Annual PlanetSteelers Board Mock Draft (official selection thread)

[RuthlessBurgher]

The Buffalo Bills addressed their need for an impact WR apart from Stevie Johnson by selecting Tavon Austin in round 1 (after a trade down with San Diego). Now they need to address their o-line after losing Andy Levitre in free agency. New coach Doug Marrone came to Buffalo from Syracuse, and he likes his versatile former o-lineman Justin Pugh. Pugh could start at Levitre's old LG spot as a rookie, but he also has the versaility to play tackle, so he could potentially be a replacement for journeyman RT Erik Pears next year (or, if Pugh shows good enough feet to play LT, they could put Pugh at LT in the future and move the mauling Cordy Glenn over the RT in the future...or even move Glenn inside to guard where he can pull and open holes for Fred Jackson and C.J. Spiller. The coach has a lot of options with these versatile o-linemen.

The Buffalo Bills are proud to select:

Syracuse G/T Justin Pugh

[pfelix73]

The Dolphins cannot believe their eyes and what players are on the board here. Since we just signed Danelle Ellerbe away from the Ravens, we really don't have need for a Manti Teo. We have some good young rb's in the stable, however, we just cannot pass up the opportunity to pick what we see as this year's top RB prospect.....

So therefore, with our 2nd round pick in the 2013 draft, the Miami Dolphins select:

Eddie Lacy RB Alabama

Height: 5 ft 11 in Weight: 231 lb


lacy.jpg


Welcome to Miami, Eddie........!

[RuthlessBurgher]

The Buccaneers addressed their ailing secondary by selecting CB Xavier Rhodes in round 1 (provided that they do not use that pick to trade up for CB Darrelle Revis, of course). I actually considered giving Tampa back-to-back corner picks, since it looked like they were going to be cutting last year's CB free agent acquisition Eric Wright (who was given a 4 game suspension last year), but they instead gave Wright a significant pay cut and are keeping him around for 2013. In addition to adding new blood to your secondary, the other way to improve a pitiful pass defense would be to pressure the QB. Adrian Clayborne had 7.5 sacks as a rookie 2 years ago, but he was limited to just 3 games last season and had no sacks. Da'Quan Bowers has only 4.5 total sacks in 2 seasons combined. They added George Selvie in free agency, but he only has 3 total sacks in 3 years. Therefore, they could use some boost to their pass rush.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are proud to select:

Texas DE Alex Okafor

[RuthlessBurgher]

The Carolina Panthers addressed the middle of their d-line in round 1 with Sheldon Richardson. They still have many other needs. Corner was a possibility after cutting Chris Gamble, but they re-signed Captain Munnerlyn and brought in D.J. Moore and Drayton Florence in free agency. Safety was a possibility, since Matt Elam or Eric Reid would provide an upgrade over former Raven Haruki Nakamura. An OL upgrade at either guard or tackle would be useful as well. However, they haven't had a legit WR opposite Steve Smith since Muhsin Muhammad (plus, Steve Smith is aging and won't be around forever). Brandon LaFell is okay, but they could use someone else (and Ted Ginn, who they signed in free agency, is certainly not the answer as WR...as a return man, maybe, but that's about it).

The Carolina Panthers are proud to select:

USC WR Robert Woods

[RuthlessBurgher]

New Bills coach Doug Marrone liked both of his former Orangemen, Justin Pugh and Ryan Nassib, and the trade down with San Diego allows him to take both of them in the 2nd round. Normally, the QB would be the priority over the utility lineman, but with two 2nd round picks separated by Miami, Tampa, and Carolina, he decided to take Pugh first, knowing that the Dolphins, Bucs, and Panthers already had Tannehill, Freeman, and Newton at QB and wouldn't be drafting another QB in round 2. Kevin Kolb was signed only as a stopgap measure for them, as Marrone plans to implement his offense using his college QB under center.

The Buffalo Bills are proud to select:

Syracuse QB Ryan Nassib

[flippy]

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Another day, another turkey leg. I tell ya, I just can't get enough bacon.

Speaking of turkey wrapped bacon, we've got another little surprise up our sleeves in St Louis for today. Jeff and I have decided getting a top safety is a priority in this draft and in our opinion the best one is still on the board. The only thing is everyone else seems to think he's a CB.

This young man plays the ball like one of the best WRs in the game. With his hands, I have no idea how he ended up playing Defense. But we like him. He's a great athlete. He's aggressive. He's a big hitter. And we feel strongly with him in center field, this defense can get to the next level.

The St Louis Rams select David Amerson - NC State - S

[RuthlessBurgher]

Dallas' biggest needs have been interior OL and safety. They were lucky to have one of the top guards fall into their laps in round 1 when they got Jonathan Cooper. Now they are luck to have one of the top safeties fall into their laps in round 2. The Cowboys brought in Matt Elam's older brother Abram into the league as an UDFA in 2006 (no starts, but played in 15 games on special teams), and then brought him back to Dallas once again in 2011 (where he started all 16 games as a safety), so Jerry Jones already knows this family well.

The Dallas Cowboys are proud to select:

Florida safety Matt Elam

[steelblood]

The Pittsburgh Steelers proudly select Khasim Greene LB Rutgers. Greene is a hard hitting athletic playmaker in the mold of Lawrence Timmons. Greene plays very well in space and loves separating the ball from players. Having two athletic ILBs will allow the Steelers to stay in base formation more as these two linebackers can cover athletic TEs and slot receivers in short areas. WRs better invest in more short term disability if they intend to run slants against the Steelers in 2013.

[RuthlessBurgher]

I have the first 5 picks on Monday morning, so I am going to make them now, leaving my Monday morning at work free to do some actual work (imagine that). Once I knock off these 5 picks now, then I will only have one more pick to make around lunchtime and that will be all for me. Not bad.

The Giants addressed their need along the OL in round one with D.J. Fluker, and now they can address a need at linebacker. They let Michael Boley and Chase Blackburn go, and signed Keith Rivers and Dan Connor, but both were one-year deals for backup money, so they could use a long term answer at LB.

The New York Giants are proud to select:

LSU LB Kevin Minter

[RuthlessBurgher]

The Bears traded out of round one, picked up TE Zach Ertz earlier in round 2, and now have 2 out of the next 4 picks to fill other needs, including offensive line and linebacker. They let Brian Urlacher and Nick Roach go, and signed D.J. Williams and James Anderson, but both were one-year deals for backup money, so they could use a long term answer at LB. If that last sentence sounds like it was just cut-and-pasted from the previous Giants entry with the names changed, that's because it was. Both teams got rid of a couple of veteran LB's and signed a couple of cheap LB replacements on 1 year deals. Weird.

The Chicago Bears are proud to select:

Notre Dame LB Manti Te'o

[RuthlessBurgher]

The Washington Redskins did not have a first round pick as a result of the trade for RGIII last year. Their biggest need is in the secondary. They brought DeAngelo Hall back on a minor one year deal and added E.J. Biggers on another minor one year deal. They really could use some young talent to build on in the defensive backfield.

The Washington Redskins are proud to select:

Mississippi State CB Johnthan Banks

[RuthlessBurgher]

The Minnesota Vikings had 2 picks in round 1, selecting CB Desmond Trufant and DT Sylvester Williams. They were considering completing the trifecta of using their first 3 picks to address each level of their defense by selecting a LB here...Minter and Te'o were both possibilities here, but were just selected a few picks ago, so that settles that. They also considered adding a complement to last year's successful draft pick of Harrison Smith (Eric Reid is certainly tempting), but they decide instead to give Christian Ponder another weapon opposite free agent acquisition Greg Jennings. They cannot believe that a projected first round wideout is still available this late in first round (and frankly, neither can I). They were tempted to use one of their first round picks on this guy, so to get him in the second round with their third selection of this draft, is a tremendous bonus.

The Minnesota Vikings are proud to select:

California WR Keenan Allen

[RuthlessBurgher]

With TE Zach Ertz and LB Manti Te'o added earlier this year, the Bears now need to continue to improve their o-line. The got the ball rolling in free agency by adding Jermon Bushrod, Matt Slauson, and Eben Britton, but they could also use an injection of young blood that could be a building block for the future for them. There are a lot of options here. OT Menelik Watson is available. OG Larry Warford is available. OC Travis Frederick is available. They could take any of those guys here, but may prefer someone who is a bit more versatile. If healthy, Barrett Jones could have been that guy, but instead they will pick an up-and-coming talent with pretty impressive NFL bloodlines.

The Chicago Bears are proud to select:

Oregon G/T Kyle Long

[thor75]

Has time run out on Pfelix73?? If so

Charles Woodson was released leaving a vacancy in the defensive backfield. MD Jennings has not shown much to warrant any faith in him filling the spot. Ted Thompson continues to improve the defense up the middle and is ecstatic that the playmaking safety from Fresno State is still available.

With the 55th pick in the 2013 NFL draft, the Green Bay Packers select:

Phillip Thomas, S, Fresno State

Height 6’1”
Weight 208 lbs
4.59 40 yd

Led the nation with 8 interceptions (3 returned for TDs) in 2012 and was a finalist for the Thorpe Award. A playmaking safety responsible for 20 turnovers throughout his career, he has good agility and is a sure tackler. Will sometimes get sucked inside, but may be corrected with pro level coaching. Team Captain in 2012.

[RuthlessBurgher]

No pick for the Dolphins, so I leapfrog them a second time with Seattle, then make Miami's pick so that we can keep going forward this afternoon.

After trading their first round pick away in the Percy Harvin deal, this will be Seattle's first selection in the draft. Breno Giacomini has been a liability at RT, and can be upgraded. Luckily, there is a quality OT available for the taking, so the Seahawks can have solid bookend tackles (with entrenched LT starter Russell Okung) to keep Russell Wilson upright and to seal the edge for Marshawn Lynch.

The Seattle Seahawks are proud to select:

Florida State OT Menelik Watson