Is this the year we finally draft our future Center?

[NJ-STEELER]

There is plenty of competition at Center with Hartwig and Legursky- I like Legursky as our future Center. You can throw Urbik into the mix as well or maybe a rook later in the draft. We have enough linemen for competition. As far as OT goes, this is a make or break year for Hills.

We need to address the secondary- CB. With that 18th pick. IMO.

Who do you suggest would be a quality CB with the 18th pick? If Haden falls, then he is the guy. But what about if not? Do you think Earl Thomas would be a good enough CB on this level, when most are projecting his best position to be FS? Would you reach for a player like Kyle Wilson at #18 just to fill a need at CB when there may better value elsewhere? There are a dozen or so CB's with day two grades that we could aim for in round 2 or 3 instead...

i would take him at 18.

i think its a position we need to upgrade badly.

[papillon]

There is plenty of competition at Center with Hartwig and Legursky- I like Legursky as our future Center. You can throw Urbik into the mix as well or maybe a rook later in the draft. We have enough linemen for competition. As far as OT goes, this is a make or break year for Hills.

We need to address the secondary- CB. With that 18th pick. IMO.

Who do you suggest would be a quality CB with the 18th pick? If Haden falls, then he is the guy. But what about if not? Do you think Earl Thomas would be a good enough CB on this level, when most are projecting his best position to be FS? Would you reach for a player like Kyle Wilson at #18 just to fill a need at CB when there may better value elsewhere? There are a dozen or so CB's with day two grades that we could aim for in round 2 or 3 instead...

Never reach, that's first and foremost. Earl Thomas still makes the most sense to me, he's versatile and would bring value. He can play FS, SS and CB in that order, but you never know when you'll need him in a pinch. He gives the Steelers options and pushes veterans to perform.

I can't see them passing on him if he's there at 1.18; IMO, he wo9n't make it that far, other teams are going to like him when they talk with him.

Pappy

[steelblood]

There is plenty of competition at Center with Hartwig and Legursky- I like Legursky as our future Center. You can throw Urbik into the mix as well or maybe a rook later in the draft. We have enough linemen for competition. As far as OT goes, this is a make or break year for Hills.

We need to address the secondary- CB. With that 18th pick. IMO.

Who do you suggest would be a quality CB with the 18th pick? If Haden falls, then he is the guy. But what about if not? Do you think Earl Thomas would be a good enough CB on this level, when most are projecting his best position to be FS? Would you reach for a player like Kyle Wilson at #18 just to fill a need at CB when there may better value elsewhere? There are a dozen or so CB's with day two grades that we could aim for in round 2 or 3 instead...

Earl Thomas-the idea that Thomas is best at FS is predicated on his great instinctual play. Since we play less press man and more off-man, zone, and even some 3-deep, instinctual play at corner could be capitalized in our system. Thomas is a ballhawk. We need DBs that can pick off the ball. I'd take him in a heartbeat. Whether he ends up a corner or a FS doesn't really matter to me. If we could get Burnett and Thomas on the field next season (at least in nickel and dime situations), we could pick off a ton of balls. Those two with Troy could be very special.

[pfelix73]

True- OK, we made a decision. the Steelers are going to draft Earl Thomas if he's available with the 18th pick.

Now, let's open up the debate for round #2. I'm going with the RB from Stanford. Gerhardt....All in Favor? Say I.

LOL

[Oviedo]

There is plenty of competition at Center with Hartwig and Legursky- I like Legursky as our future Center. You can throw Urbik into the mix as well or maybe a rook later in the draft. We have enough linemen for competition. As far as OT goes, this is a make or break year for Hills.

We need to address the secondary- CB. With that 18th pick. IMO.

Who do you suggest would be a quality CB with the 18th pick? If Haden falls, then he is the guy. But what about if not? Do you think Earl Thomas would be a good enough CB on this level, when most are projecting his best position to be FS? Would you reach for a player like Kyle Wilson at #18 just to fill a need at CB when there may better value elsewhere? There are a dozen or so CB's with day two grades that we could aim for in round 2 or 3 instead...

Earl Thomas-the idea that Thomas is best at FS is predicated on his great instinctual play. Since we play less press man and more off-man, zone, and even some 3-deep, instinctual play at corner could be capitalized in our system. Thomas is a ballhawk. We need DBs that can pick off the ball. I'd take him in a heartbeat. Whether he ends up a corner or a FS doesn't really matter to me. If we could get Burnett and Thomas on the field next season (at least in nickel and dime situations), we could pick off a ton of balls. Those two with Troy could be very special.

Like Haden at Florida, Thomas was a "ballhawk" on a team that routinely got early double digit leads on their opponents thereby forcing their oppoentents to throw the ball to catch up or even get close. Therefore both Haden and Thomas played a ton of games that they knew almost every play was going to be a pass play. It's pretty easy to pad your stats in games like that and earn the "ballhawk" moniker.

More insightful is watching them in close tough games. I saw Haden in those games and while he may be good he wasn't great. I think the same is probably true of Thomas. Anyone remember him being a difference maker in the Nebraska game or the Alabama game??? I don't.

Be careful before you annoint these DBs as the next Rod Woodson. They played on stacked teams that typically overwhelmed their opponents. Look at the close games and you will probably get a more accurate take on their abilities.

[pfelix73]

Troy was the same way too. Played on a team that scored a ton of points.

Again- we need a Rod Woodson like CB on this team and we don't have it. It's time to invest in one who could be a big-time CB- see D. Revis.

[Oviedo]

Troy was the same way too. Played on a team that scored a ton of points.

Again- we need a Rod Woodson like CB on this team and we don't have it. It's time to invest in one who could be a big-time CB- see D. Revis.

There is no D Revis in this draft. That solves the issue.

Taking the "best" Cb in a particular year does not get you Rod Woodson, D Revis, Shawn Springs, etc. This is not a good year for elite CBs. Good CBs=yes. Elite=NO!!!!

[RuthlessBurgher]

Troy was the same way too. Played on a team that scored a ton of points.

Again- we need a Rod Woodson like CB on this team and we don't have it. It's time to invest in one who could be a big-time CB- see D. Revis.

Who would you suggest? There are not any Rod Woodson like CB's in this draft (and frankly, saying that you are looking for a Rod Woodson like CB is like saying you are looking for a Jerry Rice like WR...All Time Great Hall of Famers don't exactly grow on trees). I hoping that Haden cannot improve on his 40 time at his Pro Day tomorrow, so perhaps he drops to #18. If not, the next best corners, Kyle Wilson and Devin McCourty have late first round grades, so they would be overdrafted at #18 if we didn't trade down. The only other option would be to draft FS Earl Thomas, who many believe has the coverage ability to play corner. The best CB in college football, LSU's Patrick Peterson, will be playing in Baton Rouge next year, and will likely be a top 5 pick in 2011.

[pfelix73]

And just how do you know that? Do you have that crystal ball? The draft is a crap shoot.

I'd be willing to bet that a Haden picked in the 1st round would have a better chance at being an all-pro than those 2 bench warmers we drafted last year, or any other low round CB from this year.

[Oviedo]

And just how do you know that? Do you have that crystal ball? The draft is a crap shoot.

I'd be willing to bet that a Haden picked in the 1st round would have a better chance at being an all-pro than those 2 bench warmers we drafted last year, or any other low round CB from this year.

Since none of us have crystal balls so Haden could be like another former Steelers #1 pick...Chad Scott. Maybe Dwayne Washington?

I predict he won't break a 4.5 40 tomorrow at his Pro Day. If he does break 4.5 it will be high 4.4s, i.e. 4.48 or 4.49.