No OL is untouchable. Draft the BPA here.

[WoodleyofTroy]

We have plenty of options at #32 when it comes to the Offensive Line. NONE will be a reach. And most likely all will be BPA as well. Doesn't get any better than that. And I think this is a unique situation we are in.

1. Alex Mack C California
2. Max Unger C Oregon (stop thinking because he is a jack of all trades guy that he can't be dominant at one position, it was already stated by many that he can be an all pro Center, I'll take Brian Billick's word for it).
3. Eben Britton RT Arizona
4. William Beatty LT Connecticut

-Drafting Britton most certaintly solidifies the Right side of the line pushing Colon to Guard. Can't go wrong here. Franchise Right Tackle for the run game.

-Drafting Mack solidifies a Guard position and eventually becomes a Franchise Center.

-Drafting Unger solidifies a Guard position and eventually becomes a Franchise Center, while also still allowing versatility to save roster spots.

-Drafting Beatty gives you a pass protecting Left Tackle to sit behind Max Starks for a season, while they figure out what to do with Starks.

-The Wildcard. A trade up for Michael Oher. It's beyond me why this guy has been pushed down the rankings. He's done nothing but continue to dominate in College with production. 4 sacks over 4 seasons doesn't justify Mike Mayock's comments about lack of consistency. Something tells me he's just not the "HOT" thing to talk about because he's been around longer, which increases a draft analysts credibility. Why keep talking about a guy everyone knows? That's not how these experts gain viewers. I think Oher has been overanalyzed dropping him below the other tackles. Start from scratch and enter him in the draft this year, he's the #1 LT on the board. This could be our Troy Polamalu and Santonio Holmes.

[WoodleyofTroy]

Not only did we lose Kendall Simmons, Marvel Smith, and most likely Chris Kemoeatu, the starters next year in Max Starks, Willie Colon, and Justin Hartwig will possibly be free agents. lol this is crazy. If the Steelers didn't just win a Super Bowl, I'd be frustrated right now, but to be honest, this sh*t is fun. Something to look forward to.

Max Unger would look good right now in year one, considering the mess right now, his versatility would make sense, while eventually later on taking over one spot and dominating there. But then I look at Britton a beast at Right Tackle with smarts. We could go any way here, and it won't be wrong one way or the other, unless the actual player isn't worth it, not the position.

[RuthlessBurgher]

I suggested trading up for Oher if he fell to #20. Give Detroit our first and second round pick for the 20th overall pick they got from Dallas in the Roy Williams trade (590 + 270 = 860, and pick #20 is worth 850). This gives Detroit the first overall pick in draft, then back-to-back picks at the end of round 1 and beginning of round 2 and back-to-back picks at the end of round 2 and beginning of round 3, plus another 3rd rounder from Dallas...2 picks in each of the first 3 rounds is a good deal for a team with so many needs. We could take Oher and then a d-lineman, interior o-lineman, or CB in some order with our next three picks (2 at the end of round three and 1 at the end of round four). Oher could play RT as a rookie, and he has the talent to move over to LT eventually if the team does not sign Starks to a long term deal. You could move Colon over to Kemo's spot at LG. Since he is on a one-year RFA deal, you will have a full year to see what kind of a guard he could be before you tried to sign him long-term. I would keep the rest of the o-line intact for now for continuity's sake (Essex, if re-signed, could compete with Stapleton, and there is a possibility that a rookie 3rd or 4th round interior o-lineman might compete as well...although starting 2 rookies next to each other on the right side of the line would not be an ideal scenario by any means). So, in this scenario, I think the following o-line would look awfully good to me in 2009:

Starks-Colon-Hartwig-Stapleton-Oher

[Discipline of Steel]

I think the following o-line would look awfully good to me in 2009:

Starks-Colon-Hartwig-Stapleton-Oher

Awesome, Im buying that! Although I wouldnt be disappointed if we ended up with Britton instead and retained our 2nd rounder for the DL.

But then there is the reality check...Judging by the run on OT last year, I dont think there are 19 dumb teams out there that would pass on Oher....In fact, if he fell that far in our mock draft, I would have to take him at 19 with my Buccaneers pick just for the sake of BPA. :stirpot

[WoodleyofTroy]

I think the following o-line would look awfully good to me in 2009:

Starks-Colon-Hartwig-Stapleton-Oher

Awesome, Im buying that! Although I wouldnt be disappointed if we ended up with Britton instead and retained our 2nd rounder for the DL.

But then there is the reality check...Judging by the run on OT last year, I dont think there are 19 dumb teams out there that would pass on Oher....In fact, if he fell that far in our mock draft, I would have to take him at 19 with my Buccaneers pick just for the sake of BPA. :stirpot

Yeah I agree. These are just mocks. Watch Oher go in the top 10 somewhere, maybe to the Jaguars.

[Oviedo]

If you want a RT then trade up into the middle of Round 2 and grab Loadholdt. That will be a lot cheaper than trying to move up in Round 1 and we don't have to give up 1.32.

[RuthlessBurgher]

If you want a RT then trade up into the middle of Round 2 and grab Loadholdt. That will be a lot cheaper than trying to move up in Round 1 and we don't have to give up 1.32.

Trading our 2nd and 3rd only gets up as high as the 20th pick in round 2 according to the trade value chart (moving up 12 spots in round 2). Is the 52nd pick overall high enough to get Loadholdt in your mind?

Trading our 2nd, 3rd, and 4th gets us up as high as the 15th pick in round 2 (moving up 17 spots in round 2). That would probably be giving up too much for the 47th overall pick (although that is the pick we used to draft Woodley a couple of years ago).

[steeler_george]

We have plenty of options at #32 when it comes to the Offensive Line. NONE will be a reach. And most likely all will be BPA as well. Doesn't get any better than that. And I think this is a unique situation we are in.

1. Alex Mack C California
2. Max Unger C Oregon (stop thinking because he is a jack of all trades guy that he can't be dominant at one position, it was already stated by many that he can be an all pro Center, I'll take Brian Billick's word for it).
3. Eben Britton RT Arizona
4. William Beatty LT Connecticut

Is there a real possibility of all 4 being there at 32? Most likely no, but then again we never expected Mendhal to be there last year.

-Drafting Britton most certaintly solidifies the Right side of the line pushing Colon to Guard. Can't go wrong here. Franchise Right Tackle for the run game.

-Drafting Mack solidifies a Guard position and eventually becomes a Franchise Center.

-Drafting Unger solidifies a Guard position and eventually becomes a Franchise Center, while also still allowing versatility to save roster spots.

-Drafting Beatty gives you a pass protecting Left Tackle to sit behind Max Starks for a season, while they figure out what to do with Starks.

-The Wildcard. A trade up for Michael Oher. It's beyond me why this guy has been pushed down the rankings. He's done nothing but continue to dominate in College with production. 4 sacks over 4 seasons doesn't justify Mike Mayock's comments about lack of consistency. Something tells me he's just not the "HOT" thing to talk about because he's been around longer, which increases a draft analysts credibility. Why keep talking about a guy everyone knows? That's not how these experts gain viewers. I think Oher has been overanalyzed dropping him below the other tackles. Start from scratch and enter him in the draft this year, he's the #1 LT on the board. This could be our Troy Polamalu and Santonio Holmes.

That is a typical Colbert draft strategy; however, I want us to trade back into round 2 and get more value picks there. Especially this year with the depth of the IOL and projected RT in the draft.

The way I see it, there are too many wholes left on this team this year and next year along the OL. We on't need projects or warm bodies, we need players. We can trade up gain a "sure thing", but it does little if a weak player is lined up next to him. I can hear people saying that he will make the weak player stronger. Or we can fall back, draft a few "solid" players and have a "solid line".

What I mean by a "solid Line" is how our OL was in year of the Bettis Superbowl run.
With BEN's maneuverability and our "O weapons", we don't need a "great OL" (would be a plus), we need a "solid OL" so we can be a very, very, very, scarey "O"

[steelblood]

I would love to move up and take Oher.

I think Britton and probably Beatty will be gone when we pick at 32. Mack could also be gone as there are some teams that could be looking for a center late in the first round. I don't love Unger. He looks a little soft and weak in the upper body. With the giant nose tackles we need a strong guy.

[WoodleyofTroy]

I suggested trading up for Oher if he fell to #20. Give Detroit our first and second round pick for the 20th overall pick they got from Dallas in the Roy Williams trade (590 + 270 = 860, and pick #20 is worth 850). This gives Detroit the first overall pick in draft, then back-to-back picks at the end of round 1 and beginning of round 2 and back-to-back picks at the end of round 2 and beginning of round 3, plus another 3rd rounder from Dallas...2 picks in each of the first 3 rounds is a good deal for a team with so many needs. We could take Oher and then a d-lineman, interior o-lineman, or CB in some order with our next three picks (2 at the end of round three and 1 at the end of round four). Oher could play RT as a rookie, and he has the talent to move over to LT eventually if the team does not sign Starks to a long term deal. You could move Colon over to Kemo's spot at LG. Since he is on a one-year RFA deal, you will have a full year to see what kind of a guard he could be before you tried to sign him long-term. I would keep the rest of the o-line intact for now for continuity's sake (Essex, if re-signed, could compete with Stapleton, and there is a possibility that a rookie 3rd or 4th round interior o-lineman might compete as well...although starting 2 rookies next to each other on the right side of the line would not be an ideal scenario by any means). So, in this scenario, I think the following o-line would look awfully good to me in 2009:

Starks-Colon-Hartwig-Stapleton-Oher

That means the Lions would have to take a Tackle #1 overall, if they were to pass up on Michael Oher falling in their laps at #20.

[Oviedo]

We have plenty of options at #32 when it comes to the Offensive Line. NONE will be a reach. And most likely all will be BPA as well. Doesn't get any better than that. And I think this is a unique situation we are in.

1. Alex Mack C California
2. Max Unger C Oregon (stop thinking because he is a jack of all trades guy that he can't be dominant at one position, it was already stated by many that he can be an all pro Center, I'll take Brian Billick's word for it).
3. Eben Britton RT Arizona
4. William Beatty LT Connecticut

Is there a real possibility of all 4 being there at 32? Most likely no, but then again we never expected Mendhal to be there last year.

-Drafting Britton most certaintly solidifies the Right side of the line pushing Colon to Guard. Can't go wrong here. Franchise Right Tackle for the run game.

-Drafting Mack solidifies a Guard position and eventually becomes a Franchise Center.

-Drafting Unger solidifies a Guard position and eventually becomes a Franchise Center, while also still allowing versatility to save roster spots.

-Drafting Beatty gives you a pass protecting Left Tackle to sit behind Max Starks for a season, while they figure out what to do with Starks.

-The Wildcard. A trade up for Michael Oher. It's beyond me why this guy has been pushed down the rankings. He's done nothing but continue to dominate in College with production. 4 sacks over 4 seasons doesn't justify Mike Mayock's comments about lack of consistency. Something tells me he's just not the "HOT" thing to talk about because he's been around longer, which increases a draft analysts credibility. Why keep talking about a guy everyone knows? That's not how these experts gain viewers. I think Oher has been overanalyzed dropping him below the other tackles. Start from scratch and enter him in the draft this year, he's the #1 LT on the board. This could be our Troy Polamalu and Santonio Holmes.

That is a typical Colbert draft strategy; however, I want us to trade back into round 2 and get more value picks there. Especially this year with the depth of the IOL and projected RT in the draft.

The way I see it, there are too many wholes left on this team this year and next year along the OL. We on't need projects or warm bodies, we need players. We can trade up gain a "sure thing", but it does little if a weak player is lined up next to him. I can hear people saying that he will make the weak player stronger. Or we can fall back, draft a few "solid" players and have a "solid line".

What I mean by a "solid Line" is how our OL was in year of the Bettis Superbowl run.
With BEN's maneuverability and our "O weapons", we don't need a "great OL" (would be a plus), we need a "solid OL" so we can be a very, very, very, scarey "O"

I fully support trading back into the top of Round 2. I think our solution on OL and DL is to get more mbodies to compete. There is more depth in these positions than there is top flight, franchise talent. Go after that depth.

[SteelerOfDeVille]

we don't need no f'in tackles...

[WoodleyofTroy]

we don't need no f'in tackles...

So what happens when Starks and Colon are free agents next year competing with the contracts of Hines Ward, Casey Hampton, Brett Keisel, Ryan Clark, Heath Miller, Jeff Reed, etc.?

There is no safe position on this OL. Like I said BPA on the OL. It's up for grabs.