Shawn's Totally Homer Final Mock

[Shawn]

Should have had him in your mock Shawn.
Would have taken that shameless "homerism" to the next level!!!

(BTW I too thought about Jones at about the 4th as a possible long term project to replace Ben. It kind of is a perfect fit. Raw, but learning from a QB with similar tools).

Yes, indeed. Not sure why I bulked.

[Slapstick]

Just move the Steelers to Columbus, OH and be done with it

I was thinking more along the lines of a shuttle bus, to ferry players from Columbus directly to Pittsburgh....

[Oviedo]

I'm a Buckeyes fan, but I believe Apple is the wrong fit for our style of D. Playing in space in is not Apple's game. I bet Colbert passes if Apple is still there.

I agree and said before. He is a physical, Big 10 corner and that doesn't translate to the NFL where you can't sniff on the WRs without the risk of an interference call. Look how Gilbert has struggled in Cleveland. My fear is Apple would be the same. Get a good zone cover corner, or two, in Rounds 2-4. Get someone who can put the QB on his back in Round 1.

[Shawn]

Another good thing with drafting Apple and Bell:

If effective communication is a problem in our secondary, why not take guys who have been communicating on field already?

I think it's ideal. Two guys who have played together, who have won big games together.

[Iron City Inc.]

In my best Mel Kiper voice "Shawn Shawn Shawn how do you not get Powell in there somehow?" Tyvis would make a nice late rounder and a FS who could back up Mitchell. Don't get me wrong I think Bell is a solid safety and I could see him as either a FS or SS. I start Bell in the box and let him walk out to slot coverage where he is rock solid.
If it broke the way Shawn has laid it out I'd sign up for it all day.

[Shawn]

I agree and said before. He is a physical, Big 10 corner and that doesn't translate to the NFL where you can't sniff on the WRs without the risk of an interference call. Look how Gilbert has struggled in Cleveland. My fear is Apple would be the same. Get a good zone cover corner, or two, in Rounds 2-4. Get someone who can put the QB on his back in Round 1.

Because Gilbert has struggled on the team where talent goes to die...that validates Apple not being a good DB?

[Shawn]

In my best Mel Kiper voice "Shawn Shawn Shawn how do you not get Powell in there somehow?" Tyvis would make a nice late rounder and a FS who could back up Mitchell. Don't get me wrong I think Bell is a solid safety and I could see him as either a FS or SS. I start Bell in the box and let him walk out to slot coverage where he is rock solid.
If it broke the way Shawn has laid it out I'd sign up for it all day.

I'm deeply ashamed of my homer oversight. But you are right...we could easily just field the Buckeye secondary and call it a day. That OSU team was so talented and so deep...shame they didn't win back to back Nationals. Guess they lost that hunger.

[Slapstick]

Because Gilbert has struggled on the team where talent goes to die...that validates Apple not being a good DB?

Two things:

Wouldn't Bradley Roby be a better comparison than Justin Gilbert (who is apparently a head case, if Cleveland media is to be believed)? Roby who is not staring because he's playing behind All-Pro caliber CBs (Talib and Harris)?

Gilbert went to Oklahoma State...not a Big 10 school...

[pfelix73]

Get the bucket ready if Cardale Jones is drafted by the Steelers.. Because I would puke if they do.. Wasted draft pick. In fact, i don't want to see any of this year's picks going for a QB. Sign Gradkowski and be done with it. They can add an arm thru FA.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Another good thing with drafting Apple and Bell:

If effective communication is a problem in our secondary, why not take guys who have been communicating on field already?

Speaking of communication in the OSU secondary, on Sirius NFL Radio's Movin' the Chains show with Pat Kirwin and former Steeler draft pick Jim Miller, they've been interviewing draft prospects, and every Buckeye defender talks about how Tyvis Powell never shuts up back there. They said that for every play of his collegiate career, he would be telling everyone before the snap that they should run a particular defensive play...same one every time...and coaches never called that play one time in a game. The players and radio hosts are howling with laughter each time they tell this story.

If they drafted Eli Apple tonight, Vonn Bell tomorrow, and Tyvis Powell on Saturday, they could field a secondary entirely composed of Buckeyes (with Doran Grant as the other corner)...not to mention Cam Heyward and Ryan Shazier in front of them.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Get the bucket ready if Cardale Jones is drafted by the Steelers.. Because I would puke if they do.. Wasted draft pick. In fact, i don't want to see any of this year's picks going for a QB. Sign Gradkowski and be done with it. They can add an arm thru FA.

As long as Grad's med check is okay, that's route I'd take...a healthy Grad and Landry is fine behind Ben. Until then, I'd add a UDFA camp arm from the corps of QB's who don't get drafted (Sudfeld? Driskel? Woodrum? Coker? Stave?).

[SteelCrazy]

Get someone who can put the QB on his back in Round 1.

Id say that's exactly what they do tonight. My hope is that Floyd or Lawson falls to us, but highly unlikely.