry already created by another user. Each draft pick / user combination needs to be unique.

[yop_poll id=”42″]

JMS55 is the winner!!! She can’t spell, but she sure knows her Steelers. Well done.

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• 1) Houston Texans select: Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina
• 2) St. Louis Rams select: Sammy Watkins, WR, Clemson
• 3) Jacksonville Jaguars select: Blake Bortles, QB, UCF
• 4) Cleveland Browns select: Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M
• 5) Oakland Raiders select: Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville
• 6) Atlanta Falcons select: Kahlil Mack, OLB, Buffalo
• 7) Tampa Bay Buccaneers select: Mike Evans, WR, Texas A&M
• 8) Minnesota Vikings select: Derek Carr, QB, Fresno St.
• 9) Buffalo Bills select: Greg Robinson, OT, Auburn
• 10) Detroit Lions select: Justin Gilbert, CB, Oklahoma State
• 11) Tennessee Titans select: Anthony Barr, OLB, UCLA
• 12) New York Giants select: Aaron Donald, DT, Pittsburgh
• 13) St. Louis Rams select: Jake Matthews, OT, Texas A&M
• 14) Chicago Bears select: Timmy Jernigan, DT, Florida State
• 15) Pittsburgh Steelers select: Darqueze Dennard, CB, Michigan State
• 16) Dallas Cowboys select: Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, S, Alabama
• 17) Baltimore Ravens select: Taylor Lewan, OT, Michigan
• 18) New York Jets select: Eric Ebron, TE, North Carolina
• 19) Miami Dolphins select: Odell Beckham Jr., WR, LSU
• 20) Arizona Cardinals select: Kony Ealy, DE, Missouri
• 21) Green Bay Packers select: Calvin Pryor, S, Louisville
• 22) Philadelphia Eagles select: Brandin Cooks, WR, Oregon State
• 23) Kansas City Chiefs select: Marqise Lee, WR, USC
• 24) Cincinnati Bengals select: Ryan Shazier, OLB, Ohio State
• 25) San Diego Charger select: Kyle Fuller, CB, Virginia Tech
• 26) Cleveland Browns select: C.J. Mosley, ILB, Alabama
• 27) New Orleans Saints select: Kelvin Benjamin, WR, Florida State
• 28) Carolina Panthers select: Zack Martin, OT, Notre Dame
• 29) New England Patriots select: Austin Seferian-Jenkins, TE, Washington
• 30) San Francisco 49’ers select: Bradley Roby, CB, Ohio State
• 31) Denver Broncos select: Jason Verrett, CB, TCU
• 32) Seattle Seahawks select: Stephon Tuitt, DT, Notre Dame

Click below to see previous rounds.

Read the rest of this entry »

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As I’ve said before, I’m pretty much always wrong about the draft from top to bottom. Then again the experts are usually wrong too, so what the hell.

This isn’t so much a mock draft as a list of the kinds of picks I’d like to see in the first four rounds. Bear in mind that I haven’t watched tape and am going only by various descriptions I’ve seen on these prospects. Also, I’m not taking character issues into consideration because I haven’t seen a lot of insight in that regard.

• Round 1:  Darqueze Dennard (CB Michigan State)  or Eric Ebron (TE North Carolina)
• Round 2: Austin Seferian-Jenkins (TE Washington) or Marcus Roberson (CB Florida)
• Round 3-c: Daniel McCullers (NT Tennessee)
• Round 4: Terrence Brooks (FS Florida State)
• Round 4-c: Brandon Coleman (WR Rutgers)
• Round 4-c: Terrance West (RB Towson)

In subsequent rounds, I’d stock up on best available DL, LB, CB, and S prospects. I’d be tempted to spend one of those late round picks on a top punter.

I know the nose tackle is further down than some would like, but I think there has to be a realization that the team will have to live with its current NT situation for a year or two until someone big can be developed. McCullers is a mammoth human specimen that could be that guy in 2015. Here is his analysis from CBS Sports:

STRENGTHS: Despite his inexperience, McCullers’ size and ability to disrupt things from the middle often made him the focus of an opponent’s blocking scheme. Has been double-teamed on most snaps and has even seen triple-team blocks often. Despite the attention, McCullers’ size and strength make him tough to move in the running game. He plays with better leverage than one might expect given his frame, holding up well inside and sliding off blockers to handle two-gap responsibilities when playing the 3-4 nose guard. He was equally impressive against the run when Tennessee switched to a four-man front in 2012.

WEAKNESSES: While McCullers’ is tough against the run, he offers little in terms of a pass rush. He certainly has the strength to simply push opponents into the pocket but possesses below average foot-quickness and lateral agility.

I would also try to supplement this with a decent FS and/ or CB from free agency, if available.

There you have it. Blast away.

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BIGINTN asked, “COPA Can you create a space for us to list our “special” players in the draft and who we would pick if they are available at #15? It sure looks like there could be an impact player available that also fills an immediate need”.

Ask and you shall receive.

You can comment on this thread to highlight your faves. Sometime closer to the draft we can gather up final predictions.

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