"Steelers were going to draft Gilbert or Beckham in the first. "

[DeaconKnowledge]

Do you believe this? I don't - at least as far as Gilbert is concerned. Steelers have never done anything to indicate that they would value a corner that high. Dri Archer's draft position confirms it imo.

Edit. My bad. This is originally a PG article but my understanding is linking them is a no no so here's the BTSC link.

http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.co...bert-ryan-shazier-odell-beckham-browns-giants

 

[SteelerFan448]

Where is this information from? I was completely sold on Beckham as their top target in the first.

 

[Drink IRON City]

Just wondering if yaz had a link ?



Salute the nation

 

[Idioteque]

Gilbert would have been a sheer ******* nightmare.

 

[TMC]

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap20...r-camp-talked-to-cowboys-before-steelers-pick

Jones confirmed after the first round that the Cowboys were targeting Shazier, Martin, Anthony Barr (No. 9, Vikings) and Aaron Donald (No. 13, Rams) entering the draft.

The Steelers, on the other hand, had planned to select cornerback Justin Gilbert (No. 8, Browns) or LSU wide receiver Odell Beckham (No. 12, Giants). Once those players were gone, general manager Kevin Colbert said it was "an easy evaluation" to switch gears and grab the best player on their board.

 

[SteelerFan448]

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap20...r-camp-talked-to-cowboys-before-steelers-pick

That's what I was expecting to see. Thanks, TMC!

 

[dobre shunka]

From their predraft warroom photo (admittedly fuzzy) there are at least 2 maybe 3 WRs higher than ILB on their board. If there's 3, then it's very possible one of them is Beckham. If it's just 2, I dunno. Kinda doubt Beckham was higher than either Evans or Watkins on their board. But the highest rated CB on their board was slightly lower than their top ILB (Shazier).

 

[dobre shunka]

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap20...r-camp-talked-to-cowboys-before-steelers-pick

No where is Ron Cook's article does he say that. Very liberal job of paraphrasing. He's making a composite of different stories to say something nobody is saying. I have no idea where half that story is coming from (cuz he doesn't attach credit to it), but the bit attached to Cook does not support that.

 

[tapeANaspirin2it]

From their predraft warroom photo (admittedly fuzzy) there are at least 2 maybe 3 WRs higher than ILB on their board. If there's 3, then it's very possible one of them is Beckham. If it's just 2, I dunno. Kinda doubt Beckham was higher than either Evans or Watkins on their board. But the highest rated CB on their board was slightly lower than their top ILB (Shazier).

I think it's totally possible they had Beckham over Evans. I would rather Beckham. Evans is not a good WR. He doesn't run routes and pushes off to get open, but he has great physical skills so he's worth the risk of drafting him high.

If the Steelers were looking for immediate starters, and that's pretty much what they've said, then they easily could have had Beckham over Evans.

 

[dobre shunka]

Like I said, I dunno, maybe. It's not just saying he's the #2 WR on their board, but if that's true he was top 6 or 7 overall on their board. I don't think that's likely. But I can't rule that out, cuz I wouldn't have thought Jones was that high or higher on their board last year. Still, it remains that no CB was rated higher than Shazier on their board. That much I'm certain of.

Steelers have an interesting 4 part webseries documenting this past draft, starting this Wed. From the trailer, should be some better/clearer shots of their board. Looks like they take you thru the process of building their board.

 

[deljzc]

I think Tomlin was hell-bent on speed this year. Colbert of course the yes man just goes along with it, damn the evaluation process.

Very curious about our evaluation of Gilbert. He plays CB very soft, but has tons of athletic man-to-man skills. I never thought that would appeal to the brain trust of Tomlin-Lebeau-Colbert.

 

[antdrewjosh]

Maybe after evaluating the play from last year that is what they determined they needed. Speed. Its not like they only took guys who are fast. All of these guys have production. Football players who also happen to be fast.

 

[Idioteque]

Maybe after evaluating the play from last year that is what they determined they needed. Speed. Its not like they only took guys who are fast. All of these guys have production. Football players who also happen to be fast.

It's no secret that our front seven lacks speed. Taking Shazier first was a perfectly sensible thing to do to add a defensive playmaker. Tuitt is fast but a 310-pounder with real DL skills; nothing fishy or stupid about that.

The Archer pick sucked IMO but that was the only weird jump into the speed pool that I noticed.

 

[antdrewjosh]

It's no secret that our front seven lacks speed. Taking Shazier first was a perfectly sensible thing to do to add a defensive playmaker. Tuitt is fast but a 310-pounder with real DL skills; nothing fishy or stupid about that.

The Archer pick sucked IMO but that was the only weird jump into the speed pool that I noticed.

So basically we agree??

 

[mightyguru]

I wanted ODB myself, if he was there. Kind of surprised they weren't targeting Fuller. I have been hearing since day 2 that Dallas wanted Shazier...shades of the '74 draft with Pitt/Dallas both wanting Swanny....we can only pray that Shazier has an impact close to that of Swann, however.

 

[antdrewjosh]

Why Ryan Shazier in the first round? Pittsburgh was the fifth team in the past five seasons to allow at least 5.0 yards before contact per rush outside the tackles.

 

[SteelerAl]

Very curious about our evaluation of Gilbert. He plays CB very soft, but has tons of athletic man-to-man skills. I never thought that would appeal to the brain trust of Tomlin-Lebeau-Colbert.

Had the same thought. Maybe they'd be willing to tweak their philosophy on D a bit, but only if they have a CB with the top end athleticism of a Gilbert. When Gilbert was gone, they figured it's best to keep things the same for now and go back to the tried and true formula of trying to develop the next Ike or Cortez Allen

 

[freak]

shazier tuitt is one of the best combination i could have hope for (picking at 15)