Shawn's Final Mock

[Shawn]

Round 1-Obviously the Steelers will be eyeballing OLB, DB, and FS as potential first round picks with an outside chance at QB (unless Mahommes is sitting there) and TE. Looking at who will likely be available at 30 the cream of the OLB may be gone. Takk McKinley, and Reddick are two guys I could see being really appealing to the Steelers. Charles Harris I think has a strong chance of being there and the Steelers will look at closely. He is a twitchy athlete who isn't easily able to turn speed into power. Harrison while getting up there in age is still playing at a high level. I think we may have two more seasons with Harrison which would allow the Steelers to draft a more developmental OLB. Ultimately, I believe they will be looking at Peppers, Teez Tabor, Obi Melifonwu, Buddha Baker, or Tredavis White. Ultimately, I believe they pick the size speed combo of Obi Melifonwu. I truly believe Peppers will be gone before our pick.

Round 2-Jordan Willis-OLB if available, if not I believe the Steelers pass on Rivers. Rivers is a linebacker who people fell in love with after he ran. Looking at his film shows me an incomplete OLB who has a high ceiling but needs much grooming. I believe Willis gets snatched up earlier than anticipated, he is too twitchy to last until the bottom of the second. Ultimately, I believe the Steelers roll with Quincy Wilson-DB Florida

Round 3a- Ben finally gets his TE. The Steelers will be looking at Butt, a first round draft talent with an ACL tear, "Lazy Leggit" a guy with tremendous athleticism but questionable work ethic, and I believe the Steelers ultimately pick a guy who will be one of the steals of the draft in Jake Butt.

Round 3b-Raekwon McMillan-ILB tOSU, tremendous football player who just always seems to be around the ball.

Round 4- Tanoh Kpassagnon-Big fast and raw OLB prospect. This guy is 6 foot 7, 289 and runs a sub 4.8? He needs work but could be a real player in the mold of Jason Pierre Paul with some development. I was really impressed by his tape.

Round 5-James Conner, running back Pitt. I believe the Steelers ask him to drop 20 pounds to increase his ability to hit the edge and he excels at the next level running at a lighter weight.

Round 6-Robert Davis-WR Georgia State, Big, Fast, Dominated talent at a smaller school. He might be my favorite underdog in this draft. The guy is going to surprise some people.

Round 7-Samsom Ebukam-OLB, another big fast and raw OLB prospect. He may go long before 7 but I like what I've been reading on the guy and the Steelers have shown interest. If not I still love the Human Joystick as a late round flyer kind of guy.

[SidSmythe]

If it turned out this way I'd be ecstatic if we got WILLIS in the 2nd assuming we take Melifonwu in the 1st.
However I believe your Round 4 and 5 are a round too late and your Round 3b will be gone by the time our pick comes around.
BUT I hope you're right except in Round 2.
Oh and you better change your SIG!!

[JUST-PLAIN-NASTY]

I would be very pleased with that draft Shawn. Especially if McMilllan fell to the 3rd for us. I was thinking he wouldn't last to our 2nd but we will see. People might hit you about CB but I'm fine with that. FO only knows about Golson & Davis played CB. I see Obi getting on the field with Davis flexibility.

[Shawn]

I would be very pleased with that draft Shawn. Especially if McMilllan fell to the 3rd for us. I was thinking he wouldn't last to our 2nd but we will see. People might hit you about CB but I'm fine with that. FO only knows about Golson & Davis played CB. I see Obi getting on the field with Davis flexibility.

Well I went with Quincy Wilson in the second as a DB as I don't believe Willis will be there. McMillan may not make it to late 3. He was slotted there before he ran a 4.6 40. I think he has been rising and the scouts are seeing what I've seen for a couple seasons. Hes a dynamic player.

[JUST-PLAIN-NASTY]

Well I went with Quincy Wilson in the second as a DB as I don't believe Willis will be there. McMillan may not make it to late 3. He was slotted there before he ran a 4.6 40. I think he has been rising and the scouts are seeing what I've seen for a couple seasons. Hes a dynamic player.

Then I apologize I missed that I thought you took Willis. I wouldn't like no OLB until the 7th. In that scenario I would hope someone available in 4th instead of DE. I see Tanoh as a DE. He will struggle to drop. Like the player but I think the Steelers have to invest in an OLB no later than 4th.

[SteelerOfDeVille]

Shawn, if McMillan is selected, I might lean on you for info. I saw ONE game and was underwhelmed. Seemed like he was, in fact, always around the ball. But, that seemed like too often it was 5 yards downfield. Can't remember the game, but, hoping it was an off day. I trust that if you have him in your sig, he's a solid one.

Ya know, I had a "squirrel" moment. Seems like annually, I point out the Louisville kids that I would and would NOT take. This year, I haven't done that. i'll have to find a fitting thread (not deserving of a whole thread - only one i want is the TE)

[squidkid]

wow, 3 olb and an ilb

[SteelCrazy]

wow, 3 olb and an ilb

You saying we can't use that many?

[Shawn]

Then I apologize I missed that I thought you took Willis. I wouldn't like no OLB until the 7th. In that scenario I would hope someone available in 4th instead of DE. I see Tanoh as a DE. He will struggle to drop. Like the player but I think the Steelers have to invest in an OLB no later than 4th.

I have an OLB in the 4th and 7th.

[Shawn]

wow, 3 olb and an ilb

Two OLB and an ILB.

[Shawn]

Shawn, if McMillan is selected, I might lean on you for info. I saw ONE game and was underwhelmed. Seemed like he was, in fact, always around the ball. But, that seemed like too often it was 5 yards downfield. Can't remember the game, but, hoping it was an off day. I trust that if you have him in your sig, he's a solid one.

Ya know, I had a "squirrel" moment. Seems like annually, I point out the Louisville kids that I would and would NOT take. This year, I haven't done that. i'll have to find a fitting thread (not deserving of a whole thread - only one i want is the TE)

McMillan will be a good ILB at the next level. I would draft him without reservation. I would love to see that Louisville thread.

[RuthlessBurgher]

I have an OLB in the 4th and 7th.

And the 4th rounder is more of a DE.

[SteelerMaine83]

Nice draft, well thought out. That said, thinking of who we have currently on our roster, and what our actions have been in the off-season, here are my thoughts of how our draft is shaped (without actually making specific predictions on picks):

Certain positions only become draftable based on what happens between now and the draft: for example, TE becomes a definite early option if L. Green fails his concussion protocol before OTAs; otherwise it's just not a high priority unless in becomes an early round BPA. Green (if he can't pass concussion protocol), Johnson and maybe Grimble are potential losers if a TE is drafted. Otherwise, TE will be a 5th or later pick. Green's health is the determiner.

WR--if Bryant is re-instated before the draft, AB, Bryant, Rogers, Ayers and the winner(s) of DHB, Coates, Hunter and Hamilton battle for the remainder of the spots. In this scenario, no WR picked before the 6th.

OL--with Munchak's excellent coaching, only a backup interior lineman (capable of both C and G) could be picked, no earlier than the 6th. I like Max Rich as a potential OT prospect as a UDFA.

DL--Heyward, Tuitt and Hargrave with Alualu as backup? Walton, McCullers and Maxey provide depth along w/ maybe Grover Stewart as a UDFA NT. Barring injury, there is really no need to draft here as traditionally only 5 DLs get a hat on game day.

QB--Ben, Landry (ouch) and Zach M. man the position, with Torgersen as a 7th/UDFA to provide competition. I saw Mahomes on NFL Live the other day and was so unimpressed--has the arm talent but the head of Jay Cutler. Enough said.

So, LB, DB, backup RB--that's what are draft is about (is anyone surprised).

So, let's start with CB: Currently, Burns, Cockrell, Sensabaugh, Gay, Golson and Al-Hajj Shabazz all exist. That's six (yes, six). I keep thinking 2 CB's will be drafted, but that probably doesn't make sense. Why? At least 4 of the 6 mentioned almost assuredly stick. Burns is a lock. Sensabaugh, and Cockrell are likely locks. Al-Hajj Shabazz was on the 53 all year (without hardly playing), so they are protecting him for a reason. That reason is likely because of his outstanding size, small school background (needs a little coaching up) and the desired switch from playing predominantly zone. If Golson can make it through more than a week of training camp without getting injured, the Steelers may actually remember why they drafted him in the first place--to be the slot guy. Gay may be the odd (old?) man out in this case. In this draft, the depth is very good, but CBs are either boundary guys or slot guys--not many capable of both. The Steelers may take the best of one or the other when available, of take one of those that may be a slot/FS guy (Awuzie, D. King, B.Baker, M.Williams, J. Johnson). The numbers to me only make the argument for one drafted CB, with a UDFA to add a little camp competition.

S--seems like this might be the position for two drafted players, considering our needs and the depth in the draft. We have Mitchell and Davis as locks; Shark is gone (thankfully), and Golden was completely horrible when he came back from injury (and lost his starting job to Davis). Dangerfield was arguably better than Golden by the end of the year. So, only 2 S's are locks, the loss (?) of Shark gives us a spot, and the other incumbents are 'Meh' at best. A safety in the first 4 picks and another S later makes sense. Three reliable safeties makes us a better team (yes, while I'm not a huge Mitchell fan I will call him reliable--although clearly not irreplaceable). Melifonwu would certainly make sense, as we could probably send Vince to the bench on passing downs and use him as a S/LB hybrid in those situations (instead of the two ILBs we'd previously keep on the field in those situations).

LB--2 Edge, one ILB. I'm taking the best available edge at 1 or 2, and taking a chance on the coming-off-injury JoJo Mathis in 5. ILB is a matter of finding one that can step in for or play next to Shazier. Davis would be ideal, but Cunningham may give more flexibility. Feeling like Moats, like Gay, may be the odd man out as age/salary hurt them both.

RB--simple; suitable backup for Bell. This draft has a number of guys that can be had 3-5 that would fill that bill for us, given the strengths of the rest of our O.

So, the draft looks like 2 edge players, 1 ILB, 1 CB, 1S, and 1 RB through Round 5. If L. Green is done, a TE slips in there, and if they are feeling it, Peterman gets picked as a potential QB of the future (accurate with a very quick release and smarts). This is just my feeling based on who they currently have on the roster and their actions over the past 12 months.

[RuthlessBurgher]

So, let's start with CB: Currently, Burns, Cockrell, Sensabaugh, Gay, Golson and Al-Hajj Shabazz all exist. That's six (yes, six). I keep thinking 2 CB's will be drafted, but that probably doesn't make sense. Why? At least 4 of the 6 mentioned almost assuredly stick. Burns is a lock. Sensabaugh, and Cockrell are likely locks. Al-Hajj Shabazz was on the 53 all year (without hardly playing), so they are protecting him for a reason. That reason is likely because of his outstanding size, small school background (needs a little coaching up) and the desired switch from playing predominantly zone. If Golson can make it through more than a week of training camp without getting injured, the Steelers may actually remember why they drafted him in the first place--to be the slot guy. Gay may be the odd (old?) man out in this case. In this draft, the depth is very good, but CBs are either boundary guys or slot guys--not many capable of both. The Steelers may take the best of one or the other when available, of take one of those that may be a slot/FS guy (Awuzie, D. King, B.Baker, M.Williams, J. Johnson). The numbers to me only make the argument for one drafted CB, with a UDFA to add a little camp competition.

Drafting two corners makes sense if we are able to use a day two pick on Sidney Jones and stashing him on IR until 2018. He likely would have been a top 15 pick if he weren't injured, and we aren't typically able to land a CB of that caliber in the draft.

[NorthCoast]

9.) Javancy Jones (Jackson State Linebacker/Defensive End)

Javancy Jones is a versatile Linebacker that can play multiple spots, including all four spots in a 3-4. His best projected fit however is ILB (3-4) or SAM LB (4-3). He is very athletic and can shoot gaps quickly. He does a great job setting the edge as well. In 2016 at OLB, Jones posted 82 tackles (19.5 TFL) and four sacks. He is a fiery competitor that loves to pump up his teammates, and he is a proven play maker on the field.

Prediction: Pittsburgh Steelers (Other Options: Tennessee Titans, Indianapolis Colts)

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