Replacing Hines Ward???

[Oviedo]

A topic we all need to be thinking about. Here is an extract from an article I've just read:

The New York Giants are reportedly interested in trading for Braylon Edwards on draft day. If they don’t, they’ll take Nicks with pick 29. That would possibly leave Ohio State’s Brian Robiskie as a candidate for the Steelers at pick 32.

A coach’s son with size and speed (6-3, 209, 4.54), the disciplined and team-oriented Robiskie would be another worthy successor to Ward. He’s been labeled as a second-rounder, probably because of the struggles Ohio State endured last season with a run-first freshman quarterback. But scouts believe Robiskie’s polished enough to develop into a starter in his first or second season.

The Steelers are also considering Arizona slot receiver Mike Thomas and Florida split end Louis Murphy, who both visited the South Side facility. They’re second to fourth-rounders.

The Steelers also showed interest in a couple of late-round speedsters, Jeron Cherry of Louisiana-Lafayette and Travis Shelton of Temple. Shelton is a cousin of Devin Hester and has been clocked at 4.2+ in the 40.

Interesting that I have heard Robiskie mention for the Steelers twice in the last four days as a possibility for the Steelers at 1.32. Both McShay and Kiper yesterday mentioned him as a low Round 1 or high Round 2 pick and said he would be a sure Round 1 if Ohio State had a passing game last year.

Maybe this year's surprise pick.

[Discipline of Steel]

Re: Replacing Hines Ward???

That, I would hate to see. Lower priority for sure as we need to think about replacing or resigning Starx, Hartwig, whats his face at RG, Colon, Snack, Clark, and maybe even Aaron Smith before Hines comes into the discussion. The lowest I would go for a WR this draft would be Louis Murphy in the 3rd.

[Oviedo]

Re: Replacing Hines Ward???

That, I would hate to see. Lower priority for sure as we need to think about replacing or resigning Starx, Hartwig, whats his face at RG, Colon, Snack, Clark, and maybe even Aaron Smith before Hines comes into the discussion. The lowest I would go for a WR this draft would be Louis Murphy in the 3rd.

I could see it happen. Colbert has a history of grabbing skill positions early. You can't ignore history and if you really did a detailed assesment you can't deny WR is an area of need. Our offense needs four solid WRs and as much as I think he will be good Sweed is in fact work in progress.

I just don't get the love for Murphy. I see lots of Florida games and the guy really isn't that good.

[phillyesq]

Re: Replacing Hines Ward???

I would really hate this pick. He never visited, so I don't see the pick being very likely. (I know Mendenhall didn't visit either, but that was a situation where a player fell). If they were interested in him, they would have brought him in for a visit.

[frankthetank1]

Re: Replacing Hines Ward???

I would really hate this pick. He never visited, so I don't see the pick being very likely. (I know Mendenhall didn't visit either, but that was a situation where a player fell). If they were interested in him, they would have brought him in for a visit.

i would also hate that pick. i really hope they dont draft a wr in the first but if they do i hope its nicks

[mshifko]

Re: Replacing Hines Ward???

i think we need to draft skilled guys early at least with our 1st or 2nd...only lineman i would take in the first would be mack, other than that we should go CB or WR...

hines is aging, who knows how his knee will respond, he'll still be there for us, no question but we have to think about grooming a replacement...it just doesn't happen overnight...if sweed is the guy than great, if not we need to have some depth...

and when it comes to CB, we need someone to push william gay, deshea is aging, and our return game could use a boost...

[RuthlessBurgher]

Re: Replacing Hines Ward???

Outside of Crabtree, I don't see anything special with this year's WR crop. Last year, no WR's were picked in the first round, but this year people are projecting a half dozen WR's to get picked in round 1. In my mind, I think Limas Sweed is a better pro prospect than all of these WR's with first round grades (with the exception of Crabtree). I don't think that Crabtree in on the same physical plane as Larry Fitzgerald, Calvin Johnson, Andre Johnson, etc. were when they entered the league, but I could see him being a rock-solid Torry Holt type on the next level. Of these rest of these guys (guys like Harvin and Hayward-Bey and Nicks and Britt, etc.) I think half of them could be flat-out busts at the NFL level. I want o-line and d-line help first, then secondary. Ideally, I wouldn't draft a wideout until the middle rounds (and actually, I would prefer to sign a veteran free agent instead if it was feasible under the cap).

[SteelBucks]

Re: Replacing Hines Ward???

I would really hate this pick. He never visited, so I don't see the pick being very likely. (I know Mendenhall didn't visit either, but that was a situation where a player fell). If they were interested in him, they would have brought him in for a visit.

The Steelers interviewed him during the combine. Also, Tomlin and Colbert took a trip to Columbus to evaluate his Pro Day.

[steelcityrules!!]

Re: Replacing Hines Ward???

God and everyone related to steeler mock drafts knows I'm not high on drafting a WR in the first round.

Thing is, all of the "upside" aside, this guy is probably the most NFL ready player in the entire draft, apart from maybe Jason Smith and Aaron Curry.

He catches absolutely everything, is hands down the best route runner in this draft, and has the intangibles off the charts.

tomlin and Colbert COULD be sneaky with this one, and take who they perceive as the best talent at #32.

I'm not saying it would be my pick, but I am having a sneaking suspicion that we might just have him penciled in for round 1. Colbert and his philosophy is "skill" guys in the top rounds, as we all know.

interesting.

[birtikidis]

Re: Replacing Hines Ward???

I agree with the poster who said that crabtree may be the only first round worthy guy. I think IF Harvin would stay healthy he would be worth it. that's his problem though, always hurt.

[Discipline of Steel]

Re: Replacing Hines Ward???

i think we need to draft skilled guys early at least with our 1st or 2nd...only lineman i would take in the first would be mack, other than that we should go CB or WR...

hines is aging, who knows how his knee will respond, he'll still be there for us, no question but we have to think about grooming a replacement...it just doesn't happen overnight...if sweed is the guy than great, if not we need to have some depth...

and when it comes to CB, we need someone to push william gay, deshea is aging, and our return game could use a boost...

Any good CB can come in and cover someone in a 4 wr set. That is half the time on the field. #1 at WR will get us a player that probably wont make a significant impact in his first year.

[AngryAsian]

Re: Replacing Hines Ward???

Sorry Hoppy, but I'm not a big OSU fan... but one thing I can say about Tressel is that he has success producing character guys. Robiski seems to me like a Anthony Gonzalez kind of WR, and he was most certainly NFL ready. I would hate to see us use this pick for another skill position. I would of loved to see Limas Sweed produce more last year, but typically our draft picks don't start shining until their sophomore year. I'm with the consensus regarding Mack. We need to find the next great Steeler Center in this draft.

[Steel Life]

Re: Replacing Hines Ward???

There's nothing in the OSU games I've seen to warrant a comparison to Hines. Robiskie has none of Hines' toughness & he's disappeared in big games...no thank you, I'll pass.

If you want a tough as nails WR, then go for Nicks in the first or Mike Thomas.

[mshifko]

Re: Replacing Hines Ward???

There's nothing in the OSU games I've seen to warrant a comparison to Hines. Robiskie has none of Hines' toughness & he's disappeared in big games...no thank you, I'll pass.

If you want a tough as nails WR, then go for Nicks in the first or Mike Thomas.

he's not like hines at all...robiskie is like a cris carter type of WR...same mold

[SteelCzar76]

Re: Replacing Hines Ward???

I would really hate this pick. He never visited, so I don't see the pick being very likely. (I know Mendenhall didn't visit either, but that was a situation where a player fell). If they were interested in him, they would have brought him in for a visit.

I wouldn't put too much stock in prospect visits Esq,...as out of every single out of area prospect that visited last year, only Dixon was selected. But the season before Timmons, Wood and Sepulveda were taken. You just never can tell.

As far as Robiskie though,..he's a very solid player and an outstanding student athlete,...but i just don't believe that he's the type of game changing talent that would allow Tomlin/Colbert to justify taking a WR in the 1st. (As i mentioned before the only way i could see them going receiver in the first is IF Harvin was still on the board)