At this point in time, I would rank my top o-line prospects as such:
1. T Russell Okung, Oklahoma State
2. T Anthony Davis, Rutgers
3. T Bruce Campbell, Maryland
4. T Bryan Bulaga, Iowa
5. G Mike Iupati, Idaho
6. T Trent Williams, Oklahoma
7. C Maurkice Pouncey, Florida
The first few names will likely be off the board by the time we pick, but if we do retain both Hampton and Clark as reports tend to be stating now, I think a realistic target could be along the o-line.
Steeler teams featuring stat-driven, me-first, fantasy-football-darling diva types such as Antonio Brown & Le'Veon Bell won no championships.
Super Bowl winning Steeler teams were built around a dynamic, in-your-face defense plus blue-collar, hard-hitting, no-nonsense football players on offense such as Hines Ward & Jerome Bettis.
We don't want Juju & Conner to replace what we lost in Brown & Bell.
We are counting on Juju & Conner to return us to the glory we once had with Hines & The Bus.
Colon is the key here. If we can't retain him beyond this upcoming season then the OT does need to be addressed but not in Round 1. Personally, if we extend Hampton and don't tag him I am less optimistic we can retain Colon. We do have a depth issue at OT however that does need to be addressed but again, not Round #1.Originally Posted by JUST-PLAIN-NASTY
We actually have a ton of bodies at Guard: Stapleton, Foster, Essex, Legursky, and Urbik. That is five players competing for one position. I still think the plan is for Urbik to be the guy. Hopefully the new OL coach can make that happen since he got 3 rookies playing well on the Buffalo OL last season.
This is a bad draft for Centers so I would expect no help there and we are probably on course with hartwig competing with Stapleton and Legursky.
The only OL pick in Round 1 that makes sense to me is Iupati. Best player at his position (OG) in the draft, off the charts measurables, still raw and needs experience but has the physical skillset to eventually move to OT. None of the other OL in Round 1 interest me at all.
If the plan is to let Colon leave or if we assess he is unaffordable then Iupati is probably the best choice. Iupati at RT and Urbik at RG would be a strong combination for years to come.
"My team, may they always be right, but right or wrong...MY TEAM!"
I noticed you have no 6th or 7th round picks for the steelers in your mock. I don't remember the steelers losing those picks. Am I forgetting something?
Even if Bill Belichick was getting an atomic wedgie, his face would look exactly the same.
If I had a gun to my head and was forced to take OL in Round 1 it would be Iupati. But I would have to have a loaded gun to my head to take OL in Round 1.
"My team, may they always be right, but right or wrong...MY TEAM!"
I agree with that. If Hampton & Clark are retained long term, I think Rooney's words will be heard. I wouldn't expect a DT or S until the 3rd or later. That would actually be the better way to go. You know what you have with Hampton & Clark. They can give you 2-3 years of high level play. Groom young guys behind them.
Hartwig & Essex were the weak link in the OL. A future C might not be on the roster and they could use an upgrade "Immediately", if possible, at C as well as RG. Stapleton would not have been much more of an upgrade at RG and I still think he will struggle at C in this division. Where is Urbik at and at what position is he in the plans...G or C? Is he in the plans at all? They will have Colon this year but is he in the long term plans? The left side is set...Thank God! It might be time to "weed the garden" on the OL if they get Hampton & Clark under contract. You put Essex against Hills and part ways with one. Put Stapleton against Legursky and part ways with one. If these guys can't come to the front by year three...move on. Starks, Kemo, & Colon are here for 2010. Foster is in and I will give Urbik 2010. Besides that...Nobody has the nod.
From what is available out there on the internet, it would appear that Colon is not in the future plans for the Steelers O-line. If that is the case, does that mean that they intend to tender him as a RFA and draft his replacement? It seems that way. And I know nothing about Urbik. It is a bit concerning to me that he didn't play one snap this year and when Kemo went down Foster took his spot and Urbik was in street clothes. Has anyone ever heard anything that would lead them to believe that Urbik has a future as a starting guard, or even a back-up for that matter?Colon is the key here. If we can't retain him beyond this upcoming season then the OT does need to be addressed but not in Round 1. Personally, if we extend Hampton and don't tag him I am less optimistic we can retain Colon. We do have a depth issue at OT however that does need to be addressed but again, not Round #1.
We actually have a ton of bodies at Guard: Stapleton, Foster, Essex, Legursky, and Urbik. That is five players competing for one position. I still think the plan is for Urbik to be the guy. Hopefully the new OL coach can make that happen since he got 3 rookies playing well on the Buffalo OL last season.
This is a bad draft for Centers so I would expect no help there and we are probably on course with hartwig competing with Stapleton and Legursky.
The only OL pick in Round 1 that makes sense to me is Iupati. Best player at his position (OG) in the draft, off the charts measurables, still raw and needs experience but has the physical skillset to eventually move to OT. None of the other OL in Round 1 interest me at all.
If the plan is to let Colon leave or if we assess he is unaffordable then Iupati is probably the best choice. Iupati at RT and Urbik at RG would be a strong combination for years to come.
Center is weak at the top. I don't think we will have a shot at Pouncey in the 2nd unless we trade up. There are some guys who might be able to step in to the starting role, eventually, later in the draft in the 3-5 range.Colon is the key here. If we can't retain him beyond this upcoming season then the OT does need to be addressed but not in Round 1. Personally, if we extend Hampton and don't tag him I am less optimistic we can retain Colon. We do have a depth issue at OT however that does need to be addressed but again, not Round #1.
We actually have a ton of bodies at Guard: Stapleton, Foster, Essex, Legursky, and Urbik. That is five players competing for one position. I still think the plan is for Urbik to be the guy. Hopefully the new OL coach can make that happen since he got 3 rookies playing well on the Buffalo OL last season.
This is a bad draft for Centers so I would expect no help there and we are probably on course with hartwig competing with Stapleton and Legursky.
The only OL pick in Round 1 that makes sense to me is Iupati. Best player at his position (OG) in the draft, off the charts measurables, still raw and needs experience but has the physical skillset to eventually move to OT. None of the other OL in Round 1 interest me at all.
If the plan is to let Colon leave or if we assess he is unaffordable then Iupati is probably the best choice. Iupati at RT and Urbik at RG would be a strong combination for years to come.
[quote=JUST-PLAIN-NASTY]Center is weak at the top. I don't think we will have a shot at Pouncey in the 2nd unless we trade up. There are some guys who might be able to step in to the starting role, eventually, later in the draft in the 3-5 range.[/quote:1w0r4ho7]Colon is the key here. If we can't retain him beyond this upcoming season then the OT does need to be addressed but not in Round 1. Personally, if we extend Hampton and don't tag him I am less optimistic we can retain Colon. We do have a depth issue at OT however that does need to be addressed but again, not Round #1.
We actually have a ton of bodies at Guard: Stapleton, Foster, Essex, Legursky, and Urbik. That is five players competing for one position. I still think the plan is for Urbik to be the guy. Hopefully the new OL coach can make that happen since he got 3 rookies playing well on the Buffalo OL last season.
This is a bad draft for Centers so I would expect no help there and we are probably on course with hartwig competing with Stapleton and Legursky.
The only OL pick in Round 1 that makes sense to me is Iupati. Best player at his position (OG) in the draft, off the charts measurables, still raw and needs experience but has the physical skillset to eventually move to OT. None of the other OL in Round 1 interest me at all.
If the plan is to let Colon leave or if we assess he is unaffordable then Iupati is probably the best choice. Iupati at RT and Urbik at RG would be a strong combination for years to come.
I agree about Center. Most of the guys I'm looking at are in the 290lb range which will get you destroyed in the AFC North. That is why I think that Stapleton and Legursky are the only real option backing up Hartwig for the near future. Hopefully one of them can develop into a suitbale replacement or we draft a kid and take 2 years to put 20-30lbs on them.
"My team, may they always be right, but right or wrong...MY TEAM!"
[quote=NW Steeler]From what is available out there on the internet, it would appear that Colon is not in the future plans for the Steelers O-line. If that is the case, does that mean that they intend to tender him as a RFA and draft his replacement? It seems that way. And I know nothing about Urbik. It is a bit concerning to me that he didn't play one snap this year and when Kemo went down Foster took his spot and Urbik was in street clothes. Has anyone ever heard anything that would lead them to believe that Urbik has a future as a starting guard, or even a back-up for that matter?[/quote:2zxh7vxu]Colon is the key here. If we can't retain him beyond this upcoming season then the OT does need to be addressed but not in Round 1. Personally, if we extend Hampton and don't tag him I am less optimistic we can retain Colon. We do have a depth issue at OT however that does need to be addressed but again, not Round #1.
We actually have a ton of bodies at Guard: Stapleton, Foster, Essex, Legursky, and Urbik. That is five players competing for one position. I still think the plan is for Urbik to be the guy. Hopefully the new OL coach can make that happen since he got 3 rookies playing well on the Buffalo OL last season.
This is a bad draft for Centers so I would expect no help there and we are probably on course with hartwig competing with Stapleton and Legursky.
The only OL pick in Round 1 that makes sense to me is Iupati. Best player at his position (OG) in the draft, off the charts measurables, still raw and needs experience but has the physical skillset to eventually move to OT. None of the other OL in Round 1 interest me at all.
If the plan is to let Colon leave or if we assess he is unaffordable then Iupati is probably the best choice. Iupati at RT and Urbik at RG would be a strong combination for years to come.
I was going to bring this point up as well. Why does Urbik at RG would be a strong combination for years to come sound so good? He sounds exactly like Tony Hills but only a Guard. Drafted to play a role and gets out played by a FA and never steps foot on the field, or even gets a helmet. He actually come to think of it got outplayed by two FA in Foster, and Legursky. I don't really see how that sounds like a good combo.
LETS GO MOUNTAINEERS!
Here We Go Steelers!
Another option with our first two picks is below. Odrick (6'5" 301 lbs.) is built to be a 3-4 DE and Cook (6'2 212 lbs.) sounds like someone who could play FS or CB:
Jared Odrick/DL/Penn State: Odrick looked like a man possessed on Wednesday and was impossible to stop. He was both quick and powerful, defeating blocks off the snap with a great first step or powerfully moving opponents off the line with great leg drive. After showing flashes the first two days, Odrick really put it together today.
Chris Cook/CB/Virginia: Cook was another player who put the pieces together on the final day of full pads practice. He's presented himself as a big, physical cornerback that physically beats down opponents all week. On Wednesday he started to make plays on the ball and consistently broke up a number of passes.
Read More: [url="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/f"]http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/f[/url] ... z0dwmHS1Yz
more on Odrick from GBN:
Best player on the field on either team today was Penn State DT Jared Odrick who spent most of the North’s full scrimmage camped out in the offensive backfield where he completely blew up as many as three plays. Odrick is a rangy 300-plus pounder with a very quick first step and an excellent swim move. Indeed, Odrick may start to draw some serious attention as a 3-4 DE by teams running that scheme which would further inflate his value. The 6-5 Odrick, though, has a tendency at times to come off the snap too high and needs to concentrate on keeping his pads low. Unfortunately, Odrick never got to go one-on-one with Idaho OG Mike Iupati over the course of the week which would have been worth the price of admission.
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