I really think they are looking at ILB in the first 2 rounds. It wouldn't surprise me at all.
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I really think they are looking at ILB in the first 2 rounds. It wouldn't surprise me at all.
Yeah… I am expecting they are going to totally deviate from the Fan plan to go OT and DT with one of the other need spots cut in with our top 3 picks.. id say ILB, TE, Wr and S or CB are probably going to be two of the top 3 now… they ae almost certainly over drafting an ilb
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Campbell will be tough to pass on at 32 because I don't think he makes it until 49, I just hope they aren't looking a him for 17.
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While I think you hit the nail on the head with Simpson being exactly what Tomlin looks for, I am hoping it is subterfuge. He is touted as being great against the pass BUT his college career doesn't show that in production compared to Warner, Leonard, Kendricks et al. Campbell has better tackle, PDs, and INTs (which Simpson had 0) and even my choice with Drew Sanders has better college production. I still take Sanders over Campbell just because he can be used as an OLB as well as an ILB while he gets acclimated.
The future of Highsmith will control the day (or should), IMO. If the FO thinks Alex is gonna cost us 15+mil/season to resign, better to get the new OLB in the rotation sooner than later. IF this is the case, maybe they were looking at Van Ness? He has the chops to be a disrupter on the edge...maybe not the bend but with a bit less weight?
I'd rather they target their pass protecting ILB with a big Safety that can work the slot/TE or wait and go after Dorian Williams, Henley or Campbell/Sanders if they want to get a bit of a coverage guy who can also be stout against the run (we need both and have improved our run protection a bit with recent signings) BUT we need better coverage near the LOS as our guys are garbage. Our weakest link on D is still short-zone coverage as we give up too many 3rd downs with Maulet and a gaggle of converted FS and our slow footed ILBs to cover the slot and TE.
ILB is a stronger need than OL still in my opinion as we get destroyed regularly against the run and the pass with our substandard ILBs on the field. DL is second but can be had in the later picks as their might be only 1 sure thing interior DL who still may not be able to stop the run. Until they either change back to the true 3-4 with a real NT it will remain a problem without STUD ILBs...which we do not have and Simpson is not, IMO.
They may also fall in love with Van Ness at DL/EDGE. The guy is athletic and can play multiple positions. They like that for some reason. I, personally, want my starters to be assassins at their main position. Bonus if they can do more but they have to focus on their main position coming into the league to get them on the field as fast as possible.
I want to say ILBer is now a secondary need in comparison to OL and an OLber.
Why? Two free agents are run defense sound. But you lose Watt for any significant time and we have a relapse of lat season. Two T position is weak and needs upgrading as they have been transforming it no need to stop now. They need one T at least IMO.
Then to throw a log on the woodpile the team has two number 2 corners. And Maulet could use pass defense upgraded.
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As in the past, the more infatuated they become, the earlier the pick.
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Yes, this multi-positional drafting has held us back to a degree. STARTERS are meant to start at their respective positions. Rather than have a starter multi-focused on positional buoyancy, they should be focused on doing the ONE position they were meant for and becoming the best at that position.
I could be pretty good at 3 things BUT dang I could be GREAT at one.
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I am not any kind of draft guru, But I read up a little on this dude just now. Just want to say, he'd be my kind of Steeler.
I was just listening to Poni and Muller and they were freaking out against taking an edge-because allegedly Tomlin and Kahn are both looking at OL/EDGE and there’s a real possibility of taking one at 17 vs taking a tackle or receiver.
I was starting to think about the things Weidl and Kahn have pulled off-what if- there is a team really interested in Highsmith and are making the Steelers a descent offer for draft capital…
They aren't moving Highsmith. I would take that bet 7 days a week..
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The Eagles stacked pass rushers and it wouldn't surprise me if the Steelers did as well. A great pass rush elevates their defensive backfield and there's good talent at edge. It's not my preference, but at the end of the day, any premium position in the first round that's highly rated is okay in my book.
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Highsmith is here this year and with a low dollar cap.
It would have to be a 1st and a 4rd OR a 2nd and a 4rd, before I even looked.
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They may not be able to give Highsmith what he may want in salary. No way they can give him $15+ million per. Van Ness is big. I don't know if he can be an OLB but he does move pretty fast for being 6'-5", 272 lbs with 34" arms. He could play DT opposite Cam until Cam retires. He would have to add a few pounds to do that. Or, if they do put him outside since our OLB's don't drop into coverage as much, that would be very interesting opposite of Watt.
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Highsmith would work here great if we could pay him. He is also to a degree of a TJ WATT product. What is the balance of pay VS production VS TJ product ?
I think whoever is the replacement will have similar affect due to having all world TJ opposite you.
I could be wrong on Alex, but when compared to when TJ plays VS not play, Highsmith’s number go up and down respectively, thus showing TJ WATT dependent.
That doesn’t mean Alex is a failure, it just puts him in a “Dupree” like category.
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I think whoever is the replacement will have similar affect due to having all world TJ opposite you.
I could be wrong on Alex, but when compared to when TJ plays VS not play, Highsmith’s number go up and down respectively, thus showing TJ WATT dependent.
That doesn’t mean Alex is a failure, it just puts him in a “Dupree” like category.
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I think Highsmith became a better all around player than Dupree, he got good at setting the edge against the run way faster than Dupree, and while his sack production suffered after Watt got hurt, I think he still had like 3-3.5 sacks while Watt was injured. But 15+ mil a year, yeah we can't pay him that
The Pittsburgh Steelers were always expected to have a large contingent in Columbus, but Dan Quinn, John Schneider, and Scott Fitterer were also all seen out and about Tuesday evening.
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers’ brain trust took a private jet to Columbus, Ohio, from yesterday’s Iowa State workout. When they arrived, they cornered the market on the Buckeye linemen. The Steelers had dinner with offensive tackles Dawand Jones and Paris Johnson Jr., as well as center Luke Wypler. Also at the meal was pass rusher Zach Harrison.One note on Wypler. The Combine results at NFL.com incorrectly listed his 10-yard split as 1.83 seconds. The official report sent to NFL teams has a time of 1.73 and 1.74 seconds as the 10-yard splits on his 40 attempts. This is a significant difference for a center that most project as a zone-blocking lineman.
If the draft fell right, I could see the Steelers taking 2 Buckeyes.
So far, as of 22 March, per the Depot, the Steelers pro day dinners are:
Trenton Simpson LB/Clemson (dinner)
Myles Murphy EDGE/Clemson (dinner)
Mazi Smith NT/Michigan (dinner, pro day meeting)
Will McDonald IV EDGE/Iowa St (dinner)
Dawand Jones OT/Ohio St (dinner)
Paris Johnson Jr OT/Ohio St (dinner)
Luke Wypler C/Ohio St (dinner)
Zach Harrison EDGE/Ohio St (dinner)
Trenton Simpson LB/Clemson (dinner)
Myles Murphy EDGE/Clemson (dinner)
Mazi Smith NT/Michigan (dinner, pro day meeting)
Will McDonald IV EDGE/Iowa St (dinner)
Dawand Jones OT/Ohio St (dinner)
Paris Johnson Jr OT/Ohio St (dinner)
Luke Wypler C/Ohio St (dinner)
Zach Harrison EDGE/Ohio St (dinner)
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I hope our one and ONLY SteelBuckeye is safe, but if he has to go, then so be it…….
Remember we knew him when he was little.
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Tendency is leaning towards edge. I still think it is a three-way tie and pending on who is there. CB / Edge / ILB / with OT very close as well.
Unfortunately I think they are valuing defense more than offense. It is an offensive league and that OL needs to be the best ever, not just average.
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