Landon Collins visits Steelers

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/04/23/landon-collins-visits-steelers/

The Steelers will start a season without safety Troy Polamalu on the roster for the first time since 2002, which will likely have them in the market for help at the position when the draft kicks off next week.

Their search for that help had Alabama’s Landon Collins at the team’s headquarters as the Steelers wrapped up their pre-draft visits with prospects on Wednesday. Collins is expected to be the first safety selected this year and Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports that he’s the only safety to visit with the team.

Collins’s status as the lone safety visitor illustrates how many defensive holes the Steelers have to fill at the moment. Kansas cornerback Dexter McDonald, Mississippi State defensive end Preston Smith and Tennessee-Chattanooga outside linebacker Davis Tull all visited the team on Wednesday as well and the Steelers need a boost at all those positions as well as safety as they try to rebuild a defense that’s seen several key veterans depart in recent years.

All told, 18 of the 29 pre-draft visitors to the Steelers play on the defensive side of the ball and it wouldn’t be surprising if the ratio of their draft picks tilts even more toward that side of the ball.

The more & more I think about it, this is the pick that needs to happen at 22.

My gut tells me that the OLBs will all be gone by 22, and the value just isn't there for CB.

Simply, the drop-off from the CBs available at 22, and the ones likely there at 56, is minimal. Whereas, the drop-off from Collins to the rest of the safeties is significant.

If Shamarko is ready, then Collins isn't needed. Then again, Shamarko is always injured. In other words, who really knows whether Shamarko is going to be the starting SS of the future (or, if he's just a good back-up).

If I could switch the CB for another CB, I'd take those four players as the fist four picks.

R1: Landon Collins
R2: Ifo Ekpre-Olomu
R3: Davis Tull
R4: Preston Smith

I would love to see a 2nd round pick of Ifo Ekpre-Olomu. And I think he'll be there too. The 2015 season will largely be a wash for him as he most likely will be on PUP to start the year. In a way, you're spending a 2nd round pick on a guy who really won't contribute much this season, but should compete next season. If he didn't blow out his knee, he would have been the top CB in the draft this year (thanks to Peters' bad behavior).

I like Collins as a solid run stopping, in-the-box safety. But I'd be surprised if they draft him. Not sure he'll be able to keep up with some of those athletic TEs in pass coverage.

Shamarko Thomas gets dumped on, but I think he's going to be a good safety (barring injury). He's extremely versatile ... played safety and corner at SU, he's fast and likes to hit. Unfortunately, two pulled hammies last year has him marked as a potential bust. happens, so hopefully he rebounds and shows his worth in 2015.

Thomas is versatile, but his injuries have hindered his potential

Bill Parcells once stated:
"A player's most important ability is avail-ability.

Good or not, bust or not... who knows??? Simply Shamarko has been unavailable.

for being injured all the time, shamarko sure does play a hell of alot of special teams (and looks pretty damn healthy doing it).

i think the real issue is he doesnt know the defense as well as anyone else (troy, golden, mitchell, allen) thus is a liability who cant beat them out for playing time.

mitchell was supposedly hurt all last season as well... along with troy.

Interesting.

I know that Shamarko went from the DB in the nickel, to nothing... due to an injury during his rookie season.

He must really not know the system, because when both Polamalu & Mitchell were out at the same time, the safeties were Allen & Blake. I had assumed that Shamarko was not be in the game (instead of Blake) because Shamarko was injured. But, if you're telling me that he knows the safety position less than the back-up CB does... that's sort of scary (scary bad).