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Not many CB's can say they have held their own against AB the last few seasons.
Opinions of the final 2016 draft Class
- Thread starter madinsomniac
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Not many CB's can say they have held their own against AB the last few seasons.
Aside from getting our pick stolen by the Bungholes in the first. I felt this draft the Steelers went in with a purpose to add depth to the team otherwise. Two db's who should make a push to remove guys like Mitchell and Golden for playing time. An OT out of a traditional power house school in LSU. Perhaps to get rid of Mike Adams. The WR out of Houston. I look at more from a special teams perspective. Get AB off of punt return duties.
Looks like Art Rooney jr really got involved with this draft. He wants the 7th no doubt
Looks like Art Rooney jr really got involved with this draft. He wants the 7th no doubt
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After losing AB for playoffs, I think they realize risking him on punt returns is on longer wise.
If Burns works out, we now have two AB's ABO and ABD
If Burns works out, we now have two AB's ABO and ABD
This has to be the stupidest ******' idea to come out of this draft, well except for the idea that the go up to they podium too fast. I could take an Eskimo out of an igloo somewhere and tell him a little about American football. Then I'd say, "There is this team here who can't defend the pass. What should they do?" The Eskimo would say, "Get guys who can defend the pass." Who didn't know they needed DBs? Damn, this whole idea is so dumb.
Panic? You panic when you have to **** and there is no bathroom in sight.
Some of you guys are emotional *******.
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Yeah that's right. In addition the Giants stole Apple from us at #10. And those ********** Jaguars stole Jalen Ramsey from us with the 5th pick. And Bucks stole Hargraeves at #11. Still pissed the Raiders stole Karl Joseph with their 14th pick. And the Falcons? Those mo-fo's stole Keanu Neal from us at #14. And I won't get over the fact the dirtbag Bills stole Shaq Lawson at #19, those sons of *******. Up and down the first round we just kept getting our picks snatched from us. So pissed off, haven't been able to sleep for days. We just got abused, time and time again all the way until the #25th pick. It's a shame, for crying out loud.
yeah I am sure there wasn't too many people who didn't know the Steelers were CB starved.
What they didn't know was who was the pick or who was tops on their board.
They visited with a slew of CBs, to help mask their top wants.
Unless a team has a crystal ball, they know not how that board is set up.
And if someone picks a player they prefer?
they prepare their boards knowing players they like will be picked... happens to every team.
they simply go to plan B
and looking back at many drafts we all can say plan Bs turn out a decent amount of the time as the better option......
which is why the draft is so unpredictable
as you can't judge heart and determination taking that next step up in competition
you do your best and see what happens
it is well documentated Steelers best is pretty damn good.......
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http://www.Invalid Link - Check SN ...tend-on-drafting-a-cornerback-in-first-round/
Please do a little research before being made an asshat of.
I'm a true believer of sticking with your board. I just can't draft a square peg to try to fit the round hole we have. Hopefully I'm wrong with my assessment and Burns starts day one and is a pro bowler and future hof player. But I personally believe he's not going to start for 1-2 years and then his ceiling is a solid #2 CB.
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FordFairLane, you're suggesting that because Gary Dulac - a local beat writer - predicted the Steelers will pick a corner, that somehow the Steelers FO "panicked and pigeon holed a position to draft"?
You write: "Leaking that they were taking a CB just shows you how in disarray our front office is."
Anyone who even vaguely follows football knows the Steelers had massive holes in their secondary. How big of a secret did you think it was? And our front office is in "dissarray" because they picked a unanimous top 5 corner - for the first time since 1997 - to finally add some top-shelf talent to their pass D?
Seems to me some of you guys are out-thinking yourselves.
You write: "Leaking that they were taking a CB just shows you how in disarray our front office is."
Anyone who even vaguely follows football knows the Steelers had massive holes in their secondary. How big of a secret did you think it was? And our front office is in "dissarray" because they picked a unanimous top 5 corner - for the first time since 1997 - to finally add some top-shelf talent to their pass D?
Seems to me some of you guys are out-thinking yourselves.
And there is no way that a local reporter could see such a gaping need and thereby assume that the position their local team will look towards is the one of greatest need..........clearly Tomlin and Colbert texted Dulac: "CB ALL DAY BABY! PRINT IT!"
No ****. I know Dulac said that. I maintain it had no impact. Who the hell didn't know the Steelers needed DBs? Are you telling me that Dulac spilled some state secret? It is just another something that the whiners on here have to ***** about. Talk about an asshat. Do you think they go up to the podium too fast, too? What is the magic time they should spend? 8 of the 10 minutes? 9? More?
I don't know what Burns will be. But here is a news flash, neither do you. So stop trying to act like you do. I really try to maintain my patience at this time of the year with all you internet/youtube draft experts. I pretty much stay out of it during the build up, but with the they go up to the podium too fast stuff along with the they told everybody they wanted DBs nonsense,risk analysis (love that one), along with who knows what else, I lose my mind.
If he does turn out to be a really good player, I hope you will man up and admit it on here, because you sure as hell will be spouting off if he isn't.
I think the issue with today's NFL Draft is we fans have some access in exposure to prospects, but not nearly to the level of NFL teams. An ounce of evidence is worth a pound of presumption, and that's what we are seeing with many YouTube scouts. I myself being a draft junkie, and studying hundreds of prospects fit into this category, but I also realize I do not have nearly the amount of information or time invested as organizations do to make a true analysis of players. All I can do is presume based on what I have access to, and many times that leads some to dogmatic conclusions, even though everyone knows the draft is an art not a science and a gamble not a guarantee.
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I'm suggesting the Steelers targeted a CB last year and when Peters and Johnson went off the board they stuck to their board and took Dupree with the belief that a CB would be there in the second they wanted. There was a run at CB we tried to move up without success and we ended up reaching on a CB just to try to fix our nickel back situation. This year I feel the Steelers had a need and were going to fill it regardless. I just don't get not trading back. We were low on picks as it is and the meat on this draft was 30-100. Getting an extra pick in there and if Burns is your guy still likely getting him just makes sense.
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Agreed. I think the biggest culprit is that fans - for whatever reason - fall in love with certain prospects before the draft. As the build-up to the draft grows, they get more and more attached to these players, they are convinced they're the ones their team should pick. In all the fervor, they forget that their team's scouts & coaches may have a completely different board than the one us fans have been staring at for months, be it online or in pre-draft magazines. So when the draft rolls around, they have set themselves up for an emotional letdown. Their team doesn't pick the prospects they've had rolling around in their minds, and they're mad, disappointed and feel that the team ****** up and failed them.
The older I get, I keep reminding myself of this each year, to never let myself get attached to any particular player(s). The chances of actually grabbing them in the draft are usually remote.
The last particular player I wanted that the Steelers ended up drafting at the spot was Amos Zereoe. Yup, I'm batting 0.0000013% lol. It's better to keep a bird's eye view, try to take it all in as it happens and roll with the punches. It also helps to have some minimum level of confidence in the coaches, scouts and front office. That never hurts.
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Great draft.
1. Artie Burns (CB) - To me if there was no option for Karl Joseph you have to take the highest rated corner here that fits your profile. EVERYONE misread the Joseph value because we didn't know how much or how little his injury would effect his value. Clearly he checked out ok. So that leaves the Steelers with the option to go S/CB/DT at 25. No way to you go S anymore with Joseph gone, and no way do you go DT with all the depth and the guys falling to second and third rounds. We saw how Billings fell. We have to respect that behind closed doors these teams know more than we do. Plus the Steelers aren't about to use a first on a guy who isn't going to play more than 50% of the snaps. So you take your highest rated CB. Jackson goes at 24 to the Bengals, and the Steelers take Artie Burns. The dropoff from Burns to the next corner is pretty steep if you factor in health and production. I like the pick. Kaboly called this a week ago. The more I looked at the guy the more I really started to see that the Steelers may like him too. You couldn't trade down here with Denver because Burns is gone before 31. No doubt. The dropoff in corners that fit the Steelers profile and are healthy from here on out doesn't look good. Burns will be a solid player for the Steelers. I think he's going to make a lot of people eat their words. I'm excited to see him on the field.
2. Sean Davis (SS) - Awesome pick. I thought they might go Vonn Bell here but Davis fits what they look for in their safeties alot more. This guys build is a lot like Mike Mitchell to be honest and he can fly. He's a solid tackler, can reroute receivers, takes good angles, and forces turnovers. Obviously the versatility is something the Steelers covet as he has played CB and S.
3. Javon Hargrave (DL) - My favorite pick of the draft! YES! Hargrave is a can do guy. Throw in every cliche you want. Motor. Desire. Heart. When you watch him play he's going for it on every snap. Showing up to the Shrine game and dominating and then having a good showing at the Senior Bowl really showed that he belongs in the NFL and can potentially be a gem. The guy is athletic as can be and if he can get the technique down I think we got one here. Mitch was almost giddy talking about him.
4. Jerald Hawkins (OT) - Nice swing tackle prospect. This was good value as well. Considering this was probably the last meat pick the Steelers would have they served up a nice selection. It's going to be interesting to see how this plays out with the tackle position. I still think it's Big Al's job to lose. They brought in Harris just in case but if this plays out right they will have depth and a nice mix of youth, experience, and potential.
6. Travis Feeney (LB) - I know nothing about this guy but his measureables look fantastic. Can he put on more weight? That is the question. Howard Jones could not hang on the edges for what the Steelers like to do cause he couldn't get a push so it'll be interesting to see if this guy is strong enough to set that edge. It would be nice to see if he has any pass rushing moves too cause almost none of the young outside guys do at this point.
7. DeMarcus Ayers (WR) - Good late pick. I was wondering if the Steelers would specifically go after a KR/PR and they did. This is obviously where you should draft these kinds of players and not too early (Dri Archer), but obviously they thought Archer could play on the offense as well. That wasn't the case. Probably not with this guy either but if he can return kicks well he might grab himself that last WR spot. I don't think they'll hold one for a specialist though. We'll see.
7. Tyler Matakevich (ILB) - Football justice as Tomlin said. You have to give this guys a shot. Heart and smarts. The Steelers like both. This is the heart and smarts draft if there ever was one. All of these guys seem like genuinely good guys from the outside looking in and it's hard not to root for them especially Matakevich. Even if his ceiling is special teams I hope he sticks around and makes a name for himself.
There's no grade because I think that is ridiculous. Teams boards are their boards. Have to respect that.
1. Artie Burns (CB) - To me if there was no option for Karl Joseph you have to take the highest rated corner here that fits your profile. EVERYONE misread the Joseph value because we didn't know how much or how little his injury would effect his value. Clearly he checked out ok. So that leaves the Steelers with the option to go S/CB/DT at 25. No way to you go S anymore with Joseph gone, and no way do you go DT with all the depth and the guys falling to second and third rounds. We saw how Billings fell. We have to respect that behind closed doors these teams know more than we do. Plus the Steelers aren't about to use a first on a guy who isn't going to play more than 50% of the snaps. So you take your highest rated CB. Jackson goes at 24 to the Bengals, and the Steelers take Artie Burns. The dropoff from Burns to the next corner is pretty steep if you factor in health and production. I like the pick. Kaboly called this a week ago. The more I looked at the guy the more I really started to see that the Steelers may like him too. You couldn't trade down here with Denver because Burns is gone before 31. No doubt. The dropoff in corners that fit the Steelers profile and are healthy from here on out doesn't look good. Burns will be a solid player for the Steelers. I think he's going to make a lot of people eat their words. I'm excited to see him on the field.
2. Sean Davis (SS) - Awesome pick. I thought they might go Vonn Bell here but Davis fits what they look for in their safeties alot more. This guys build is a lot like Mike Mitchell to be honest and he can fly. He's a solid tackler, can reroute receivers, takes good angles, and forces turnovers. Obviously the versatility is something the Steelers covet as he has played CB and S.
3. Javon Hargrave (DL) - My favorite pick of the draft! YES! Hargrave is a can do guy. Throw in every cliche you want. Motor. Desire. Heart. When you watch him play he's going for it on every snap. Showing up to the Shrine game and dominating and then having a good showing at the Senior Bowl really showed that he belongs in the NFL and can potentially be a gem. The guy is athletic as can be and if he can get the technique down I think we got one here. Mitch was almost giddy talking about him.
4. Jerald Hawkins (OT) - Nice swing tackle prospect. This was good value as well. Considering this was probably the last meat pick the Steelers would have they served up a nice selection. It's going to be interesting to see how this plays out with the tackle position. I still think it's Big Al's job to lose. They brought in Harris just in case but if this plays out right they will have depth and a nice mix of youth, experience, and potential.
6. Travis Feeney (LB) - I know nothing about this guy but his measureables look fantastic. Can he put on more weight? That is the question. Howard Jones could not hang on the edges for what the Steelers like to do cause he couldn't get a push so it'll be interesting to see if this guy is strong enough to set that edge. It would be nice to see if he has any pass rushing moves too cause almost none of the young outside guys do at this point.
7. DeMarcus Ayers (WR) - Good late pick. I was wondering if the Steelers would specifically go after a KR/PR and they did. This is obviously where you should draft these kinds of players and not too early (Dri Archer), but obviously they thought Archer could play on the offense as well. That wasn't the case. Probably not with this guy either but if he can return kicks well he might grab himself that last WR spot. I don't think they'll hold one for a specialist though. We'll see.
7. Tyler Matakevich (ILB) - Football justice as Tomlin said. You have to give this guys a shot. Heart and smarts. The Steelers like both. This is the heart and smarts draft if there ever was one. All of these guys seem like genuinely good guys from the outside looking in and it's hard not to root for them especially Matakevich. Even if his ceiling is special teams I hope he sticks around and makes a name for himself.
There's no grade because I think that is ridiculous. Teams boards are their boards. Have to respect that.
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purely speculation
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Thanks for the response, I get what you're saying. But you're not taking into consideration a couple of things. First and foremost, it has been made clear Burns was among the very top of the corners on the Steelers board. Possibly above WJIII that a lot of us fans coveted. Colbert was as adament as can be that they grabbed Burns @25 with no hesitation or even considered for a second to not pick him. He was right there at the top of their board when their pick came up. As difficult as it may be, it is time to start wrapping our heads around the fact they truly loved Artie Burns. As others have pointed out, it's possible they would had picked Burns before WJIII to begin with. To your second point of trading down, I've posted, and re-posted in several threads that Burns was slotted to go 25, 25, 28, 29 and 30 on nfl.com pre-draft mock. If he's the cornerback you want, he's sitting there when you pick, and there's basically no chance in hell to grab him later, you do the right thing. You make the pick, which the Steelers did.
Which is rare for a coach like Mitchell, he's not really one to sing the praises of prospects before he's coached them. Hargrave may end up being the best pick in our draft.
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Two big things I like about this draft:
1) We didn't draft any character problems. None of our crop will be on suspension for a year over dope. Strong personalities, responsible dudes with families to look after. Hard workers, high effort players.
2) Almost all of the top 5 pics are size/speed prospects. If Burns, Davis and Feeney all become starters we just got A LOT bigger, faster and younger on defense. This bodes very well for Roethlisberger's swan song seasons.
1) We didn't draft any character problems. None of our crop will be on suspension for a year over dope. Strong personalities, responsible dudes with families to look after. Hard workers, high effort players.
2) Almost all of the top 5 pics are size/speed prospects. If Burns, Davis and Feeney all become starters we just got A LOT bigger, faster and younger on defense. This bodes very well for Roethlisberger's swan song seasons.
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Knock it off with the personal attacks. You have been warned.
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I meant their highest rated REMAINING corner. Not overall. They probably had Jackson rated a little higher to be honest. Judging by what Colbert said I think he pretty much thought Apple and Jackson may both be gone by the time they picked. He was anticipating drafting Burns. To me there isn't much difference potential wise between Burns and Apple, but I think Jackson is much more aggressive than both guys and would have been great but that's not saying Burns is a bad pick. Jackson is also about 3 years older than Burns too. If Burns ends up being a solid player that's even better. You can redshirt him this season, get him up to speed, still have him for 4 years and he's only 25/26 at that point where Jackson would be almost 30.
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I think that all draft picks are good ones, that is, until they actually play in the NFL.
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The 475 page Dri Archer thread begs to differ...