Shawn's Totally Homer Final Mock

[Shawn]

This will be my first year having my mock with two Buckeyes in the first two rounds. But, I truly believe it could end up falling like this. I do not see the Steelers spending a first rounder on a safety who is injured, and he won't be there in the second. I don't see the Steelers taking DL in the first because the draft is deep on DL, and there is such a superb need in the secondary. There is a major fall off for DB talent after Apple.

1.25 CB Eli Apple-DB-tOSU-Fast, can cover, can tackle, good size, good hands. He checks all the right boxes. Apple can play make no mistake. The Steelers love Buckeyes and they love measureables. If Apple is here and no freak falls I'm convinced he is the pick.

2.58 SS Vonn Bell-DB tOSU-I struggled with this pick because I like Joseph but he wont make it this far. If he does...the Steelers will fall over themselves to grab him. I initially had Cash rated a but higher than Bell but after watching more video on Cash I believe his coverage will be a serious liability. Bell was always around the ball, making plays for the Buckeyes. He can tackle, cover, hit, and make plays on the ball. I love the guy. And the more video I watch of Bell the more I believe he is underrated. I think he is a late first/high second talent who will have a very productive pro career.

3.89 DT Javon Hargrave-SC State-Big and can really move. This guy has a unique size/quickness combo that you can't teach. He has all the physical tools to be dominant at the next level. While the talent he played against will be a concern, if he played for Bama or the Buckeyes he would be graded as a late first talent. He will need a year to adjust but I expect he could flash his freakish athleticism early.

4.123 RB-Tyler Erwin-San Jose State-I'm hearing rumors that the Steelers are looking to add a running back. Bell is in his last year of his contract and will want paid. Williams is long in the tooth. They may even look at the kid from Utah in the second. But, we have more serious need to address and I expect them to grab Erwin who IMO is a terrific #2 type back. No, I don't believe he can shoulder an offense but I was impressed with his vision, speed and quickness.

6-Yannick Ngakoue-OLB Maryland, VERY quick, and powerful edge rusher. IMO, he is a bit underrated falling to the 6th round. He is a guy who could make the squad and contribute year 1. You could insert him into the rotation and just tell him to get after the QB. He needs more moves, more understanding and improvement in his run D. With that said, he is big, fast and strong. There is no reason he couldn't turn into a strong Steeler contributor early.

7.229 WR Geronimo Allison-Ilinois-tall and will compete for the ball. We all know the Steelers like to add a WR every draft. Allison needs to add some weight but has some soft hands. I liked what I seen of him.

7.246 QB-Cody Kessler-USC-Nothing real spectacular about Kessler, and I don't believe him to ever be starter material. With that said, I'm fairly sure the Steelers will bring in a late round QB to groom and place on the PS. Kessler seems to make good decisions with the ball and could become a quality back up at the next level.

[SidSmythe]

Very good Mock. Although I'd rather see them nab an OLB in the 4th and a RB in the 6th if possible.
I think our ROLB situation is just as bad as our DB (DT) issues.

A USC QB in the 7th?? I think only HOODIE could pull that off and win.

[Shawn]

Very good Mock. Although I'd rather see them nab an OLB in the 4th and a RB in the 6th if possible.
I think our ROLB situation is just as bad as our DB (DT) issues.

A USC QB in the 7th?? I think only HOODIE could pull that off and win. You are probably right about Kessler but I think he is a guy who could be a solid #2 clock manager type. Now, if the Steelers wanted to take a real chance here I would love to see them try to develop Cardele Jones-QB OSU. Jones has his issues, is crazy raw. But, let me say from a measurable perspective he is the strongest QB in the draft. From day 1 he has the strongest arm in the NFL...guy can throw 60-70 yard bombs, and is near impossible to bring down. Did you see him punish Alabama running the ball? It was so funny watching him run over top guys and them not wanting to tackle him. He is a classic high risk/high reward guy. I would compare him to a mix of Cutler and Culpepper. Takes too many chances, doesn't always see the field but has enough arm to get away with throws no one else can make. He is as tough as Culpepper was to bring down. I think if you groom him for 2-3 seasons behind Ben you could have a quality NFL starter.

[Slapstick]

You are probably right about Kessler but I think he is a guy who could be a solid #2 clock manager type. Now, if the Steelers wanted to take a real chance here I would love to see them try to develop Cardele Jones-QB OSU. Jones has his issues, is crazy raw. But, let me say from a measurable perspective he is the strongest QB in the draft. From day 1 he has the strongest arm in the NFL...guy can throw 60-70 yard bombs, and is near impossible to bring down. Did you see him punish Alabama running the ball? It was so funny watching him run over top guys and them not wanting to tackle him. He is a classic high risk/high reward guy. I would compare him to a mix of Cutler and Culpepper. Takes too many chances, doesn't always see the field but has enough arm to get away with throws no one else can make. He is as tough as Culpepper was to bring down. I think if you groom him for 2-3 seasons behind Ben you could have a quality NFL starter.

IMO, Jones has some similarities to Roethlisberger: Big and strong, difficult to tackle, can make any throw, good deep ball...

Roethlisberger was far superior at throwing on the move than Jones, coming out of college...

Jones suffered from Meyer's offense...JT was just a much better fit at tOSU, but consider that Jones was recruited before Meyer's arrival, it is understandable...

I will be forever a fan of Jones for those three games he started at the end of the 2014 season...

[SidSmythe]

You are probably right about Kessler but I think he is a guy who could be a solid #2 clock manager type. Now, if the Steelers wanted to take a real chance here I would love to see them try to develop Cardele Jones-QB OSU. Jones has his issues, is crazy raw. But, let me say from a measurable perspective he is the strongest QB in the draft. From day 1 he has the strongest arm in the NFL...guy can throw 60-70 yard bombs, and is near impossible to bring down. Did you see him punish Alabama running the ball? It was so funny watching him run over top guys and them not wanting to tackle him. He is a classic high risk/high reward guy. I would compare him to a mix of Cutler and Culpepper. Takes too many chances, doesn't always see the field but has enough arm to get away with throws no one else can make. He is as tough as Culpepper was to bring down. I think if you groom him for 2-3 seasons behind Ben you could have a quality NFL starter.

He starts running over guys in the NFL he will eventually be a marked man.
The Steelers do need a viable backup ... I think the LANDRY JONES experiment is over. It would have been nice to end his season after the CARDINALS game last year and then have some crazy G.M. offer a draft pick for him. LoL
We are getting to the point where the Steelers need "that guy" .... the guy who can be a solid backup and win a few games over the next 3-4 years.
Not sure that is JONES but if he were available in the 4th it certainly would be an intriguing option.

[SteelCrazy]

I'm a Buckeyes fan, but I believe Apple is the wrong fit for our style of D. Playing in space in is not Apple's game. I bet Colbert passes if Apple is still there.

[Shawn]

I'm a Buckeyes fan, but I believe Apple is the wrong fit for our style of D. Playing in space in is not Apple's game. I bet Colbert passes if Apple is still there. Guess we will find out. There is no reason Apple can't play in space. Every year you hear about oh this DB is a man cover guy, oh this guy is a zone cover guy. Well, much of that has to do with what they were asked to do in college. Apple has all the athletic tools to play bump, man, zone, in space or whatever. There will obviously be an adjustment period and learning to do. But, I don't buy that Apple can't play in our system.

[Shawn]

IMO, Jones has some similarities to Roethlisberger: Big and strong, difficult to tackle, can make any throw, good deep ball...

Roethlisberger was far superior at throwing on the move than Jones, coming out of college...

Jones suffered from Meyer's offense...JT was just a much better fit at tOSU, but consider that Jones was recruited before Meyer's arrival, it is understandable...

I will be forever a fan of Jones for those three games he started at the end of the 2014 season...

I agree with the Ben comparison. I will say Ben has better pocket awareness but Jones is just as strong. And, I agree Jones will always have a special place in my heart for those same reasons. To be able to step in as a 3rd stringer, in a O not geared to your skill set in two of the biggest games of his life and deliver? That's clutch. He has ice water in his veins.

[RuthlessBurgher]

I'd be quite pleased with your proposed haul on day 1 & 2 of the draft. However, if they want Ngakoue, I think they'll need to use that 4th round pick to get him (and he might not even last all the way down to #123). If we were able to land Yannick in round 4, though, that would push RB down to round 6...might be good place to take a chance with Georgia speedster Keith Marshall, who was splitting carries with Todd Gurley once upon a time before injuries hit.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Also, if we are able to get a CB/S/DT with our top 3 picks, I think our brass would look long and hard at Cardale Jones if he's still available at 4.123. He's a longer term project, but we still have Ben for several more years and he's built like Ben, so that would be a heck of a mentor for him to learn from.

[Captain Lemming]

You are probably right about Kessler but I think he is a guy who could be a solid #2 clock manager type. Now, if the Steelers wanted to take a real chance here I would love to see them try to develop Cardele Jones-QB OSU. Jones has his issues, is crazy raw. But, let me say from a measurable perspective he is the strongest QB in the draft. From day 1 he has the strongest arm in the NFL...guy can throw 60-70 yard bombs, and is near impossible to bring down. Did you see him punish Alabama running the ball? It was so funny watching him run over top guys and them not wanting to tackle him. He is a classic high risk/high reward guy. I would compare him to a mix of Cutler and Culpepper. Takes too many chances, doesn't always see the field but has enough arm to get away with throws no one else can make. He is as tough as Culpepper was to bring down. I think if you groom him for 2-3 seasons behind Ben you could have a quality NFL starter.

Should have had him in your mock Shawn.
Would have taken that shameless "homerism" to the next level!!! :)

BTW I too thought about Jones at about the 4th as a possible long term project to replace Ben. It kind of is a perfect fit. Raw, but learning from a QB with similar tools. Frankly, I think it is so perfect that the only thing that prevents it is if he is gone which I think is likely despite the high risk factor. Potential upside makes an early third round pick very possible in my opinion

[Shawn]

Also, if we are able to get a CB/S/DT with our top 3 picks, I think our brass would look long and hard at Cardale Jones if he's still available at 4.123. He's a longer term project, but we still have Ben for several more years and he's built like Ben, so that would be a heck of a mentor for him to learn from. This would make me very excited.

[Slapstick]

Another good thing with drafting Apple and Bell:

If effective communication is a problem in our secondary, why not take guys who have been communicating on field already?

[RuthlessBurgher]

It's easy to make a totally home Buckeye mock draft when they have 5 guys who will likely come off the board tonight (Elliott, Bosa, Decker, Lee, and Apple) and another 8 who have a chance to come off the board tomorrow (Bell, Thomas, Miller, Perry, Vannett, Jones, Washington, and Powell).

[feltdizz]

Just move the Steelers to Columbus, OH and be done with it

[Shawn]

Should have had him in your mock Shawn.
Would have taken that shameless "homerism" to the next level!!! :)

(BTW I too thought about Jones at about the 4th as a possible long term project to replace Ben. It kind of is a perfect fit. Raw, but learning from a QB with similar tools). Yes, indeed. Not sure why I bulked. :)

[Slapstick]

Just move the Steelers to Columbus, OH and be done with it

I was thinking more along the lines of a shuttle bus, to ferry players from Columbus directly to Pittsburgh....

[Oviedo]

I'm a Buckeyes fan, but I believe Apple is the wrong fit for our style of D. Playing in space in is not Apple's game. I bet Colbert passes if Apple is still there.


I agree and said before. He is a physical, Big 10 corner and that doesn't translate to the NFL where you can't sniff on the WRs without the risk of an interference call. Look how Gilbert has struggled in Cleveland. My fear is Apple would be the same. Get a good zone cover corner, or two, in Rounds 2-4. Get someone who can put the QB on his back in Round 1.

[Shawn]

Another good thing with drafting Apple and Bell:

If effective communication is a problem in our secondary, why not take guys who have been communicating on field already? I think it's ideal. Two guys who have played together, who have won big games together.

[Iron City Inc.]

In my best Mel Kiper voice "Shawn Shawn Shawn how do you not get Powell in there somehow?" Tyvis would make a nice late rounder and a FS who could back up Mitchell. Don't get me wrong I think Bell is a solid safety and I could see him as either a FS or SS. I start Bell in the box and let him walk out to slot coverage where he is rock solid.
If it broke the way Shawn has laid it out I'd sign up for it all day.

[Shawn]

I agree and said before. He is a physical, Big 10 corner and that doesn't translate to the NFL where you can't sniff on the WRs without the risk of an interference call. Look how Gilbert has struggled in Cleveland. My fear is Apple would be the same. Get a good zone cover corner, or two, in Rounds 2-4. Get someone who can put the QB on his back in Round 1. Because Gilbert has struggled on the team where talent goes to die...that validates Apple not being a good DB?

[Shawn]

In my best Mel Kiper voice "Shawn Shawn Shawn how do you not get Powell in there somehow?" Tyvis would make a nice late rounder and a FS who could back up Mitchell. Don't get me wrong I think Bell is a solid safety and I could see him as either a FS or SS. I start Bell in the box and let him walk out to slot coverage where he is rock solid.
If it broke the way Shawn has laid it out I'd sign up for it all day.I'm deeply ashamed of my homer oversight. But you are right...we could easily just field the Buckeye secondary and call it a day. That OSU team was so talented and so deep...shame they didn't win back to back Nationals. Guess they lost that hunger.

[Slapstick]

Because Gilbert has struggled on the team where talent goes to die...that validates Apple not being a good DB?

Two things:

Wouldn't Bradley Roby be a better comparison than Justin Gilbert (who is apparently a head case, if Cleveland media is to be believed)? Roby who is not staring because he's playing behind All-Pro caliber CBs (Talib and Harris)?

Gilbert went to Oklahoma State...not a Big 10 school...

[pfelix73]

Get the bucket ready if Cardale Jones is drafted by the Steelers.. Because I would puke if they do.. Wasted draft pick. In fact, i don't want to see any of this year's picks going for a QB. Sign Gradkowski and be done with it. They can add an arm thru FA.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Another good thing with drafting Apple and Bell:

If effective communication is a problem in our secondary, why not take guys who have been communicating on field already?

Speaking of communication in the OSU secondary, on Sirius NFL Radio's Movin' the Chains show with Pat Kirwin and former Steeler draft pick Jim Miller, they've been interviewing draft prospects, and every Buckeye defender talks about how Tyvis Powell never shuts up back there. They said that for every play of his collegiate career, he would be telling everyone before the snap that they should run a particular defensive play...same one every time...and coaches never called that play one time in a game. The players and radio hosts are howling with laughter each time they tell this story.

If they drafted Eli Apple tonight, Vonn Bell tomorrow, and Tyvis Powell on Saturday, they could field a secondary entirely composed of Buckeyes (with Doran Grant as the other corner)...not to mention Cam Heyward and Ryan Shazier in front of them.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Get the bucket ready if Cardale Jones is drafted by the Steelers.. Because I would puke if they do.. Wasted draft pick. In fact, i don't want to see any of this year's picks going for a QB. Sign Gradkowski and be done with it. They can add an arm thru FA.

As long as Grad's med check is okay, that's route I'd take...a healthy Grad and Landry is fine behind Ben. Until then, I'd add a UDFA camp arm from the corps of QB's who don't get drafted (Sudfeld? Driskel? Woodrum? Coker? Stave?).

[SteelCrazy]

Get someone who can put the QB on his back in Round 1.

Id say that's exactly what they do tonight. My hope is that Floyd or Lawson falls to us, but highly unlikely.