The Steelers could find value @ TE

[feltdizz]

The draft can't get here soon enough... Eifert has turned into the savior of our draft. He will probably be gone by the time we draft anyways. If we don't need him to block then why the hell do we need him? Just get a big WR or draft the other TE with good hands in a later round.

[grotonsteel]

So Eifert at #17 is bad but good at #20? Or does it have to be #25? #30?

Sorry, but your poisiton makes no sense to me. If he is the player you want then you take him when you can get him. Eifert is the #1 rated player at his position in this draft. He is worth #17.

Especially if the option is a defensive player who will be on the sidelines for two seasons.

If Steelers remain at 17 i would prefer Steelers drafting either a pass rusher..DB or a WR...A game changer. I just don't think TE is going to be the difference maker. Ben excels in 3 WR sets...Do you think Eiffert is going to see lot of time once Heath returns back??? The only thing i can envision is Eiffert blocking at the line once Miller comes back and become the No.1 TE.

At #17 i definitely don't think he is BPA...He may be No. 1 TE in the draft but he is not a BPA at 17 IMO...

[Oviedo]

The draft can't get here soon enough... Eifert has turned into the savior of our draft. He will probably be gone by the time we draft anyways. If we don't need him to block then why the hell do we need him? Just get a big WR or draft the other TE with good hands in a later round.

Who is that 6'5 250lb WR that you would prefer who is a size and strength mismatch for CBs and Safeties and can outrun LBs? That WR doesn't exist in this draft unless we are trading for "Megatron."

People need to quit undervaluing TEs and recognize the league has changed and they are one of the most importnat position now in an effective offense for their receiving skills not being another OT.

[JUST-PLAIN-NASTY]

I think what he is referring to is "value". I sit the same way. I wouldn't take Eifert @ #17. However, with a trade down scenario that provides an additonal 3rd round pick, Eifert & a 3rd would represent greater 1st round value if you end up taking him in the 20's. You risk possibly losing him to another team by doing that but you stay true to your board. He may represent filling a need who will give you earlier production than taking an OLB, but if you grade him lower than that OLB...And he is your guy....Get more value. Otherwise, in my book, if you can't trade out..You go BPA. If it is an OLB on their board, so be it.

[Captain Crunch]

I think a great value pick will be Travis Kelce in the 3rd he has the same measurables as Eifert and was very productive last year. He has a lot of upside. 1st Patterson, 2nd Arthur Brown.

[Oviedo]

I think a great value pick will be Travis Kelce in the 3rd he has the same measurables as Eifert and was very productive last year. He has a lot of upside. 1st Patterson, 2nd Arthur Brown.

I heard Kelce has major character flags, e.g. failed drug tests.

I read something I can't find again that reported one scout saying he was a "mess"

[Chadman]

Who is that 6'5 250lb WR that you would prefer who is a size and strength mismatch for CBs and Safeties and can outrun LBs? That WR doesn't exist in this draft unless we are trading for "Megatron."

People need to quit undervaluing TEs and recognize the league has changed and they are one of the most importnat position now in an effective offense for their receiving skills not being another OT.

Chadman loves Ovi's enthusiasm for the TE position, but to call them 'one of the most important positions in an effective offense' is taking the argument to the extreme. 32 teams in the NFL. Of the top 32 pass catchers in 2012, only 6 were TE's. And of those 6, 2 came from such offensive superpowers such as the Carolina Panthers & Oakland Raiders. So 4 TE's came from what we'll call 'effective' offenses. And that's including Heath Miller- the Steelers offense is getting called 'effective' with the bias rule being used.

Needless to say, none of the top 32 TE's in the NFL in 2012 were the #2 TE's on their respective teams.

Is Eifert worth the #17th pick?

No, he's not.

[JUST-PLAIN-NASTY]

I think a great value pick will be Travis Kelce in the 3rd he has the same measurables as Eifert and was very productive last year. He has a lot of upside. 1st Patterson, 2nd Arthur Brown.

If Brown is on the board the pick before the Steelers in the 2nd, the Steelers may already have his name on the card and be standing at the podium waiting for the Cowboys selection to be turned in. I hear they are very high on him. Funny thing is, Te'O & Minter both may still be on the board.

[phillyesq]

Who is that 6'5 250lb WR that you would prefer who is a size and strength mismatch for CBs and Safeties and can outrun LBs? That WR doesn't exist in this draft unless we are trading for "Megatron."

People need to quit undervaluing TEs and recognize the league has changed and they are one of the most importnat position now in an effective offense for their receiving skills not being another OT.

How many Notre Dame TEs have been picked in the first few rounds and then subsequently failed to make a significant impact? John Carlson and Fasono come to mind. The guy in Minnesota has been ok, but not a game changer. If you are going to take a TE at 17, you need a Gronk like impact, or crazy athleticism like Vernon Davis. Eifert looks like he will be a good recieving TE, but I don't think he will be that good.

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

My only caveat is that Haley actually uses the weapon. If they just bring the kid in to be an extra blocker, they could go several ways there. I suspect that wouldn't be the case, though.

On the Steelers O last year, only one player put up career numbers, and that was the TE. I worry more about what Haley would do with a speedy receiver than what he would do with a TE.

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

To me the question is what is the marginal increase at TE compared to other positions. That goes for other positions as well. It seems that our positions of need this year are also those that are considered deep. So I guess my greatest consideration for round one is this - how much better is the guy we are drafting than the player at the same position that we can get in round two?

Consider our needs, and a random possible sampling of players available:

WR - round 1 - Patterson, Austin, Hopkins, Allen
round 2 - Hunter, Woods, Patton, Wheaton, Williams
round 3 - Bailey, Hopkins

TE - round 1 - Eifert
round 2 - Ertz
round 3 - Escobar, McDonald, Kelce

OG/OT - round 1 - Cooper, Warmack, Watson, Fluker
round 2 - Pugh, Long, Armstead, Warford

pass rusher - round 1 - Jones, Werner
round 2 - Damontre Moore, Jamie Collins
round 3 - Sio Moore, Lemonier

ILB - round 1 - T'eo, Minter, Ogletree
round 2 - Brown, Bostic, Alonso

CB - round 1 -Rhodes, Trufant
round 2 - Alford, Hayden, Banks
round 3 - Amerson, Wreh-Wilson, Slay

S - round 1 - Vaccarro, Elam
round 2 - Reid, Cyprien
round 3 - Swearinger, Thomas, Thomas, Wolff

NT - at least one of Jenkins, Williams, Hankins should be around in the second

So where does this get us? Confused

I think the only thing that I can see for sure is that if we are legitimately going after a NT then we should take him in the second.

[supersteeler]

I suspect the Steelers are going to throw all of us a curve ball in round one and select a player most of our mocks don't have. As for Eifert I would love the pick, but whoever they draft I'm rooting for them to hit it hit out of the park, no matter who I like.
With more holes to fill than normal it's important we do well in this paticular draft, but at the same time hope our current young players step up for this year and fill some of our concerns.

[Captain Crunch]

I heard Kelce has major character flags, e.g. failed drug tests.

I read something I can't find again that reported one scout saying he was a "mess"

I saw him interviewed on NFL network and read a couple of other recent interviews where he admitted being immature back in '09 and '10. He said he learned from his mistakes and has moved on. He said he has grown up in the past 3 years... He considers himself to be a high character guy now and says he would be a hard working asset to any team. Detroit and the Stains are supposed to have high interest him. He's from Cleveland.

[Mister Pittsburgh]

I saw him interviewed on NFL network and read a couple of other recent interviews where he admitted being immature back in '09 and '10. He said he learned from his mistakes and has moved on. He said he has grown up in the past 3 years... He considers himself to be a high character guy now and says he would be a hard working asset to any team. Detroit and the Stains are supposed to have high interest him. He's from Cleveland.

Pretty sure Rainey declared himself a saint.....

[grotonsteel]

I suspect the Steelers are going to throw all of us a curve ball in round one and select a player most of our mocks don't have. As for Eifert I would love the pick, but whoever they draft I'm rooting for them to hit it hit out of the park, no matter who I like.
With more holes to fill than normal it's important we do well in this paticular draft, but at the same time hope our current young players step up for this year and fill some of our concerns.

I read an article on some other site or maybe it was PS that 70-80% NFL Teams draft players in RD #1 whom they have met either during the combine or visted there Pro-Day or had a private workout with the player...Steelers are one of the team who draft players in Rd 1 whom they have met...maybe Mendy was an exception...


I think its a toss up between Arthur Brown and Cordelle Patterson...