Players that I(you) wouldn't mind being drafted

[lefty]

DL - They need depth and i think they want a guy who can play NT and also be in the DE rotation or play DT in nickel. This is the deepest position in the draft. If they can find that 3 down NT then that's their first round pick.

Yup. My thoughts exactly. I just don't think that the remaining DB's available at 1-25 will be worth that pick value wise. Again, the caveat being BPA of course. But there are some DT monsters that have a good chance to be there when they pick that will be more worthy of that draft slot. I like Jackson III and Mackensie but would easily skip choosing either in favor of someone like Billings. Now if there's a run on DT's and it's slim pickins late in the first, I furiously try to trade down a couple slots and select one of the remaining DB's.

Now, if there is some kind of weird run on both DT's and CB's, there's a good chance one of the the top DE's and possibly a QB or 2. Either scenario would also bode well for the Steelers. I would not be opposed to them taking someone like Dodd or Spence. The QB's might facilitate a trade down scenario. We're still about 4 weeks from the draft and still a very fluid situation. Signing or non signing can influence these draft scenarios.

One more thing. Yes this team has positions of need. Seems like the majority are hoping for CB to be picked. Wouldn't be surprised if they didn't pick a CB until rounds 3-7. The only thing I hope they don't do is reach for a player because of a need. Someone above was opposed to taking an OG just because it wasn't a position of need. IMO, you take the talent. If that player is better or has a good chance to be a better player than Foster, you take him. It's not like he has a monster deal that would prevent him from being a backup. But that goes for any position. Would I be disappointed if they went O-line with one of their early picks? Hell no. There are some studs there that could be had and depending on who's there when they pick, could make alot of sense. . If it makes the team better in the long term, go for it.

 

[F83]

rnd 1 CB Alexander Jackson Billings
rnd 2 CB Howard LB Nassib CB Fuller SS Joseph LB S Cravens S Bell
rnd 3 S CASH LB Smith DT Collins OLB Fackrell
rnd 4 QB C.Jones OLB Nicolas DT DE Johhson PSU
rnd 5 WR ShRPE umass

 

[Stryker]

rnd 1 CB Alexander Jackson Billings
rnd 2 CB Howard LB Nassib CB Fuller SS Joseph LB S Cravens S Bell
rnd 3 S CASH LB Smith DT Collins OLB Fackrell
rnd 4 QB C.Jones OLB Nicolas DT DE Johhson PSU
rnd 5 WR ShRPE umass

We don't have a 5th this year thanks to Boykin.

 

[steelerscotty]

We don't have a 5th this year thanks to Boykin.

Seeing as how we seem to draft failures-in-waiting at the CB position in round 5, the fact we don't have a pick there MIGHT be a blessing in disguise! lol

 

[tapeANaspirin2it]

They trade a 5 for Boykin. Good trade. He's a quality veteran player who was much better than anything you'd get in Rd 5 and the steeler defense may have only been a good CB away from turning the corner.

But then Tomlin insists on playing Blake ahead of him. It was fine early, maybe Boykin needed some time to learn, but then it became apparent that Tomlin or somebody had a love affair for Blake.

Then after all that, they let Blake leave with no attempt to keep him. That's the worst part of it. It might have made sense if they kept Blake and said he was in their plans, but they tossed him aside which basically means they benched Boykin for no dam reason.

 

[FordFairLane]

Here’s the prospects I am interested in and where I am interested in taking them. Obviously, I am interested in Ramsey and Tunsil but I am taking the obviously gone ones off my board.

CB-
Kendall Fuller VT Round 1
Fuller to me is the most NFL ready CB in this draft and that is even above Hargreaves III. He seems to have a natural understanding of the game, reads and reacts well, has the speed and burst to break on the ball, decent size, good hands, and enough long speed to keep up with most receivers. I feel we have a 2-3 year window left with Ben to win super bowls and if we go CB I want a guy you can plug in and play not wait and develop. Fuller is a guy I feel comes in is a day one starter on the outside. His injury will be the deciding factor. It happened early so he should be making significant progress. If he hasn't then I would drop him down my board.

William Jackson III Houston Round 1
Again I feel Jackson is close to NFL ready for the outside. He has good size, elite speed, nice hands, good body control, can press or play off. My only question is how much zone did he play and if he didn’t play a lot does he understand zone concepts. That is a huge question that I obviously can’t get answered not being a GM to speak with him. Right now I feel just off of ability he is a round one guy and if he seems coachable the sky is his limit. I think a position coach would do wonders for him.

Mackensie Alexander Clemson Round 1-2
I like Alexander’s technique, his tenaciousness, his attitude, love of the game. I don’t love his size, and I don’t love his long speed. I feel he might be better suited for the nickel spot but I give him every opportunity at the outside to see if he can rise to the challenge. Otherwise I am not convinced Golson can play nickel and might end up being more of a dime back and sub package DB. So we still might have a need at nickel Alexander could fill.

Xavien Howard Baylor Round 1-2
I am probably higher on Howard than most but I feel his game translates well for the NFL. He is long, fast, feels the ball is his when it’s in the air, and has a short memory. Again he played tons of man but always matched up with the other teams best receiver. I wish I could talk to him and see if he understands zone but I can’t. But what I see on film I like.

Eli Apple OSU Round 2
I like Apple but I feel he is at least 1 and probably 2 years away from contributing. He has the height, weight, speed and physically all the boxes are checked but I feel he is very raw and his instincts are just average at this point. Another year at OSU probably would have been beneficial. But physically he has the highest ceiling of any CB in this draft and that includes Hargreaves III.
Sleepers
Cyrus Jones Alabama Round 3-4
If the drafted falls in such a way that there’s not value at CB in round 1-2 I would be fine taking Jones with our third. I am probably higher on him than many but his return ability is the scale tipper for me. I feel worst case scenario he’s a stud return guy. I think he is coachable with tons of potential and even though he’s short he has long arms, big hands, and can flip his hips and run with anyone. My big question is he was charged with domestic violence but was later dropped in a few days. That is a red flag that needs to be addressed beforehand.
DJ White GT Round 4
I am probably the only guy on the DJ White bandwagon but to me he’s pretty much NFL ready. He’s a little short being a tick over 5-10 but has enough size. Not the fastest guy either but fast enough. I like how he competes, his technique, his overall game. I don’t feel his the next Deion Sanders but the next Casey Hayward… yeah.

Safety-
To me this might be one of the weakest safety classes in recent memory. So unless Jalen Ramsey falls I don’t see us going safety in round 1.

Vonn Bell OSU Round 2
Probably a consideration for us in round 1 but I would prefer to fall back and pick up a few mid rounders if we decide he’s our guy. I feel Bell has a high floor and will end up being a very good NFL starter but he is no Troy Polumalu. He seems to have a good knowledge of the game, fast enough, not big but enough size, and tackles well but won’t punish a guy for going over the middle. He’s a safe pick and again we don’t have time to develop a guy 2-3 years down the road so I definitely would be interested in him.

Sean Davis Maryland Round 3
Davis has experience at CB and safety which in todays NFL is a very big feather in his cap. He is probably a better hitter and tackler than cover guy but the fact he has flexibility to play CB is nice. He has all the physical traits you want. Big, fast, quick twitch, fluid hips, long arms, big hands so the boxes are checked there. Watching his tape he looks better as a safety than CB and I feel he can excel there. I think a position coach could do wonders with him.

Justin Simmons BC Round 3
I am probably higher on Simmons than most. I feel he has the smarts and intelligence and is an underrated athlete. He’s a little longer of a stride guy but he also has the size needed to match up on bigger WR and TE’s. He has good hops, nice hands, and reads and reacts well. He also has spent time at CB and his position flexible though I feel FS is likely his best position in the NFL. But I feel Mike Mitchell could easily transition to SS.

Sleepers


Michael Caputo Wisconsin Round 5
Caputo’s read and react might be the best in this draft. He’s not slow by any means running a 4.62 (for a safety not bad) but his decision making, size, hands, and overall instincts is what I like. I feel he’s a late round gem people will overlook because he didn’t blaze a 4.5 forty.

Jatavis Brown Akron S/ILB
I am not sure where to put Brown so I am going to transition by S ranking to my LB rankings. 
So Brown is a fluid athlete who is kind of a tween at 5-11 222lbs. I think I’d play him at a hybrid LB/S. He is a react player and not a read and react. He kind of just flies around after the ball which is good to a point. I think he needs to be in control more of his body but if you can coach him up the sky is the limit. He’s a sub 4.4 guy and never wants to come off the field. I feel he can play in some sub packages right away and put him as a gunner on special teams and see if we can mold him into something special.

OLB-
Kamalei Correa Boise State Round 3
I am not a big fan on this years pass rushers. I feel there’s a ton of holes in their game but the lack of strength will push guys like Correa into the second or first round. I personally take Correa all day in the third and might take a flier on him with our 2nd. Correa has good pass rush moves, great first step, has the ability to cover and I feel could be a valued OLB in the 3-4.

Joe Schobert Wisconsin Round 3-4
Schobert I feel is underrated as a LB. He is very instinctive, active, and has a very good motor. He’s also not a shabby athlete. He probably won’t be the next James Harrison but I see him being a starter and being an 8+ sack OLB in the 34.

Dadi Nicholas VT Round 4-5
Intriguing prospect with freak athleticism. I am not sure if he’s an OLB or ILB at this point but I feel being 223lbs in college at DE was just too small. He’s up to 235lbs and kept most of his speed being in the mid 4.7’s. He still can jump over a car with a 41” vert tho. I feel he is a guy with a ton of upside you want to get into camp and see where he fits.

Sleeper
Alex McCallister Florida 7th/UDFA
We have 2 7th round picks and even though McCallister was dismissed from the team the talent is there. I would do some research and find out what went on and see if he has pulled his head out of his ***. The kid his long at 6-6 240lbs and can get after the QB. See if we can mentor him and develop him. I know Bryant is enough of a problem child, well Bryant was a 4th round pick. This is our last pick in the draft I am talking about. If he can’t get his crap together cut him and we lose pretty much nothing.

ILB
Nick Kwiatkoski UWV Round 5
I feel this kid is just reaching his potential. He could ad more weight without losing speed and can cover in the pass happy NFL. He also moves thru the trash well and tracks down the ball carrier. This is a weak LB class but I feel with us losing Spence and Garvin and Timmons hitting 30 in May ILB is a need position but not a need so much we go first round. I think we subpackages we could use several guys to get the same production. But this is a nice roster filler in my opinion with some upside.

Tyler Mataevich Temple Round 6
Mataevich is a hard nose run stuffer who could work well in certain packages and be a great special teamer. He reads reacts and chases the football but will be a liability in coverage.

Jared Norris Utah Round 6
Again, Norris is probably more of a run stuffer but he could work well with lets say an Jatavis Brown in different packages. Norris moves thru the trash well, solid tackler, and has a little ability to blitz.

DT-
Vernon Butler LA Tech Round 1-2
I am not sure how early we go DL being that we lost McLendon but he only accounted for 30% of our snaps. I like Butler because he can play both NT and DE and that adds value. Butler is big, long, strong and is probably more of a run stopper but has some ability to pressure the QB.

Kenny Clark UCLA Round 2
Clark is strong and can hold the point well and stuff the run. He reminds me most of Casey Hampton in this draft and if we could get him in round 2 I’d be happy.

Sleepers
Hassan Ridgeway Texas Round 4
If we could go CB, S, OT I’d love to get Ridgeway in the 4th. He moves very well laterally and eats up blocks. He is active and stout at the point of attack.

Chris Mayes Georgia UDFA
Mayes is a large strong man who is a little older prospect but he’s definitely a space filler who eats up blocks. 34” arms on his 6-3 334lbs frame and can push 225lbs 33 times. I think pad level has been his enemy and would be a nice PS guy to coach up.

DE-
Carl Nassib PSU Round 2
Nassib really worked hard to gain and get on the field but once he did he never quit. At 6-6 280lbs Nassib reminds me of a poor mans JJ Watt. Nassib had 19.5 TFL and lead the Big10 with 15.5 sacks. JJ had 21 TFL and 7 sacks. I don’t think DE is that big of a need but I would be fine with grabbing Nassib in round 2.

Jihad Ward Illinois Round 4
Ward I feel is more of a raw piece of meat that we can maybe mold into a starter or at least a good rotational DL. Ward is big, strong, with long arms and big hands. He doesn’t have much pass rush right now but holds the point well and pushes the pocket.

Sleepers
Anthony Zettel PSU Round 6
Zettel was supposed to be the stud instead Johnson and Nassib stole the show. That said Zettel does what he does well but is somewhere between the two. Zettel uses his hands well, disrupts the LOS, sheds blockers and tackles the rb and he has a non-stop motor.
Dean Lowry Northwestern Round 7
Lowry is a fiery competitor with a high motor and gives his all every down. He is tall at 6-6 but has shorter than desired arm length. That said if he had 33 or 34 inch arms he’d be a third round pick IMO. I’d be happy to take him late in the draft. He sets the edge well, takes up blocks, and sheds to impact the run defense.

I will work on offense next.

 

[FordFairLane]

WR-
Keyarris Garrett Tulsa Round 4
Garrett is a big bodied WR with some long speed and long arms. I feel he could help fill the void of Bryant on vertical routes and red zone trips. He’s very raw but has the talent to be a game changer.

Sleepers
Ricardo Louis Auburn Round 7
Coates teammate is another burner who can stretch the field. He has good size, long arms, big hands but like Coates does not run a full route tree and will need to sit and learn.

Geronimo Allison Illinois 7th/UDFA
Allison is a very productive and polished receiver. He runs a full route tree, has good hands catching away from the body, has nice size and uses it to block out DB;s, blocks very well in the run game. I feel he’s probably limited with upside but a guy who can be a special teamer and a 3rd or 4th receiver.

OT-
Joe Haeg NDSU 3rd
Not a big program but watch his tape Joe looked like an NFL caliber LT. He slides well, gets to the second level if needed, and dominated in run blocking… albeit at Division II. But he has the skill set and I feel would have the drive to sit behind Villanueva for a season and maybe be our swing man if Harris doesn’t workout or end up starting in a couple of years.

Cole Toner Harvard 4th
Toner is a smart, agile offensive lineman. He is not over powering but in the zone blocking system he can hold his man long enough for Roethlisberger to get the ball out or move and slide well to open holes for Ben.

Sleepers
Tyler Johnstone Oregon 6th-7th
Johnstone is one of the more athletic linemen in the draft but he has had a few injuries that look to push him down draftboards. I feel he’d have had a shot at the first round if he stayed healthy. He is a natural knee bender who can slide, move, pull or get to the next level. He also has long arms at 34 inches and big hands over 10 inches.

Caleb Beneoch UCLA 6th-7th
Caleb is a tall, quick, lanky OT that probably should have stayed one more season. But in the zone blocking scheme I feel he would use his quickness and excel. He is a natural knee bender, has long 34 inch arms, big 10 inch hands and slides very well.

Interior linemen

Isaac Seumalo Oregon St 4th
I like Seumalo’s feet, technique, natural knee bend, he moves well and gets to the second level. Can play almost every position on the line which makes him position flexible.

Joe Thuney NC State Round 6
Thuney is a very smart guy with 39 Wonderlic and graduating cum laude. He also very nimble of feet for a 300lb linemen. He gets to the second level well, anchors well, passes off defenders well. To me he’s an awesome zone blocking interior linemen.

Sleeper
Matt Hegarty Oregon/ND UDFA
Hegarty was stuck behind Nick Martin at ND so he went to Oregon and had a nice season. He is not the strongest linemen in the draft but he’s smart and quick and I feel he’d have flexibility to play several positions inside.

RB-

CJ Prosise ND 3rd round
Prosise has maybe the best hands in this RB class as he was a WR. He also is a patient runner and follows his blocks but has the ability to put his foot down and run thru a hole. I feel he fits exactly what the zone blocking system needs in a RB. I know this would be a luxury pick but if we go defense with our first two picks I would be ok going Prosise in the third.

Josh Ferguson Illinois 4th Round
Ferguson is a quick but patient running back. He reminds me of Andre Ellington but a little quicker. He has nice hands and can be a dual threat. Again a guy I feel fits the zone blocking system.

Keith Marshall Georgia 5th Round
Marshall was a highly recruited player out of high school who at one point looked better than Todd Gurley. He has elite speed and I feel could be a nice home run hitting RB to compliment Bell.

Aaron Green TCU 6th Round
Green is a very elusive RB with pretty good speed. He is very shifty and has reliable hands. I feel he’d be more of a compliment back to Bell.

Sleeper

Marshaun Coprich Illinois State 7th round
Coprich reminds me a lot of Ray Rice or MJD. He is short, stocky, fast, and just one big muscle to try to tackle. He’s probably going to slip because he got in trouble back in 2007 trying to sell weed to a cop but the 7th round is a safe place for a risky pick.

TE-
Sleeper
Ryan Malleck VT
After drafting Jesse James and signing Green I am only looking for depth so Ryan Malleck fits the bill as a very good blocker and underrated pass catcher. He isn’t flashy but he gets the job done.

QB-

Christian Hackenberg PSU 3rd Round
Hack needs to be coached up but he has all the physical tools. He didn’t leave and run when sanctions hit and then after a stellar freshman year his head coach who sold him on staying LEAVES. He didn’t really fit the Franklin system as even though he’s a good athlete he’s a classic pocket passer and Franklin likes mobility. Square peg round hole. I heard scouts are turned off because when asked about why the drop in production he told it how it was. He didn’t fit into the system, his offensive line was not good and he was always under pressure, and he had receivers who can’t catch a cold. I 100% agree with those statements and anyone who watched a game can agree. So if the Steelers are looking to mold a future QB Hackenberg has the best arm in this draft, has the size, athleticism, and I feel could be molded into Roethlisbergers replacement. To me this is like getting the #1 pick in the draft and able to sit him for 3 years.

Jake Coker Alabama 6th round
Coker is a big armed QB who I feel is underrated. Yes, had a lot of talent around him but he utilized it. He’s definitely a development but again in a few years I think he could become the successor to Roethlisberger.

Sleeper
Cody Kessler USC 7th Round
Kessler is undersized and doesn’t have an elite arm. BUT he understands defenses, anticipates where his receivers should be, he moves well in the pocket, throws a catchable ball, very accurate. If he was 6-4 he’d be a first round pick.