Steelers getting serious about the draft: OLBs, DBs, even QBs



… have some decisions to make 

The final NFL draft decisions are on the mind of Steeler GM Kevin Colbert at this time with the selection slated to start on April 27 in Philadelphia.

The question is who they will take, and even more important, which positions are on their minds right now.

Major concerns

Conventional wisdom has the Steelers taking an outside linebacker first to improve the pass rush while then selecting a defensive back in the next round. Those would satisfy the most pressing needs on the defense, though they have some other areas of concern.

So, the team has been hosting some potential picks as part of their allotment of 30 pre-draft visits. One of the pass rushers who has really interested them in Takk McKinley of UCLA, who had ten sacks last year while playing for former Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Bradley, now with the Bruins.

McKinley is slated to be a first-round pick, but he has an issue. He had shoulder surgery in February, and that could mean that he would not be available for the start of camp in July, according to Joe Rutter, the Tribune-Review's Steeler beat reporter. Since the Steelers need help in that area right now, it could hurt his chances.

The Steelers pick number 30, and they believe that he will be available then. It could be a risk, but one that may be worth taking.

Defensive backs

They have also hosted two top DBs, Washington safety Bishard “Budda” Baker, North Carolina safety Joshua Jones, according to Rutter.

"Baker and Jones are considered among the best prospects at their respective positions. Baker is viewed as the No. 2 free safety on the draft board, and Jones is the No. 4 strong safety, according to CBSSports.com. Baker is a bit undersized at 5-foot-10, but is considered a first-round prospect. Jones, at 6-1, is viewed as a second-rounder," Rutter wrote.

Receivers

The Steelers have also looked at some promising receivers. One is Penn State's Chris Godwin, who is expected to be taken in the second round. Rutter notes that he is rated as the fifth-best receiver in the draft. If he is still around in the third round, the Steelers may have a shot at him.

QBs

One of the interesting visitors to Pittsburgh, in my estimation, was quarterback Patrick Mahomes of Texas A&M. I say that because some think that he is the best QB out there in this field and that the Cleveland Browns really want him.

So, knowing that the Steelers will not likely take a QB in the first round, why would he visit? Are they taking Ben Roethlisberger's retirement talk seriously?

QBs overall

Most analysts think that the top QB is Mitch Trubisky of North Carolina. He has many tools, but he is only 6-2.

DeShaun Watson of national champion Clemson is also near the top. Some think that he is right behind Trubisky and has an advantage because of his mobility.

That leaves Mahomes third. I find this interesting because he played in a shotgun during his time at Texas Tech. The Steelers do not use the spread offense. Second, his team was just 16-21 during his three years there, so that is a concern.

However, his numbers last year were impressive: 5,052 yards, 41 TDs, 10 INTs, 65.7 completion pct.

Since teams are still thinking of him as a first round pick, I just found it interesting that they are interested in him. I am thinking that QB may be a third round concern for them, though if a receiver is there, it could be fourth-round.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Dr. Chet Beres, M.D., the quarterback who gave of himself to so many people: Some Lilly Raiders who will not be with us on Saturday

Image
Chet Beres was a special human being … The 1968 championship QB is calling audibles from heaven On a few nights in late October 2010, I slept overnight at the Conemaugh Hospital palliative care unit. My brother, Father Jim, was clinging to life at the end of a long battle with cancer, and this unit was designed to make life easier for those in the final stages of disease — and for the families who wanted to spend their last days with their loved ones. It was at that time that while wandering through the hall, I noticed a plaque on the wall that warmed my heart, albeit in a sad way.  The palliative care unit was dedicated to Dr. Chet Beres, M.D., an advocate for those in hospice care. My mind flashed back to the Lilly Raider quarterback on the 1968 championship team, a young man who was bright, exuberant, and so popular with his teammates.  Chet went on to college at Pitt and to medical school after graduating from Penn Cambria. We knew that he was bright, but we also knew that he had c
Read more

Why did Tennessee-Chattanooga hire trainer Tim Bream despite his role in the alcohol-induced death of Tim Piazza at a Penn State frat?

Image
… was a live-in advisor at the fraternity On paper, Tim Bream has an impressive resume. Actually, very impressive — up to a point. That seems to be when Bream’s life appears to careen out of control. Bream, who resigned as Penn State trainer in Feb.,  was a graduate of Penn State with a bachelor’s degree in physical education, specializing in athletic training. He then attended West Virginia as a grad assistant trainer, where he received a master’s degree in Physical Education with an emphasis on Sports Science. All of this information is from his bio on the Penn State athletic site. He then worked his way up the ladder impressively, working at Syracuse, Vanderbilt, and finally at the University of Richmond, where he was the Director of Sports Medicine and Head Athletic Trainer. Then he received his big break, being name as Assistant Athletic Trainer for the Chicago Bears in 1993, and four years later, Head Athletic Trainer. He was with the Bears for 19 years when inexplicably, he
Read more

Remembering the toughest loss I ever experienced in approximately a quarter-century of coaching football. George Pasierb was a great coaching adversary.

Image
R.I.P. George Pasierb, 1946-2020 Shade-Central City High School football coach Photo: Tribune-Democrat No high school football fan could ask for anything better than this. On a beautiful sunny, warm afternoon on Saturday, October 30, 1982, in Nanty Glory, Pa., the battle featured a clash of two undefeated titans of the Appalachian Conference.  One was the preseason unanimous favorite to win the title, the other a veritable surprise that season, one that had built an 8-0 record entering that game.  This battle lived up to the pre-game hype, ending in a one-point decision that was not certain until the final play of the game.  I thought of this because the coach of the powerful Shade-Central City High School Panthers, George Pasierb, passed away earlier this week. He coached the Panthers for 20 years, but his best team was arguably that 1982 team that battled the Blacklick Valley Vikings on that Saturday afternoon before more than 3,000 ebullient fans.  And, the one-point loss was the to
Read more