Mel Kiper: Steelers' Rounds 1-4 picks

[hawaiiansteel]

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Pittsburgh Steelers -


Top needs: CB, OL, DE, OLB, RB, NT

First round (1: C/G Maurkice Pouncey

Second round (52): CB Patrick Robinson

Third round (82): DE Alex Carrington

Fourth round (116): RB Jonathan Dwyer

Summary: The Steelers aren't far from being a really good team again, so they need to not be distracted and attack the obvious holes. I think they will. Pouncey will help the interior running game immediately; he's a versatile talent. Robinson has first-round talent but isn't always consistent. He's a great value this late, however, as he's been considered a first-round option at times. Carrington has good length and should develop as a pass-rusher, and Dwyer has dropped a long way because of a lack of explosiveness. That said, you can do worse finding a talented back with a big chip on his shoulder.

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[Oviedo]

Replace Pouncey with Iupati and this isn't bad.

[birtikidis]

I like Kipers draft. too bad it'll never happen. we'll probably get stuck with some guy who dominated little kids at some crappy school in Idaho, even though he got punked at the senior bowl or something..

[WoodleyofTroy]

Iupati would be a good pick at the end of the day, don't get me wrong, but he's one of those guys I can see committing a dumb penalty in a key game, at a key moment. We already have that in Kemo and Colon (as far as mean streak goes).

I'd rather have Pouncey's smarts on board.

[Sugar]

Fortunately, Kipers mocks don't usually happen. He's a sharp guy and all, but I want a DB or maybe a DL first. I want Defense in a bad way this year and a playmaker in the backfield.

[birtikidis]

Fortunately, Kipers mocks don't usually happen. He's a sharp guy and all, but I want a DB or maybe a DL first. I want Defense in a bad way this year and a playmaker in the backfield.

only if that DB is NOT a corner and his name is Earl Thomas. I don't see such a dire need as all the other people on here. replace T. Carter with T. Polamalu and see how much better our secondary plays. I wouldn't mind a DL there, but really, who do you take? all the ones that I would take are long gone by 18..
Pouncey would give us the most significant upgrade at any position on either side of the ball. thats how much better he is then hartwig...

[SteelAbility]

Uh, we're not too far from being a good team again?

Good grief! We went 9-7 with a pile of brain-farts PLUS no Troy PLUS no Aaron Smith. NOONE wanted to play us in the playoffs. Brain-farts are easily correctible and Troy/Aaron have both healed up. I say that instantly makes us a great team.

[frankthetank1]

Fortunately, Kipers mocks don't usually happen. He's a sharp guy and all, but I want a DB or maybe a DL first. I want Defense in a bad way this year and a playmaker in the backfield.

only if that DB is NOT a corner and his name is Earl Thomas. I don't see such a dire need as all the other people on here. replace T. Carter with T. Polamalu and see how much better our secondary plays. I wouldn't mind a DL there, but really, who do you take? all the ones that I would take are long gone by 18..
Pouncey would give us the most significant upgrade at any position on either side of the ball. thats how much better he is then hartwig...

you cant argue that replacing gay is pretty equal of an upgrade than replacing hartwig. hartwig isnt great but he isnt as bad of a center as willie gay is at cb. at least with thomas you get a guy that can play both FS and CB

[birtikidis]

Fortunately, Kipers mocks don't usually happen. He's a sharp guy and all, but I want a DB or maybe a DL first. I want Defense in a bad way this year and a playmaker in the backfield.

only if that DB is NOT a corner and his name is Earl Thomas. I don't see such a dire need as all the other people on here. replace T. Carter with T. Polamalu and see how much better our secondary plays. I wouldn't mind a DL there, but really, who do you take? all the ones that I would take are long gone by 18..
Pouncey would give us the most significant upgrade at any position on either side of the ball. thats how much better he is then hartwig...

you cant argue that replacing gay is pretty equal of an upgrade than replacing hartwig. hartwig isnt great but he isnt as bad of a center as willie gay is at cb. at least with thomas you get a guy that can play both FS and CB

Sure I can. If hartwig had a great player go down next to him then it would be comparable. statistically, hartwig was the worst player at center in entire draft. and the problem with assessing gay is it was his first season as a starter. sure he stunk it up. don't get me wrong i thought he was terrible. but hartwig has been a starter for how long and he hasn't gotten even a mite better. plus there isn't anyone under hartwig already. If we had two draft picks sitting behind hartwig, I'd change my tune a little bit. thing is legursky isn't any better than hartwig so...

[frankthetank1]

Fortunately, Kipers mocks don't usually happen. He's a sharp guy and all, but I want a DB or maybe a DL first. I want Defense in a bad way this year and a playmaker in the backfield.

only if that DB is NOT a corner and his name is Earl Thomas. I don't see such a dire need as all the other people on here. replace T. Carter with T. Polamalu and see how much better our secondary plays. I wouldn't mind a DL there, but really, who do you take? all the ones that I would take are long gone by 18..
Pouncey would give us the most significant upgrade at any position on either side of the ball. thats how much better he is then hartwig...

you cant argue that replacing gay is pretty equal of an upgrade than replacing hartwig. hartwig isnt great but he isnt as bad of a center as willie gay is at cb. at least with thomas you get a guy that can play both FS and CB

Sure I can. If hartwig had a great player go down next to him then it would be comparable. statistically, hartwig was the worst player at center in entire draft. and the problem with assessing gay is it was his first season as a starter. sure he stunk it up. don't get me wrong i thought he was terrible. but hartwig has been a starter for how long and he hasn't gotten even a mite better. plus there isn't anyone under hartwig already. If we had two draft picks sitting behind hartwig, I'd change my tune a little bit. thing is legursky isn't any better than hartwig so...

willie gay plays on almost the entire opposite side of the field as troy and losing a DE doesnt affect the secondary except for qb pressure, which should affect ike just as much. hartwig has essex next to him and the season before that he had simmons and stapleton. those are some bad RG's. willie gay started at least 6 games in 2008 when bmac broke his arm so it wasnt his first season in that role. you shouldnt expect much out of lewis or burnett. they arent any better than gay either or they would have been playing instead of gay last season. hartwig isnt even the worst O-lineman that starts. i would say essex is the worst on the Oline