Tweet
Here's my first pass at the Steelers draft picks for 2017. The goal for the draft is to figure out a way to beat NE for the long term. We've got to sure up our pass rush and coverage for the long term first and foremost, but at the same time, we need to have our eyes on making our O unstoppable because no matter how good we are on D, the Pats are gonna put up points.
Overall, I'm leaning toward best athletes available with the most upside. No sense in going to more middle of the road talent. We need to hit big on a handful of picks and when you swing for the fences, you have to expect some will be complete duds. A solid haul of UDFAs is where we have to make up for the grinders on our roster. Let's not waste picks on mediocre athletes. The road to SuperBowl #7 starts now!!!!!
1. Marlon Humphrey - CB - Alabama - 6' - 197lbs
We've gotta improve the pass rush and coverage going into this season. This kid is a freakish athlete from a big time program which the Steelers have to like. He has some work to do to develop, but that hasn't stopped us lately from picking the guy with potential. He's physical, big, and seems to be a good potential fit in zone coverage that can also support the run which the Steelers like. This kid has way too much potential to pass on if he drops to the end of the first round. He looks built for the Steelers.
2. TJ Watt - OLB - Wisconsis - 6'4" - 252lbs
There are things I like about TJ and things I don't. Maybe I'm mesmerized by the name and pedigree. Maybe he's a reach. Then again, maybe he's a steal at this point. With only a year of play on D under his belt, he seems to have a lot more upside to his game. Seems very physical with good instincts. I think he has huge upside with limited downside risk and worst case, he's a solid contributor.
3. Joe Mixon - RB - Oklahoma - 6'1" - 228 lbs
Despite punching a woman in the face when he was barely 18, the Steelers worked the kid out. Seems like a PR nightmare, but we clearly need a backup for Leveon and this kid has legit first round talent. He's clearly the most talented RB in this year's draft class and I have a feeling we will roll the dice. Something about us working him out after Colbert was the one GM that agreed with the league that he shouldn't be allowed at the NFL combine seems a little fishy to me. Why take a public stance and agree with the league, then work the kid out? I smell misdirection on this one.
3. Sidney Jones - CB - Washington - 6'0" - 186lbs
Not the typical, big physical corner for Pittsburgh, but maybe the best cover guy in the draft. He had his freakish injury at his pro day and probably won't play this year, but if he lasts this long, you have to think he's worth the risk even if we have to wait a year for him to play.
4. Josh Malone - WR - Tennessee - 6'3" - 208lbs
A junior WR that declared to come out early, this kid has upside. He's improved dramatically from season to season at TEN. He's fluid, he's big, he's fast, and he's got hands. Most of all, he's a hard working kid by all accounts and could help our offense create matchup problems all over the field. Teams already are going to have to commit double coverage to stop Bryant and AB. They need to load up the box to stop Bell. If we add another great WR and TE, this offense will literally be unstoppable with our OLine play.
5. Bucky Hodges - TE - Virginia Tech - 6'6" - 257lbs
This is the kid with the greatest upside of any TE in this year's class. He's got size, speed, strength, athleticism. You could call him a bit of a glorified WR that needs to learn to block, but he's got the frame and athleticism to work on becoming a versatile TE in the mold of a Heath Miller.
6. Rayshawn Jenkins - FS - Miami - 6'1 - 214lbs
This kid's an all around good athlete and physical football player who I think is a good risk at this point in the draft. In Pittsburgh, we switch up our safeties and have both safeties playing both positions and I think Jenkins has that flexibility to play both the SS and FS position. Right now, he's probably better in the box than most FSs available and needs a little work in coverage. He'll have time to develop and why not give Lake a chance to work with a kid from Miami where they turn out great Ss in the NFL?
7. Avery Moss - OLB - Youngstown State - 6'3" - 264lbs
Moss has more potential as an NFL player than Rivers and I think this is the guy we were secretly looking at Youngstown State. Getting kicked out of NE brings into question his character, but I think this kid has too much raw talent to go this late in the draft where pundits are suggesting he'll go in Round 7 or UDFA. Odds are he'll end up in Cincy or Baltimore and will be a very productive NFL player. If we can somehow take him here, I say he has the potential to be the steal of the draft. As much as we play with a 4 man front, I like the idea of having a rotation of Bud, TJ, and Moss as the pass rushers in what almost seems to be our base defense at times.
Overall, I'm leaning toward best athletes available with the most upside. No sense in going to more middle of the road talent. We need to hit big on a handful of picks and when you swing for the fences, you have to expect some will be complete duds. A solid haul of UDFAs is where we have to make up for the grinders on our roster. Let's not waste picks on mediocre athletes. The road to SuperBowl #7 starts now!!!!!
1. Marlon Humphrey - CB - Alabama - 6' - 197lbs
We've gotta improve the pass rush and coverage going into this season. This kid is a freakish athlete from a big time program which the Steelers have to like. He has some work to do to develop, but that hasn't stopped us lately from picking the guy with potential. He's physical, big, and seems to be a good potential fit in zone coverage that can also support the run which the Steelers like. This kid has way too much potential to pass on if he drops to the end of the first round. He looks built for the Steelers.
2. TJ Watt - OLB - Wisconsis - 6'4" - 252lbs
There are things I like about TJ and things I don't. Maybe I'm mesmerized by the name and pedigree. Maybe he's a reach. Then again, maybe he's a steal at this point. With only a year of play on D under his belt, he seems to have a lot more upside to his game. Seems very physical with good instincts. I think he has huge upside with limited downside risk and worst case, he's a solid contributor.
3. Joe Mixon - RB - Oklahoma - 6'1" - 228 lbs
Despite punching a woman in the face when he was barely 18, the Steelers worked the kid out. Seems like a PR nightmare, but we clearly need a backup for Leveon and this kid has legit first round talent. He's clearly the most talented RB in this year's draft class and I have a feeling we will roll the dice. Something about us working him out after Colbert was the one GM that agreed with the league that he shouldn't be allowed at the NFL combine seems a little fishy to me. Why take a public stance and agree with the league, then work the kid out? I smell misdirection on this one.
3. Sidney Jones - CB - Washington - 6'0" - 186lbs
Not the typical, big physical corner for Pittsburgh, but maybe the best cover guy in the draft. He had his freakish injury at his pro day and probably won't play this year, but if he lasts this long, you have to think he's worth the risk even if we have to wait a year for him to play.
4. Josh Malone - WR - Tennessee - 6'3" - 208lbs
A junior WR that declared to come out early, this kid has upside. He's improved dramatically from season to season at TEN. He's fluid, he's big, he's fast, and he's got hands. Most of all, he's a hard working kid by all accounts and could help our offense create matchup problems all over the field. Teams already are going to have to commit double coverage to stop Bryant and AB. They need to load up the box to stop Bell. If we add another great WR and TE, this offense will literally be unstoppable with our OLine play.
5. Bucky Hodges - TE - Virginia Tech - 6'6" - 257lbs
This is the kid with the greatest upside of any TE in this year's class. He's got size, speed, strength, athleticism. You could call him a bit of a glorified WR that needs to learn to block, but he's got the frame and athleticism to work on becoming a versatile TE in the mold of a Heath Miller.
6. Rayshawn Jenkins - FS - Miami - 6'1 - 214lbs
This kid's an all around good athlete and physical football player who I think is a good risk at this point in the draft. In Pittsburgh, we switch up our safeties and have both safeties playing both positions and I think Jenkins has that flexibility to play both the SS and FS position. Right now, he's probably better in the box than most FSs available and needs a little work in coverage. He'll have time to develop and why not give Lake a chance to work with a kid from Miami where they turn out great Ss in the NFL?
7. Avery Moss - OLB - Youngstown State - 6'3" - 264lbs
Moss has more potential as an NFL player than Rivers and I think this is the guy we were secretly looking at Youngstown State. Getting kicked out of NE brings into question his character, but I think this kid has too much raw talent to go this late in the draft where pundits are suggesting he'll go in Round 7 or UDFA. Odds are he'll end up in Cincy or Baltimore and will be a very productive NFL player. If we can somehow take him here, I say he has the potential to be the steal of the draft. As much as we play with a 4 man front, I like the idea of having a rotation of Bud, TJ, and Moss as the pass rushers in what almost seems to be our base defense at times.
Comment