Best available / Round 3 targets

[R_S]

3A. Miles Sanders RB PSU
3B. Mecole Hardman WR Dawgs

OTHER TARGETS :

Irv Smith JR TE Bama
Jachai Polite EDGE Gators
Conner McGovern IOL PSU
Amani Hooker S Iowa

is Miles Sanders really projected as a third rounder? I watched every PSU game last year and to me he is a dime a dozen RB. Crazy. I think you could sign an UDFA and get the same guy.

[Jobu]

3A. Miles Sanders RB PSU
3B. Mecole Hardman WR Dawgs

OTHER TARGETS :

Irv Smith JR TE Bama
Jachai Polite EDGE Gators
Conner McGovern IOL PSU
Amani Hooker S Iowa

is Miles Sanders really projected as a third rounder? I watched every PSU game last year and to me he is a dime a dozen RB. Crazy. I think you could sign an UDFA and get the same guy.

Zabo would draft a PSUer in every round if he were the Steelers GM...

[Smashmouth21]

No safety, NO Safety. NO SAFETY! That is all.

[Jobu]

No safety, NO Safety. NO SAFETY! That is all.

I don’t think the Steelers go safety until tomorrow, if at all. I believe they are all in on the young safeties they already have, as they should be. If they draft safety, it will be for depth/STs.

[bradshaw2ben]

No safety, NO Safety. NO SAFETY! That is all.

I don’t think the Steelers go safety until tomorrow, if at all. I believe they are all in on the young safeties they already have, as they should be. If they draft safety, it will be for depth/STs.

Have you by chance missed Sean Davis's career?

Couldn't play CB.
Missed too many tackles as SS.
Can't play off-man/quarters in zone as big nickel.
Can't cover nor impact plays at LOS from FS spot.

Steelers 27th in deep middle of the field coverage.

Team-record-level worst in turnovers created.

If Sean Davis and Terrell Edmunds are your starters, you have failed the draft and free agency. It cannot be allowed to happen, or we're going to have similar results as last year.

[Smashmouth21]

No safety, NO Safety. NO SAFETY! That is all.

I don’t think the Steelers go safety until tomorrow, if at all. I believe they are all in on the young safeties they already have, as they should be. If they draft safety, it will be for depth/STs.

Have you by chance missed Sean Davis's career?

Couldn't play CB.
Missed too many tackles as SS.
Can't play off-man/quarters in zone as big nickel.
Can't cover nor impact plays at LOS from FS spot.

Steelers 27th in deep middle of the field coverage.

Team-record-level worst in turnovers created.

If Sean Davis and Terrell Edmunds are your starters, you have failed the draft and free agency. It cannot be allowed to happen, or we're going to have similar results as last year.

Agree to disagree. Davis is better at FS than SS. Dumpster fire at ILB really devastated coverage in deep middle. Misleading stat.

Safety would have been a luxury pick before Steelers traded away a premium draft choice.

IMHO all of the following are higher priorities: CB, WR, TE, EDGE.

[K_C_]

No safety, NO Safety. NO SAFETY! That is all.

I don’t think the Steelers go safety until tomorrow, if at all. I believe they are all in on the young safeties they already have, as they should be. If they draft safety, it will be for depth/STs.

Have you by chance missed Sean Davis's career?

Couldn't play CB.
Missed too many tackles as SS.
Can't play off-man/quarters in zone as big nickel.
Can't cover nor impact plays at LOS from FS spot.

Steelers 27th in deep middle of the field coverage.

Team-record-level worst in turnovers created.

If Sean Davis and Terrell Edmunds are your starters, you have failed the draft and free agency. It cannot be allowed to happen, or we're going to have similar results as last year.

Sounds like we don't throw enough picks to the defensive side of the ball.

Except the last, what, seven #1's?

Sounds like we still need help at safety, corner, OLB and some folks would like d-line help.

We might soon find out Roethilsberger isn't a fucking magician.

[ironzabo]

When you factor in the elite level that JFF has been recruiting at since his arrival in Happy Valley you might be wise to consider the prospects Im suggesting as valuable assets

Go ahead and ask FC what he thinks about Miles Sanders ....

http://www.nfl.com/videos/up-to-the-minute/0ap3000001026445/From-Saquon-to-Sanders-Penn-State-RB-says-he-s-looking-to-one-up-Barkley-s-rookie-year

[Legacy User]

Speaking of rbs is Ridley still a Steeler or is he hopefully on the sreet now? Pretty sure hes gone so how high would we draft a guy to be our 3rd rb? Unless we are sure about Samuels, but i think they really like him.

[bradshaw2ben]

Why is CB such a huge need? Joe Haden was elite last year, Hilton was a solid slot and Nelson is a good #2. Beyond that they have a Cam Sutton and some questions but their starters are solid. We can also win with the TEs and RBs we have although I’d like to add all three in second half of day 3. Safety, WR with speed and Edge depth/future starter are the most pressing needs

[bradshaw2ben]

Why is CB such a huge need? Joe Haden was elite last year, Hilton was a solid slot and Nelson is a good #2. Beyond that they have a Cam Sutton and some questions but their starters are solid. We can also win with the TEs and RNs we have although I’d like to add all three in second half of day 3. Safety, WR with speed and Edge depth/future starter are the most pressing needs

[Legacy User]

Why is CB such a huge need? Joe Haden was elite last year, Hilton was a solid slot and Nelson is a good #2. Beyond that they have a Cam Sutton and some questions but their starters are solid. We can also win with the TEs and RNs we have although I’d like to add all three in second half of day 3. Safety, WR with speed and Edge depth/future starter are the most pressing needs

I have always thought that. Its why i couldnt understand why all mocks had us taking a cb in round 1 . Do any of those guys actually look at our roster? Any cb we draft really high would be our 4th cb right now. Unless we draft one as Haden or Hiltons eventual replacement. Cant draft that way now,,,its win every year you can while Ben is still here.

[ironzabo]

You dont make selections in a given round based off of need.


There are plenty of CB assets available that are worth while until the final bell goes off on Sunday IMHO.

We cannot and will not win games with James Conner and Vance McDonald not being on the field which from a historically standpoint is a stone cold lock.

Play the tape out and consider that we need to be able to grow and adapt this offense to control the ball much more readily to have a shot in hell vs the AFC contenders.

[K_C_]

Why is CB such a huge need? Joe Haden was elite last year, Hilton was a solid slot and Nelson is a good #2. Beyond that they have a Cam Sutton and some questions but their starters are solid. We can also win with the TEs and RNs we have although I’d like to add all three in second half of day 3. Safety, WR with speed and Edge depth/future starter are the most pressing needs

Isn't Haden a free agent after this year?

[Jobu]

Why is CB such a huge need? Joe Haden was elite last year, Hilton was a solid slot and Nelson is a good #2. Beyond that they have a Cam Sutton and some questions but their starters are solid. We can also win with the TEs and RNs we have although I’d like to add all three in second half of day 3. Safety, WR with speed and Edge depth/future starter are the most pressing needs

You have a point if you’re drafting for this coming season. But as we well know, Steelers draft for the future as much as right now. It’s what they do....

[Defense]

So my Steelers network is discussing a very real hypothetical scenario...

Do we ever consider trading the 2- 3rds for a coveted player of need ?


Greedy, Winovich, Brown ?

Discuss.

[zeke5123]

Why is CB such a huge need? Joe Haden was elite last year, Hilton was a solid slot and Nelson is a good #2. Beyond that they have a Cam Sutton and some questions but their starters are solid. We can also win with the TEs and RNs we have although I’d like to add all three in second half of day 3. Safety, WR with speed and Edge depth/future starter are the most pressing needs

Really agree -- especially with the speed comment. Teams are going to double up on Juju. You need to make them pay -- a burner one-on-one could have a lot of success and force teams into a C2 look. Opens up the deep middle for McDonald and to a lesser extent check downs in front of the MLB trying to get deep to take away the deep middle.

[bradshaw2ben]

You dont make selections in a given round based off of need.


There are plenty of CB assets available that are worth while until the final bell goes off on Sunday IMHO.

We cannot and will not win games with James Conner and Vance McDonald not being on the field which from a historically standpoint is a stone cold lock.

Play the tape out and consider that we need to be able to grow and adapt this offense to control the ball much more readily to have a shot in hell vs the AFC contenders.

Jaylen Samuels outplayed Conner as a starter last year. We can and did win vs the best team in the NFL with Conner out.

Blocking TEs behind Macdonald are pretty good... bringing in one who can pick up the pass-catching slack w/out a Macdonald would be great. Bigger priority than CB or RB, not as much big a priority as FS and EDGE.

[bradshaw2ben]

Why is CB such a huge need? Joe Haden was elite last year, Hilton was a solid slot and Nelson is a good #2. Beyond that they have a Cam Sutton and some questions but their starters are solid. We can also win with the TEs and RNs we have although I’d like to add all three in second half of day 3. Safety, WR with speed and Edge depth/future starter are the most pressing needs

Isn't Haden a free agent after this year?

Haden is going to retire a Steeler. If necessary, they'll tag him... but I think he signs a fair deal, possibly after this draft and before start of regular season.

[FC]

Players from that list I like...Bolded players would be my pick

Hakeem Butler
Kelvin Harmon
Emmanuel Hall
Mecole Hardman
Miles Boykin
Dawson Knox
Jace Sterneberger
David Long
Trayvon Mullen
Sean Bunting
Juan Thornhill
Taylor Rapp
Amani Hooker
Mike Edwards
Ben Banogu

Harmon hands and ball tracking ability could make him a superstar...At worst he can play in packages very high floor player
Thornhill has corner cover ability...The Steelers need a playmaker Thornhill fills that need

[bradshaw2ben]

I like Harmon a lot and I think he's going to be a great pro... but if you're not going to add a speed guy on offense AND you're going to run it more... the defense is going to pack in and make you dink and dunk down the field in crowded coverage or run it into a stacked box. I guess if you have more faith in Donte Moncrief and James Washington than I do, you might feel differently, but that sounds awful.

[FC]

I like Harmon a lot and I think he's going to be a great pro... but if you're not going to add a speed guy on offense AND you're going to run it more... the defense is going to pack in and make you dink and dunk down the field in crowded coverage or run it into a stacked box. I guess if you have more faith in Donte Moncrief and James Washington than I do, you might feel differently, but that sounds awful.

I think Harmon is a far better player than Hardman.

Being a vertical threat in the NFL happens one of three ways

Way one

JuJu is a vertical threat
Micheal Thomas is a vertical threat
Mike Evans is a vertical threat

All 3 ran in the 4.55-4.60 range

Find the ball
Stack the corner
Be a man ...Get me the fucking ball

Way two

Adam Thielen
ODB
84


Run me a great route
Open the corners hips
Lose him
Attack the ball
Finish the play

Way 3.

Desean Jackson
Tyreek Hil
Mike Wallace back in the day

Your even...You better be leaving

Take the top off

Harmon has a chance to do the first two things...No chance to do the 3rd

Hardman has no chance of doing the first thing....Hardman doesn't have the work ethic to be a great route runner so forget the 2nd way. Hardman speed element is elite....The 3rd way is his only chance to be a vertical threat

I say Harmon is more physical...More Fundamental. Better hands And a harder worker. Both ran a variety of routes. Both had quality Qb's. I view Hardman as a 5th round pick. I cant trust the on field football character

[cop1211]

How about a shocker pick in the 3rd of another ILB is BPA in their board like Pratt or Joseph, then you can dump Vince Williams next year.
Both would be better in coverage and more athletic than Williams.

[bradshaw2ben]

How about a shocker pick in the 3rd of another ILB is BPA in their board like Pratt or Joseph, then you can dump Vince Williams next year.
Both would be better in coverage and more athletic than Williams.

Tre Watson would fit that bill, too. Send Matakevich packing immediately, which would be a good thing.

[FC]

How about a shocker pick in the 3rd of another ILB is BPA in their board like Pratt or Joseph, then you can dump Vince Williams next year.
Both would be better in coverage and more athletic than Williams.

Tre Watson would fit that bill, too. Send Matakevich packing immediately, which would be a good thing.

If the Steelers didnt sign Mark Barron...I would love to add Watson post round 5.

He can flat out play the game

Steelers have so many needs ILB is filled and done

[lifelongsteel]

Steelers position unit grades - by importance

QB: A-
Edge: - B-
OT: B-
DL: B
C/G: A
Corner: B
Safety: D-
WR: C+
TE: B-
ILB: B (assuming Bush is 80% of Shazier)
RB: B-
K: D
P: F

Assuming that they are prioritizing "win now" over "build roster", they should be targeting the following:
1) A play making safety
2) A deep threat WR to play 1/3 of snaps
3) An all purpose TE

I trust they will find a capable WR. I would trade up in the 3rd to make sure that they can get the safety they like. (Rapp/Thornhill).

It is unfortunate that neither Davis or Edmunds appear to have any real ability in pass defense. But they shouldn't avoid the position just because 1st and 2nd round picks were spent on these all sparq no production guys. Give these two dogs one bone and fill the other safety spot.

5th and beyond I would draft both of the ST guys from Utah and fix kicking for a decade. Get a change of pace back with speed. Bet on a few high ceiling projects.

[Legacy User]

Regarding Davis and Edmunds

Just like w Rosen in Arizona...just because you’ve spent high picks on a position shouldn’t preclude you from using high picks again

If things didnt work out you try again

Davis and Edmunds are both mediocre

I’m fine w taking another shot at a safety who can actually play pass defense

Davis’s knockout blow vs Haden preventing a big red zone INT that resulted in a TD is the stupidest fucking play I’ve seen in a long time

[Smashmouth21]

Davis’s knockout blow vs Haden preventing a big red zone INT that resulted in a TD is the stupidest fucking play I’ve seen in a long time

Sad to say but David DeCastro has him beat.

[cop1211]

Don’t be surprised if TE Moreau is the 3b pick.

[Jobu]

Don’t be surprised if TE Moreau is the 3b pick.

I’ll be surprised if he isn’t.