Ball Skillz --- common theme

All of the DBs drafted have the anti-Ike.... I'm liking it. This was definitely deliberate and will pay dividends. Ball skills and hands is either something a player has or doesn't. Ike being a perfect case in point.

I noticed that too Hawaii. 2 dozen picks this past year between Holliman and Golson alone. Oh my. I like it a lot honestly. One of the reasons our D has been lacking a killer edge the past few years aside with the aging and retirement of guys is that we weren't getting the TOs like we used to. This really could be the start of something real special. I like the offensive picks too. James is huge and eager to learn from Heath and I think Coates is just another burner that opponents will have to account for.

DesertSteel wrote:

All of the DBs drafted have the anti-Ike.... I'm liking it. This was definitely deliberate and will pay dividends. Ball skills and hands is either something a player has or doesn't. Ike being a perfect case in point.

so the worst hands belong to the wr we drafted?

Like didn't have ball skills? I never noticed. .

Hawaii 5-0 wrote:

You know I am stealing this...

Yeah what does everyone want? a tall cb with frying pan hands like Ike? All due respect to him he was a good player and our best cb for years, but jesus H it was painful trying to watch him catch a ball. This guy dropped pop fly balls, passes right in his numbers, you name it. We need turnovers.

I agree and see the same trend. Golson and Holliman have great hands, Grant isn't too shabby either. A lot of people are down on Holliman because of his tackling issues but that can be taught, he has amazing hands and I think will come up with a lot of interceptions, he is also speedy. I'm thinking out of these three we will end up developing at least one superstar ball hawk at the NFL level.

Also dont forget that, while it didn't translate in his first season with us and our system, Mike Mitchell was Carolina's premiere ballhawk.

Ike was the best CB we have had since Woodson. He did a good job against some great WR’s. If the Steelers could have gotten an “Ike” in the draft, I would have been very grateful. We desperately need a cover CB.

However, the dude simply could not catch the ball. Interceptions are game changers, and exciting for fans. But, lining-up against the best WR on the other side, and containing him all day wins more games.

I’m used to Steelers D that dictates the game. That D is gone. The Steelers are now an offensive powerhouse. We don’t need the #1 D to get more rings…..just a D that will keep us close.

All of these draft picks are BUSTS!

Until one starts making plays. The odds are that none of them will be of the same caliber as Woodson, or Troy, or Heath.

It really doesn’t matter what they did in college, how tall they are, how much they weigh, or how fast they ran the 40. What they do in the next 4 years will tell the story. Big splash, consistently good…I will be grateful for either .

The last draft pick that was a “lock” was Ben. Hopefully, we don’t have that high of a pick for many years to come.

I think Heath, Pouncey and DeCastro were locks too

DesertSteel wrote:

All of the DBs drafted have the anti-Ike.... I'm liking it. This was definitely deliberate and will pay dividends. Ball skills and hands is either something a player has or doesn't. Ike being a perfect case in point.

Hey, I like Ike!






Hi DesertSteel!  Welcome!

I'm not going to sit here and bash on Ike Taylor, the guy shut down some of the better receivers in the league over his career. He couldn't catch a cold if you threw him in the Ohio in January, but most of the time a guy gets moved to DB in HS or college because he doesn't have the hands to catch passes.

I have heard a lot of people bashing Golson because he's not 6'2" tall, but if he can stick to receivers and get his hands on the ball, that'll make up for his lack of size. Doran Grant is a bit taller, and he had I think it was 5 picks last season. And then Gerod Holliman...hopefully the Steelers can improve his tackling tecnique, but if he's nabbing around 10+ INT's a year playing "center field" I think that'll make up for his lack of being a tackler. As long as he can take out the legs on a receiver to prevent a long TD, that'll be fine. I don't think they plan on playing him in the box.

I think the picks are indicative of the type of defense Butler wants to run. He wants to pressure the QB, make him uncomfortable and then let some defensive guys who can get their hands on the ball make plays on poorly thrown passes.

Tom_the_Torch wrote:

I'm not going to sit here and bash on Ike Taylor, the guy shut down some of the better receivers in the league over his career. He couldn't catch a cold if you threw him in the Ohio in January, but most of the time a guy gets moved to DB in HS or college because he doesn't have the hands to catch passes.

I have heard a lot of people bashing Golson because he's not 6'2" tall, but if he can stick to receivers and get his hands on the ball, that'll make up for his lack of size. Doran Grant is a bit taller, and he had I think it was 5 picks last season. And then Gerod Holliman...hopefully the Steelers can improve his tackling tecnique, but if he's nabbing around 10+ INT's a year playing "center field" I think that'll make up for his lack of being a tackler. As long as he can take out the legs on a receiver to prevent a long TD, that'll be fine. I don't think they plan on playing him in the box.

I think the picks are indicative of the type of defense Butler wants to run. He wants to pressure the QB, make him uncomfortable and then let some defensive guys who can get their hands on the ball make plays on poorly thrown passes.

Spot on.

I think Holliman's issue wasn't getting in position to make tackles he just tried to jab his shoulder and apply the hit like he would when hitting a receiver going over the middle on a high throw. He tried to tackle this way at the line of scrimmage way too often. needs to get reps doing it right, if he is willing it can be corrected. also guessing he needs to get stronger in the upper body to better allow him to tackle like a man. in theory this should be correctable. what you can't teach is his ability to lock on to the ball behind him at mid flight and catch it like a Wide out! if they strengthen is weaknesses over time this could be a great pick, and they still might be able to use him as a center fielder in sub packages in the mean while.

keith butler is apparently big on guys that create turnovers

No turnovers has been a problem with our defense for years. Happy they are getting guys that can help with that.

my girlfriend has great ball skillz but the Steelers didn't draft her.

effyou515 wrote:

my girlfriend has great ball skillz but the Steelers didn't draft her.

You have to put a high grade on under the cover skillz. And you gotta love the ball hawks.