What do you want to do vs. what you think the Steelers will do

[RuthlessBurgher]

My current mock is in my sig...I'd love for our draft to work out like this.

Steelers' 1.24 and 2.56 for Cowboys’ 1.14

1.14 OG David DeCastro, Stanford 6-5 316
3.86 OG Brandon Brooks, Miami (OH) 6-5 346
4.119 WR Marvin McNutt, Iowa 6-3 216
5.159 NT Hebron Fangupo, BYU 6-1 323
6.193 FB Chad Diehl, Clemson 6-2 257
7.231 TE Chase Ford, Miami 6-7 255
7.240 ILB Shawn Loiseau, Merrimack 6-0 244
7.246 FS Blake Gideon, Texas 6-0 208
7.248 DE Ryan Van Bergen, Michigan 6-6 288
Priority UDFA OT Joe Long, Wayne St 6-6 308

However, I highly doubt that the draft would actually go down like this. I actually think that as fans, we tend to be focused on what we see to be the team's biggest needs along the o-line, and up the middle of the defense at NT and ILB. I think the team could throw us a curveball if the best player available is a cornerback or a safety instead (or even a TE as flippy posted in his new mock today). If someone like Stephon Gilmore (we'd take him over guys with character questions like Dre Kirkpatrick or Janorris Jenkins)or Mark Barron (who might fall because of double sports hernia surgery like Heath Miller once upon a time). Regarding what I think the Steelers might do, I think it could go down something like this:

1. CB Stephon Gilmore, South Carolina 6-1 190
2. OT Bobby Massie, Ole Miss 6-6 316
3. RB Isaiah Pead, Cincinnati 5-10 197
4. DE Derek Wolfe, Cincinnati 6-5 295
5. FS Trent Robinson, Michigan St. 5-10 195
6. NT Nicolas Jean-Baptiste, Baylor 6-2 335
7. LB Miles Burris, San Diego St. 6-2 246
7. WR Junior Hemingway, Michigan 6-1 225
7. TE Brad Smelley, Alabama 6-2 238
7. OG Lonnie Edwards, Texas Tech 6-4 320

If Gilmore's off the board in round 1 but Barron's available, we could flip-flip cornerback and safety in this mock and go with Alabama safety Mark Barron in round 1 and then someone like Furman CB Ryan Steed in round 5.

If Pead's off the board in round 3, we could flip-flop running back and nose tackle in this mock and go with Michigan NT Mike Martin in round 3 and then someone like Ole Miss RB Brandon Bolden in round 6.

If Wolfe's off the board in round 4, we could flip-flop defensive end and wide receiver in this mock and go with Iowa WR Marvin McNutt in round 4 and then someone like Michigan DE Ryan Van Bergen in round 7 (just like in my mock).

Any thoughts?

Feel free to post your own "what would I do" and "what I think the Steelers will do" mocks here as well.

[Oviedo]

The lack of early help at the Guard position would cause me the most concern. I would have no issue going OL in both Rounds 1 and 2. We need depth bad because we always have OL injuries, Colon's health is suspect, Pouncey has had recurring leg injuries towards the end of the last two seasons, but primarily our two Guards aren't that good.Without a better OL then nothing Haley does will be any better than what Arians did...just more inconsistency and poor execution blowing up what could be productive plays.

[feltdizz]

I want OL...

We will get BPA... probably on D.

[Keyplay1]

It just might be easier for the Steelers to do what has to be done than it is for us fans to speculate on what we would like to happen.

RuthlessBurgher said: If Gilmore's off the board in round 1 but Barron's available, we could flip-flip cornerback and safety in this mock and go with Alabama safety Mark Barron in round 1 and then someone like Furman CB Ryan Steed in round 5.

-----That is even more coincidence. Let me explain.

In the BigRob thread about the PHI OL Jason Peters injury, I started posting some stuff in mocks that came out a day or so after the injury. As expected several already had PHI taking an OL. One, I think it was Draft Dog had them taking OT Jonathan Martin. A player I think you had mentioned as an alternative Steeler pick in case everyone else was gone.

But, Dog also had Dallas taking DeCastro at 14. Whereas earlier almost all the mocks had them taking the SS Barron. Sort of an interesting switch there. That's one thing good about the draft you can only get one at a time.

But fortunately these things usually seem to work out real good for the Steelers. There will probably be more curveballs in the next 3+ weeks. Good? I think.

[Sugar]

I would love to get a stud ILB first, but the FO will probably go with OL.

[Shawn]

I want to grab a solid OLman, but I'm sure the Steelers will make me sob by selecting Adams (no I do not consider him a solid OLman) or Hightower.

[focosteeler]

I want to grab a solid OLman, but I'm sure the Steelers will make me sob by selecting Adams (no I do not consider him a solid OLman) or Hightower.

If we take Adams, Ben might demand a trade and cite personal safety as the reason

[Sugar]

I can honestly say that I'm not really excited about anyone that it looks like we would be likely to get except Keuchly and I don't think he'll make it down to us. Sure, there are a number of good players out there. I'm just not that pumped about any of them. Hopefully, we can get a solid BPA at #1 and some ham & egg contributors thereafter.

[Chadman]

If it's a wish list draft..

1. Devon Still DE
2. Keleche Omesele OG
3. Nigel Bradham ILB
4. Matt Reynolds OT
5. Davin Meggett RB


The rest would be a Safety, a WR, maybe another DL & a TE- at this point, not really picky as to who they would be.

Devon Still is an impact DL player, a guy that would likely move Hood inside & give a pocket crushing presence on the outside. If Heyward comes along as expected, this would give the Steelers a potentially dominant DL for years to come, but unlike previous years, also a DL designed to go after the QB in ways Hampton, Smith & Keisel are not as able to do. Omesele is a massive, agile OG who, in Chadman's opinion, is really not far away in ability from the top rated OG's. Bradham is just an impact player. Go watch film on him to see. Reynolds is a swing OT that could help in numerous ways, even inside at OG if required. Meggett is a do-it-all RB that could, at the least, be a 3rd down type.

[Shoe]

O-line seriously has to be addressed, there's no other way about it.

Today, our O-line would probably be:
LT - Gilbert
LG - Foster
C - Pouncey
RG - Legursky
RT - Colon

Gilbert was nicked a bit this year. Foster has been dependable, at least health-wise. Pouncey is a question mark... Not a small question mark either. Legursky certainly can be susceptible to injury. Colon has played less than 10% of games in two years.

Bottom line, our O-line is one, giant QUESTION MARK. Adding another question mark (i.e. Adams) would be silly. We need to solidify this position; not add to it's questionable status. If they moved up to get DeCastro, I would consider the draft a success with that one pick.

[focosteeler]

If we don't make any trades I wouldnt be upset if we had this....

1.24 -- Stephon Gilmore – DB – South Carolina 6’1” 193lbs
2.56 -- Brandon Brooks – G – Miami (Ohio) 6’5” 350lbs
3.88 -- Lucas Nix – G – Pittsburgh 6’5” 315lbs
4.120 -- Derek Wolfe – DE – Cincinnati 6’4” 295lbs
5.152 -- Marvin McNutt – WR – Iowa 6’3” 216lbs
6.184 -- Keith Tandy – CB – West Virginia 5’10” 195lbs
7.216 -- Miles Burris – LB – San Diego State 6’2” 240lbs

[steelz09]

I think I started this type of thread last year... It puts an interesting spin on things because you're asking us to be "objective" rather than just listing our favorites.

I want the Steelers to pick any of these guys:

DeCastro - I don't care if we need to trade up
Ingram - One can dream.. even in a trade up scenario
Cordy Glenn
Mark Barron
Worthy
Poe
Hightower
Gilmore
Konz - Probably last on this list. I'm not sure how I would feel about this pick but at least we would get a G.

That's a fairly large list obviously.... but I fear Tomlin will do the complete opposite of what I want and draft a guy like Mike Adams

[Oviedo]

I think I started this type of thread last year... It puts an interesting spin on things because you're asking us to be "objective" rather than just listing our favorites.

I want the Steelers to pick any of these guys:

DeCastro - I don't care if we need to trade up
Ingram - One can dream.. even in a trade up scenario
Cordy Glenn
Mark Barron
Worthy
Poe
Hightower
Gilmore
Konz - Probably last on this list. I'm not sure how I would feel about this pick but at least we would get a G.

That's a fairly large list obviously.... but I fear Tomlin will do the complete opposite of what I want and draft a guy like Mike Adams

I think Worthy, Poe and Barron are probably lower priority than Konz. Given that they are on defense how much would they really play anyway this season?

[RuthlessBurgher]

If it's a wish list draft..

1. Devon Still DE
2. Keleche Omesele OG
3. Nigel Bradham ILB
4. Matt Reynolds OT
5. Davin Meggett RB


The rest would be a Safety, a WR, maybe another DL & a TE- at this point, not really picky as to who they would be.

Devon Still is an impact DL player, a guy that would likely move Hood inside & give a pocket crushing presence on the outside. If Heyward comes along as expected, this would give the Steelers a potentially dominant DL for years to come, but unlike previous years, also a DL designed to go after the QB in ways Hampton, Smith & Keisel are not as able to do. Omesele is a massive, agile OG who, in Chadman's opinion, is really not far away in ability from the top rated OG's. Bradham is just an impact player. Go watch film on him to see. Reynolds is a swing OT that could help in numerous ways, even inside at OG if required. Meggett is a do-it-all RB that could, at the least, be a 3rd down type.

It's interesting that the Chadman sig mock is what he thinks the Steelers will do...he added his own wish list here.

Meanwhile, the RuthlessBurgher sig mock is my personal wish list...I added what I think the Steelers will do here.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Given that they are on defense how much would they really play anyway this season?

You give this justification every year. If you drafted with this mindset, you would never take another defensive prospect early in the draft ever again. Good luck with that.