Analyzing the Steelers Wants and Needs For the 2016 NFL Draft – Cornerback

El-Gonzo Jackson wrote:

BKAnthem wrote:

I wrote that I thought Grant could have gone undrafted...and i believe he would have, Colbert has a knack for Drafting DB's that no one else wants... I never bought into that Lukewarm Hype on Golson...i just see Will Gay Jr...another avg DB for the Back end drafted way to high...i hope i'm wrong but i doubt it..

Grant wasn't going undrafted.  Multiple sources targeted him in mid rounds, right where he went.

Golson put up some very good tape in the SEC and many raved about his ability to play zone and track the football to result in INT's.  Drew some comparisons to Jason Verrett who went in the 1st round the previous years, but thought more of a zone corner than man.

This may come off as sarcasm, but it's meant with full sincerity. Grant was never going undrafted (lol?) and Golson was projected as a third round pick, but with high upside despite his measurables.

I don't know where some of these people get their ideas from, but it often isn't reality.

SteelersCanada wrote:

El-Gonzo Jackson wrote:

BKAnthem wrote:

I wrote that I thought Grant could have gone undrafted...and i believe he would have, Colbert has a knack for Drafting DB's that no one else wants... I never bought into that Lukewarm Hype on Golson...i just see Will Gay Jr...another avg DB for the Back end drafted way to high...i hope i'm wrong but i doubt it..

Grant wasn't going undrafted.  Multiple sources targeted him in mid rounds, right where he went.

Golson put up some very good tape in the SEC and many raved about his ability to play zone and track the football to result in INT's.  Drew some comparisons to Jason Verrett who went in the 1st round the previous years, but thought more of a zone corner than man.

This may come off as sarcasm, but it's meant with full sincerity. Grant was never going undrafted (lol?) and Golson was projected as a third round pick, but with high upside despite his measurables.

I don't know where some of these people get their ideas from, but it often isn't reality.

Canuck, I know that you know your football and enjoy the DB play, so no sarcasm or negativity taken. I know we differed on several guys over the past few years, but I agree wholeheartedly with you on this, as well as some other evals.

Grant was a 2 year starter at OSU, was their top CB and looked every bit the part at Mobile and the NFL Combine. I had his and Golsons group workout at the Combine recorded for the past year and it was a good workout. He showed speed, technique, effort and prompted Mayock to say some good things about his workout. Indeed he wasn't going undrafted.

Golson too performed well, but left Mobile with an injury I think (hamstring?), but looked every bit the fluid athlete and natural hands catcher that allowed him to pick off all those passes at Ole Miss. I too thought the 2nd might have been a reach for Golson, but his production validates the 2nd round pick IMO.

I don't think the CB position is as bad as many do, because you don't need a bunch of 1st round CB's in this cover 2 zone type of scheme. Many fans believe that you need a bunch of 1st round guys from the SEC at CB or you don't have a secondary. Its horses for courses and you know that.

KeepHarrisonTilHes92 wrote:

I've been pro Golson and I still am. In this draft if Mackenzie is there I want Mackenzie on the outside with Cockrell at some point with Golson in the slot.

If Mackenzie is not there, I want Billings or Butler, if they are not there, Will Jax/Neal/BPA.

Mackenzie is a pest with man to man coverage and very good in run support as well.

Mackenzie Alexander is a mystery to me. All kinds of bravado, trash talk and swag for a guy with 0 INT's the past 2 seasons. If he checks out and ends up a Steeler, will be a couple seasons before he contributes as he played a lot of man and not that much zone from what I see.

Steelers mock draft 4.0

by Ray Fittipaldo

The NFL draft is less than a month away now and at least we have a consensus from the draft analysts. The Steelers are picking a cornerback.

A quick perusal of the mock drafts at nfl.com and nfldraftscout.com showed all nine of their draft experts had the Steelers drafting a corner. There were four votes for Clemson’s Mackensie Alexander at No. 25, three for Houston’s William Jackson III and two for Ohio State’s Eli Apple.

I had the Steelers taking a corner in my first three four-round mock drafts and I’m not changing now even though I am intrigued by Baylor defensive tackle Andrew Billings, who could immediately fill the Steelers’ need for a run-stopping interior lineman.

Here we go with mock 4.0:

1. William Jackson III, cornerback, Houston. The Steelers like what they have in cornerbacks William Gay and Senquez Golson, but Gay is 5-10 and Golson 5-9. The Steelers need a taller corner to contend with the likes of A.J. Green and the other tall and athletic receivers around the league. Jackson is 6-2 and he has blazing speed (timed at 4.37 in the 40-yard dash at the combine). Before his lights-out performance at the combine Jackson was projected as a second-round pick. Now teams like the Steelers at the end of the first round are hoping he’s available for them to take.

2. Karl Joseph, safety, West Virginia. Joseph was a four-year starter and blends a brutally physical style with some decent ball skills. The concern is his size (5-10, 205) and whether he’s susceptible to more injuries. He missed most of his senior season due to a knee injury and team medical staffs must determine if his body can stand up to his style of play. If the medical reports check out he’d be a good fit in the Steelers, who currently have Robert Golden penciled in as their starter opposite Mike Mitchell.

3. Nick Vannett, tight end, Ohio State. The Steelers have always had a strong blocking tight end and they’ll need another one to take the place of Matt Spaeth, who is 32 and entering the final year of his contract. Ladarius Green is the starter and Jesse James is a young player who showed some promise toward the end of the season. But the Steelers lost Heath Miller to retirement and don’t appear inclined to bring back Will Johnson. Adding Vannett at this point in the draft addresses a position the Steelers value and gives them some depth in case Spaeth runs into injury problems again.

4. Hassan Ridgeway, defensive tackle, Texas. Ridgeway is hard to move and athletic enough to be a versatile lineman for coach John Mitchell. He can compete with Daniel McCullers at nose guard and has the upside to be more than that. Concerns are injury history and conditioning level at Texas. If the Steelers can extract the talent Ridgeway would be a very good pick in the fourth round.

http://sportsblogs.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers-steelers-blog

What I don't understand about the William Jackson love here is ....does he not have a reputation of not tackling in run support? Are the Steelers really going to draft a CB that can cover but wont tackle?

El-Gonzo Jackson wrote:

What I don't understand about the William Jackson love here is ....does he not have a reputation of not tackling in run support?  Are the Steelers really going to draft a CB that can cover but wont tackle?

I don't know that I think the Steelers will go for it. But personally, I think if the Steelers' insistence on having their CB's support the run so well and be physical is limiting the pool we can pick from, causing us to avoid drafting them early, and contributing to the overall piss-poor play the position group has been giving us for years, then this organization needs to sit down and seriously reconsider what they want out of the position.

These are CB's. They cover. If you're lucky, they can play physical and support the run and even sometimes russ the passer, but that's not their main job. They're CB's, not linebackers.

El-Gonzo Jackson wrote:

What I don't understand about the William Jackson love here is ....does he not have a reputation of not tackling in run support?  Are the Steelers really going to draft a CB that can cover but wont tackle?

No, they won't. Unless they think he's the second coming of Prime Time (who usually found a hole in the field when it came time to hit someone). But to your point, that's why I think they won't draft Kendall Fuller either. I can't say I've seen any analysis stating he wasn't a good tackler, but just watching him it was obvious he doesn't have a desire to make a tackle in run support. But he is very good in coverage.

PhantomJB93 wrote:

[I don't know that I think the Steelers will go for it.  But personally, I think if the Steelers' insistence on having their CB's support the run so well and be physical is limiting the pool we can pick from, causing us to avoid drafting them early, and contributing to the overall piss-poor play the position group has been giving us for years, then this organization needs to sit down and seriously reconsider what they want out of the position.

These are CB's.  They cover.  If you're lucky, they can play physical and support the run and even sometimes russ the passer, but that's not their main job.  They're CB's, not linebackers.

Correction - They are Pittsburgh Steelers and from the QB to the kicker, they are expected to play like Steelers. Just think that if Blake made 2 or 3 of the tackles he missed, the Steelers would have won a few more games. The expectation isn't that the CBs need to make bone crunching tackles, but that they wrap up and bring the guy ball carrier down. Hell, with Blake I would have been happy if he wrapped up and held on until a teammate came along.

Comparing Steelers CB Senquez Golson to the 2016 CB Draft class

Apr 5, 2016



Senquez Golson had a lot of quality traits to offer out of Ole Miss, but just how does he stack up against the 2016 CB draft class?

When Senquez Golson was selected in the in 2nd round in 2015 NFL draft last season, there were many mixed feelings about the pick at the time. Some at the time thought they may have reached for a need, while others believe that they took the best player available, like Mel Kiper who stated "That's one of the best picks of the second round." There were also some who believed that Maxx WIlliams was their original target and once he got picked it changed their plans and made them panic.

Whatever you may believe, the fact remains that Golson really had a ton of traits coming out of college that fit the Steelers scheme perfectly. Let's not forget his 16 career interceptions he got while playing in the SEC which is one of the big power 5 conferences in college football. Just how good of a prospect was Golson though? Remember some did not project Golson to go as high as he did in the 2nd round but I feel like that said more about the CB class he was a part of rather than what type of player he actually was coming out.

So just how does he compare to this next class of CB's and who has the advantages and disadvantages?

Let's take a closer look shall we?

Ball skills

This is the part of Senquez Golson's game that made him a ton of money. A lot of it you can see from just watching his film came from his baseball background as he is among the best if not the best at tracking and finding the football. Watch this play against LSU, this is what I mean by tracking the football, he basically becomes the receiver at this point as he bumps Travin Dural, and he turns back, finds the football and picks it off. Golson was one of the best corners I've seen when it comes to tracking to the football and this is why...

to read rest of article:

http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2016-nfl-mock-drafts-profiles-video-clips-highlights-steelers-analysis-breakdowns-news/2016/4/5/11349788/comparing-steelers-cb-senquez-golson-to-the-2016-cb-draft-class

I can't wait to see Golson play. He's going to be a very good player, won't shock me if he's great.

When I think of Golson, I think of a slightly smaller but more athletically gifted version of DeShea Townsend. I know that the Golson pre draft comparisons were like Brent Grimes due to his height, but skill, but I don't know he plays man like Grimes.

Natural catcher of the football, smooth and quick athlete that really loves the game of football and seems to have a good feel for zone. Heres hoping he has a good year #2

Hey people are starting to come around. I mean we dont know for sure anything yet, but yeah, get on the hype train already. Golson plays with some fire.

The most important point in that article btw is that there are very few sure things in this draft concerning zone corners. Whether its first round down to seventh. I know we want a corner in round one but the more I look at the class, which is deep, and the top end guys being more long press-man guys, the more I think we can stand to wait a round or two for that corner (or two, mid round double dip maybe).

Now I'm sure there are some guys here who can make a point or two on why its still prudent to pull the trigger early.

All I know is I might not be the best play GM, because I would take Artie Burns over the more proven corners at the top end just because hes soft spoken, uses his mothers memory as a great motivator, has the measurables and I think he plays above his size. Hes just realllllllyyyy rawwwwwww lol. I like gambles like that though. I think ill be taking him and one more mighty mite @ corner in a mock draft im trying to whip up. But as I said, I'd be an awful GM im sure.

KeepHarrisonTilHes92 wrote:

The most important point in that article btw is that there are very few sure things in this draft concerning zone corners. Whether its first round down to seventh. I know we want a corner in round one but the more I look at the class, which is deep, and the top end guys being more long press-man guys, the more I think we can stand to wait a round or two for that corner (or two, mid round double dip maybe).

Now I'm sure there are some guys here who can make a point or two on why its still prudent to pull the trigger early.

All I know is I might not be the best play GM, because I would take Artie Burns over the more proven corners at the top end just because hes soft spoken, uses his mothers memory as a great motivator, has the measurables and I think he plays above his size. Hes just realllllllyyyy rawwwwwww lol. I like gambles like that though. I think ill be taking him and one more mighty mite @ corner in a mock draft im trying to whip up. But as I said, I'd be an awful GM im sure.

I think what you point out is the reality may be that a lot of these corners played a lot of man coverage and will take time to adjust to a zone scheme.  Just like Keenan Lewis played man to man at Oregon St, but took a couple years to adapt to zone.

That is part of the evaluation and patience of selecting a solid CB talent, who may not have played a lot of zone and will have to take some time to adapt to it.  William Jackson played a lot of Zone at Houston, Apple some at OsU and Alexander I think very little at Clemson.  Physical guys like Kendall Fuller and Eric Murray might fit zone and off man of the Steelers because they are not 4.35 guys.  Interesting that you bring up Artie Burns, because he played quite a bit of zone at Miami and could also be a fit in later rounds.

Steelers might go CB in the 1st or might wait until the 3rd or later.  Either way, I don't think there is a guy that steps in right away to contribute largely this season, unless its senior guys like Jackson or Fuller who can transition to zone quickly.  I still think the Steelers will see Safety as a larger priority than CB.

Three other teams tried to claim Ifo Ekpre-Olomu off waivers

Posted by Darin Gantt on April 6, 2016

For a guy who hasn’t played a down in the NFL, and has yet to show that he’s able to, there was quite a market for Ifo Ekpre-Olomu.

The cornerback, who was waived by the Browns and claimed by the Dolphins Tuesday had plenty of interest.

According to Field Yates of ESPN, the Saints, Bills and Steelers also put in waiver claims for the former seventh-rounder from Oregon.

Ekpre-Olomu suffered a torn ACL in December 2014 and didn’t play last year. But the Browns elected to waive him from the non-football injury list, because they weren’t sure he’d be able to hold up for the year based on what they saw on an MRI. Other teams might view the tests results differently.

He was once considered a top prospect, and if he isn’t well enough to contribute, the Dolphins aren’t out much. And the fact that several other teams were interested suggests that A) they thought so too and B) they’ll be in the market for corners come draft weekend.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2016/04/06/three-other-teams-tried-to-claim-ifo-ekpre-olomu-off-waivers/

After Jalen Ramsey, Vernon Hargreaves, Eli Apple, there's a drop off in CB market

Apr 11, 2016
Jeremy Fowler
ESPN Staff Writer



Ohio State's Eli Apple is one of the top three cornerbacks available in the NFL draft. The Steelers would be fortunate to get him when the pick at No. 25

An informal poll of league evaluators of the 2016 NFL draft indicates a dropoff in cornerback quality after the top-three players, creating a potentially difficult decision for the Pittsburgh Steelers and others looking for cover help late in the first round.

The consensus is Florida State’s Jalen Ramsey, Florida’s Vernon Hargreaves and Ohio State’s Eli Apple are a cut above the rest. Two of seven evaluators polled say Apple is a better prospect than Hargreaves. This suggests Apple likely wouldn't be available at No. 25, where Pittsburgh picks.

These evaluators (NFL coaches, scouts and execs) provided their top-five corners on condition of anonymity. Using an inverse point system (five points for a first-place vote, one point for fifth place), here are the results. A few provided a sixth corner, which can work as a fifth-place tie.

The sentiment from many: After the top two or three, the order will vary wildly, often depending on what teams need for their defense.

Jalen Ramsey, FSU: 34 points

Vernon Hargreaves, Florida: 27 points

Eli Apple, Ohio State: 18 points

William Jackson III, Houston: 8 points

Artie Burns, Miami: 7 points

Kyle Fuller, Virginia Tech: 6 points

Mackensie Alexander, Clemson: 4 points

Xavien Howard, Baylor: 2 points

Cyrus Jones, Alabama: 1 point

A few thoughts from those conversations:

Jackson and Burns are both considered high-ceiling athletes with good size but a bit raw at the position for NFL standards. One evaluator considers Jackson a third-down corner his rookie year, but he can play inside/out and has the potential to grow into an every-down corner.

Alexander can and should be a good player, but many give the edge to Jackson, Burns and Fuller based on size and playmaking ability.

Many really like Fuller’s 2014 tape and his overall instincts. He has adequate but not great speed. His injured knee is the biggest question mark. Otherwise, he might be a first-round lock.

Varied opinions deepen the draft intrigue every year. Example: One evaluator said Hargreaves is a better natural cover corner than Ramsey. Another says Apple’s size and speed wins any tiebreaker with Hargreaves.

Howard had a sub-par pro day but some are OK with that because they like his 2015 performance.

None of these guys has major character red flags. All solid for the most part.

My take: If the Steelers have targeted a specific corner -- and many believe it to be Jackson -- then the order doesn't matter. Preference does. But questions remain with most corners outside of Ramsey and Hargreaves. Teams must know whether any perceived weaknesses are manageable.

In last year’s draft, the top-three cornerbacks were off the board by the time the Steelers picked 22nd overall. They chose pass rusher Bud Dupree over cornerback Byron Jones. With the demand on good cornerback play increasing league wide, they’ll likely face a similar situation this year, especially as the Redskins (No. 21 overall) and Bengals (No. 24) needing help in this area, too.

http://espn.go.com/blog/pittsburgh-steelers/post/_/id/18351/theres-dropoff-in-nfl-draft-cornerback-market-after-jalen-ramsey-vernon-hargreaves-and-eli-apple

Mark Kaboly ‏@MarkKaboly_Trib Apr 16

Did you know Steelers currently have longest span of not drafting a CB in first round compared to every team in NFL?

https://twitter.com/MarkKaboly_Trib?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

Hawaii 5-0 wrote:

Mark Kaboly ‏@MarkKaboly_Trib  Apr 16

Did you know Steelers currently have longest span of not drafting a CB in first round compared to every team in NFL?

https://twitter.com/MarkKaboly_Trib?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

And it shows!

@AaronWilson_NFL
Texas A&M corner Brandon Williams completes busy predraft circuit with Steelers visit today, his fifth visit along with 14 private workouts

@jimwexell
Very interesting mid-round CB. Was an RB until last year's switch. 5-11.3, 4.39, known for team-first character.

https://twitter.com/jimwexell/status/722436185390522368

BlackAndGold wrote:

@AaronWilson_NFL
Texas A&M corner Brandon Williams completes busy predraft circuit with Steelers visit today, his fifth visit along with 14 private workouts

@jimwexell
Very interesting mid-round CB. Was an RB until last year's switch. 5-11.3, 4.39, known for team-first character.

https://twitter.com/jimwexell/status/722436185390522368

Pittsburgh Steelers host cornerback Brandon Williams, who has a familiar background

by Jim Wexell



Like another cornerback the Steelers drafted 13 years ago, Brandon Williams is a former running back with blazing speed. He was one of three visitors Tuesday.

Back in 2003, the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted a 6-foot, 200-pound cornerback out of the deep south who had been a running back before being moved prior to his senior season.

Ike Taylor was a raw fourth-round pick, no doubt, but two years later he intercepted a pass in the Super Bowl, started in two others, and retired following the 2014 season as one of the team's all-time greats.

The Steelers hosted a player with a similar background today as one of their pre-draft visitors.

Brandon Williams (5-11 3/8, 197) was a running back first at Oklahoma, and then Texas A&M, before being moved to cornerback at A&M last season. His 4.37 40 at the NFL Combine gives him the similar size and speed Taylor had coming out, and with the inexperience at his position Williams would require the similar patience that paid off so handsomely with Taylor.

As a running back, Williams was effective -- 867 yards at 4.9 per carry -- but scouts say he lacked vision and instincts.

As a cornerback, Williams broke up seven passes without an interception last season. He did catch 14 passes in two seasons as an A&M running back.

Williams' ceiling suggests a fourth-round grade, but in such a deep crop of corners he could be drafted later.

Also visiting the Steelers on Tuesday were Utah running back Devontae Booker and Michigan safety Jarrod Wilson.

Booker (5-11, 219) is considered one of the top backs in this draft. The Steelers likely brought him in for a medical check because Booker tore meniscus in his left knee late last season and couldn't perform at the combine or his pro day.

Booker, who'll turn 24 on May 27, spent two years at a junior college and another year academically ineligible before piling up 2,773 rushing yards (5.0 avg.) and catching 80 passes in two seasons at Utah.

If healthy, Booker is a second or third-rounder. He has three-down potential and is more of a quick back than a threat to break long runs. He has small hands and fumbled 16 times at Utah.

Wilson (6-1 1/4, 209, 4.55) is a late-round candidate after starting three years for Michigan. He came out of Akron's Buchtel High School and is the nephew of former NFL tight end Dave Young. Wilson has four career interceptions and 169 total tackles.

http://www.scout.com/nfl/steelers/story/1662487-headline-visitor-brandon-williams?preview=true

Josh Norman anyone?

Panthers rescind franchise tag on Josh Norman

By Around The NFL Staff NFL.com
Published: April 20, 2016

The Philadelphia Eagles' trade up to the No. 2 of the NFL Draft is suddenly not the most surprising news of the day. Josh Norman is now an unrestricted free agent.

The Carolina Panthers announced the stunning news Wednesday that the team has rescinded the franchise tag for cornerback Josh Norman, putting him on the open market.

"After a number of conversations with Josh's agent we realized that a long-term deal was not attainable," general manager Dave Gettleman said. "We have decided to rescind the franchise tag freeing Josh to immediately become a UFA. We thank Josh for all his contributions and truly wish him well."

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000654674/article/panthers-rescind-franchise-tag-on-josh-norman

Hawaii 5-0 wrote:

Josh Norman anyone?

Panthers rescind franchise tag on Josh Norman

By Around The NFL Staff NFL.com
Published: April 20, 2016

The Philadelphia Eagles' trade up to the No. 2 of the NFL Draft is suddenly not the most surprising news of the day. Josh Norman is now an unrestricted free agent.

The Carolina Panthers announced the stunning news Wednesday that the team has rescinded the franchise tag for cornerback Josh Norman, putting him on the open market.

"After a number of conversations with Josh's agent we realized that a long-term deal was not attainable," general manager Dave Gettleman said. "We have decided to rescind the franchise tag freeing Josh to immediately become a UFA. We thank Josh for all his contributions and truly wish him well."

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000654674/article/panthers-rescind-franchise-tag-on-josh-norman

Had to remind myself that I'm not high today and it's 4/20, not 4/1. WTF???

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Take him now bro!

We won't be signing Josh Norman. But a team above us in the draft that would otherwise be interested in Ramsey, Hargreaves, Jackson, or Alexander very well could sign him and push one of those down to us.

PhantomJB93 wrote:

We won't be signing Josh Norman.  But a team above us in the draft that would otherwise be interested in Ramsey, Hargreaves, Jackson, or Alexander very well could sign him and push one of those down to us.

All these pre draft moves have pushed a solid guy one spot at a time to us. Two qbs off the board before pick 3 means SF or Browns maybe reach for Lynch, maybe Jax or another noncontender with the cap space to sign him(Norman) on a whim gets him and boom, another spot.

It could mean we come away with a serious defensive back, but it also means that a Bud Dupree like situation where BPA just destroys need, which, could be bad or could be good.

The corners at the top dont seperate themselves far enough from the corners in the mid rounds imo. I'd be happy with an Artie Burns or Jonathon Jones or whoevers there @ round 2-3. Because its looking like were gonna get a defensive lightning rod of not necessarily DB with all these guys being pushed down to us. I didnt even mention that blue chip Offensive Lineman and WRs are likely gonna fill up a lot of those first rounders. I think we could end up suprised (pleasantly I hope) by our first round selection.