Did the Steelers Make the Right Choice in May??

[BradshawsHairdresser]

Don't get me wrong, I think Shazier will be very good. He has shown that he has the potential to be an excellent player. I hope that in the long term, he proves to be superior to Mosley.

But I think this defense could have used, right away, in the present, a stud ILB.

[WindyCitySteel]

I think he's the long term replacement for Timmons, who is cuttable after next season. Then you go with Williams and Shazier inside.

Still need to beef up the front 3 and get better on the back end. Hopefully Tuitt and McCullers are future stars and we're left with only the back end to fix.

[feltdizz]

There it is, from Tomlin's mouth. If a player is from Ohio State, it gives him a huge advantage when it comes to the Steelers' evaluation.

This doesn't make any sense IMO. Sure, it's great to have a personal relationship with college coaches but it shouldn't be THAT important.

[phillyesq]

This doesn't make any sense IMO. Sure, it's great to have a personal relationship with college coaches but it shouldn't be THAT important.

It doesn't make any sense at all, but probably came off better than saying that they thought Mosley was damaged goods or identifying whatever their concerns were about him. You don't want to provide bulletin board material like that...

[hawaiiansteel]

Why The Steelers Passed On C.J. Mosley

Posted Oct 29, 2014
Ryan Mink
BaltimoreRavens.com Staff Writer

Pittsburgh drafted inside linebacker Ryan Shazier two spots ahead of inside linebacker C.J. Mosley.

Ravens inside linebacker C.J. Mosley is getting a lot of NFL Rookie of the Year buzz.

He’s rated as the NFL’s top inside linebacker by Pro Football Focus (PFF). He’s fourth in the NFL in tackles (76), and is proving to be a playmaker with two interceptions, a forced fumble and fumble recovery.

The Steelers, unknowingly, passed on all of that in May’s draft.

Like Baltimore, Pittsburgh was also in the market for an inside linebacker, but drafted Ohio State’s Ryan Shazier with the 15th-overall pick. The Ravens took Mosley two picks later.

It could be a decision that has long-lasting implications in the Ravens-Steelers rivalry.

So why did the Steelers pick Shazier over Mosley?

According to Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin, it boils down to Shazier playing at Ohio State.

The Steelers’ connection to Ohio State is like the Ravens’ association to Alabama through General Manager Ozzie Newsome. Longtime Steelers Defensive Coordinator Dick LeBeau is a former Buckeye, so the Steelers have close ties with Ohio State’s program, specifically on defense.

“It wasn’t us selecting [Shazier] over Mosley,” Tomlin said. “It was more about what we knew about him we had a level of comfort with.

“We have a close, personal relationship with his program, and with their defensive coaches specifically. They spend a lot of time over here during the offseason and have for a number of years, particularly the years he was there. We had taken [defensive end] Cam Heyward, who had played in that defense, in the first round a few years before. So it’s more about that relationship and knowing the system in which he played and the parallels to ours.”

The Ravens also draft in part because of college and system fits. It partly plays into why Baltimore took Mosley, outside linebacker Courtney Upshaw and nose tackle Terrence Cody in recent years.

Mosley said he never thought he was going to be in black and gold. It was ruled out early in the pre-draft process.

“When I was getting scouted, they pretty much told me I wasn’t going to be a Steeler,” Mosley said. “I’m fine with it. I’m at the right place and I’m glad I’m a rival with them.”

Mosley has made the Steelers’ lack of interest look misguided. While Shazier’s career is still in its infancy, he hasn’t had nearly as good a start as Mosley.

Shazier missed four games because of a sprained knee, which he returned from last week. He has 24 tackles in four games, with his best performance coming in Week 2 in Baltimore, where he logged a season-high 11 stops – one more than Mosley that night.

Both rookies came out of college as a new breed of inside linebacker, with Shazier being perhaps a little more unusual. They’re both smaller-framed, faster, more nimble players than the old-school, broad-shoulder run stoppers. Mosley is 6-foot-2, 235 pounds. Shazier is 6-1, 237.

However, Mosley has really outshined Shazier in run defense. He has a plus-10.0 rating from PFF in run defense while Shazier is negative-1.7. Both players have a plus-0.5 rating in pass coverage.

Tomlin was complimentary of Mosley and the start of his career.

“He’s a quality player, but we knew that going into the draft,” Tomlin said. “He’s proven that with his play.”

[URL]http://www.baltimoreravens.com/news/article-1/Why-The-Steelers-Passed-On-CJ-Mosley/1cf08fa7-674a-47ee-8981-a30bd5896cbb[/URL]

[K Train]

I dont have a problem with the reasoning at all

[feltdizz]

It doesn't make any sense at all, but probably came off better than saying that they thought Mosley was damaged goods or identifying whatever their concerns were about him. You don't want to provide bulletin board material like that...

but we DO draft a lot of Ohio State Buckeyes...

[Discipline of Steel]

I dont have a problem with the reasoning at all

That reasoning sounds reasonable...

[feltdizz]

I dont have a problem with the reasoning at all

I do... I want the best player possible regardless of where he played in college.

Now, if we didn't think he was a perfect fit for our scheme then I get it. But if the determining factor was the comfort level and personal relationship with Ohio State that's a problem that could bite us in the backside for a LONG TIME.

If Mosley balls out for the next 10 years in Baltimore this will be a HORRIBLE reason for not selecting him over Shazier.

I'm rooting for Shazier though since we can't turn back the clock.

[papillon]

I dont have a problem with the reasoning at all

I kind of do have an issue with this reasoning. If the Steelers had Mosley rated higher (which it seems they did) not taking him is kind of like buying something from a friend because he/she is your friend, but you pay more for it than you would have elsewhere. Hopefully, its a moot point when Shazier returns to the field he becomes everything the Steelers hope he will become. Right now though, you have to scratch your head and go huh? Why not Moseley?

Pappy

[K Train]

I mean we draft buckeyes like we are required to fill a quota.

But being familiar with the program and the players is a great determining factor.

I liked mosely, i thought he was a bit more keith rivers than he was luke kuechley...time will tell. But Bama defenders have been HIGHLY disappointing as pros for bieng such a dominant unit in college.

off the top of my head:

Rolando Mcclain - epic bust, but putting together a revived career now
Terrence Cody - Sucks
Courtney Upshaw - Overweight constantly, decent backup
Josh Chapman - Knees are shot
Jesse Williams - Knees are shot
Kareem Jackson - sucks
Javier Arenas - sucks
Mark Barron - just traded
Robert Lester - undrafted, backup player
Dee milliner - sucks
Dre Kirkpatrick - sucks
Donta Hightower - inconsistent but i always liked him

Mosley had injury concerns, and i do really think bama players were very difficult to evaluate individually in the Saban era. Steelers stuck to what they knew, I dont have a problem with that especially because i think shazier will be a star player for us
Marcel Dareus - good player

[K Train]

I kind of do have an issue with this reasoning. If the Steelers had Mosley rated higher (which it seems they did) not taking him is kind of like buying something from a friend because he/she is your friend, but you pay more for it than you would have elsewhere. Hopefully, its a moot point when Shazier returns to the field he becomes everything the Steelers hope he will become. Right now though, you have to scratch your head and go huh? Why not Moseley?

Pappy

Sounds like they didnt have him rated higher at all, at best id say it was 1A 1B

[papillon]

Sounds like they didnt have him rated higher at all, at best id say it was 1A 1B

When Tomlin states that it "boiled down to Shazier playing at OSU", although not explicitly stated it sounds like he took the player he may not have been as high on, but went to OSU so he took him. Either way it just doesn't seem prudent to make draft selections because you're comfortable with a college and not because the player is the best player at the time of your selection. Its just my take on it, hopefully, Shazier proves to be the prudent choice.

Pappy

[RuthlessBurgher]

I mean we draft buckeyes like we are required to fill a quota.

But being familiar with the program and the players is a great determining factor.

I liked mosely, i thought he was a bit more keith rivers than he was luke kuechley...time will tell. But Bama defenders have been HIGHLY disappointing as pros for bieng such a dominant unit in college.

off the top of my head:

Rolando Mcclain - epic bust, but putting together a revived career now
Terrence Cody - Sucks
Courtney Upshaw - Overweight constantly, decent backup
Josh Chapman - Knees are shot
Jesse Williams - Knees are shot
Kareem Jackson - sucks
Javier Arenas - sucks
Mark Barron - just traded
Robert Lester - undrafted, backup player
Dee milliner - sucks
Dre Kirkpatrick - sucks
Donta Hightower - inconsistent but i always liked him

Mosley had injury concerns, and i do really think bama players were very difficult to evaluate individually in the Saban era. Steelers stuck to what they knew, I dont have a problem with that especially because i think shazier will be a star player for us
Marcel Dareus - good player

If we are in bed with Ohio State because of Dick LeBeau's roots there, then Baltimore is in bed with Alabama due to Ozzie Newsome's roots there. C.J. Mosely, Courtney Upshaw, Terence Cody, Rolando McLain's brother Le'Ronm, etc.

[Mr.wizard]

When Shazier scores a defensive td Sunday night against the ravens it will answer the question.