Steelers interested in Michigan St RB Le'Veon Bell

[JUST-PLAIN-NASTY]

If you say you are an expert on all the players in your mock then great. Glad to have your well rounded opinion. No need to turn this into a big johnson contest...its just a fun discussion.

I never said I was an expert or pushed anyone in my mock. I was voicing my opinion on Bell & Big 10. I just felt you were putting him on a higher pedestal than he deserves and I can see why. I never had a problem with you Shawn. I never carry things over or hold a gripe. I just give my opinion and if it differs from someone else it turns into a debate. When it is over, I could be agreeing with you 110% on your next post. So don't think of it as a "Big Johnosn" contest. Seek me out if Bell becomes "the man" for us and I will be the first to tell you congrats & you nailed it because you were alot higher on him than I was.

He's still in my Top 5 RBs. I have 1. Lacy 2. Franklin 3a. Bernard 3b. Bell 5. Ball I have Michael @ #6 I think Michael could be farther up that list and want to put him ahead of Ball. Like some mentioned, Michael has attitude questions but he is an explosive athlete with very good RB skills that will need to put in the work at blocking. Kirby worked him out long & hard and Tomlin picked his brain as well. We will find out where the "attitude" stands. If they draft Bell...Lets hope he can give the Steelers the stability that Bettis gave to the Steelers for so many years.

[JUST-PLAIN-NASTY]

problem with Michael is he comes with a reputation for having a selfish attitude. do we really want to add a guy like that to our team?

Kirby & Tomlin dove into that. We won't know the outcome of that unless they draft him. His reputation has some scars. The reports centered around him being unhappy with his reduced role last year & made it clear to the coaching staff. That does happen with confident athletes who know there next step is the NFL. Their last year in college is the final page of their resume. You can understand why it happened..But you need to hear that from the player. Then see where the player goes with it to try & get a feel for the person/player he will be at the next level. That being said, I agree with you. If Michael says the wrong things about the sutuation...I don't want him on the Steelers. I would take the football player but I have to be 100% sure the attitude is recognized by himself and he takes a genuine responsiblity for being wrong.

[grotonsteel]

I'm hoping for Christine Michael. That dude is sick.

+1

I really hope Christine is the RB they pick...

My Mock Draft please....

[steelz09]

Kirby & Tomlin dove into that. We won't know the outcome of that unless they draft him. His reputation has some scars. The reports centered around him being unhappy with his reduced role last year & made it clear to the coaching staff. That does happen with confident athletes who know there next step is the NFL. Their last year in college is the final page of their resume. You can understand why it happened..But you need to hear that from the player. Then see where the player goes with it to try & get a feel for the person/player he will be at the next level. That being said, I agree with you. If Michael says the wrong things about the sutuation...I don't want him on the Steelers. I would take the football player but I have to be 100% sure the attitude is recognized by himself and he takes a genuine responsiblity for being wrong.

Or we could pick the best overall RB in this draft (i.e. Lattimore) who has zero character/selfish/legal issues. Of course, he has that minor injury issue For some reason, I think Lattimore will be drafted by the 49ers in the 3rd round.

[grotonsteel]

Or we could pick the best overall RB in this draft (i.e. Lattimore) who has zero character/selfish/legal issues. Of course, he has that minor injury issue For some reason, I think Lattimore will be drafted by the 49ers in the 3rd round.

But do you think Steelers has the luxury to draft an injured player who might have to sit for one complete year??

Colbert and Co were not happy with talent at RB position so i am sure they would not want to roll with Dwyer and Redman next season...

[SteelerOfDeVille]

But do you think Steelers has the luxury to draft an injured player who might have to sit for one complete year??

Actually, yes... I think Dwyer and Redman are good enough to handle the RB duties. Problem is, neither of them is currently under contract for 2014...and we'd have a 1st round talent that WOULD BE... what would make this a better selection is if they did sign a veteran like Ahmad Bradshaw or one of those guys.

Step back and think of it... Would you trade a 3rd or 4th rounder this year for a 1st rounder next year? That's essentially what you're weighing.

Having said that, here's to hoping he doesn't have to sit the whole season... unless someone else drafts him!

[SteelerOfDeVille]

I said Youtube because many pull up the highlihts and fall in love. I generalized my post for many. I can make an undrafted player look draftable just by putting up his highlights. You watch the game log highlights of players to get a feel.

You're spot on there... I tend to watch "player x vs team y" because i want to see what he does on every play, not just the highlights... but, how does he pick up the blitz, or pass block. how does he cactch? how does a LB pursue a play where he doesn't make the tackle - or does he stack and shed... etc, etc..

[grotonsteel]

Actually, yes... I think Dwyer and Redman are good enough to handle the RB duties. Problem is, neither of them is currently under contract for 2014...and we'd have a 1st round talent that WOULD BE... what would make this a better selection is if they did sign a veteran like Ahmad Bradshaw or one of those guys.

Step back and think of it... Would you trade a 3rd or 4th rounder this year for a 1st rounder next year? That's essentially what you're weighing.

Having said that, here's to hoping he doesn't have to sit the whole season... unless someone else drafts him!

To me its a huge gamble....Now if we sign Bradshaw and if he is healthy i am okay with Marcus pick...otherwise i will pass...

Now don't get me wrong i think Marcus Lattimore has great character..hard working and talented but if Steelers are drafting him i would want another RB in the draft...

I don't think Steelers are happy with Dwyer and Redman as starter...and they need someone from this draft to contribute in Running game..ala Alfred morris or Arian Foster or Blount..

[hawaiiansteel]

Former Michigan State RB Le'Veon Bell too 'big and pretty' to go later than third round of NFL draft

By Gillian Van Stratt
on April 19, 2013



Former Michigan State Spartan Le'Veon Bell's biggest hurdle has been proving to NFL scouts that he's a quick and pretty running back.

Having said that, it is the NFL draft we're talking about here, so predictability is far from the name of the game. But since impressing scouts as one of the best running backs at the scouting combine in February, Bell's stock has been on the rise.

In fact, ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay said Bell's combine performance was in the Top 3 of his position group. That didn't stop ESPN's KC Joyner from calling Bell one of his most overrated prospects.

But on Thursday, NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock expressed his supreme confidence in Bell's draft stock.

"I think Le'Veon Bell because of his size, his height, weight, speed, I don't see him getting out of the third round," Mayock said in a conference call. "I think he's too big and pretty."

Big was a characteristic Bell has had no problem convincing teams of. But even after shedding seven to eight pounds since pounding out 145 yards on 32 carries in a win over TCU in the Buffalo Wild Wings bowl, it's been the pretty part he's been trying to reiterate whether it be at the combine, his Pro Day at Michigan State or on his pre-draft visits with the Dallas Cowboys and New York Jets.

But outside of carrying around a highlight reel of his hurdles and spin moves, it's been difficult for Bell to shake the reputation of being a slow, Big Ten style bruiser.

"I think I've shown all I can show," Bell said Friday in an interview with Jim Miller on SiriusXM's NFL channel. "I just feel like the way that I play, you know I'm such a patient runner, that a lot of people look at me as slow. But I'm not a slow guy.

"My speed is good, especially for me being probably the biggest back in this class."

Bell ran a 4.60 in the 40-yard dash at the scouting combine and chose not to mess with the impressive time at Michigan State's Pro Day. WalterFootball.com currently projects him as a 2nd-4th round pick and has the Denver Broncos selecting him with the No. 28 pick in the third round (No. 90 overall). CBSSports.com ranks him the fourth-best running back available in the draft.

[URL]http://www.mlive.com/spartans/index.ssf/2013/04/former_michigan_state_rb_leveo_1.html[/URL]

[thor75]

A lot of good players in the second and third round this year. Pittsburgh really needs to make their mark here and score some home runs. Bell could be one of those. Competent and prudent drafting in the second and third this year could greatly improve our roster for years to come. I'm almost as excited for Friday as I am for Thursday night.!!