Who will Steelers draft first?
I know. I无毛视频檓 running late with this thing. Everyone in Pittsburgh has made a draft prediction but me.
Because I can无毛视频檛 decide.
Maybe if I just start writing it无毛视频檒l come to me. And to ease the burden, I无毛视频檒l predict what the Steelers will do, and what I would do.
FIRST ROUND
Let无毛视频檚 eliminate the following:
n Leighton Vander Esch, ILB 无毛视频� The Cowboys无毛视频� front office is leaking like they无毛视频檙e the Steelers of the 1990s. If the Cowboys don无毛视频檛 draft LVE, Jerry Jones is running the greatest smokescreen of all time.
n Rashaan Evans, ILB 无毛视频� By now, if a linebacker who refused to run his 40 (and angered teams) was dropping in value 无毛视频� like an Alabama LB is wont to do this time of year 无毛视频� we would无毛视频檝e heard. Instead, Evans is moving up the rankings of the best-connected analysts in the biz. He won无毛视频檛 last until 28.
n Isaiah Wynn, OL 无毛视频� There无毛视频檚 no sense pouring more money into this position when Mike Munchak can develop a fifth-rounder.
n Ronnie Harrison, S 无毛视频� Safety really isn无毛视频檛 a great need, but I have three on my list. Let无毛视频檚 cut the slowest one first.
n Da无毛视频橰on Payne, DL 无毛视频� I don无毛视频檛 see him as a nose tackle, and, as with the OL, there无毛视频檚 already enough money sunk into this position.
n Isaiah Oliver, CB 无毛视频� He could stand for any of four exceptional cornerbacks who could fall after Denzel Ward, but the Steelers have a full deck of cornerbacks. If they无毛视频檙e going to draft a defensive back, it无毛视频檒l be a safety.
n Justin Reid, S 无毛视频� Hardest cut of all, and really for no good reason other than I无毛视频檓 predicting they may not want to risk chaos. This player无毛视频檚 older brother is in the process of being Kaepernick-ed, and this player is Stanford smart. This player might have the guts to make a solo stand. Not with another safety on the board who无毛视频檚 a more natural center fielder and also returns punts.
First-round prediction: Jessie Bates, FS, Wake Forest.
I would take: Mason Rudolph, QB, Oklahoma State.
SECOND ROUND
There are five interesting inside linebackers here, which minimized the need to trade up in the first round. If you want to try to replace Ryan Shazier with a speedball, take Malik Jefferson. Someone nearly as fast, but a better tackler, is an underrated 21-year-old who came out of Chuck Noll无毛视频檚 high school.
Second-round prediction: Jerome Baker, ILB, Ohio State.
I would take: Uchenna Nwosu, ILB/OLB, USC.
THIRD ROUND
I would be shocked if Ogbonnia Okoronkwo is still on the board. Talk about a sprint to the podium. I无毛视频檇 even enjoy me some Hercules Mata无毛视频檃fa at edge rusher if I couldn无毛视频檛 get Obo. But let无毛视频檚 have even more fun. Let无毛视频檚 go with the one-handed pass-rusher with 4.3 speed and infectious energy. The Steelers have been looking for special-teamers in free agency. Well, here无毛视频檚 your future teams captain.
Third-round prediction: Shaquem Griffin, OLB, Central Florida.
I would take: M.J. Stewart, CB/S, North Carolina.
FIFTH ROUND (A)
OK, Kevin Colbert, you无毛视频檝e been the master of drafting wide receivers late in the draft. Can无毛视频檛 be sure if this guy will be available, because he无毛视频檚 so very scary after the catch, but he无毛视频檚 small and a bit injury-prone.
Fifth-round prediction: Richie James, WR, Middle Tennessee State.
I would take: Tre无毛视频橯uan Smith, WR, Central Florida.
FIFTH ROUND (B)
The offensive line needs depth and I无毛视频檓 going all in on Munch. If anyone can coach up a guy who无毛视频檚 played only rugby, it无毛视频檚 him. And, if you无毛视频檝e seen tape of this man无毛视频檚 mobility, size and power on the pitch, you would agree with me.
Fifth-round prediction: Jordan Mailata, T, Australia.
I would take: R.J. Prince, G/T, North Carolina.
SEVENTH ROUND
The second pick of the seventh round should net a holdover sixth-rounder, so let无毛视频檚 shoot for one of the fastest (and toughest) running backs in the draft before wrapping it up with a Bobcat tackling machine.
Seventh-round predictions: Phillip Lindsay, RB, Colorado; Quentin Poling, ILB, Ohio.
I would take: Will Dissly, TE, Washington; Travin Howard, ILB/S, TCU.
STEELERS DRAFT
1. Jessie Bates, FS
2. Jerome Baker, ILB
3. Shaquem Griffin, OLB
5. Richie James, WR
5. Jordan Mailata, OT
7. Phillip Lindsay, RB
7. Quentin Poling, ILB
MY DRAFT
1. Mason Rudolph, QB
2. Uchenna Nwosu, ILB/OLB
3. M.J. Stewart, CB/S
5. Tre无毛视频橯uan Smith, WR
5. R.J. Prince, G/T
7. Will Dissly, TE
7. Travin Howard, ILB/S