Steelers will draft 15th in round 1.

[Oviedo]

I'm curious who you saw him go against where he was unimpressive. I want to youtube it myself.

Passing on Nix at 15 would be a HUGE mistake IMO. Would you pass on Haloti Ngata at 15? Ask Luke Kuechly (he of 24 tackles in one game), whether he approves of his team's decision to draft Star Lotulelei, last year.

Nix is not close to being Ngata, that is crazy talk. I don't think he is close to Lotulelei either.

I'd like to ask you what game against a really good team did you ever see Nix dominate? Just look at last year's game against Alabama where he played against Off Linemen who will also be playing on Sundays. He was a complete non-factor. He got handled which is why T'eo always had a Guard on him at MLB.

Our problems this year were lack of pass rush and the inability to get a takeaway. Drafting Nix doesn't fix either of those in a league that will pass more and more going forward. We can get a NT is Round 2 or later.

[grotonsteel]

Nix is not close to being Ngata, that is crazy talk. I don't think he is close to Lotulelei either.

I'd like to ask you what game against a really good team did you ever see Nix dominate? Just look at last year's game against Alabama where he played against Off Linemen who will also be playing on Sundays. He was a complete non-factor. He got handled which is why T'eo always had a Guard on him at MLB.

Our problems this year were lack of pass rush and the inability to get a takeaway. Drafting Nix doesn't fix either of those in a league that will pass more and more going forward. We can get a NT is Round 2 or later.

Well said. But i don't think there is any DB worth taking at #15 in this draft.

I think it will be great if Steelers can trade down and get additional pick in third Rd. I would like Steelers to draft an athletic TE if they trade down or LT if they stay put. Load on Defense in later rounds.

I have not seen Nix play much but i have read on other Steelers forum or maybe this forum that he got dominated by under-sized Navy O-linemen. If true i hope Steelers stay away from him.

[JUST-PLAIN-NASTY]

Ben had faith in Sanders and made him better, if he would have made a couple crucial catches we'd all be singing his praises. Wheaton was barely on the field, difficult to make someone better when he's on the bench. Ben continued to go to Sanders regardless of the drops which shows confidence in the player. We need to look no farther than Mike Wallace to see that having Ben is extremely beneficial to a receiver.

Heck Wallace and Sanders had nearly identical stats with Wallace out gaining him by about 175 yards and Sanders had one more TD. If Sanders makes two more catches (the ones that don't cost us a game) we'd be praying and hoping to keep him. The fans may be mad at him, but I am almost positive that Ben isn't and would love for the front office to keep him and Cotchery.

Pappy

Just like I said...Those drops were on Sanders. How does BB make him not drop them. "Sanders" has to have it. Playing with BB just doesn't give him the skill of being clutch. Confidence in Sanders because BB went back to him? There are so many receivers on the field. You have your progressions. When that guy is open you throw it. So Sanders has key drops...Rounding off & quiting on routes....And Wheaton STILL can't get on the field. Wheaton was on the bench for many reasons...Wheaton put himself there.

Sanders will want more money than he is worth. He will never overtake Brown & is less of a WR. Let him walk & hope Wheaton turns out to be what you thought he would be. However...The Steelers will still be mising the physical WR that will benefit from AB. That isn't Sanders, Wheaton, or Cotchery...He isn't on the roster. They want to put the offense in the "elite" category...They need to go get another WR & a TE that could flex out while Miller is here. 12 personnel becomes the base offense & that formula will make them a contender starting in '14.

Wallace isn't the example of BB making a WR better. Wallace followed the smell of money & signed on with a lesser QB. If Wallace played with Aaron Rodgers everyone in here would be saying why did we let him get away.

[JUST-PLAIN-NASTY]

If Nix was Ngata...I would be saying trade up for him! Nix isn't Ngata...Nix isn't Casey Hampton. If the Steelers traded outside Top 25 I might consider him.

[Oviedo]

Well said. But i don't think there is any DB worth taking at #15 in this draft.

I think it will be great if Steelers can trade down and get additional pick in third Rd. I would like Steelers to draft an athletic TE if they trade down or LT if they stay put. Load on Defense in later rounds.

I have not seen Nix play much but i have read on other Steelers forum or maybe this forum that he got dominated by under-sized Navy O-linemen. If true i hope Steelers stay away from him.

The Navy game was the last one I saw him play and he did little. IMO he will not command a double team by opponents.

[pfelix73]

I'll just throw this idea out there.... How about moving Jones to ILB and drafting Trent Murphy out of Stanford. Guy is one hell of a player and leader. 6'6" 261 lbs.. Might even make a good DE in the 3-4....? Projected as a 1st rounder... bring him on up to 15 from the low- mid 20's..

[papillon]

Just like I said...Those drops were on Sanders. How does BB make him not drop them. "Sanders" has to have it. Playing with BB just doesn't give him the skill of being clutch. Confidence in Sanders because BB went back to him? There are so many receivers on the field. You have your progressions. When that guy is open you throw it. So Sanders has key drops...Rounding off & quiting on routes....And Wheaton STILL can't get on the field. Wheaton was on the bench for many reasons...Wheaton put himself there.

Sanders will want more money than he is worth. He will never overtake Brown & is less of a WR. Let him walk & hope Wheaton turns out to be what you thought he would be. However...The Steelers will still be mising the physical WR that will benefit from AB. That isn't Sanders, Wheaton, or Cotchery...He isn't on the roster. They want to put the offense in the "elite" category...They need to go get another WR & a TE that could flex out while Miller is here. 12 personnel becomes the base offense & that formula will make them a contender starting in '14.

Wallace isn't the example of BB making a WR better. Wallace followed the smell of money & signed on with a lesser QB. If Wallace played with Aaron Rodgers everyone in here would be saying why did we let him get away.

Exactly right on Wallace and Rogers or Brees or Manning or Brady, etc., but not Tannehill. Ben is light years better than Tannehill and that's the biggest reason that a receiver with average hands, that doesn't fight for the ball and can't high point it was successful with Ben and not Tannehill. Ben could get him the ball more often than not, Tannehill didn't even look for Wallace as his #1, it was Hartline, Ben is the difference IMO.

Of course QBs have their progressions and if a receiver is open he'll throw it to him, but Ben is big and strong enough that if he didn't have faith in Sanders he doesn't have to throw it to him as he gets through the progressions, he could simply go to the next or turn the play into backyard football as he has for the 9 years prior. Ben is one of the few QBs that can actually make the decision not to go to a receiver if he doesn't trust him, because he can buy the time to find one he does trust.

I can't debate his route running with you, because I don't watch closely enough to see his routes and typically on TV you can't see the entire route tree of all the receivers on a given play. All I'm saying is that, despite what fans think, Ben thinks Sanders is a pretty good receiver and is hoping they can retain him, just my opinion.

I don't want Sanders to overtake Brown, I'd like for him to turn into Antonio's "Reggie Wayne" of Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne fame with the Colts, that would be fine by me.

Pappy

[Shoe]

Nix is not close to being Ngata, that is crazy talk. I don't think he is close to Lotulelei either.

I'd like to ask you what game against a really good team did you ever see Nix dominate? Just look at last year's game against Alabama where he played against Off Linemen who will also be playing on Sundays. He was a complete non-factor. He got handled which is why T'eo always had a Guard on him at MLB.

Our problems this year were lack of pass rush and the inability to get a takeaway. Drafting Nix doesn't fix either of those in a league that will pass more and more going forward. We can get a NT is Round 2 or later.

Ovi,
Respectfully, if you thought he got handled in that BCS game, then it tells me where you are coming from. I had to re-watch it myself ([url]http://youtu.be/GhBLKebN_b8[/url]), just to make sure... and I stopped watching around the 6 minute mark, because I didn't need to watch any more.

He didn't put up gaudy statistics or even dominate, but saying he got handled...

[feltdizz]

Great post Buck and you make some excellent points. However i feel as though Nix could very well give us Hampton type production and therefore would not be a reach at all at 15. And i also would not pass on an exceptionally talented receiver with size to put on the field with Brown if Nix were off of the board.

I mean honestly,... with Ben finally showing signs of playing like a polished passer to a degree,... i think a player like Mike Evans or the Kid from Florida State (should he declare) would be an exceptional pick at 15 and immediately put us in the position to actually be dominant on offense with a healthy O-line and Bell being productive.

Nothing in Bucks post sounded like Nix would be a reach unless drafting for position of need at 15 with a guy many consider to be top 20 is the new definition of reaching.

[feltdizz]

Nix is not close to being Ngata, that is crazy talk. I don't think he is close to Lotulelei either.

I'd like to ask you what game against a really good team did you ever see Nix dominate? Just look at last year's game against Alabama where he played against Off Linemen who will also be playing on Sundays. He was a complete non-factor. He got handled which is why T'eo always had a Guard on him at MLB.

Our problems this year were lack of pass rush and the inability to get a takeaway. Drafting Nix doesn't fix either of those in a league that will pass more and more going forward. We can get a NT is Round 2 or later.

Dude... ND has the #1 rushing D in 2012 and Nix was the anchor. Nix also wasn't handled by Alabama. What the hell were you watching? LOL...

[papillon]

Dude... ND has the #1 rushing D in 2012 and Nix was the anchor. Nix also wasn't handled by Alabama. What the hell were you watching? LOL...

He's fearful that if the Steelers draft Nix they won't go to the 4-3 and that Lebeau might actually make something out of Nix which could leave Lebeau in command of the defense for another few years.

Pappy

[feltdizz]

Ovi,
Respectfully, if you thought he got handled in that BCS game, then it tells me where you are coming from. I had to re-watch it myself ([URL]http://youtu.be/GhBLKebN_b8[/URL]), just to make sure... and I stopped watching around the 6 minute mark, because I didn't need to watch any more.

He didn't put up gaudy statistics or even dominate, but saying he got handled...

talk about a joke... Nix was a beast in that game. He wasn't the reason Bama put up stats.

[Oviedo]

I'll just throw this idea out there.... How about moving Jones to ILB and drafting Trent Murphy out of Stanford. Guy is one hell of a player and leader. 6'6" 261 lbs.. Might even make a good DE in the 3-4....? Projected as a 1st rounder... bring him on up to 15 from the low- mid 20's..

I would take Trent Murphy in a nano-second. Guy is a great football player.

[Oviedo]

He's fearful that if the Steelers draft Nix they won't go to the 4-3 and that Lebeau might actually make something out of Nix which could leave Lebeau in command of the defense for another few years.

Pappy

What I think will have nothing to do with who they draft. I'm really not worried that Nix will "save the 3-4 defense" for the Steelers. If he does great for the team but I just don't see him as that kind of player.

I just think there are better players who will be on the board at that time who would be better for the team than someone who could well be a two-down player.

[MicroBioSteel]

Your question forced me to do more research on Nix since I haven't seen a ton of him. I based much of my assessment on old scouting reports and what I seen of him in the National Championship. The research I have been doing on him has changed my mind about the pick. I'm going to put up my assessment and change my mock. Good call.

Gotta give you credit Shawn for taking the time to reevaluate. Too often these days everyone is so dogmatic / hardheaded not to be open to a different viewpoint. I too have accepted Nix but am open to reevaluating that as time goes on and we learn/see more.