Pittsburgh Steelers 2018 Draft

start off with moving Bud Dupree to ILB. remember Levon Kirkland? pick up a 3-4 OLB in free agency.

1st Orlando Brown LT Oklahoma

one of the best OTs in the draft in time move Alejandro Villanueva to RT.

2nd Terrell Edmunds S/LB Virginia Tech

just think for a minute,,, Dupree and Edmunds as the 2 ILBers.

3rd Akrum Wadley RB Iowa update

Bye bye Levon Bell.

5th Chris Worley ILB Ohio State

played safety in high school started out as a OLB in college the moved to ILB because of graduation.

You really think Dupree could play ILB? I don't know. Seems to me he's more like of an OLB/DE and ILB would really take him out of his comfort zone.

IowaSteeler927 wrote:

You really think Dupree could play ILB? I don't know. Seems to me he's more like of an OLB/DE and ILB would really take him out of his comfort zone.

remember dupree did run a 4.56 at the combine. that's not shazier speed , but it's faster than any other lb on the roster. at 6'3" plus his speed he would / should , be able to cover tight ends. i have no doubt that with a little experience under his belt , he'd be better than williams. remember timmons was an olb coming out of college. timmons ran a 4.67 at the combine.

Allen had himself a pretty decent outing in the Senior Bowl. The North overall didn't play very well but Allen was a bright spot. Believe the stat line was something like 9/13 for 158yds and 2 TDs. Both passing touchdowns were nice touch throws. Also displayed his ability to make plays with his legs.

Check out the TD pass at 4:40 into the video, for a guy that gets knocked on for his accuracy this was an exceptional throw and he showed very good touch and accuracy with the football. In my opinion Allen is a gamer, he'll always play better on the field and in a game situation than when you put him into stupid accuracy drills throwing a football at spinning numbers...

 c'mon Iowa ... the knocks on allens accuracy issues aren't  from how well he throws a ball thru a tire.  they are from his game film.  56% in 2016 and 56% in 2017.

here are some of his worst games of 2017 ...
oregon   9/24...37.5%
hawaii    9/19...47.4%
boise st  12/27 ...44.4

only 3 times this season did he complete above 60% of his passes. and it's not like he was throwing the ball 40 times a game. he averaged 24.5 passes a game. only twice in 25 games did he throw for over 300 yds.
maybe he can be coached up , but if he can't , he'll be added to the huge list of 1st round qb busts that a desperate team reached for.

Master_Of_Puppets wrote:

 c'mon Iowa ... the knocks on allens accuracy issues aren't  from how well he throws a ball thru a tire.  they are from his game film.  56% in 2016 and 56% in 2017.

here are some of his worst games of 2017 ...
oregon   9/24...37.5%
hawaii    9/19...47.4%
boise st  12/27 ...44.4

only 3 times this season did he complete above 60% of his passes. and it's not like he was throwing the ball 40 times a game. he averaged 24.5 passes a game. only twice in 25 games did he throw for over 300 yds.
maybe he can be coached up , but if he can't , he'll be added to the huge list of 1st round qb busts that a desperate team reached for.

He needs to work on his mechanics, but he's got the tools. Has a monster arm and a gunslinger mentality. Sure he's a little raw, but I definitely think he could be coached up. I mean he played at Wyoming, not exactly a powerhouse, and the talent around him really dropped off for his senior season. I can't imagine the QB coach there is top quality either. Get that kid with a good QB coach, and have him work on his footwork and mechanics and he could be a weapon. I don't know, I guess I just have a good feeling about him. I could be wrong of course.

Thinking about this a lot over the past days though, and I think you're right MoP, I think we're definitely going ILB in the 1st Round. I think if Ben was still up in the air about retiring then maybe they would take a QB, but with Ben saying he wants to play three more years, I think they try to fix the defense so they can win right now.

IowaSteeler927 wrote:

You really think Dupree could play ILB? I don't know. Seems to me he's more like of an OLB/DE and ILB would really take him out of his comfort zone.

I don't really know.

my thinking is,,, NT Hargrave with Dupree at mike LB playing like a DT more athletic meat in the middle of the Steelers 3-4 defensive front to stop the run, on passing downs you now have 4 d-linemen tieing up 5 o-linemen making it easier for one or two of the OLBs edge rushers to get to the QB, just rush 4 and have both of the OLBs drop into coverage, rush one or both of the OLBs and drop Dupree in to pass coverage, or drop all 4 of the LBs into pass coverage. what i mean by using Dupree like Levon Kirkland.

Version 2.0

1st Round - The Steelers select...

Rashaan Evans - ILB - University of Albama - 6'3" - 231lbs - Projected 40 time 4.63

2nd Round - The Steelers select...

Arden Key - 3-4 OLB - Louisiana State University - 6'5" - 260lbs - Projected 40 time 4.70

3rd Round - The Steelers select...

Jordan Whitehead - S - University of Pittsburgh - 5'11" - 190lbs - Projected 40 time 4.45

4th Round - Traded to the 49ers for Vance McDonald and 2018 5th Round Pick.

5th Round The Steelers select...

Jerry Tillery - NT - Notre Dame - 6'6" - 310lbs - Projected 40 Time: 5.20

5th Round (Received from 49ers in Vance McDonald Trade) The Steelers select...

Sean Welsh - G/C - University of Iowa - 6'3" - 295lbs

7th Round (Conditional from Giants) The Steelers select...

Davin Bellamy - OLB - University of Georgia - 6'5" - 240lbs

7th Round The Steelers select...

Trey Quinn - WR - Southern Methodist University - 6'0" - 200lbs

Yup I'm seeing Evans ALL OVER Steelers mock drafts everywhere so I would say that's a safe bet if available. Ronny Harrison could be there too. If they don't go Harrison with One, I bet they go Kyzir White or Dashon Elliot in Two. The safety position HAS to be addressed when Mitchell gets gone. Sean Davis can move to FS if need be.

I haven't researched enough past 2 rounds. I'll be at your level soon Iowa! I do like your NT Tillery in five. Time to go take a look...

I'm not sold on Allen at all.

Mayfield would be an interesting choice moving forward with Fichtner's Memphis Spread philosophy.

Have to move the pocket, because he's short. Kind of like how the Saints have with Brees.

Crash wrote:

I'm not sold on Allen at all.  

Mayfield would be an interesting choice moving forward with Fichtner's Memphis Spread philosophy.  

Have to move the pocket, because he's short.  Kind of like how the Saints have with Brees.

Mayfield's intriguing, he has a skill set similar to Manziel but I don't think he has any of the off-the-field issues that Manziel had.

Mason Rudolph is another interesting proposition. He's another one I've seen linked to us.

I have liked what I've seen from him but haven't watched him nearly enough to really judge him.

But my brother has and he's convinced he's the guy we need to eventually replace Ben.

Crash wrote:

Mason Rudolph is another interesting proposition.  He's another one I've seen linked to us.  

I have liked what I've seen from him but haven't watched him nearly enough to really judge him.  

But my brother has and he's convinced he's the guy we need to eventually replace Ben.

Sometimes I just have a hard time trusting those Oklahoma State QBs. They never seem to pan out as pros. Rudolph definitely looked good in college, but can he translate his talents to the pros? That's the question.

I remember the first time I saw Ben play in college.  Friend of mine who's a Raiders fan called me and said "you have to watch this kid from Miami of Ohio because my Raiders are going to take him."  

He threw three passes, two while on the move on the opening drive and I was hooked.  Told the Raider fan "This kid plays just like 1978-1982 Terry Bradshaw did, and he won two more SB's and league MVP" in those 5 seasons.

I couldn't believe Al Davis passed on him, as much as Al loved the deep vertical game, Ben was the final chance for Al to relive his glorious past.  

Then when Cleveland didn't pick him, I was scared shit-less that Tom Donahoe would trade up with Houston and stick it up the Rooney's asses.  

When the Texans picked Robinson, which means Donahoe didn't have a partner left to jump in front of us I was literally shaking, I couldn't believe that the pieces were all starting to fit.  When Kolber said the Steelers were on the phone and Ben was talking to the front office and then Cowher I almost started bawling.  When Ben and Coach Hep were celebrating before Tags announced the pick my brother turns and yells "We just won the fucking Super Bowl".  

And the rest they say, is history.

Crash wrote:

I remember the first time I saw Ben play in college.  Friend of mine who's a Raiders fan called me and said "you have to watch this kid from Miami of Ohio because my Raiders are going to take him."  

He threw three passes, two while on the move on the opening drive and I was hooked.  Told the Raider fan "This kid plays just like 1978-1982 Terry Bradshaw did, and he won two more SB's and league MVP" in those 5 seasons.

I couldn't believe Al Davis passed on him, as much as Al loved the deep vertical game, Ben was the final chance for Al to relive his glorious past.  

Then when Cleveland didn't pick him, I was scared shit-less that Tom Donahoe would trade up with Houston and stick it up the Rooney's asses.  

When the Texans picked Robinson, which means Donahoe didn't have a partner left to jump in front of us I was literally shaking, I couldn't believe that the pieces were all starting to fit.  When Kolber said the Steelers were on the phone and Ben was talking to the front office and then Cowher I almost started bawling.  When Ben and Coach Hep were celebrating before Tags announced the pick my brother turns and yells "We just won the fucking Super Bowl".  

And the rest they say, is history.

Nice feeling wasn't it? It was definitely a situation where they got the QB that they should've. In a way I felt like it was making up for skipping over Dan Marino.

I remember watching that draft in my old apartment with my roommate who is well versed on all things collegiate football. At that point I wasn't super familiar with Ben and he kept saying "I can't believe that Ben is dropping this far, you guys have a real shot to get him". I started watching his reel and quickly tossed aside my hopes of a Deangelo Hall CB. It was pretty awesome when he called it from the start of the draft and I've been a die hard Ben fan ever since.

effyou515 wrote:

3rd Akrum Wadley RB Iowa update

Bye bye Levon Bell.

You know I love that Wadley pick but I believe the Steelers drafting a RB will depend entirely upon whether or not they sign Bell. I think if they franchise him he's going to be a giant distraction, so my thinking is that they won't use the franchise tag on him, they'll get rid of him if they can't get a long term deal done.

Wadley is very underrated coming out of college, almost nobody talks about him. Kid is shifty, quick, and he's a good pass catcher out of the backfield. Not sure that he'll be Le'Veon Bell at the next level, but I do think he'll be a productive NFL player. I've watched a ton of him playing for my Hawks, and let me tell you. This kid was productive even during CJ Beathard's senior season where the offense was really struggling due to a total lack of playmakers in the receiving corps. Even though opposing defenses knew Iowa was going to run, Wadley still put up good numbers.

Hawks went 8-5 in 2016. Wadley's Stats:

Akrum Wadley: 168 Attempts, 1081 Yards, 6.4 YPC, 10 TDs, 36 Rec, 315 Yards, 8.8 AVG, 3 TDs

That's despite him splitting carries with Leshun Daniels who also went for over 1,000yds rushing in 2016. Otherwise Wadley's numbers would've been even more ridiculous.

with a new secondary coach Steelers might go with a CB in the 1st round.

effyou515 wrote:

with a new secondary coach Steelers might go with a CB in the 1st round.

I don't know. I think they've really got to address ILB. Sean Spence was pretty awful, and who knows if Shazier will ever play football again. I think they've definitely got to address the position with one of the first two picks. I don't think they'll go CB. I do think that Sutton is going to be competing with Burns come training camp because Burns showed he's still got a lot of flaws in his game, and Sutton has shown promise at times. I think a little competition could be good for both of them. Bring out their best.

IowaSteeler927 wrote:

effyou515 wrote:

with a new secondary coach Steelers might go with a CB in the 1st round.

I don't know. I think they've really got to address ILB. Sean Spence was pretty awful, and who knows if Shazier will ever play football again. I think they've definitely got to address the position with one of the first two picks. I don't think they'll go CB. I do think that Sutton is going to be competing with Burns come training camp because Burns showed he's still got a lot of flaws in his game, and Sutton has shown promise at times. I think a little competition could be good for both of them. Bring out their best.

I believe that Sutton will be one of the best CB's in the league in 3 or 4 years. Why? First of all, he's got the talent. Injuries have hold him back so far, but if he had decided to enter the 2016 draft, he probably would have been gone in the first or second round. Instead he decided to go back to college and... got injured which caused him to slide to round 3 for the 2017 draft. This year he got injured too which made him miss a big part of the season but he came back and got his first start against the Patriots*. One of the toughest opponents for any CB and despite being a rookie and getting his first start he played a solid game to say the least. On top of his talent, there's no one who studies the game more than him. As you might have read, when he was interviewed by the Steelers and when they showed him tape of one of his games he not only knew his own assignement on a particular play but also from all his teammates as well. And not only of one play, but of all the plays. This guy is so smart that after a couple of years in this league he will exactly know what his opponents will do on certain plays. Opposing QB's and WR's will hate him.

2 teams interested in Bryant are Indy and the Jets. If we could get a #2 for him we would hold either #36 or #37 in round 2. We could use that 2nd round pick on someone like Tim Settle (NT) Virginia Tech or B.J. Hill (NT) N.C. State. Both of these guys are beasts and I think they could plug the middle. We could in theory use #1 on Mayfield if he's there. Evans could be there in RD 2. One thing for sure is this draft is going to be interesting.

1st. Leighton Vander Esch

2nd Jessie Bates S, Wake Forest

3rd Ian Thomas TE, Indiana

5th Troy Apke S Penn State

IowaSteeler927 wrote:

Crash wrote:

Mason Rudolph is another interesting proposition.  He's another one I've seen linked to us.  

I have liked what I've seen from him but haven't watched him nearly enough to really judge him.  

But my brother has and he's convinced he's the guy we need to eventually replace Ben.

Sometimes I just have a hard time trusting those Oklahoma State QBs. They never seem to pan out as pros. Rudolph definitely looked good in college, but can he translate his talents to the pros? That's the question.

you know what else never pans out in the pro's ? penn state rb's....the last truly successful one was franco harris. no shit , look it up.

Master_Of_Puppets wrote:

IowaSteeler927 wrote:

Crash wrote:

Mason Rudolph is another interesting proposition.  He's another one I've seen linked to us.  

I have liked what I've seen from him but haven't watched him nearly enough to really judge him.  

But my brother has and he's convinced he's the guy we need to eventually replace Ben.

Sometimes I just have a hard time trusting those Oklahoma State QBs. They never seem to pan out as pros. Rudolph definitely looked good in college, but can he translate his talents to the pros? That's the question.

you know what else never pans out in the pro's ?  penn state rb's....the last truly successful one was franco harris. no shit , look it up.

True, but man does Barkley look part. You could be right, could turn out to be a dud in the NFL, but I have a feeling he's going to be pretty good.

Post combine mock:

1.28 Leighton Vander Esch, ILB, Boise State
2.28 Jessie Bates, FS, Wake Forest
3.28 Kyzir White, SS, West Virginia
5.11 Bo Scarbrough, RB, Alabama
5.28 Ian Thomas, TE, Indiana
7.02 Quadree Henderson, WR/KR/PR, Pittsburgh
7.28 Deadrin Senat, NT, South Florida