Some more interesting OL out of the combine results

[Oviedo]

In addition to the usual suspects there are some other names popping up at the combine that we may need to pay attention to.

OT:
Lydon Murtha, Nebraska-showing very good athleticism in all drills
Gerald Cadogan, Penn State
Corneilus Lewis, Tennessee State

OG:
Louis Vasquez, Texas Tech
Travis Bright, BYU
Ray Fanaika, BYU

OC:
John Cooper, Oklahoma--a little light but athletic
Jonathon Luigs, Arkansas--may be most athletic center in the draft
AQ Shipley, Penn State--only short arms holding him back, excellent athleticism and strength

All of these guys are players who we may really want to start looking at in Round 3 and later.

[pfelix73]

I like the guy from Penn State. Built to be a center.

[Lebsteel]

I like the guy from Penn State. Built to be a center.

Yea, I'm thinking that if we can't get Mack in Rd. 1, then go for the best CB or DL and wait until Rd. 3 and take Shipley. He is not nearly as versatile as Mack, but I think he will make a very good (not great) center.

[RuthlessBurgher]

I like the guy from Penn State. Built to be a center.

Yea, I'm thinking that if we can't get Mack in Rd. 1, then go for the best CB or DL and wait until Rd. 3 and take Shipley. He is not nearly as versatile as Mack, but I think he will make a very good (not great) center.

There are several centers you could get if you miss out on Mack before you have to settle on Shipley. Unger from Oregon, Wood from Louisville, Luigs from Arkansas, and Caldwell from Alabama, all of which I think could potentially go in rounds 2 or 3. I think Shipley's short arms make him the 6th rated center, and therefore, a mid-round target.

[RKSteel]

I like the guy from Penn State. Built to be a center.

Yea, I'm thinking that if we can't get Mack in Rd. 1, then go for the best CB or DL and wait until Rd. 3 and take Shipley. He is not nearly as versatile as Mack, but I think he will make a very good (not great) center.

There are several centers you could get if you miss out on Mack before you have to settle on Shipley. Unger from Oregon, Wood from Louisville, Luigs from Arkansas, and Caldwell from Alabama, all of which I think could potentially go in rounds 2 or 3. I think Shipley's short arms make him the 6th rated center, and therefore, a mid-round target.

I'm not claiming to be a talent scount, nor did I stay at a Holiday Inn last night, but I saw some of the OL drills where they had to side step to their left while engaging another player with their hands.
Thanks to the Planet, I knew some OCs to watch for. Shipley looked good in the drill, his lateral movement was fluid, staying w/ his man. Unger seemed stiff, almost taking lunging steps.
Now for a OC, this drill probably means as much as the length of a players arms determining how good he will be, but I was impressed with Shipley, considering he is rated "lower" than some other guys.

[steelernation77]

I like the guy from Penn State. Built to be a center.

Yea, I'm thinking that if we can't get Mack in Rd. 1, then go for the best CB or DL and wait until Rd. 3 and take Shipley. He is not nearly as versatile as Mack, but I think he will make a very good (not great) center.

There are several centers you could get if you miss out on Mack before you have to settle on Shipley. Unger from Oregon, Wood from Louisville, Luigs from Arkansas, and Caldwell from Alabama, all of which I think could potentially go in rounds 2 or 3. I think Shipley's short arms make him the 6th rated center, and therefore, a mid-round target.

I'm not claiming to be a talent scount, nor did I stay at a Holiday Inn last night, but I saw some of the OL drills where they had to side step to their left while engaging another player with their hands.
Thanks to the Planet, I knew some OCs to watch for. Shipley looked good in the drill, his lateral movement was fluid, staying w/ his man. Unger seemed stiff, almost taking lunging steps.
Now for a OC, this drill probably means as much as the length of a players arms determining how good he will be, but I was impressed with Shipley, considering he is rated "lower" than some other guys.

I saw Shipley get manhandled by Mitch King in person.

I want a center who has some pop. Shipley isn't big enough.

[Lebsteel]

I like the guy from Penn State. Built to be a center.

Yea, I'm thinking that if we can't get Mack in Rd. 1, then go for the best CB or DL and wait until Rd. 3 and take Shipley. He is not nearly as versatile as Mack, but I think he will make a very good (not great) center.

There are several centers you could get if you miss out on Mack before you have to settle on Shipley. Unger from Oregon, Wood from Louisville, Luigs from Arkansas, and Caldwell from Alabama, all of which I think could potentially go in rounds 2 or 3. I think Shipley's short arms make him the 6th rated center, and therefore, a mid-round target.

I'm not claiming to be a talent scount, nor did I stay at a Holiday Inn last night, but I saw some of the OL drills where they had to side step to their left while engaging another player with their hands.
Thanks to the Planet, I knew some OCs to watch for. Shipley looked good in the drill, his lateral movement was fluid, staying w/ his man. Unger seemed stiff, almost taking lunging steps.
Now for a OC, this drill probably means as much as the length of a players arms determining how good he will be, but I was impressed with Shipley, considering he is rated "lower" than some other guys.

Shipley seems to be impressing everyone with his agility and strength. I would hope that if we miss on Mack, that we don't reach for another center in Rd. 1. I think Wood and Unger will be gone before we pick at 64. My thought is that Caldwell, Luigs and Shipley are rated nearly the same, so why not get our other OL and DL pick at 64 and then take Shipley at 96 or with our supplemental pick.

[TallyStiller]

I was intrigued by the fact that William Beatty, the tackle from UConn, weighed in at 309 - 18 pounds heavier than his official weight as I've seen it elsewhere... if it's legit bulk that he can maintain, does it make him more of a target?

Call me crazy, but I've been mightily impressed by the WR class in this combine... and I can't help but think that Hakeem Nicks is a Steeler kind of player. What a game, what a gamer in that bowl game vs. WVU. Then he runs a 4.49 in the 40 at well over 200 pounds. He made his rep as a tough possession guy going over the middle... gets me thinking about a bigger, faster, stronger version of Hines. With Nate leaving, we likely need a WR at some point here... and I read where we took Swann and Stallworth after using top picks on Frank Lewis and Ron Shanklin a few years prior. We also went WR first day 3 years running with Troy dwards, Hines, and Plax. If all the elite tackles, Mack, and Tyson Jackson are gone, there are enough honest to goodness good football players at WR in this draft that I could see it.

[steeler_george]

This draft appears pretty deep, in regards what key positions we are potentially losing and needing to up grade. That is why I hoping we get more 2nd -3 rd picks either by trading back our 1st, trading up our 3a,4,5,6,7

From what I have been reading, there are plenty of 2nd round-3rd round OL, WR, NT/DE/, and DB that can definitely step in and play from day one.

Come on Colbert, do your magic!!!

[Oviedo]

This draft appears pretty deep, in regards what key positions we are potentially losing and needing to up grade. That is why I hoping we get more 2nd -3 rd picks either by trading back our 1st, trading up our 3a,4,5,6,7

From what I have been reading, there are plenty of 2nd round-3rd round OL, WR, NT/DE/, and DB that can definitely step in and play from day one.

Come on Colbert, do your magic!!!

More so this year than any other year I hope the opportunity presents itself to trade back. Our pick at 1.32 is essentailly a second round pick anyway and I really don't think the quality of the player will be different from 1.32 to somewhere in the Top 10 of Round 2 because of the type and positions we are looking for. If you take a look at who is in the Top 10 of Round 2 it is as follows:

1. Detroit Lions


2. St. Louis Rams


3. Kansas City Chiefs


4. Seattle Seahawks


5. Cleveland Browns


6. Cincinnati Bengals


7. Oakland Raiders


8. Jacksonville Jaguars


9. Green Bay Packers


10. San Francisco 49'ers

Obviously we won't trsde with the Bumgals or Stains so the most likely candidates become the Raiders, Jags Packers and 49'ers. I think based on points trading down to the top 4 on this list gets you an additional 5th round picks and a trade with the bottom 4 gets you another 4th Round pick.

I'm all for trading down with the bottom 4 to get an additional 4th. Take a player like Phil Loadholdt, OT, 6'7" 340lbs in the top of Round 2 and then package some picks to move up from 2.64 to higher in Round 2 to grab a DL or CB, possibly even another OL like Kraig Urbik who will be gone by our Round 3 pick.