Would you change the 2012 draft now?

[SS Laser]

So with Decastro going down and in a spot to draft a even "better" guard in Warmack would you change last years pick? If so who. Would anyone want Hightower now looking back?

[SidSmythe]

Hightower would be nice BUT i seriously dread thinking about the future of our O-Line w/out the prospect of having DeCastro

[SS Laser]

Warmack on the left and Foster on the right not good enough? Sid I am just poking the bear here. Thinking way outside the box and bored.

[Oviedo]

We need DeCastro AND Warmack to fix the OL. Not one or the other.

[Slapstick]

No. I hope that helps... ;)

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

How about Zeittler?

[Slapstick]

How about Zeittler?

I don't think his leg could take Gilbert falling on it either....

[phillyesq]

How about Zeittler?

That would be an interesting one, looking back with 100% hindsight. I get the sense that the Steelers would have taken Hightower over Zeitler, but that is pure speculation.

Zeitler has been a very solid pick, but down the road I think the Steelers will be fine with DD.

[Shoe]

So with Decastro going down and in a spot to draft a even "better" guard in Warmack would you change last years pick? If so who. Would anyone want Hightower now looking back?

Who is this Warmack guy? I had to google him to find out.

It's interesting. Todd McShay has described Chance Warmack as the best interior lineman he has evaluated in the last decade, the greatest prospect since Steve Hutchinson in 2001. Here is what McShay said about Decastro, just a year ago:

"[DeCastro is] as ready as I think I've ever evaluated a player in terms of being ready to come in and play at a high level," ESPN's Todd McShay told the San Antonio Express-News in a conference call. "I wrote balance down about 90 times when I was watching his tape. Everything's in balance and under control. He's instinctive. He's absolutely just nasty. Tough, physical, just plays with the temperament you're looking for. Competes and is highly respected by his teammates," McShay continued. "He's the elite of the elite when it comes to guard."

Who cares about Warmack when we already have the guy described above. It's like marrying a hot chick, and then seeing a slightly younger chick and wanting her. Be thankful you got that hot chick. As to changing that draft, I was touting Mychal Kendricks in that spot (24)... I'm not sure how well he played, but couple that with the fact that Spence's career could be over before it began... and Mike Adams reaffirming my original claim (that he'd be a flat-out flop), I would've loved to have seen Kendricks in Round 2 for us.

[supersteeler]

I wouldn't change anything about our draft in 2012.

1. DeCastro would of started day one @ RG if it wasn't for his injury, with missing so much playing time it hurt his progress.



2. Adams would of been our RT with Gilbert being injured, but he too got injured.

3. Beacham contributed this year.

4. Spence would of at least been on the special team unit and possibly get some snaps at MLB.

5.David Paulson contributed

6. Chris Rainey contributed and if it wasn't for some dumb penalty's on Returns he takes two back for TD's. IMHO he wasn't used enough in screen plays where he could of did some damage with his speed.

That's six players making a contribution out of nine picks, pretty good I would think.


Btw, If DeCastro completes training camp and finishes the 2013 season uninjured, he could possibly be our second ALL-PRO on that line. Usually it takes a few years to see draft picks make an impact, I think we have a jump on that with these guys getting playing time their first year.

[hawaiiansteel]

I would like to sincerely congratulate TE David Paulson for being the only member of the 2012 draft class to not get either injured, arrested, or cut...:Clap


http://binaryapi.ap.org/be67254a98bd48dd80a51ce433c87470/512x.jpg

[thor75]

I would like to sincerely congratulate TE David Paulson for being the only member of the 2012 draft class to not get either injured, arrested, or cut...:Clap


http://binaryapi.ap.org/be67254a98bd48dd80a51ce433c87470/512x.jpg

ha, nice!!

I am so glad we got DeCastro, I think he'll be one of the best.

[supersteeler]

Lets put it this way, by some miracle like last seasons draft Warmack is there for us, I would take him in a heartbeat. Sure we have pressing needs at other positions but, he like Pouncey would start day one. Imagine if that were to occur, we would possibly have 3 Pro-Bowl players on that line with Pouncey,DeCastro, and Warmack.
I doubt he's there when we pick but you never know, solidifying our O-line would go a long way in improving other aspects of this offense.

I'm a proponent of having good lines on both sides of the ball, most games are won in the trenches, From what I'm seeing the Steelers could use help on those lines but only if we could get an impact player who has the potential to start. Otherwise draft BPA in round one.

[papillon]

My question about the scenario and drafting Warmack this year potentially is this. Do the Steelers look at the roster and try to project who will be getting upgrades in salary? For instance, we have Pouncey and DeCastro and by all outlooks everyone believes that DeCastro will be a pro-bowl player along with Pouncey. If you draft Warmack and potentially have three pro-bowl players that are separated by 4 years in age how do you handle contracts? or, can you even afford to have that many pro-bowl players on one unit?

Or, do they draft a slightly lesser player in a later round that will take time to develop into a pro-bowl player giving them breathing room (cutting veterans) in the cap for a couple of years before they have to find a way to pay each player?

I would love to be able to be part of the strategy of drafting, signing and determining needs, etc just to see how the Steelers go about this process and especially now with the cap situation.

Pappy

[pfelix73]

I was obviously in Hightower's corner and wanted us to pick him, however, with DeCastro there, they did get good value considering he was a top 15 pick.... The Adams pick was a little concerning, in my opinion, and I hope it ends up working out for us.

With this said, I would actually prefer Te'o if we can somehow get him in this year's draft. So, Warmack and Hightower wouldn't be as good (in my opinion) as DD and Te'o.

[Shoe]

Lets put it this way, by some miracle like last seasons draft Warmack is there for us, I would take him in a heartbeat. Sure we have pressing needs at other positions but, he like Pouncey would start day one. Imagine if that were to occur, we would possibly have 3 Pro-Bowl players on that line with Pouncey,DeCastro, and Warmack.
I doubt he's there when we pick but you never know, solidifying our O-line would go a long way in improving other aspects of this offense.

You cannot tie up so much investment (i.e. first round money) on one particular area of your team. To answer the question though, you probably would have to know who we will draft this year. For me, I already prefer the DeCastro side, even though his rookie season was a wash. (It's disconcerting that he started his year hurt, and ended his year hurt.)

But, I think the real question should be, do you prefer Hightower/Warmack? Or:

-Decastro/Te'o
-Decastro/Johnathan Jenkins
-Decastro/Ogletree
-etc.

As I said, I think Decastro was an absolute steal at 24, and from a pure value perspective, much better than taking Warmack at 17 (i.e. around where he should get drafted) and have taken Hightower at 24 last year (i.e. around where he was valued).

We got a bargain last year IMO. If we can again, get a good bargain, that's the plan.

[supersteeler]

You made some good points Shoe, fans get wowed when they see a player dominate like Warmack did but I see your point on tying too much cash up in one area.

Maybe we need to find some fast Willie Parkers out there who go undrafted and we get them on the cheap. There are players out their who are overlooked its just finding them.

[NJ-STEELER]

if your gonna go back in draft years

go to 09 and take unger instead of Hood who has been average at best

then in pouncey's year there's dez or D thomas right there for us