Prediction: Second Round

I'm a little late but lets get this round 2 pick in.

For the first round I called a defensive lineman and I can't say I'm not really shocked by Artie Burns; over the last two weeks I seen his name more and more. But its time to start over and I'm going defensive lineman again, this time Jonathan Bullard from Florida.

Bullard is another Cameron Heyward. He is a versatile player who can play inside and out. Putting him on the line with Heyward and Tuitt makes a formidable trio. We have already started rebuilding and this draft could top off our defense, Bullard could be that player.

Prediction: First Round

The draft is 30 minutes away and I'm sitting here toying with who I think the Steelers will take with their 25th pick in the first round of this years draft.

Now, I think its possible that the Steelers will move back a few picks. There will be some movement at the end of the first round and the Steelers would graciously pick up a few additional picks; my prediction however will be based on the Steelers not trading their pick.

Corner has been the topic of conversation for the last six years or so. Fans and experts alike have wondered why the Steelers have not used higher picks on defensive backs. I can't say I disagree with the fact that our corners have not been up to par but I disagree with most people on how to fix it. A killer pass rush hides a suspect defensive backfield.

With that being said I think the Steelers will draft Andrew Billings, DT, Baylor. The Steelers have two amazing defensive lineman in Tuitt and Heyward but there is no anchor in the middle; and hasn't been since Hampton's retirement. Billings fits that role. He's big, 6'1 311lbs and he's from Texas, just not UT.

Billings can play right away. He can secure the middle of the line and free up our linebackers to do what they do best.

It may not be a fancy pick, but its a Steelers pick.

News: Draft

We are on the eve of the draft once again. Its that time of the year when every fan of every team has the same hope; for your team to fix its problems. The internet has been flooded with predictions and analysis for months now and yet none of us are tired of it. So, here we are, the members of SteelerNation, waiting to see who our front office will pick to be the next young stars of our franchise; and ready to complain when its not what we want individually.

I've went back and forth for the last few weeks, really thinking about who they could logically take. While I'm not a mind reader and like everyone else I'll just be making assumptions based on knowledge that I, a non-professional executive would make. But here goes anyway.

Contrary to the popular belief I don't think the Steelers will take a corner in the first round. There are plenty of solid corners but its just not the Steelers style. From the 90s to present day we haven't had many elite corners. Their corners looked good because our pass rush was amazing. Last year Butler returned the sacks we've lacked for years increasing from 33 to 48. Hell, interceptions were up from 11 to 17. Stats aside the Steelers have confidence that Gay, Cockrell, Golson and even Grant can hold the fort down; why rebuild when three of the four will be in only their second season as Steelers?

I truly think the Steelers will grab a defensive lineman to finish securing the pass rush. Tuitt and Heyward can't do it all and a premier defensive lineman could fix that. I think Noah Spence will be off the board but Bullard (Florida), Reed (Alabama) and Nkemdiche (Ole Miss) could still be available and I think they will jump at a top notch versatile defensive lineman.

In the second through fourth rounds is where you will see some defensive backs. Keep your eyes on DJ White out of Georgia Tech and Jeremy Cash out of Duke. I also would expect some depth here either at receiver or tight end.

Heading into the final three picks is where you make your money. Excluding last year's class the Steelers have drafted 15 players in the final two rounds over the last five years and just about half of them have spent time with the Steelers and played. I expect another pass rusher, it wouldn't be a Steelers draft without a few, a quarterback prospect and depth at another position whether its offensive line or defensive backs.

It won't be pretty, it never is. But it will be a Steeler draft and hopefully what we need to get that seventh ring.

News: 2016 Schedule

The 2016 schedule was released today, so lets break it down.

Lets get brazen here 13-3.

Week 1

@ Washington Redskins MONDAY NIGHT

I'm not shocked this is a Monday night game, but I thought this would be vs Cincinnati. Despite being 13-21-3 in Washington this should be a good opener for us. Washington has a decent offense and defense but I don't think they'll be able to contain our weapons.

Projection: WIN



Week 2

vs Cincinnati Bengals

This is the grudge match. These two teams have a lot to fight about and I bet this will be a brutal start to both teams seasons. The Bengals lost a lot of depth but still have their play makers. This game will come down to whether our defense can hold up to their offense. The Steelers are 30-16 all time against them at home and 6-4 in the last ten.

Projection: WIN



Week 3

@ Philadelphia Eagles

Who knows what Eagles team we will get? I sure don't. What I do know is I don't trust their offense vs our defense, even if its shaky. And I don't trust their defense to stop our offense. The Steelers are 8-26-2 all time in Philadelphia and a horrendous 1-9 in their last ten there.

Projection: WIN




Week 4

 vs Kansas City Chiefs SUNDAY NIGHT

The Chiefs seem to be a torn in our sides. This game is scary to me since we never seem to play well vs Kansas City, but we are home for this one. I'm hoping momentum keeps us going. I'm counting on the defense getting better as well. The Steelers are 10-4 all time against the Chiefs in Pittsburgh.

Projection: WIN



Week 5

vs New York Jets

The Jets have won 1 game in 17 tries in Pittsburgh. Oh, and who the hell is going to be their QB? Enough said. To top it off the Steelers are 9-1 all time vs the Jets in Pittsburgh.

Projection: WIN





Week 6

@ Miami Dolphins

This should be a win. The Dolphins are in rebuild mode and their is so much discourse in their locker room but we have a tendency to play down to teams. We have a horrible record vs bad teams but I will hold out hope this year will be different. The Steelers have won their last three games in Miami but 6-8 overall there.

Projection: WIN



Week 7

vs New England Patriots

I don't care if this is at home. I don't care if the Patriots are a shell of themselves. I don't care if we should be on a roll at this time. The Steelers are 11-8 at home vs New England but have lost to Tom Brady 7 out of 9 times, including 3 of the last 4 in Pittsburgh. I hate to say this.

Projection: LOSE



Week 9

 @ Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens are revamping this off season in hopes of erasing the 5-11 memories from 2015. The problem is the Ravens have Tomlin's number and two of those five wins were against Pittsburgh. I don't think they will sweep this year but they will grab this one. Hell, we lost three straight in Baltimore and 9-11 overall there.

Projection: LOSE



Week 10

vs Dallas Cowboys

The Steelers are 8-6 all time vs the Cowboys at home and won their last meeting in Pittsburgh 20-13. The Cowboys should return to their 2014 postseason form but its Pittsburgh and the Steelers need a win to break their losing streak.

Projection: WIN



Week 11

@ Cleveland Browns

Oh, the rivalry is back. New coach. New look. New players. I'm still thinking same old Browns. The Steelers have owned the Browns since coming back in the league winning 13 of their 17 matchups in Cleveland. This shouldn't be any different.

Projection: WIN



Week 12

@ Indianapolis Colts THANKSGIVING NIGHT

The Steelers decimated the Colts last year in Pittsburgh so expect some sort of payback. The only problem is the Colts have not addressed a single need on defense or the offensive line. Adding to that the Steelers are 7-4 there all time including two straight.

Projection: WIN


Week 13

vs New York Giants

This is another toss up team. If they are horrible we have a better chance to lose, if their good, who knows. The one sure thing is they spent a ton of money and have Odell Beckham Jr. The Steelers are 14-22-3 against the Giants at home including losing 3 of the last 4 there.

Projection: LOSE


Week 14

@ Buffalo Bills

Our saviors from 2015, as short lived as it was, will host us in 2016. Buffalo has a good defense, up and coming quarterback and I think will give us fits at the end of this season. The thing with Rex is you just never know which of his teams will show up. The Steelers are 5-7 all time in Buffalo and have won three straight there.

Projection: WIN


Week 15

@ Cincinnati Bengals SUNDAY NIGHT

The second meeting and what most likely will be the most important. The Steelers are 26-19 all time in Cincinnati and have won 8 of 10 there. Its hard for me to predict a sweep of Cincinnati but after the fiasco that was the 2015 Wild Card game, the Steelers don't want to lose this game.

Projection: WIN



Week 16

vs Baltimore Ravens

Them. Again. At the end of the season. The Steelers are 15-9 all time but have lost 2 of the last 3 there. The Ravens embarrassed them last year, twice, but I don't think it will be the same in 2016.

Projection: WIN




Week 17

vs Cleveland Browns

Hue Jackson will get the Browns there one day. This won't be the year though. The Steelers are 44-21 all time in Pittsburgh including 11 straight and 15 of 16.

Projection: WIN

Combine: Quarterbacks

There are a few positions the Steelers need to address, so I'm going to breakdown some opinions that I have on players that could be beneficial to the Steelers. I'll start with quarterbacks.

It's no secret that the Steelers need help at Quarterback. Big Ben is getting up there in age and the depth behind him is lackluster. Micheal Vick won't be returning and I don't think that anyone believes in Landry Jones. Bruce Gradkowski is a solid backup but is like Ben, getting up there in age.

The draft gives the Steelers the opportunity to bring in a young guy that needs developing. Put him behind Ben and Bruce and let him learn. There are plenty of mid to late round talents but none that I like more than Kevin Hogan from Stanford.

Kevin has good size standing 6'4 and weighing in at 218 lbs. He has good speed running the 40 yard dash in 4.78, great vertical at 32.5 and ran the cone drill in 6.9; all near the top for quarterbacks.

Hogan is also a winner going 36-10 and 3-1 in bowl games with three PAC-12 championships. In his career he threw for 9,385 yards with 75 TDs and 29 INTS.

The best part about Hogan is that it shouldn't take a high pick to grab him. Most "experts" have him projected between the 5th and 7th rounds. With a late round pick there will be no rush to get him ready which will let the coaches get his footwork and deliver NFL ready. 

Prediction: Week One

Here We Go!

Its another NFL season and time to start predicting, again. I love my Steelers but I try not to be a homer and try to look at each game objectively. Now, even if I predict them to lose that doesn't mean I'm not sitting here screaming, rooting for them to make me look like a fool.

So, what do we think of the Patriots and the Steelers match up?

Offensively these two teams are an even match. Brady has his Gronk and Big Ben has his AB. They have backup runners in the back field, since both team's starting backs are suspended. And their offensive lines are very comparable. The difference will be the ways they utilize their other weapons. Who will be more effective Dobson or Wheaton?

Edge: EVEN

The defensive side of the ball is a complete toss up. The Patriots lost Browner, Wilfork and Revis and the Steelers haven't been the Steelers since 2010. This becomes a battle of how the Patriots' defensive backs step up versus how well the young Steeler linebackers take that next step.

Edge: EVEN

Lets be real about their history versus each other. Ignore the overall record (15-12) and the record in Massachusetts (4-4). The Steelers are 3-6 against Tom Brady. The Steelers for some reason can't beat Brady and unfortunately I think its the same here. The Steelers have so many questions and the Patriots are angry and are going to play that way.

Final: Patriots 37 Steelers 31

To Vick or Not To Vick

I've been perusing social media and gathering responses by Steeler fans about the recent addition of Micheal Vick. And I can tell you that I am both amazed and dumbfounded by how hypocritical and over the top some have been. Tweets and Facebook post about Micheal Vick have been blowing up. Those same tweets and post have proclaimed how the Rooney's are losing their touch and this one signing will destroy the entire legacy that has been built in Pittsburgh. What a load of horse shit.

I've been a Steeler fan my entire life. Now, that doesn't make much sense because as a three or four year old you don't really know shit about football let alone the Steelers. So lets use some logic and say that since my first recollection of football was the entire 1994 season. Therefore I've been avidly watching  the Steelers for the last 22 years. Through my entire life the Steelers have always been an upstanding organization who have set the bar when it comes how to deal with players and issues they have, except when its a star quarterback. Or reciever. Or running back.

Before people start blowing off at me about cracking jokes about past incidents or before they start throwing out "never charged" or "acquitted" let me just explain. The Steelers have seen their fair share of incidents and for the most part stick by their players. While everyone is clamoring about Vick lets not forget about those same fans throwing away the Steelers after legal issues from Santonio Holmes, James Harrison, Big Ben and Le'Veon Bell. After all their crimes weren't that bad. Holmes was arrested multiple times including for disorderly conduct, domestic violence and marijuana possession from 2006 to 2008. Harrison for simple assault and criminal mischief stemming from a domestic violence incident in 2008. Or Ben who was accused of sexual assault twice (2008 and 2010).

My point is not to bring up these men as being bad men, they just made stupid choices and had to pay the price for those crimes. My point is that we pick and choose who to burn at the stake and Vick seems to the man attached to the stake. What Vick did doesn't make him a horrible person it makes him a man whose upbringing didn't teach him that what he funded was wrong. In fact to a lot of people they don't see anything wrong with what he was a part of but Vick committed crimes. He paid for those crimes and has been cleared to play since 2009.

You don't have to like him but you've rooted for years for players who have committed horrible crimes against woman. Men who could have killed someone while driving under the influence, ala Donte Stallworth. I'm not saying you have to forgive him, what I'm saying is don't be so hypocritical in your judging of Vick while your wearing your jersey's of these other players.

Day Three Wrap Up

I don't get caught up in all the draft hype like other people. What I mean by that if you listen to fans, coaches and the front office when they talk about draft picks, they are all superstars. Watching press conferences for each player drafted pretty much every year, you hear them talk about how each one is amazing in their own rights. Lets be honest though, your a late round pick for a reason. They have incredible skills but they are not all Pros and most of them their best football days ended when they left college. Keeping that in mind there are some really intriguing picks on day three.

Round 4
Doran Grant - Ohio State - DB
The Steelers grabbed their second corner in the fourth round. This one only needs a pretty simple breakdown. If you are the starting corner on a National Championship NCAA team, then you can play football. Whether it translates to the NFL is another question but it is definitely worth the look. At Ohio State Doran started 30 games, playing in another 24 games. He recorded 146 tackles with nine intercetptions, a sack and 20 broken up passes.

Round 5
Jesse James - Penn State - TE
I can honestly say that is is my favorite pick on the third day. I don't buy the "experts" saying we needed a tight end and we needed one early in the draft. Instead of an instant "upgrade" I felt a project player was needed to develop behind Miller and Spaeth. James fits that to a T. He left college a year early and still has a lot to learn before being an NFL star but he did at Penn State start every game the last two years, making 31 career starts. He caught 78 passes for 1,005 yards and added 11 touchdowns, the most by a Penn State tight end, ever. 

Round 6A
LT Walton - Central Michigan - DL
LT has great size at 6'5 and 319 lbs but he is more of a defensive end than a tackle and we need a tackle, bad. I know the front office is saying he can play both but that remains to be seen. The Steelers don't need more hybrid defensive lineman, we need a nose tackle, a true nose tackle to make this defense work. Maybe Walton can develop into that guy but I don't see it. At Central Michigan he finished his career with  106 tackles, 18.5 for loss with six sacks, three deflected passes and two forced fumbles.

Round 6B
Anthony Chickillo - Miami - DE/LB
What a great work horse pick. He doesn't have the brute strength like James Harrison or the big play moves like Joey Porter did, but he can play. He has a solid motor that just keeps running. Watch his highlights for just five minutes and you can see he never quits and keeps moving. That is the kind of linebacker we could use. He won't start and needs a lot of time to develop but I see a Levon Kirkland style player if he develops right. At Miami he started 47 of 50 games racking up 170 tackles, 25 for loss, 15.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, five recovered and five broken up passes.

Round 7
Gerod Holliman - Louisville - S
Warning, don't get excited by his stat line. Holliman may be a ball hawk and finds a way to pick passes but he is an awful tackler. He struggled in his only year as a starter by making a measly 37 tackles as a Sophomore. Instead of using one more year of eligibility, which he has two, and refining his tackling ability, he decided to enter the draft. Holliman has only started 12 games while playing in only 15 others. He totaled only 63 career tackles, a sack and six broken up passes but he did have an impressive 14 interceptions and 245 return yards off those interceptions.

Overall it was a good draft for the Steelers but we have to be honest that all these guys are not making the roster. If you look at the last ten years of Steelers drafts, removing 2014 since its still close to call, and statistics tell you that few of these guys will make a lasting impact.

In the last four rounds since the 2004 draft the Steelers have taken 22 defensive players with only four still on the roster today and only four others seeing any significant time on the field, mostly on special teams though. On the offensive side of the ball the Steelers have taken 27 offensive players with four still on the roster today and only seven others seeing any significant playing time.

Personally I think the players with the most upside are Anthony Chickillo and Jesse James but Doran Grant could be a long lasting player as well. But hey, just my opinion.

Sammie Coates

I know there is some uncertainty with the receiver position especially with Antonio Brown's contract issues but a third round pick for a receiver? Why not just waste another pick on an undersized return man? I don't get it. I know he has some incredible intangibles, but he has a tendency to drop the ball, Emmanuel Sanders anyone? And receiver is not exactly a huge hole for us. Its not like we need to shore up and entire defense.

I'm not saying Coates isn't a good football player because he is. He has great size at 6'1 212 lbs. He runs the 40 in 4.43 and has an impressive vertical, but why him and why grab a receiver in the 3rd round? The Steelers have Antonio Bryant, still under contract for three more years, Markus Wheaton, who was drafted in the 3rd round only two years ago, and the incredibly talented Martavias Bryant, who was a fourth round pick last year.

The pick just doesn't make sense to me for the third round. So, are you giving up on Wheaton already? Did you just draft a #4 receiver? Who are you dumping off to give him a shot to play?

I'm confused when there were some great players that could have shored up our defense including Carl Davis (Iowa), who went to Baltimore, or Xavier Cooper (Washington State), who went to Cleveland. There was also good tight ends like Jeff Heuerman (Ohio State) that could have been groomed to take Heath's place. This pick, like I said, reminds me a ton of the Dri Archer pick from last year, wasting a pick on something you don't really need when you have glaring holes.

I have faith in this front office but this pick is just a big question mark. I hope the pass on Davis and Cooper doesn't come back to bite us in the ass.

Senquez Golson

Well, my projected pick, Jordan Phillips, went off the board to the Dolphins but what a pick in its place. Senquez Golson out of Ole Miss is a great pick. He's not a big guy but forget the fact that he is only 5'9 because he is the best zone corner in the entire draft and thats something. He has an incredible ability to support the run, which is something we desperately need and has great top end speed.

Senquez is no slouch. He was one of the best players in the best conference in all of football, the SEC. He sealed the victory against #1 Alabama with an interception in the back of the end zone and being a four year guy at Ole Miss, he has valuable maturity and experience. All these factors make him a really great pick for the Steelers. 

He should be able to step in and start right away and instantly upgrade our secondary.

Day Two Projections

The first day of the draft is in the books and we are rolling towards the second and third rounds today. The Steelers still have obvious needs at safety and corner but more improvements are needed on the front seven. Even with the drafting of Bud Dupree out of Kentucky the Steelers still have to improve the pass rush to help out our young and struggling secondary.

The second round pick (56th overall) will have most fans calmouring for a defensive back but I'm unsure it will happen here. The problem is the next tier of corners, Rowe, Williams and Collins to name a few, will most likely be gone by the time the Steelers pick. I doubt we will reach for a corner that we could most likely grab in the third round either. Like it or not its like I said yesterday, the Steelers will draft pass rush over pass coverage.

Jordan Phillips from Oklahoma makes sense the most sense to me here at 56. Now, before everyone starts screaming about the secondary remember for our defense to run fluid and with optimal efficiency we need a solid nose tackle. And Jordan is the best of the very few pure nose tackles in this draft. Casey Hampton's ability to cover multiple gaps was the reason our defense looked so good. It was impossible for any team to cover that line (Keisel, Hampton and Smith) with just five guys and a guy like Jordan Phillips could bring that back to help out our linebackers. Oh, yeah, being 6'6 and 334 lbs helps.

This would be the second year in a row that we've taken a defensive lineman in the second round, Stephon Tuitt 46th last year, but Tuitt is not a nose tackle. We don't have a true nose tackle and while there have been splashes from McCullers, McClendon and Thomas, they are not the answer up front. We need a big man to cover two gaps so that our linebackers can run free. Phillips is that guy. Keep in mind if there is a premium corner left at 56, I bet the Steelers will snatch them up instead.

With the pick in the third round (87th overall) I think they finally grab a corner. Keep in mind most corners and safeties available in these mid rounds are right around the same skill level so there isn't a huge drop off, instead your making guesses based on whether they are pro ready and what kind of potential they have. With this pick I'm a huge fan of the idea of drafting Steven Nelson from Oregon State.

Steven isn't as big as other corners in this draft but that doesn't mean he is smaller than the league average. The best thing about him is his experience. He worked his way up from the junior college ranks to playing for a great program in a major NCAA conference.

Steven's spent two years at College of the Sequoias tallying 71 tackles and six interceptions before transferring to Oregon State. In his two years there he anchored the Beaver defense totaling 122 tackles with eight interceptions. He literally has earned everything he has, worked hard for it and I think could be an instant upgrade on the corner for us.

This is Pittsburgh and we need bring your lunch pail to work type players. No boys permitted.

First Round Wrap Up

Leading up to the draft I seen plenty of social media post by Steeler fans calling for a corner or safety. I read them all quietly to myself dismissing the idea, not because I thought it was a bad idea, but because Pittsburgh historically will worry about their pass rush over pass coverage. I mean, after all we are a franchise built on linebacker and Bud Dupree fits our team.

If you think you need first or second rounders in the secondary to win championships just look at the Steelers over the last ten years and you can see the evidence to the contrary. During our memorable Super Bowl XL run, only Troy Polamalu was drafted during the first two rounds. Chris Hope (3rd round 94th overall), Ike Taylor (4th round 125th overall) and Deshea Townsend (4th round 117th overall) were all later round guys who played well because our front seven didn't leave them out to dry. During the next run, Super Bowl XLIII, Troy was joined by second round pick, Bryant McFadden (62nd overall) and other than that Ike Taylor (yep, fourth rounder) and Ryan Clark (former undrafted rookie) finished the secondary. Two championships, only one first rounder and one second rounder.

So, why were these late round guys so successful? Pass rush.

Just look at the amazing front seven during those championship years. Von Olehoffen, Keisel, Porter, Harrison, Hampton Farrior and the list goes on and on.

So, what changed? Less than stellar drafts.

Over the last five years, not counting 2014, we have picked 44 times with 13 of those being front seven guys. Only seven of those spent multiple years with the Steelers and only one is still with the team. These have been atrocious drafts for the front seven and you can't expect to win titles with a poor pass rush. If you don't draft well up front then you can't keep pressure on the opposing quarterback and thus give them more time for them to pick apart a weaker secondary.

Bud Dupree looks the part. He is much bigger than our last two first rounders, Jarvis Jones (6'2 245 lbs) and Ryan Shazier (6'1 237 lbs), as he stands 6'4 and weighs a whopping 269 lbs. Dupree's play reminds me of Jason Gildon and who wouldn't want that kind of production? Gildon's 77 sacks are the most in franchise history. He is big and deceptively fast (4.56 40 yard dash) with exception character, something we should never underestimate.

The biggest thing to remember is that there are tons of defensive backs in this draft. If the Steelers don't grab some in the second or third rounds, I'd be shocked. The Steelers will continue, until hell freezes over, to fix their pass rush because lets face it, a Steelers team without a great pass rush just isn't a Steelers team.

Defense wins championships. Bud Dupree for President.

2015

It's literally been one year since I've posted to this site. The companies that I run have grown so much and so much extra work has been added to me that I just couldn't update consistently. With the growth though I was able to bring someone on to help me out, which has freed up time. Hence me posting again.

Now, its really close to the draft, tomorrow is round one actually, but you have to get back into it at some point and why not today. I'm really excited about this draft, as I always am. There is a sense of new hope for aspects of our game that our boys in black and gold need to work on and that is always exciting to know that we could fix it all, or crash and burn.

So, what is my opinion about our draft needs?

It shocks me as a Steeler fan to say this, but we need defense. Our secondary has been in rabbles for years with our linebackers and defensive line not much better. We've signed some really intriguing players from the CFL ala Shawn Lemon and Ian Wild but there are a lot of holes to fill. This draft is full of pass rushers and defensive backs, which bodes well for us.While there is always a need for something offensive, a new reciever and another young running back would be nice, but could be grabbed in later rounds. I hope that we stick to the defensive side of the ball and rebuild what we've always been known for in the Burgh.

Round One

Round 1, Pick 15
Ryan Shazier- LB Ohio State
Ryan led the Big Ten in tackles (134 TOT, 94 UA) and was a first team All-American and Big Ten player. He was constantly behind the opposing line of scrimmage, racking up 39.5 tackles for loss over the last two seasons. He completed his career at Ohio sixth all time in solo tackles and tackles for loss.

 

Shazier is extremely productive and has incredible ability to get to the gaps with his sub 4.4 speed. He has a quick first step and opens up fluidly to make his open field movement extremely quick and reliable. The only fear I have is over aggressiveness and his lack of diagnosing plays earlier enough to prevent getting gobbled up by larger defenders. Each of those will get better with time though.

I was a bit confused by the idea of an edge rusher in the first round, mainly because of last year's first round pick Jarvis Jones and our 2013 sack leader Jason Worilds. Word is though that they are going to move him inside and as long as our DL holds up like the lines of old, he should be able to use that speed to improve our run stopping.

Projection: Week One Starter

I'm Back!

Its been, well, over a year since I last posted here. So, much has come up and I just kind of lost the time. I have been increasing the size of my business and acquiring new ventures as well. But its time to come back and continue writing about something I truly care about, the Steelers. So, I will start posting about this years draft very soon.

Undrafted Report

The Steelers snatched up fifteen undrafted rookies at the conclusion of the NFL draft. The Steelers went offensive line heavy with this group signing six different hog-mollies, as I like to call them. Instead of breaking down every player I'm going to break down my top three and my sleeper pick.

The entire list of the players signed by the Steelers looks like this:

Brian Arnfelt, DE, Northwestern; Alan Baxter, LB, Northern Illinois; Nik Embernate, G, San Diego State; Reggie Dunn, WR, Utah; Mike Farrell, OT, Penn State; Mike Golic Jr, OG, Notre Dame; Cordian Hagans, DE, Louisiana-Lafayette; Chris Hubbard, G, UAB; Omar Hunter, DT, Florida; Luke Ingram, LS, Hawaii; Joe Madsen, C, WVU; Curtis McNeal, RB, USC; Ivory Wade, C, Baylor; Anthony Rashad White, DT, Michigan State; J.D Woods, WR, WVU.

My top three focuses on what I feel are depth issue positions. What I'm looking at is positions where the players we have are questionable or the depth there is in question. I ask myself three questions when breaking down these players; Is this player better then who is already here? Can he be better in the next few years then who is here? Will he be safe on our practice squad?

Here is how my top three look:

Number One
Mike Farrell, OT, Penn State
This is a big guy and a player I'm shocked didn't get drafted at some point in time. Farrel has commanding size at 6'6 305lbs. He took over at left tackle after graduation decimated the Lions following the 2011 season. During that 2011 season he also helped Penn State lead the Big Ten with only 14 sacks allowed.

Outlook
With the Steelers not resigning Max Starks that means he will compete for one of most likely four spots. Mike Adams and Marcus Gilbert will be starters regardless and Kelvin Beachum has started at right tackle but is considered to be a guard. Prior to the draft the Steelers brought in 6'5 304lb Joe Long, brother of Rams left tackle and former first overall pick Jake Long. With all that being said, I think the stars have aligned for Farrell to make this roster. He is big, strong and very experienced. If he can just show up and be the same type of player he was at Penn State he will make this team.

Number Two
Mike Golic Jr, C/OG, Notre Dame
The Steelers and other sites have listed Golic as an offensive tackle but he is a natural guard and center. As a fifth year Senior on Notre Dame's undefeated team, he started all thirteen games at guard and has played well at center throughout his career. He has good size for a guard at 6'3 300lbs and has shown some great flashes of ability at Notre Dame. He made a name for himself this year with his play but he has had some consistency issues.

Outlook
Ramon Foster and last years first round pick, David DeCastro, will be the starters this season. That means that Golic will be competing with the three other guards on roster and the two other undrafted free agents brought in this weekend. Beachum is a lock for a roster spot and John Malecki has the inside track to the fourth spot. What works well for Golic is his ability to play center as well. Right now the Steelers have only one center on roster, Pro Bowler Maurkice Pouncey; but don't forget those two undrafted free agents the Steelers brought in to compete. As of right now I think that Golic is better then Cheadle and the other rookies brought in; I think he makes the roster as a backup guard and center.

Number Three
Anthony Rashad White, DT, Michigan State
The Steelers have had a thing for huge lineman this offseason and White fits that bill. The son of Hall of Famer Reggie White, Anthony is a monster at 6'2 320lbs. He took a longer road to Michigan State through JUCO program, Fort Scott, but he started 16 games for the Spartans tallying 65 tackles and one sack.

Outlook
The Steelers defensive line has become rather crowded with pre and post draft signings. Currently there are six defensive lineman on roster, but don't forget the Steelers drafted one and signed four others including White. Right now there are five lineman who most likely will have roster spots (Keisel, Heyward, Hood, Woods and McClendon), this means that White will compete with six players for the final one or two spots. White has the size to get a spot but production and consistency issues I think leave him on the practice squad to start the season but he could have an impact with some seasoning.

Sleeper
Luke Ingram, LS, Hawaii
I know its odd to have a long snapper on this list but Ingram is a player to watch. The Steelers are still looking to cut salary and going from a veteran salary to a rookie minimum could save them a lot of money. If you think back to Greg Warren's entry into the NFL, he replaced a talented Mike Schneck so the Steelers could save money in a very similar situation. Warren is a nine year veteran who has fought off every rookie attempt to take his job but Ingram is an experienced and talented snapper. He's played in every game in his college career, 53 total games. If he can show the Steelers there will be no drop off from Greg Warren to himself, they could very well cut the veteran for the youngster.

Stay tuned for more articles as I get back into the full swing of Steelernation greatness.

Day Three

The final day of the draft has come and gone and I think I speak for most fans when I say I'm pretty happy with it. They addressed some needs and added a lot of much needed depth. So how did the final day pan out for the Steelers?

Round 4, Pick 14 (111)
Shamarko Thomas- This kid is a powerful hitter, has great speed running a 4.2 forty and has great instincts. He could have an immediate impact if Polamalu or Clark go down with injuries. Now, he is injury prone but hopefully taking a reserved role for a year or two will prevent that from becoming a problem.

Round 4, Pick 18 (115)
Landry Jones- The Steelers finally this season have addressed our poor backup quarterbacks. They signed the talented Bruce Gradkowski and now have drafted a young prospect. Landry has good size at 6'4 225lbs. He has a good arm but has a knack for making poor decisions more then he should. But the negativity and questions you may have can't really be brought to the forefront since he won't be asked to play anytime soon. If Big Ben goes down the Bruce will be the man under center. Landry will most likely sit for the next three or four years to learn.

Round 5, Pick 17 (150)
Terry Hawthorne- This is a relative unknown to me but as I dived into the corner I really liked what I saw. He is a big corner at 6'0 195lbs. The big thing with Hawthorne is that he is mainly a containment corner. His back pedaling is not that great, he has issues with taking unnecessary risks and doesn't use his height to extend to get passes. He needs to be polished but this could turn out to be a great late round pick.

Round 6, Pick 18 (186)
Justin Brown- Brown is a big guy at 6'3 209lbs. Now, I'm a bit partial but I do not like this pick at all. There were in my opinion better receivers on the board like DeVonte Christopher, Mark Davis and Ryan Spadola. I have an issue with his loyalty and willingness to work past adversity after leaving Penn State to play a season at Oklahoma. I don't like the pick and I don't expect him to make the roster.

Round 6, Pick 38 (206)
Vince Williams- I'm confused by this pick as well. Once again there were in my opinion a lot better linebackers still available like Chase Thomas or Michael Mauti, seriously how did they pass up those guys? He is injury prone and don't even say Mauti is because he had one injury in his collegiate career. Williams is camp fodder in my opinion and a wasted pick because they could have got him as an undrafted free agent.

Round 7, Pick 17 (223)
Nick Williams- This a behemoth of a man at 6'4 309lbs. I love this pick and I'm really excited to see him this camp and preseason. He is explosive running a 4.97 forty at 300 plus pounds. He is so versatile being able to play a 3-4 tackle or an end in a 4-3 scheme. This little known player from a little known school could be one the steals of this draft if he takes advantage of the opportunities he will be given.

So, there they are. The future prospects of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Overall I give the Steelers a B grade. They addressed some needs, added some great depth and some great prospects. But in true head scratching fashion they still passed on some very talented players.

My favorite picks were Shamarko Thomas and Nick Williams.

Stay tuned for my report on the undrafted rookies signed by the Steelers. 

Markus Wheaton

Well, I was right the Steelers would go receiver in the third round; just wasn't the guy I thought would be there. The Steelers grabbed 5'11 189lbs Oregon State product, Markus Wheaton.

Now, he's not Mike Wallace speed wise but I think he has much better hands. Hell, your local Fed Ex guys has better hands then Wallace. He is explosive and a dangerous deep threat. He has trouble with press coverage but he is a great prospect the Steelers can mold.

Over his time at Oregon State his numbers got better and he became a much bigger part of the Beaver offense; 675 yards as a Sophomore, 986 yards as a Junior and 1,244 yards as a Senior.

Le'Veon Bell

The Steelers finally went back to Steeler style football with this pick. I hoped for a back like Le'Veon Bell but didn't think he'd be there this late. He is a big guy at 6'1 230lbs. He is athletic, powerful and is an instant upgrade to the Steelers backfield.

Le'Veon was a really productive back at Michigan State carrying 382 times for 1,793 yards and 12 touchdowns as a Senior. He is big but has great speed running a 4.5 forty yard dash. Most people will be disappointed that this is not Eddie Lacy but this is a Steeler style running back. In the last few years we've went away from Steeler football and Le'Veon helps get us back to that type of football.

RB Signed

The Steelers have agreed to terms with free agent running back LaRod Stephens-Howling. LaRod was a Pitt product drafted in the seventh round, 240th overall by the Arizona Cardinals. In his four year career he has rushed 183 times for 652 yards and 11 touchdowns; he has also had three return touchdowns.