Understanding the Steelers’ draft
The legend that must be written on tablets somewhere says that NFL teams must draft the best available athlete.
The cynic who covers the NFL believes teams only talk about best available athlete, but instead fill needs out of self-preservation.
The reality is that teams try to walk the fine line between doing both, and I don无毛视频檛 know how anyone could无毛视频檝e walked that fine line better this draft than the Pittsurgh Steelers.
Of course, I无毛视频檓 going to be partial to the team I cover. In fact, there无毛视频檚 evidence that we do that very thing.
无毛视频淣FL Nation had their team reporters give thumbs up or thumbs down on their draft classes. 28 gave thumbs up,无毛视频� tweeted one draft expert, who concluded that 无毛视频淒raft week is a hell of a drug.无毛视频�
OK. I get that.
But there无毛视频檚 also this: Reporters who critique the draft of the teams they cover know that team无毛视频檚 true needs, unlike many in the national media.
Take Evan Silva无毛视频檚 critique of the Steelers无毛视频� draft. The Rotoworld fantasy savant gave the Steelers a D grade, tying them with the Arizona Cardinals for worst in the NFL.
Among Silva无毛视频檚 reasons were that Sammie Coates was 无毛视频減urely a luxury pick behind Antonio Brown, Martavis Bryant, and Markus Wheaton.无毛视频�
Really? Should they use Darrius Heyward-Bey when one of those three players is injured?
无毛视频淭he Steelers needed a lot more from this draft,无毛视频� Silva continued, 无毛视频減articularly in terms of pass rush, safety help, and perimeter cornerback play.无毛视频�
Well, they drafted pass-rushers in the first and sixth rounds, cornerbacks in the second and fourth, and did not need a safety, even though, yes, Troy Polamalu has retired.
无毛视频淭hey also missed out on known-target Maxx Williams,无毛视频� Silva concluded, seemingly oblivious to GM Kevin Colbert无毛视频檚 denial of any such desire to draft move up and draft the tight end in the second round.
Colbert doesn无毛视频檛 lie, particularly when leading off a press conference with an unsolicited rant.
I无毛视频檓 just trying to make the point that while I am more apt to support a successful franchise无毛视频檚 draft haul, I无毛视频檒l be more accurate than the typical national expert who really doesn无毛视频檛 know the depth chart or the people involved.
So, with that preface out of the way, here无毛视频檚 my pick-by-pick analysis of the Steelers无毛视频� draft:
n Bud Dupree, OLB, Kentucky 无毛视频� Going way back to the molding of one of the great defenses of all time, the Chicago Bears drafted linebacker Otis Wilson with the 19th pick of the 1980 draft. He was a bit stiff, and they said he didn无毛视频檛 make as many plays as his Greek god of a body said he should, and that it would take him too long to understand a complex scheme. Wilson was out of Kentucky (Louisville), after all. And they were right. For the first four seasons of his career, Wilson averaged 1.1 sacks per season. And then it all clicked. The talent level around him increased and Wilson became a ferocious intimidator and led one of the greatest defenses ever with 10陆 sacks during a Super Bowl run. He was the kind of physical specimen who could knock out a crack-backing wide receiver without moving his feet or turning his head. He just put up a forearm up and knocked Louis Lipps out cold. What a great piece of the defensive puzzle Otis 无毛视频淢y Man无毛视频� turned out to be. I think of him when I think of Bud Dupree.
n Senquez Golson, CB, Ole Miss 无毛视频� My wish list for the second day of the draft had the 5-8 5/8, 176-pound Golson ranked fourth overall and first at the much-needed cornerback position. I tweeted that Golson was my favorite corner, but that the Steelers wouldn无毛视频檛 be so brave as to draft a short corner then. So a more realistic prediction for that round, I wrote, was Doran Grant. Imagine my obnoxious behavior in the media room when the Steelers eventually drafted both players. But Golson, for one, is seemingly the most questionable pick to Steelers fans. I watched and admired Golson all season, and when I talked to him at the Combine I got a Deshea Townsend vibe 无毛视频� Deshea after he matured into an effervescent team leader. But, I want to use another comparison for those who criticize small cornerbacks: Antoine Winfield. At the 1999 combine, Winfield measured 5-8, 176, the same weight as Golson but half an inch shorter. The Buffalo Bills drafted Winfield 23rd in 1999 and he went on to average 14 starts for 14 seasons and was named to three Pro Bowls. He also played for defensive coordinator Mike Tomlin with the Minnesota Vikings in 2006 and had career highs of four interceptions and 14 passes defensed that season. It无毛视频檚 possible that Golson can prove to be just as durable as Winfield, and will likely intercept more passes, since he无毛视频檚 more of the ballhawk than the pit bull that was Winfield.
n Sammie Coates, WR, Auburn 无毛视频� While we无毛视频檙e doing this player comparison thing, go ahead and Google the names Sammie Coates and Terrell Owens. You无毛视频檒l find draft experts making that comparison, but the comparison came to me while watching Coates during his miked-up Senior Bowl week. The guy wouldn无毛视频檛 shut up about getting the ball, wanting the ball, what he could do for his team with the ball. I swore I was watching a young Owens, and really wanted no part of Coates. But the skillset is most definitely similar to Owens, as well. Owens wasn无毛视频檛 invited to the Combine in 1996, but at his pro day was said to have run a 4.5 and then a 4.41-4.42 on a second attempt, and he supposedly kept running and busted open a gate that had been locked with a chain. He was listed at 6-3, 225 and was drafted with the 89th pick. Coates measures 6-1 3/8, 212 and ran a 4.43 40 at the Combine. He was drafted with the 87th pick. I无毛视频檝e since read about Coates, and interviewed him after the draft, and have lost that diva vibe I felt for him earlier. I also remember Owens not having the greatest hands, either, just the power, speed and explosiveness that led to a long and distinguished career. I feel Coates has the same capability because I remember him more for his presence at Auburn than I do the drops which have most fans criticizing a pick that could very well turn out to be a grand slam homer.
n Doran Grant, CB, Ohio State 无毛视频� His 5-10录, 200-pound physique is more in line with past Steelers cornerbacks, and Grant does come with a reputation for being an outstanding tackler. As I watched him last season I wondered when he would get scorched because I never really saw much speed, or 无毛视频渢witch,无毛视频� in his game. But the scorchings never came. And, I watched all the way through the two playoff games and Grant repeatedly held his own. After Grant was drafted, I asked him if he could keep up with his cousin and former Ohio State teammate Devin Smith if the blazing Smith had to run under one of Cardale Jones无毛视频� 70-yard lasers. 无毛视频淚 picked it off a couple times in practice,无毛视频� Grant said with a laugh. 无毛视频淪o, yes, I can.无毛视频�
n Jesse James, TE, Penn State 无毛视频� Colbert said the 6-7, 261-pound James was 无毛视频渙ne of the few guys who 无毛视频� could block a defensive end.无毛视频� As a receiver, James isn无毛视频檛 fast or elusive, but will catch the ball and run with it. Scout.com无毛视频檚 Dave-Te无毛视频� Thomas cited that power as the reason James reminds him of former New York Giants great Mark Bavaro, 无毛视频渇or his drive-through-the-pack mentality,无毛视频� wrote Thomas. 无毛视频淗e runs hard and gets most of his yardage after contact. He just doesn无毛视频檛 appear to have any elusiveness, but is a load to bring down in one-on-one situations.无毛视频� James is only 20 years old, so he无毛视频檚 not even close to being a full-grown man yet.
n L.T. Walton, DE, Central Michigan 无毛视频� The Steelers had an opening on their depth chart for a No. 4 end, someone to challenge No. 3 Cam Thomas for playing time. It was considered a deep draft for defensive tackles, and that无毛视频檚 how the Steelers played it. They used a late pick on a 6-4, 319-pounder who DL coach John Mitchell likes and believes will develop into a solid player in time.
n Anthony Chickillo, OLB, Miami 无毛视频� A high-motored, enthusiastic defender who was buried inside of Miami无毛视频檚 3-4 defensive front, Chickillo (6-3, 267) showed his speed (4.79 40), strength (27 reps) and athleticism (34陆 vertical) at the East-West Shrine Game when moved outside to 4-3 end. The Steelers will move him one step further and use him as an outside linebacker 无毛视频渨hen we get him to a weight that无毛视频檚 more manageable,无毛视频� said Colbert. It无毛视频檚 possible Chickillo could become nothing more than the ultimate tweener, but that无毛视频檚 how they felt about Mike Vrabel when they let him go to the New England Patriots. Of course, the Patriots found a place for a high-motored, enthusiastic defender who was buried in the wrong scheme.
n Gerod Holliman, FS, Louisville 无毛视频� Former NFL scout Daniel Jeremiah, in his first mock draft of the year for NFL.com, gave Holliman to the Steelers in the first round. That无毛视频檚 what 14 interceptions in one season will do for a player, even one who showed the aversion to tackling that Holliman had all season. But taking him in the seventh round was a good gamble. Perhaps he can intercept a few passes as a third-and-long dime back.
To top it off, the Steelers无毛视频� signed three highly-regarded centers and a left tackle in an attempt to add depth to the offensive line. So, overall they filled their needs and added some potential super-men in Dupree and Coates, and maybe even James. Once again it appears the Steelers successfully walked that fine line.