How Would You Grade The Steelers Draft at this Point?

[Slapstick]

I don't mind the 6th round pick of a Long snapper. In terms of the position, he was ranked 1 or 2 in the country. He's got great size (6'4" / 248 - biggest and tallest of the top prospects) and could easily add 5 to 10 pounds to be really solid for that position. The front office knows a lot more than us and maybe at 35 they think Warren's time is winding down. We've been spoiled for a dozen years with never having to worry about a snap. If this new kid gives us another decade + of no worries then he's more than worth it.

Another thing to consider is the difference b/t college and pros. Can't hit the LS in college so most of the guys are 6'0" or 6'1" / 220. Simply too small in the NFL where they have to be able to block. Finding competent big men is extremely difficult. Holba is known for excellent technique.

The Patriots used a 5th round draft choice in 2015 on a LS. Things seem to be working out for them.

Let this play out in camp before feeling angst and declaring the choice bad.

I am all for adding potential All-Pro players to any position...even long snapper...

[SteelerOfDeVille]

Strong post...and I agree.

ditto... Moreover, if they felt like someone may take him in the 7th and leave them searching, why not take the guy at the end of the 6th.

After sleeping on it, I had better perspective. They drafted a future starter for years to come at the END of the 6th round. And they know it. How many other teams can say that?

[Slapstick]

I have faith in Bryant but Coates? Why the hell would anyone have faith in Coates next year? The guy is big but he has questionable handles and I think he may need glasses because he short armed a few balls last year.

Coates also had some horrible drops in preseason his rookie year. He is still an unfinished product IMO and has a long way to go. I haven't seen anything that suggest Coates is ahead of JuJu besides knowing the playbook. I think JuJu is already ahead of him on the depth chart.

JuJu doesn't need speed since he isn't going to run a ton of go routes. I think he is a chain mover, working underneath on smaller DB's and using his size to box out defenders.

Coates simply can't catch the football with his hands which is a big problem and he also doesn't high point the ball. No way JuJu sits behind Coates this season unless he turns into a superstar which I doubt.

Juju's 40 time is exactly .02 seconds slower than Dez Bryant...Smith-Schuster is by no means slow, and he is also a precise route runner...that is why he will thrive in the slot...

If he is covered with a smaller, quicker DB, he will out muscle that DB...if he is covered with a safety or a LB, his precise routes will help create separation...

[flippy]

ditto... Moreover, if they felt like someone may take him in the 7th and leave them searching, why not take the guy at the end of the 6th.

After sleeping on it, I had better perspective. They drafted a future starter for years to come at the END of the 6th round. And they know it. How many other teams can say that?

When you look at the odds of guys being even decent in the 4-7 rounds of the draft, any safe pick you can make is great. So I'm on board with the LS.

And I think we did a good job with the high risk / high reward guys like Dobbs, Allen, and Adams in rounds 4, 5, and 7.

So what if these guys don't pan out. They rarely do. Anyone that pans out in the back half of the draft is gravy.

[flippy]

Juju's 40 time is exactly .02 seconds slower than Dez Bryant...Smith-Schuster is by no means slow, and he is also a precise route runner...that is why he will thrive in the slot...

If he is covered with a smaller, quicker DB, he will out muscle that DB...if he is covered with a safety or a LB, his precise routes will help create separation...

I don't think he looked particularly slow in games. He's faster than Jerry Rice and Hines Ward and how often did those guys get caught from behind?

At the end of the day, high football IQ guys play faster than they time and I think JuJu is one of the headsier WRs in the draft from what I've seen. It's the smarter guys that do the little things to get an edge.

I have a feeling this kid isn't thinking about competing with MB or SC for the long term. He probably wants to eventually replace AB at the #1 WR and I for one don't think that's out of the realm of possible.

[SteelerOfDeVille]

When you look at the odds of guys being even decent in the 4-7 rounds of the draft, any safe pick you can make is great. So I'm on board with the LS.

And I think we did a good job with the high risk / high reward guys like Dobbs, Allen, and Adams in rounds 4, 5, and 7.

So what if these guys don't pan out. They rarely do. Anyone that pans out in the back half of the draft is gravy.

agreed on the high risk/reward picks. i think that's the time to do it. you stumble across the Ike taylors and antonio brown's in that window of picks

[ikestops85]

Sorry guys but I'm going to have to give the draft a D-. Yes, I know they filled one weakness with the long snapper in Round 6 but c'mon. Taking the edge rusher in the 1st when you've got that holder from Topeka still on the board? Ludicrous!! We not only passed on him in the first round we passed on him 8 times.

I watched some tape on the guy and he has hands like baseball mitts. He never missed a snap. Of course we all saw him in the underwear Olympics and he was catching every snap no matter what angle it came from. Then did you see him spin the ball? It didn't matter which way he set the ball down ... whether it took a quarter, half or 3/4 spin to get the laces facing away from the kicker he was spot on. Then there was the time he set the ball down with the laces away from the kicker and he spun it all the way around just cause he could. Gotta love the cockiness.

Yep, Colbert really blew it this time. He should be packing his backs for not picking this guy. Hell, we'll probably use some punter to hold the ball and see where that gets us.

[pittpete]

Sorry guys...I have to give the draft an inconclusive.
Unless you, or even the draft pundits have a crystal ball or time machine it's all speculation.

[squidkid]

Sorry guys...I have to give the draft an inconclusive.
Unless you, or even the draft pundits have a crystal ball or time machine it's all speculation.

what? dont you know you can give our draft an A right away but you cant give it anything lower than that for another 3 years.
FYI, you also can call other teams draft picks busts and laugh at their selections right away too

[pittpete]

LOL, Squid..

[squidkid]

LOL, Squid..

truth.....lol

[SteelCrazy]

Yeah, Mitchell isn't as bad as some suggest.

You keep saying that and he may not be as bad as some suggest, but he's not much better than average IMO.

[feltdizz]

You keep saying that and he may not be as bad as some suggest, but he's not much better than average IMO.

He is better than average. He's good. The hate some have for Mitchell is personal.

[SteelCrazy]

He is better than average. He's good. The hate some have for Mitchell is personal.

I don't hate the guy. I want him to be the best S in the game, but the facts are what they are....AVERAGE

I read somewhere he may put it all together this season because of all the different players that's been here during his time and this season will be the most consistent yet, so we'll see.

[Shawn]

I have faith in Bryant but Coates? Why the hell would anyone have faith in Coates next year? The guy is big but he has questionable handles and I think he may need glasses because he short armed a few balls last year.

Coates also had some horrible drops in preseason his rookie year. He is still an unfinished product IMO and has a long way to go. I haven't seen anything that suggest Coates is ahead of JuJu besides knowing the playbook. I think JuJu is already ahead of him on the depth chart.

JuJu doesn't need speed since he isn't going to run a ton of go routes. I think he is a chain mover, working underneath on smaller DB's and using his size to box out defenders.

Coates simply can't catch the football with his hands which is a big problem and he also doesn't high point the ball. No way JuJu sits behind Coates this season unless he turns into a superstar which I doubt.

Coates has looked pretty good when he doesnt have broken fingers. In his first 5 games before the finger injury he was averaging 3.8 receptions, 84 yards and .5 TDs a game.

Extrapolated over the course of a healthy season thats 60 receptions, 1,344 yards and 8Tds. That's why I believe in Coates.