Official Visit Thread

[RuthlessBurgher]

So more confirmed for the list:

Four more college players are visiting the Steelers today in the runup to next week's draft: wide receiver Travis Shelton of Temple, linebacker Spence Adkins of Miami, Fla., quarterback Nate Davis of Ball State and guard Andy Levitre of Oregon State.

Can't figure Nate Davis since he will be a Round 3 or 4 pick. I'd rather they take Pat White if they really want a back up QB.

According to this in-depth ESPN.com article, Davis' stock is tumbling because of a learning disability. Only one team (the Colts) sent anybody to his Pro Day work out (and that was because they were close by). One quote that was interesting was by Brady Hoke, former Ball State head coach (now at San Diego State): "Now I realize Ball State isn't the NFL but I haven't been around a quarterback with better pocket presence than Nate. And I recruited Tom Brady to Michigan when I was there." With the amount of heat that Ben gets (and gets away from), pocket presence is important for a backup QB if Ben gets hurt. If his stock is indeed plummeting and he can be had with one of our 7th round picks or as an UDFA, he would be an interesting guy to bring in to compete with Dixon and Batch.

[url]http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=chadiha_jeffri&id=4047057[/url]

[calmkiller]

Official
C Alex Mack (round 1)
CB Vontae Davis (round 1)
CB Alphonso Smith (round 1-2)
C Max Unger (round 1-2)
S Louis Delmas (round 2)
DE Jarron Gilbert (round 2)
G Andy Levitre (round 2-3)
DT Fili Moala (round 2-3)
OT Phil Loadholt (round 2-3)
CB Sherrod Martin (round 2-3)
LB Lawrence Sidbury (round 2-3)
OG Herman Johnson (round 3)
NT Dorrell Scott (round 3)
DT Sammie Lee Hill (round 3-4)
TE Richard Quinn (round 4)
CB Joe Burnett (round 4-5)
WR/RS Mike Thomas (round 4-5)
QB Nate Davis (Round 5)
CB Donald Washington (Round 5-6)
G Louis Vasquez (round 5-6)
DT Ra'Shon Harris (round 6-7)
FB Frank Summers (round 7 or FA)
CB Don Carey (round 7 or FA)
WR Jason Chery (round 7 or FA)
LB Spence Adkins (round 7 or FA)
WR Travis Shelton
DE Brandon Long

Rumor
DT Ron Brace (round 2)
CB Keenan Lewis (round 2-3)
CB Mike Mickens (round 2-3)
C/G Eric Wood (round 2-3)
G Tyronne Green (round 3-4)
CB Tony Carter (round 7 or FA)
CB Greg Toler (FA)

Non 30 Visit
C A.Q. Shipley (round 4)
LB Scot Mckillop (round 4-5)
C C.J. Davis (round 5-6)
CB Ellis Lankster (round 7 or FA)

[Oviedo]

Hey CK--Here are the last three prospects to visit for the list

Last three prospects visit Steelers
Friday, April 17, 2009
By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The Steelers are entertaining their final three college prospects today before next weekend's draft. They are cornerback Ellis Lankster of West Virginia, cornerback Mike Mickens of Cincinnati and wide receiver Louis Murphy of Florida.

A group of 30 college players have visited the Steelers' at their UPMC training facility since March 31, the limit allowed by the NFL.

My rough count by position is:

OL-7 prospects
DL-5 prospects
DB-8 prospects
WR/TE-5 prospects
LB-2 prospects
QB-1 prospect
RB-1 Prospect

[RuthlessBurgher]

Hey CK--Here are the last three prospects to visit for the list

Last three prospects visit Steelers
Friday, April 17, 2009
By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The Steelers are entertaining their final three college prospects today before next weekend's draft. They are cornerback Ellis Lankster of West Virginia, cornerback Mike Mickens of Cincinnati and wide receiver Louis Murphy of Florida.

A group of 30 college players have visited the Steelers' at their UPMC training facility since March 31, the limit allowed by the NFL.

My rough count by position is:

OL-7 prospects
DL-5 prospects
DB-8 prospects
WR/TE-5 prospects
LB-2 prospects
QB-1 prospect
RB-1 Prospect

At least they are getting the positions right so far. This tells me that there will be multiple o-line picks, multiple d-line picks, at least one CB and probably a safety as well, a CB, and a couple of wildcard picks at the other positions. Works for me.

[Oviedo]

Hey CK--Here are the last three prospects to visit for the list

Last three prospects visit Steelers
Friday, April 17, 2009
By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The Steelers are entertaining their final three college prospects today before next weekend's draft. They are cornerback Ellis Lankster of West Virginia, cornerback Mike Mickens of Cincinnati and wide receiver Louis Murphy of Florida.

A group of 30 college players have visited the Steelers' at their UPMC training facility since March 31, the limit allowed by the NFL.

My rough count by position is:

OL-7 prospects
DL-5 prospects
DB-8 prospects
WR/TE-5 prospects
LB-2 prospects
QB-1 prospect
RB-1 Prospect

At least they are getting the positions right so far. This tells me that there will be multiple o-line picks, multiple d-line picks, at least one CB and probably a safety as well, a CB, and a couple of wildcard picks at the other positions. Works for me.

If we drafted 2 OL, 2 DL, 2 DB, 1 WR, 1 LB and 1 RB I think they will have gotten it right. The visits line up to support that.

[calmkiller]

Official
C Alex Mack (round 1)
CB Vontae Davis (round 1)
CB Alphonso Smith (round 1-2)
C Max Unger (round 1-2)
S Louis Delmas (round 2)
DE Jarron Gilbert (round 2)
CB Mike Mickens (round 2-3)
G Andy Levitre (round 2-3)
DT Fili Moala (round 2-3)
OT Phil Loadholt (round 2-3)
CB Sherrod Martin (round 2-3)
LB Lawrence Sidbury (round 2-3)
OG Herman Johnson (round 3)
NT Dorrell Scott (round 3)
WR Louis Murphy (round 3)
DT Sammie Lee Hill (round 3-4)
TE Richard Quinn (round 4)
CB Joe Burnett (round 4-5)
WR/RS Mike Thomas (round 4-5)
QB Nate Davis (Round 5)
CB Donald Washington (Round 5-6)
G Louis Vasquez (round 5-6)
DT Ra'Shon Harris (round 6-7)
FB Frank Summers (round 7 or FA)
CB Don Carey (round 7 or FA)
WR Jason Chery (round 7 or FA)
LB Spence Adkins (round 7 or FA)
CB Ellis Lankster (round 7 or FA)
WR Travis Shelton (FA)
DE Brandon Long (FA)

Rumor/Never Happened?
DT Ron Brace (round 2)
CB Keenan Lewis (round 2-3)
C/G Eric Wood (round 2-3)
G Tyronne Green (round 3-4)
CB Tony Carter (round 7 or FA)
CB Greg Toler (FA)

Non 30 Visit
C A.Q. Shipley (round 4)
LB Scot Mckillop (round 4-5)
C C.J. Davis (round 5-6)

[RuthlessBurgher]

There's your list of 30, folks!

I guess those six rumored guys never visited our facility on the South Side. Perhaps the reports were of the Steelers showing interest by interviewing them at the combine or visiting them at their Pro Days rather than us inviting them to our place as an official 30 visit.

[calmkiller]

Of our draft picks 4 did visit. A 5th was reported to have a visit lined up but wasn't official in CB Lewis.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Of our draft picks 4 did visit. A 5th was reported to have a visit lined up but wasn't official in CB Lewis.

Yeah, it seems as if the official visit list was a pretty good barometer of guys they were truly interested in in the late rounds (4 of our last 5 picks, Burnett, Summers, Harris, and Shipley visited). You wonder about the fact that they did not bring in any of their top 4 guys in the first 3 rounds...did it just not fall how they expected for them, or was there some smoke-screening involved there?