Alright, the mock is still alive. I doubt it survives tonight though, rumors that Schwartz could go in 2nd or 3rd. I wonder if Steelers' interest has other teams gunning for him.Final mock drafts (assuming no last-minute leaks). What I think the Steelers will do assuming these players are still there, one draft RB 1st and one draft non-RB 1st:
24. Najee Harris, RB, Bama
55. Landon Dickerson, C, Bama (or other C if Dickerson gone)
87. Tommy Tremble, TE, Notre Dame
128. Spencer Brown, OT, Northern Iowa
140. Anthony Schwartz, WR, Auburn
216. Shemar Jean-Charles, CB, Appalachian St
246. Jonathan Cooper, Edge, Ohio St
254. Damar Hamlin, S, Pittsburgh
Rooney wanted him, probably a lot to due with this type of character.
PFF thinks the Steelers should take Walker Little at 55. That would be a big reach there (though I like him).PFF is killing this pick
This is so awful for a RB. Guy may not have been taken over Antonio Gibson last year.I looked up Josh Jacobs as a potential comp to make me feel better. They are the same age.
The mock drafts that are popping up for the 2nd and 3rd rounds are not looking great for the Steelers. Runs on offensive linemen have only reaches available at 55, with the top tier defensive players gone as well. Walker Little might be the only OT left at 55 who is rated higher than 90th best player.PFF thinks the Steelers should take Walker Little at 55. That would be a big reach there (though I like him).
very leveon bellish. bell was 6'1.5" 230lbs. and ran 4.6 at the combine. course bell's draft age was 21 and he went in the 2nd.I doubt he can run 4.6. No way he sniffs 4.51
Bell is a perfect example of why this is a terrible pick. He was productive behind a great offensive line and sucked behind a bad line.plus he also demonstrates how short a window you are going to get value out of picking a RB even if they end up successful.very leveon bellish. bell was 6'1.5" 230lbs. and ran 4.6 at the combine. course bell's draft age was 21 and he went in the 2nd.
hopefully Harris has a better head and heart than bell.
We should hope we can get Little at 55. There are only a few good LT prospects leftPFF thinks the Steelers should take Walker Little at 55. That would be a big reach there (though I like him).
yeah, no question they need a vastly improved OL or the Harris pick makes little sense to me. i'm not real optimistic, but think the Steelers have better scouts than you or me, and seem to have shown interest in a number of OL who may be available in rounds 3-6, so i do still look forward to seeing what happens.Bell is a perfect example of why this is a terrible pick. He was productive behind a great offensive line and sucked behind a bad line.plus he also demonstrates how short a window you are going to get value out of picking a RB even if they end up successful.
I doubt Harris can run a 4.6, TBH. Alabama allows players to test for NFL scouts in the spring every year. There is a reason he’s 23, played there 4 years and we don’t have testing numbers. It’s a gross pick at a position they could have filled a number of ways. What’s worse is that he has a pretty awful yards created from Graham Barfield. So not only do I believe him to be a sub athlete, he’s also a RB that doesn’t even do much to create for himself. The one positive is that he’s good in the passing game.very leveon bellish. bell was 6'1.5" 230lbs. and ran 4.6 at the combine. course bell's draft age was 21 and he went in the 2nd.
hopefully Harris has a better head and heart than bell.
Thanks for posting these, I enjoy them and may head over for a few of my own.If Samuel is There:
Asante Samuel Jr. - CB, Florida State
Spencer Brown - OT, Northern Iowa
Kendrick Green - IOL, Illinois
Daelin Hayes - EDGE, Notre Dame
Malcolm Koonce - EDGE, Buffalo
Shaun Beyer - TE, Iowa
Trevon Grimes - WR, Florida
This is my favorite 2nd and 3rd round mock so far.If Samuel is There:
Asante Samuel Jr. - CB, Florida State
Spencer Brown - OT, Northern Iowa
Kendrick Green - IOL, Illinois
Daelin Hayes - EDGE, Notre Dame
Malcolm Koonce - EDGE, Buffalo
Shaun Beyer - TE, Iowa
Trevon Grimes - WR, Florida
This was my issue as well. In this mock, there wasn't anything there. Haynes can probably play inside and outside with Koonce as a developmental guy. Would be nice if can do this and get Avery Williams there.Thanks for posting these, I enjoy them and may head over for a few of my own.
who else was there at the Koonce pick? Can’t see them taking 2 EDGE players?
Some mocks have Josh Ball available around that pick. Not sure they take 2 OT but he is someone I like.This was my issue as well. In this mock, there wasn't anything there. Haynes can probably play inside and outside with Koonce as a developmental guy. Would be nice if can do this and get Avery Williamson there.
Tevin Jenkins couldn't help them win? Newsome couldn't help them win? One of the Edge guys couldn't help them win? Had Darrisaw lasted another pick, and they passed on him for Harris (which I expect they would have), he couldn't help them win? That's flawed logic, IMO. Harris was nowhere near the only "good player that could help them win" that was available.Disagree. The whole point of the draft is to get good players that can help you win.
The bolded had much, much more to do with the blockers than the runners. They certainly needed to infuse the RB room with talent after Conner was allowed to walk.....which they almost certainly could have been able to do with a lesser pick.This team has a good defense and passing game. Their running game was dead last and they had worst RB talent in the league. Last night they made the team better.
This feels EXACTLY like the bolded.This feels like when we needed a CB so we took Artie Burns, or needed a Safety so we took Terrell Edmunds. I think that Harris will be a better pro than both of them (combined), but the positional value hurts and it feels like a pick to optimize 1 year, as opposed to build for the future.
I feel like I need to reiterate...I don't think Najee Harris sucks, or is an "Arite Burns" or "Edmunds" level player. He can wind up producing like mad.....and I still will hate that they burnt a first round pick on an 'elderly' running back. It's just gross to do that with a first. That's my biggest beef with it. Value got flushed in a big way.Tomlin apparently loves him, he was allegedly top 5 on the Steelers Big Board, eventually I'll come around and find reasons to be optimistic and believe that this was the right choice, I just need a minute to wallow lol. If JOK or Azeez become all-pros I will definitely come back to say I told you so, and if Harris leads us to the AFC Championship I'll come back for some crow.
Better him than Creed Humphrey.I may have an aneurism if they take friggin Pat Friermuth.
Any and all OL over TE. The two positions that should be roundly ignored in the first two rounds are RB and TE. Just clean house if that’s the kind of franchise they’re going to be. May as well have Bill O’Brien running the front office at that point.Better him than Creed Humphrey.
Maybe move Friermuth to LT lolIt was more an indictment of Humphrey than a case for a TE. In the limited time I saw Humphrey play the last two years, DTs were making him there kitty. No thankee.
I agree.The mock drafts that are popping up for the 2nd and 3rd rounds are not looking great for the Steelers. Runs on offensive linemen have only reaches available at 55, ...
Probably not but I think it's overrated. Bell was the same way. He had 5 carries in his career were he broke a 40+ yard run, same amount as Kamara.Harris does not appear to have breakaway speed
If he reaches the heights that Bell did in year 2 and maintains through year 5 then he will have been a success.Probably not but I think it's overrated. Bell was the same way. He had 5 carries in his career were he broke a 40+ yard run, same amount as Kamara.
What is there to not understand?Bracie Smathers said:I agree.
Not understanding the heat for the top RB of the draft with an obvious need so-long you guys get help on the O-Line so a move-up today would not surprise me.
If you get legit O-line help not just some JAG taken later to placate O-Line honks but a legit candidate who could challenge to start at some point this year then I'd consider the Steelers draft to be a home run.
Crucial to get a legit O-Lineman capable of starting as a rookie IMHO.
Their was no run on O-Linemen at the end of the first round, none picked. A RB was taken directly after Najee.What is there to not understand? ...
The later in the day the more pessimistic I get that there will be any solid OT or C prospects left at 55. My ideal right now is random, but it's trading up for JOK if he falls to the mid-40's, and then taking Little or Mayfield in the 3rd. Highly doubt it happens, but that's what I'm wishing for.They'd better address O-Line in the second so a move-up is or should be on the table.
I agree with your take in general and thought oline was the biggest need. That said I am quoting this part of your post because I recall Bill Polian saying RBs make the oline. Which feels backwards to me as well. But I would defer to Polian in this regard. I just play GM on a message board.2) It should be known by now that this is not a chicken or egg scenario. Oline’s make RB’s with rare, rare exception. Najee is not that exception and we know that from yards created.
I thought I saw that he will make $3M this year and next year?Rumor is that the contract for Mason Rudolph was for $5 million next year. Not a crazy amount for a backup QB if they still go with Ben/Haskins/Rookie. *Hopefully true and it's not more than that
Didn’t he take Donald Brown in round 1?I agree with your take in general and thought oline was the biggest need. That said I am quoting this part of your post because I recall Bill Polian saying RBs make the oline. Which feels backwards to me as well. But I would defer to Polian in this regard. I just play GM on a message board.
I won’t argue anymore because I know I’m being the annoying guy. I hate the pick but it’s done and over. Wish they would have traded down. There were trade options for RB’s on other teams and if the current OL are graded as 2nd’s it would have made sense to be in the early 2nd. Now they’ve backed themselves into a corner over a RB. It’s frustrating to say the least. It isn’t that RB’s can’t matter or don’t matter or don’t make a difference. It’s just minimal in comparison to other positions. I think the Steelers line for the division fell last night on the Najee news.Their was no run on O-Linemen at the end of the first round, none picked. A RB was taken directly after Najee.
The Steelers FO declared their intentions with the pick, they are in a window and aren't thinking about second contracts so the age doesn't matter for that mindset.
Its about the D and Ben right now.
They'd better address O-Line in the second so a move-up is or should be on the table.
FWIW I agree with taking O-Line but no other OL were taken so if they would have selected one it would have been a reach.I won’t argue anymore ...
Excellent analysis. Give me two helpings of that crow if I’m wrong. Two commentssteelers1080 said:Harris does not appear to have breakaway speed, he was frequently caught from behind by LBs and CBs. He's solid at getting 10 yard rushes, but has very few long runs/TDs. That probably won't increase at the next level with faster players. My other fear is that behind a poor offensive line he'll be like Barkley or Gurley (early years) where what potential he does have is wasted because he gets hit as soon as he gets the ball.
What are the metrics that will make this a successful pick? If he averages 5 yards per carry? If we make a deeper run into the playoffs since our running game actually functions? If he plays more than 12 games a season?
If he gets hurt and misses games each year, I'm sure that people will point that out as an excuse, but that's more expected with RBs than almost every other position. Just look at Barkley and Cmac.
This feels like when we needed a CB so we took Artie Burns, or needed a Safety so we took Terrell Edmunds. I think that Harris will be a better pro than both of them (combined), but the positional value hurts and it feels like a pick to optimize 1 year, as opposed to build for the future.
Tomlin apparently loves him, he was allegedly top 5 on the Steelers Big Board, eventually I'll come around and find reasons to be optimistic and believe that this was the right choice, I just need a minute to wallow lol. If JOK or Azeez become all-pros I will definitely come back to say I told you so, and if Harris leads us to the AFC Championship I'll come back for some crow.
He seems like a very upstanding young gentleman, and probably a great person to have around a young QB. Here's hoping that he single handedly turns around our running game for the next 5 years.