An OL Question that I need thoughts on

[Oviedo]

Why does every mock have us taking Guards when we seem stacked with interior linemen (Kemo, Hartwig, Essex, Urbik, Legursky, Foster) and we have nothing at OT (Starks, Colon, Hills and the new guy from Buffalo)?

I would think if we are going OL it would make sense that it would be an OT and not more interior linemen. Yet all the mocks have us taking guys like Iupati, Jerry, etc.

I know there was talk that Iupati might have the athleticism to develop into and OT but just cant wrap my mind around why everyone has us taking Guards.

Thoughts?

[Chadman]

Re: An OL Question that I need thoughts on

In Chadman's opinion- the OT position is somewhat set for the next few seasons with 2 reletively young starting OT's in Starks & Colon. Essex should be the swing back-up OT, & Scott might surprise. The Steelers could probably add an OT for depth, but they don't need starters there.

Why interior OL?

Because the starting RG last season was the underwhelming Trai Essex, who should really go back to OT where he won't be asked to be a bulldozer. Kraig Urbik was passed over by undrafted rookie Ramon Foster, who looked promising, but is hardly a set in stone option & might have a nice career as a rotational/ back-up OL guy. The RG position is just not set, at all, and could use an immediate upgrade. Add to that, the Steelers FO believes they can't convert short yardage running plays consistantly, so more beef in the middle goes some way to fixing that.

As for Center- Hartwig was, by almost every stat measurable, the WORST starting Center in the NFL last season. Chadman likes Legursky- but isn't willing to bet the house on him becoming the starter. And quite frankly- Chadman likes Matt Tennant more than Legursky.

So that is why Chadman looks at Interior OL in this draft.

[phillyesq]

Re: An OL Question that I need thoughts on

Why does every mock have us taking Guards when we seem stacked with interior linemen (Kemo, Hartwig, Essex, Urbik, Legursky, Foster) and we have nothing at OT (Starks, Colon, Hills and the new guy from Buffalo)?

I would think if we are going OL it would make sense that it would be an OT and not more interior linemen. Yet all the mocks have us taking guys like Iupati, Jerry, etc.

I know there was talk that Iupati might have the athleticism to develop into and OT but just cant wrap my mind around why everyone has us taking Guards.

Thoughts?

Here are my thoughts. Kemo has developed into a decent left guard, and I think he is pretty safe.

Hartwig and Essex are both average, at best. Neither is dominant as a run blocker or as a pass blocker. Essex, especially, isn't very athletic, and he isn't as powerful as you'd hope with somebody his size. Legursky is a solid backup, and may even be able to become an average starter. Urbik is unproven, and while Foster is versatile, it seems as though he would be no more than adequate.

The thinking with Iupati is that you replace an adequate player with one who is potentially dominant (of course, there are questions about Iupati as well). If the Steelers believe that he could become a dominant guard, I'd love for him to replace Essex, and move Essex back into the Foster role of game day swing lineman. If there was a Nick Mangold or Alex Mack type in this draft, I'd love to see the Steelers go in that direction, but it doesn't look like that type of talent is there this year.

While I think that a premium player at G makes sense, I really don't want to see another third rounder. The Steelers have plenty of guys who are adequate, and they don't need to add anybody else to the mix at G/C who will be just adequate.

The coaches seem high on Colon, and Starks is a decent left tackle. I'm not sure how the new OL coach views Colon -- if he seems him as a RT, than I'd rather lock up Colon. If he seems him as a RG candidate, than I think an OT makes a lot of sense as a high pick.

[ramblinjim]

Re: An OL Question that I need thoughts on

Well we are assuming that we keep Colon around too. He's at the end of his contract and everyone seems to think he's the best lineman on the team. I'm with the "if we just had a good blocking full back we'd do better" crowd.

[BradshawsHairdresser]

Re: An OL Question that I need thoughts on

Ken Laird is reporting that the Steelers are high on Pouncey for their first-round pick.

I'm not sold on Pouncey. Though he is one of the top-rated centers, I'm not convinced he's really a first-round talent. I'm not sure there's any center in this class that merits the 18th pick. I'd be OK with Tennant later on.

[birtikidis]

Re: An OL Question that I need thoughts on

Pouncey is as good as advertised. I personally think that he is as good as Mack was(and I know no-one will agree with me). He has the ability to get to the second level, he can pull, and he's strong.
as to the original question- weren't Essex and Foster both Tackles in college? weren't they playing out of position last season? I wouldn't mind adding a guard in the 3rd or 4th round...

[NW Steeler]

Re: An OL Question that I need thoughts on

I'd be pissed if we took Pouncey at #18. I've read a lot of reports that say he is a second round prospect at best, but is being overvalued because the C position is weak this year. The reason everyone is talking about the OG position is that we have a bunch of second string guys playing the position. We need an upgrade. If Colon is our best Olineman, then we definitely need to infuse some talent in our line, because Colon is average at his best, IMO. A lot of people point out that we won the SB with the Oline we have. We won XLIII because of a dominant D and a Houdini QB, not because of our line. I don't want to see us go back to Cowher ball, but I do want to see us become more physical and balanced on offense. We need some new horses on our line to do that.

[Steel Life]

Re: An OL Question that I need thoughts on

Go with Mitch Petrus in the 3rd for better value for the interior O-Line spots & he's a possible OC conversion (former Fullback). But I'm with O on this, I've gotten concerned with Pouncey's ability to handle the POA since he's operated mainly out of the spread. I'd prefer to find a young OT to develop like Tony Washington (Abilene Christian) in later rounds.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Re: An OL Question that I need thoughts on

I think you can look at the o-line pretty much the same way you look at the secondary.

At safety, we have starters entrenched (Polamalu and Clark), but not much in terms of depth (only Allen and Mundy). We have quality, but not quantity here.

At cornerback, we have more bodies (William Gay, Keenan Lewis, Joe Burnett, Trae Williams, David Pittman), so depth isn't as much of an issue, but we could certainly use an upgrade at starting CB (Who starts opposite Ike this year?). We have quantity, but not quality here.

Similarly...

At tackle, we have starters entrenched (Starks and Colon), but not much in terms of depth (Hills and Scott...or maybe move Essex or Foster from guard to tackle). We have quality, but not quantity here.

At guard/center, we have more bodies (Kemoeatu, Hartwig, Essex, Legursky, Foster, Urbik), so depth isn't as much of an issue, but we could certainly use an upgrade at starting C & RG (Hartwig and Essex are not the long term solutions.). We have quantity, but not quality here.

[Oviedo]

Re: An OL Question that I need thoughts on

I'd be pissed if we took Pouncey at #18. I've read a lot of reports that say he is a second round prospect at best, but is being overvalued because the C position is weak this year. The reason everyone is talking about the OG position is that we have a bunch of second string guys playing the position. We need an upgrade. If Colon is our best Olineman, then we definitely need to infuse some talent in our line, because Colon is average at his best, IMO. A lot of people point out that we won the SB with the Oline we have. We won XLIII because of a dominant D and a Houdini QB, not because of our line. I don't want to see us go back to Cowher ball, but I do want to see us become more physical and balanced on offense. We need some new horses on our line to do that.

Pouncey in Round 1 would be a horrible pick. he is not a power run game blocker and he would get eaten alive by the AFC North NTs. He play high and without great leverage. Most of his run blocking has been getting to the second level to pick off LBs to support the runs off tackle and outside that made up 75% of all the running plays that Floridsa ran.

If we took Pouncey at #18 it would be the worst #1 draft pick this decade.

[NW Steeler]

Re: An OL Question that I need thoughts on

Go with Mitch Petrus in the 3rd for better value for the interior O-Line spots & he's a possible OC conversion (former Fullback). But I'm with O on this, I've gotten concerned with Pouncey's ability to handle the POA since he's operated mainly out of the spread. I'd prefer to find a young OT to develop like Tony Washington (Abilene Christian) in later rounds.

I'd rather spend the picks at the top if we are going to pick OL. If we get 3rd round and later talent, it will be more of the same that we already have.

[birtikidis]

Re: An OL Question that I need thoughts on

I'd be pissed if we took Pouncey at #18. I've read a lot of reports that say he is a second round prospect at best, but is being overvalued because the C position is weak this year. The reason everyone is talking about the OG position is that we have a bunch of second string guys playing the position. We need an upgrade. If Colon is our best Olineman, then we definitely need to infuse some talent in our line, because Colon is average at his best, IMO. A lot of people point out that we won the SB with the Oline we have. We won XLIII because of a dominant D and a Houdini QB, not because of our line. I don't want to see us go back to Cowher ball, but I do want to see us become more physical and balanced on offense. We need some new horses on our line to do that.

Pouncey in Round 1 would be a horrible pick. he is not a power run game blocker and he would get eaten alive by the AFC North NTs. He play high and without great leverage. Most of his run blocking has been getting to the second level to pick off LBs to support the runs off tackle and outside that made up 75% of all the running plays that Floridsa ran.

If we took Pouncey at #18 it would be the worst #1 draft pick this decade.

I dont' know where you guys get this "he's poor at the POA and would get eaten up by NT's". He may struggle if he started next season (just like any other center that starts as a rookie, with few exceptions) but, I think the upgrade would be night and day difference. saying that, I wouldn't take him at #18 either... since I think our needs and value is on the other side of the ball.

[birtikidis]

Re: An OL Question that I need thoughts on

ESPN analyst Mel Kiper listed Pouncey as his fastest-rising prospect during a Thursday morning segment of SportsCenter.

“This kid has a higher grade, I believe, than (New York Jets’ first-round pick) Nick Mangold did when he came out (of Ohio State in 2006),” Kiper said. “A highly rated center like Maurkice Pouncey, who can play guard, could interest the Steelers at 18. I’ve had him (in a mock draft) with Philadelphia at 24.

“Everybody you talk to says he’s highly regarded now, a lot of praise coming for Pouncey.”

Pouncey, Kiper said, has “been solidly in the first round if you could find a team to take a center.”

Centers are not typically drafted in the first round, but in an extreme rarity, two were selected last season.

Kiper said Pouncey compares favorably to 2009 first-round picks Alex Mack and Eric Wood. Mack, who went to University of California, was taken by the Cleveland Browns with the 21st overall pick. Buffalo used the 28th-overall pick to draft Eric Wood out of Louisville.

Another ESPN draft analyst, Todd McShay, has projected Pouncey to be taken in the first round by the Indianapolis Colts with the 31st pick
[url]http://www.gatorsports.com/article/20100324/ARTICLES/100329643/1136?Title=Pouncey-climbing-on-draft-boards[/url]

[phillyesq]

Re: An OL Question that I need thoughts on

[quote=NW Steeler]

Go with Mitch Petrus in the 3rd for better value for the interior O-Line spots & he's a possible OC conversion (former Fullback). But I'm with O on this, I've gotten concerned with Pouncey's ability to handle the POA since he's operated mainly out of the spread. I'd prefer to find a young OT to develop like Tony Washington (Abilene Christian) in later rounds.

I'd rather spend the picks at the top if we are going to pick OL. If we get 3rd round and later talent, it will be more of the same that we already have.[/quote:1unmn0mg]



The Steelers have enough mediocrity on the offensive line. Either make a significant upgrade or do nothing, as long as they don't keep adding more mediocre players to the mix.

[NW Steeler]

Re: An OL Question that I need thoughts on

Yes, and that is why I think Chadman's mock makes a lot of sense.