Chadman's "I got nothing to do" Mock..

[Chadman]

Sitting here, pretty quiet at work- got to thinking...Chadman 'could' do another mock...only this time, it could be 'awesome'!

And most likely, 'spot on the mark' too....


Here we go....

[Chadman]

Re: Chadman's "I got nothing to do" Mock..

ROUND 1

Ok, we all have debated the woes of the Steelers & it seems we all now fit into 1 of 3 catagories- CB, OG/OT or BPA.

Well, Chadman thinks group 3 (BPA) can be added to groups 1 & 2- so now we are looking at the BPA at CB or OT/OG. Given how the mock drafts haven fallen so far, and given the Colbert/Tomlin preference for ATHLETES who are often JUNIORS and will have time to develop, who come from good programs & compete against high quality opposition, the best fit at #31 could be...

AARON WILLIAMS CB TEXAS
6'1" 195lbs



He fits all the Colbert/Tomlin catagories- young, athletic & from a good program. He fits a need, certainly, as he could very well be asked to assume the #3 CB role right away. He's a big CB, which the Steelers have shown a preference for. And, he should be available at #31. Some may think he's a reach, but really- if he fits what you want, what's the difference between picking him at #31 instead of #38? Just get the guy that you like.

Read & React: Reads routes well and starts to close when receivers throttle down to catch curl or hitch. Sniffs out bubble screens. Gets fooled on double moves and misdirection when receivers and backs sell their routes. Recognizes run immediately in man or zone coverage and gets around the receiver to make the play.

Man Coverage: His size makes him a prototypical outside corner, able to stay with NFL pass-catchers down the sideline. Usually matches up with opponent's biggest receiver. Shows relatively quick feet when in the slot. Mirrors receivers on most straight-line routes but struggles to stop and return on throws behind him. Stays too high in his pedal, however, lets receivers eat up cushion too quickly. Needs to play more physically; usually plays well off the receiver, fails to land his hands when on the line. Gets pushed around too easily, allowing separation outside.

Zone Coverage: Practiced as a zone defender. Comes off of initial target a bit late, but gets to the ball in a hurry once he picks up the quarterback's read. Adjusts to jerk routes and can change his angle on the fly. Gets a hand on passes thrown over his head when underneath. Lacks great suddenness to change direction with quick slot receivers over the middle.

Closing/Recovery: A bit slow transitioning forward to plant and drive, but likes to make big hits and is tough for receivers to escape when he closes. Owns only adequate hands for the interception; picks off some easy passes but drops high and wide throws when in position to make the play. Able to knock away passes by swiping his long arm in front of receivers and winning jump balls. Lacks recovery speed if beaten off the line and does not gain ground running down the field.

Run Support: Solid run defender on the edge. Not afraid to take on large outside receivers and reacts quickly to get around potential blockers to make the tackle on running plays to his side of the field. Gets outside of the blocker to funnel plays back inside, but could do a better job shedding blocks when he's not able to elude them. Takes deep angles to be a last line of defense.

Tackling: Inconsistent tackler who displays the length and aggressiveness to wrap up ballcarriers but lacks great strength. Like to hit running backs on the edge and usually leads with a shoulder. Gives good effort, coming off his man to help teammates and laying out to make ankle tackles. Blitzes effectively due to his straight-line speed and size. Height can be a detriment against smaller, quicker ballcarriers; will leave his feet instead of dropping his hips to wrap and tackle. Gets dragged for extra yardage by stronger receivers.

Intangibles: Showed great maturity working though disappointing dropped punt against Oklahoma last fall. Missed UCF game in 2009 with a right knee injury. Uncle, Ken Taylor, played defensive back at Oregon State (1981-84) and Super Bowl XX champion Chicago Bears.

[Chadman]

Re: Chadman's "I got nothing to do" Mock..

Ok, so now we move on to Round 2. We've covered a major need in Round 1, appeasing many of the masses- but not all. We are still left with the issue of a poor OL, as well as an aging DL. The question is- what player/position best gives value at the end of Round 2? History still tells us that Colbert/Tomlin like their 2nd round picks to come from a big program/ good competition background. Not many risks are taken in the 2nd round, with value really being a key component of the picks taken. Let's look at a player that might present Value as well as Production (good program/competition) while still filling something of a Need, without being a huge Risk..

ROUND 2

MARCUS GILBERT OT FLORIDA
6'6" 329lbs



One thing we know about the Steelers- they like their OL BIG, and Gilbert is certainly that. He's definately the 2nd Tier type OT in this draft, but that does not making him a bad choice here at all- if slightly 'reachy' all the same. Having played on the same OL as Maurkice Pouncey, there will be some familiarity with at least one long-term teammate here in Pittsburgh. Body wise, he's a bit like LT Max Starks. Big Hotel Adams could grrom Gilbert to take the RT job in a years time, giving Pittsburgh a couple of mammoth OT's. Add to that Kemo in the middle & possibly Colon- you have the makings of a very big OL- should help pave the way for Mendy for years. Gilbert might not have the "upside" of some of the other OT's available around here, but his "bust" factor seems lower too. Don't forget- when Kugs & co were checking out Mike Pouncey- this guy got drills from Kugs too.

Pass blocking: Solid pass protector with a quick set, fluid lateral movement and willingness to go out and punch his man off the snap instead of waiting for the rush to come to him. Usually keeps his feet active and arms extended while engaged. Sustains after initial contact and can anchor against most ends. Good balance to protect the inside lane. Reacts quickly to late blitzers on most plays, escorting them around the pocket with his length. Must become more consistent picking up linebackers off the edge against 3-4 fronts. Gets down well to cut block on quick throws, but needs to get more of his opponent to take him out. Will lunge while recovering from strong initial contact.

Run blocking: Effective size and mobility to be an extremely effective positional blocker at the next level. Anchors against strong defensive ends well, resets his hands to sustain the block. Moves his feet to wall off backside run support and sustain until the play is away. Also has quick feet to the second level; does more than get in the way, will extend his arms to fully negate linebacker (raises them off the ground at times). Good drive-blocker, churns forward after engaging and will usher his man downfield for seven to 10 yards. Could potential turn defenders out of the hole. Athletic and long enough to block down on tackles and still push blitzing linebackers out of the play. Body control and posture must be more consistent; loses his balance when leaning forward against defensive ends or lunging towards linebackers at the second level. Will get tripped up in trash.

Pulling/trapping: Effective trapping inside and getting out in front of plays run to side because of his quick feet. Moves around the guard or tight end well for his size, is flexible enough to turn the corner and find a target. Takes out linebackers in space by latching on or laying out his tall frame on cut blocks. Needs to use his hands to get through trash and will get tripped up at times because he leans too far forward. Does not always adjust well to inside defenders; can get a hand on smaller defenders but is best when heading straight for his target.

Initial Quickness: Gets off the snap very well for his size, gets into his opponent if man-up on the outside or tries to get to the linebackers in a hurry. Strong punch and arm extension to pass protect or lock up his man on run plays. Quick kick-slide to mirror most strong-side ends, though not elite in this area; his length allows him to compensate against quicker college defensive ends.

Downfield: Has the mix of hustle and athleticism to get a hand inside on the tackle, push aside a linebacker and reach a safety ten yards downfield on a single run play. Does not always hit inside defenders or other intended targets, however, as quicker defenders will sidestep him because he runs upright. Can be too satisfied just getting in the way, needs to sustain downfield blocks longer to prevent his man from chasing down plays.

Intangibles: Reliable, durable player who consistently gives good effort. One of the team's senior leaders for 2010. Mature, well-liked player with no known character issues. Studies his playbook and constantly looks to improve. Father is a retired Secret Service agent.

[Chadman]

Re: Chadman's "I got nothing to do" Mock..

Now we enter Round 3. History tells us under Tomlin/Colbert that the Round 3 picks are, believe it or not, strangely effective contributors in Year 1- Manny Sanders, Mike Wallace, Matt Speath &...cough...Bruce Davis. OK, 3 out of 4 ain't bad. Also- you notice the 3 effective picks were all pass catchers. Now, one thing we must have noticed by now is the Steelers seem particularly interested in adding a TE to the playing roster- and given the success of pass catchers selected in Round 3, Chadman sees no reason not to drink from the well once more & select...

ROUND 3

LUKE STOCKER TE TENNESSEE
6'5" 255lbs



Stocker isn't the athletic basketball dunking, backflipping, unicycling, rollerblading, tunnell ball playing athlete that a DJ Williams or Julius Thomas is- but he is an effective blocker who has good hands for the catch & runs good, solid routes. In other words- he's a really good #2 TE on a team that runs a 2 TE set as it's base. His level of competition puts him in good stead to be a contributor in his first year. Another non-flashy, but unlikely to miss type player.

Positives: Soft, reliable hands and a large catch radius with long arms and surprising body control. Flexible athlete, can contort in space to adjust to poorly thrown passes. Likes to turn and catch rather than track the ball over his shoulder. Presents a big target over the middle and has shown the ability to take a hit. Is a load for defensive backs to bring down. Lowers his shoulder and gives good effort to try and break through tackles. Has good leaping ability to hurdle would-be tacklers. Long-strider who can pick up yardage in chunks if able to get into the open field.

Negatives: Despite his size, long arms and experience in a pro-style offense, remains a bit of a project as a blocker. Provides a good initial punch as a run blocker, but lacks the upper-body strength to sustain and is too often discarded. Works to meet and wall off the defender from the ballcarrier, but struggles to set and hold the edge. Has to do a better job of sinking his hips, planting his foot in the ground and creating some explosion out of his cuts. Can be lazy in his route-running. Isn't particularly elusive after the catch and doesn't have the explosiveness to consistently beat defenders down the seam.

[Chadman]

Re: Chadman's "I got nothing to do" Mock..

Now we are starting to get to the muck-picks. Guys that might make, might not. More athlete than football player. Risk/reward types. In other words- we start to look at guys that will hopefully be players, but are not guarentees. That does not, however, excuse the FO of just picking names out of a hat. And you can still find decent contributors in Round 4- if you do due dillegence. Willie Colon for example. Dan Sepulveda. Just avoid the Orien Harris & Ryan McBean's of the draft world. The top end of the draft is Safety-thin. However, the middle rounds give us a bunch of decent quality picks, and with the bulk of the player in this position likely to fall in these middle rounds, you are a decent chance of getting one of the few better prospects in this draft class around here...

ROUND 4

JAIQUAWN JARRETT FS TEMPLE
6'0" 198lbs



The Steelers have NEED at the DB position, and Troy & ryan Clark are not getting any younger. Add to that- Ryan Clark can hardly cover a children's book with plastic wrap, let alone RB's & TE's running seam routes. Ryan Mundy & Will Allen hardly give fans that warm fuzzy feeling if either of the Starters were to get Madden Cursed. So here we have a guy that was a leader of his teams defense, respected by his teammates & coaches. A guy that made plays. You know- the sort of guy you want on your team. Add to that- he's a pretty decent athlete & looks like he can play.

Read & React: Intelligent player with the football instincts necessary to start at the next level. Though he likes to attack run plays before the snap, his quickness and football intelligence allows him to get back into the deep third to be a factor in play action. Patient on misdirection, keeps his eyes in the backfield, plants and drives to the ball once it's clear where the play is going.

Man Coverage: Not asked to play a lot of man coverage, but owns the speed, change-of-direction agility and physicality to handle tight ends and running backs man-up and trail receivers over the middle. Backpedal is good for a safety, stays low and fluid, and will plant and drive to close. Needs more experience in man coverage.

Zone Coverage: Plays the part of a versatile cover-two safety well. Reacts quickly and lays big hits on receivers sitting down in front of him, rarely misses the tackle. Also comes across the field to lay a shoulder into unwitting ballcarrier. Makes quarterbacks pay for poor decisions with interceptions, but will allow some throws with pace to go through his hands. Can dislodge the ball from receivers' hands during or after the catch with his hands or a big hit.

Closing/Recovery: Has the requisite speed for the position, able to close on the ball quickly as a run defender and while the ball is in the air. Capable blitzer, works hard to get through blocks inside, even though he lacks the bulk or strength to overwhelm them. Recovers from false steps quickly. Occasionally overpursues plays because of his aggressive nature.

Run Support: Willing and able in run support. Flows through traffic to the ball inside. Flies up from the secondary when smelling the run, drops his hips and pops backs in the hole or slams into backs with his shoulder to halt them. When lined up on the hash, gets outside the play to force it back inside to the linebackers. Defeat cut blocks with quickness and hands. Relatively strong but has only adequate size, can be easily washed out of plays by linemen and fullbacks.

Tackling: Solid in the open field, capable of breaking down and getting square and low to form tackle. Bring his hips to wrap and deliver a strong blow when attacking run plays near the line. Has enough speed to get angles on ballcarriers heading to the sideline. Will be the second or third body into a pile to stop its forward progress. Gives great effort but lacks great bulk and strength; bigger backs can through his tackle attempts if they have a head of steam. Also needs stronger hands to get off receiver blocks downfield more consistently. Long-time special teams contributor, can work inside and outside on coverage units and is on the hands team.

Intangibles: Took over as the secondary's leader during spring 2010 practices. Coaches have nothing but good words to say about him, as he works hard in the class room and puts in time studying the playbook and his opponent. First name pronounced JAY-kwahn. Won the team's 2009 J. Myron Honigman Award for Spirit, Dedication & Loyalty.

[Chadman]

Re: Chadman's "I got nothing to do" Mock..

And here we are...finally! Round 5! The Round of Champions! Such awesome players such as Crezdon Butler, Joe Burnett, Dennis Dixon, Willie Gay & Cam Stephenson! Actually, for 5th round picks- that's not a bad group, to be honest. There seems to be a trend towards DB's in there too....however- we are breaking from tradition! (The DB tradition, not the decent pick tradition). One area Chadman has neglected so far in this draft is our aging DL. Some will point out that the need is more an 'in the future' type, as opposed to 'get a starter now'. Given how this draft has played out...let's hope that's true...

ROUND 5

BRANDON BAIR DE OREGON
6'6" 275lbs



Ok, so he's not the 'ideal' size at 275lbs. But Chadman is pretty sure Aaron Smith came in around the 280lb mark as a rookie. Because we are not asking Bair to be an everydown DE as yet, we could give him time to fatten up & become a 290lb monster at DE in a couple of season's. After all, with a 5th round pick, you gotta show some level of patience, right? Now, not only does Bair give the Steelers a younger prospect on the DL (admittedly- 26 at draft time), he also gives the fans some really cool options as far as nicknames/slogans go- "Bair Trap", "Bair Claw", "Baired Steel"...that sort of thing. It's important, you know?

The Ducks' explosive offense got all of the hype, but gutty play by Bair and the rest of the Oregon defense played a critical role in the Quack Attack of 2010. Bair is a similar-looking prospect to former Washington State star Rien Long. Bair primarily lines up at defensive tackle, but his long frame makes it unlikely he'll play that position in the NFL. With greater strength, Bair could develop into an ideal 3-4 defensive end.

Positives: Good initial quickness off the snap. Consistently among the first linemen off the ball. Good upper-body strength and leg drive to bull-rush blockers into the pocket. Active hands and a variety of moves (club, rip, swim) to disengage from the blocker. Long arms, which he uses well to keep blockers away from his jersey. Cognizant defender who uses his long arms to limit passing lanes, knocking down eight passes in 2010. Provides a strong initial pop to the blocker. Locates the football quickly and works his way to the action. Holds his ground against one-on-one blocking surprisingly well despite his long frame. Plays with good knee bend to maintain leverage and anchor in the running game. Good upper-body strength to seal and protect the edge when asked to play outside.

Negatives: Some view him as a 'tweener lacking the upfield speed to play defensive end and the strength and leverage to remain inside at defensive tackle. Is a good, not great athlete. Only marginal lateral agility and straight-line speed to react to scrambling quarterbacks and other ballcarriers on the perimeter and downfield. Plays hard, but his long legs get him caught up in the trash. Doesn't possess the balance or change-of-direction agility to handle quick athletes in space. Doesn't show a great deal of explosiveness as a hitter. Will enter the NFL as a 26-year old rookie as he spent two years on an LDS mission between high school and the start of his playing career at Oregon.

[Chadman]

Re: Chadman's "I got nothing to do" Mock..

Moving forward & we find ourselves entering the Realms of such heavyweights as Jonathon Dwyer, Antonio Brown, Ra'Shon Harris & Mad Mike Humpal. What you have to look for here is either a development project, or a ST type of guy. Or...you look for a specific role player type. Like, say a 3rd down RB...a pass catching RB...a guy with the speed to be a factor...a guy like...

ROUND 6

BRANDON SAINE RB OHIO STATE
6'0" 219lbs



Saine would provide an option to Mendy, to Redman & to Dwyer. He's Mewelde Moore, without the experience. But with more speed. And less proven abilty. He's not an every-down RB- and not meant to be. What more do you want in the 6th round? Like Brandon Bair- Brandon Saine provides us with another Brandon. Oh, wait...not the point- he provides us with another name we can create cool slogan's with- "In Saine", "Sainetly", "He's Steel In Saine"...that sort of thing...it really IS important!!

Strengths
Has excellent straight-line speed and can take it the distance once he's got some daylight. Excellent size-speed ratio. Has tremendous hands out of the backfield and catches the ball cleanly.
Weaknesses
Despite his size, he's not a power back. He thinks he's a scatback and is hestitant to explode through a hole. Dances too much for my liking. Doesn't make people miss. Inconsistent as a blocker in the backfield.
Projection
Lots of promise, but has too many weaknesses to be a featured back, despite the fact that he clearly looks like one. Can be an interesting 3rd down option because of his ability to catch the ball, but you don't draft 1-down players that early. Looks like a 4th-6th round selection.

[Chadman]

Re: Chadman's "I got nothing to do" Mock..

And so, the time is here...now we face, the final curtain..uh...round...Round 7! The round of insignificance! The round that produces more trolley boys than any other! the Round that has given us the likes of Doug Worthington, AQ Shipley, David Johnson, Ryan Mundy, Dallas Baker.....huh? wait- again, 2 of those guys have been reasonably productive. What is it with Colbert/Tomlin? Tombert & Collin? What time is it again? wait- focus Chadman...In Round 7, Chadman envisions hours of tape review leading to the one, simple conclusion- we need more DL players. We need guys like...

ADRIAN TAYLOR NT OKLAHOMA
6'4" 310lbs



Taylor's career has been sidetracked by the dreaded injury bug (he has been known to cut & paste his image on Madden 2011 covers when nobody was looking). He's a big bodied guy, with high character (despite the Madden cover thing) that played for a good college against good competition. Chris Hoke is old enough to be Taylor's father...in fact, he kind of looks like him in a Darth Vader/Luke Skywalker no resembelance type way...and will need to be replaced (sacrificed to the NFL Gods) in time (yesterday- noon) by younger bodies (see Adrian Taylor). It's Round 7- why not??

Strengths: Solid run defender, plays assignment-sure and eats up blockers while maintaining his gap discipline. Owns plenty of upper- and lower-body strength to earn playing time at the next level. Often played the nose tackle spot whether in three or four-man fronts; does not dominate as a run-stuffer but plays with enough leverage to stand his ground despite a three-technique build. Good lateral hustle when healthy. Moves down the line while engaged if facing zone blocking, keeps his eyes in the backfield to get to cutback lane. Good hustle down the line and to cut off outside rushing plays. Delivers pop off the snap playing with one or two hands on the ground. Engaging and well-liked among his teammates. Named to multiple All-Big Academic teams.

Weaknesses: Is not an elite pass rusher, pressures the pocket with his length and hustle. Cut-blocked quite often because of his height, does not beat those blocks with his hands very often and is inconsistent recovering to get back to the play. Lacks pass-rush moves and needs to use his hands to swim over defenders to penetrate. Plays tall at times, and can be moved out of the hole by centers with good upper-body strength. Lacks violent hands to defeat cut-blocks or disengage to make tackles. Flashes a strong rip move but is too inconsistent getting off blocks to be a regular playmaker. Had surgery on dislocated left ankle following 2009 Sun Bowl, suffered torn right Achilles in November 2010.

[Shawn]

Re: Chadman's "I got nothing to do" Mock..

I really like rounds 1 and 2...even though I think Williams will need time before he is a starter. Instead of Stocker would like to see Kendricks in the third.

As for Saine, just trust me on this one...we don't want him. I will grant the guy has really good hands. He is also very fast. With that said, I have never seen a guy who looks less like a running back than Saine at OSU. Not only is he hesitant, and seems to have poor vision...he has no and I mean no cutting ability. He has to slow significantly before making cuts. It's painful to watch. He is a guy better suited to run track.

If asked to run a streak, give him time to build speed...that is his thing. But, I don't know if he does anything else well. I would rather have Noel Devine in the 6th personally.

[Oviedo]

Re: Chadman's "I got nothing to do" Mock..

I really like rounds 1 and 2...even though I think Williams will need time before he is a starter. Instead of Stocker would like to see Kendricks in the third.

As for Saine, just trust me on this one...we don't want him. I will grant the guy has really good hands. He is also very fast. With that said, I have never seen a guy who looks less like a running back than Saine at OSU. Not only is he hesitant, and seems to have poor vision...he has no and I mean no cutting ability. He has to slow significantly before making cuts. It's painful to watch. He is a guy better suited to run track.

If asked to run a streak, give him time to build speed...that is his thing. But, I don't know if he does anything else well. I would rather have Noel Devine in the 6th personally.

Not thrilled either with Saine. He will probably go undrafted. I'd look to add a developmental LB in the position like Bruce Miller from UCF.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Re: Chadman's "I got nothing to do" Mock..

That mock was worth reading if only for this one gem of a sentence:

Taylor's career has been sidetracked by the dreaded injury bug (he has been known to cut & paste his image on Madden 2011 covers when nobody was looking).

[Chadman]

Re: Chadman's "I got nothing to do" Mock..

Guess Chadman's done something right if the biggest complaints are in regards to his 6th round choice...

[birtikidis]

Re: Chadman's "I got nothing to do" Mock..

If Gilbert goes before the 4th round.. I'd be shocked.

[steelblood]

Re: Chadman's "I got nothing to do" Mock..

That was fun. Thanks. Outside of Stocker and Jarrett, almost every pick you have has huge question marks.

Williams struggled as an outside corner. He was successful as a nickelback but looked a little stiff for the position at the combine. I'm not sure what his position is.

Gilbert has great talent but never really dominated at Florida as you'd expect.

Stocker is a lot like Spaeth. Why not just resign Spaeth and draft someone else?

Bair is older and really isn't strong enough to play much 3-4 DE yet. He's a project. I think he'd be a good pick here. But, he is very thin right now. I'm not sure he'll every be able to develop the anchor strength.

I live in Buckeye country. I don't really like Saine very much. He is an impressive athlete. I wonder if he isn't a WR in the pros. His skill set seems much more suited to WR.

Adrian Taylor could be good if healthy.

[Oviedo]

Re: Chadman's "I got nothing to do" Mock..

If Gilbert goes before the 4th round.. I'd be shocked.

Just not even mentioned with the top OT. Round 2 for him probably is a big overdraft.