Draft's Eve: Draft Philosophy & My Best and Final Mock

[SteelerMaine83]

I get it, we all have our own thoughts on the draft. I can’t say I liked last year’s draft until I saw how it played out. No draft is all win, all lose.

I recently saw an article saying that while Colbert said that we have “starter capable” players at all 22 positions now, we really need 24 starters, as slot WR and slot CB are basically starters, too. I agree.

Also, as I’ve also seen and read, any QB in this year’s QB class would not be drafted ahead of any of the first 5 QBs in last year’s draft. Wow. I agree with this, too.

So, my feeling on this year’s draft is that the difference between the top picks and the end of Round 1 is not as much as usual, that picks 25 through 75 have all spent time as some draftniks 1st round since the bowl season finished, and that picks 35-125 are all up to what needs a team has and what flavor they prefer. There are plenty of good players in this draft, but where they end up is really a crapshoot. That makes it hard to predict who is available when.

Because of all this, I ride with Trubisky as our starter this year, and if he is re-born in Pittsburgh as a real QB, great. I’ll give him that chance without looking over his shoulder at any of the “1st round” QBs; if he fails, we move on, no downside.

And because of all this, I try to improve our D and our O to give Trubisky the best chance, and also give the next QB, if Mitch fails, a pretty solid team to work with. To do that, I trade back from #20 and pick up extra picks.

What does my trade look like? Well GB, KC and Detroit, with two each in Rd 1, are obvious trade-down partners, but I go the less travelled route and trade back even further into the second. True, we lose that 5th year of ownership (if we pick up the option), but we get four years of talented players, and to me, more picks in the Top 100 is a plus this year.

So, failing in trying to trade #20 and #138 to Detroit for #34, #66 & #97, I turn to Seattle, who really wants a 1st round QB in the draft and another impact player (as they are a team with many needs, post-Russell Wilson) and give them #20 and next year’s 3rd rounder for #40 & #41. Aggressive, but aggressive wins.

My post that follows this gives you my best and last pre-draft mock, with the Steelers on the board for #’s 40, 41, 52, 84, 138, 208, 225, 241.

[SteelerMaine83]

So, Part 2, my best and last pre-draft mock with the trades from my previous post:
R2 (40) Skyy Moore, WR—A perfect fit for the Steelers, becomes that slot WR we need this year and probably much more in the future after DJ leaves (?). Tough kid with good skills. If he’s gone, it would be Christian Watson, if he’s still available, or I’d probably wait a round or two to get a slot WR, as that seems to be the best available type of receiver after the first round.

R2 (41) Travis Jones, NT—Part one of improving our run D. He’s a good athlete, too, and could prove just as productive as Jordan Davis. If he is gone, I choose Phidarian Mathis, DL, with a Round 2 pick.

R2 (52) Leo Chenal, ILB—Part two of improving the run D. Pure BUCK, the ILB we’ve needed since Vinnie retired. Grade A run-stuffer, good blitzer, surprisingly good athlete (as tested), but needs to improve coverage. Doesn’t matter to me—he doesn’t need to cover if he can help fix our run D. If he’s gone, I take Quay Walker, ILB.

R3 (84) Darrian Kinnard, OL—Big guy that lost some weight for the Combine, has been up and down on the board, but 84 seems close to right. Good athlete for his size, and can be a dominant run blocker. Although many think he’ll move inside to OG, I think he can stay at right tackle and maybe replace Chuks in a year. At worst, maybe he replaces Dotson at guard in a few years. Future starter. If he’s gone, another OL here (Abraham, Walker?)

R4 (138) Marcus Jones, CB—Slot CB in the Mike Hilton mold. Better in coverage, willing but not as good as a blitzer (who is?). Surgery on shoulders drops him, but he’s worth the risk here. Also, as a bonus, a really good returner (as a backup to Olzewski?). If he’s gone, Decobie Durant as a slot CB may be the pick.

R6 (208) E.J Perry, QB—Not a pick here as a future starter (at least I don’t think so), but a smart player (Ivy Leaguer) who can pass and run, and projects as a clipboard holder (3rd string) early, with an upside as an eventual competent backup QB. Having a solid backup is always an important thing, in my mind, and he may be that in year 2 (after Mason gets that big deal in FA, haha).

R7 (225) Joey Blount, S—Okay, we needed a Virginia player, right?! Actually, health issues aside (and hopefully behind him), a good football player with a high FBIQ that could become a solid part of our S group, especially if Edmunds one year deal is the last we see of him. Good 7th round value.

R7 (241) Keontay Ingram, RB—Solid RB who did not benefit from USC’s offensive weaknesses, he’s got the size and skills to be a bell-cow replacement if Najee were hurt. Think Deangelo Williams when Bell was out. Vastly underrated.

Priority UDFA fits I would pursue:
Ben Petrula, OG—has played all spots on the O-line in college for a BC team that preps them well for the pros, somewhat unathletic and bad-bodied OL that is simply a football player and will be a good multi-position backup if not a solid starter one day.

Braden Thomas, Edge—Hair-on-fire relentless pass-rusher with ability to set the edge in the run game, a developmental guy that played at the small school level that has the skills to be a nice backup edge.

Ko Kieft, TE—Best blocking TE in the draft. If he catches a few balls, that’s a bonus.

Best I can do. Makes the team stronger in many areas, especially run D.

[WindyCitySteel]

Really good posts and thought process, my only quibble is that I think you're over-drafting Moore as a slot guy. I say draft the best WR left on the board and figure out who plays slot later. Personally, I like Claypool as a big slot.

[SteelerMaine83]

Really good posts and thought process, my only quibble is that I think you're over-drafting Moore as a slot guy. I say draft the best WR left on the board and figure out who plays slot later. Personally, I like Claypool as a big slot.

Yeah, I'd agree with that to a certain degree. In drafting Moore, however, I feel like he may play the slot year one, then move outside in year two when DJ moves on. Or, if you make Claypool a big slot, Moore starts outside in year one. I just think he's a future #1 or #1b in the league.

If it's C. Watson at that spot, I get a true slot later, like Wandale Robinson in 3 or Kyle Phillips in 4, both of whom would probably be our starting slot by the end of the year, if not by the end of training camp.