It's been confirmed by Ed Bouchette that Willie Colon will be moving from right tackle to left guard, in an article which you can read in its entirety here, which means both Steelers rookies David DeCastro and Mike Adams will have a chance to start early.

"The move from his spot at right tackle, paves the way for their top two draft choices to start immediately. David DeCastro will be put at right guard and Mike Adams at left tackle. Marcus Gilbert, who started at right tackle last year as a rookie after Colon was injured in the opener, was scheduled to move to left tackle but likely will stay at right tackle now."

Like most of you in Steelers Nation I still have my head in the clouds over the great job that Kevin Colbert & Co. did the last 3 days. But it's over, that is yesterdays news, and now it's time to look ahead to 2013. Please note that while I am a homer I try to be as unbiased as possible when creating the draft order. The only reason the Steelers are drafting where they are is because I feel that from top to bottom they filled every need with quality prospects from the 2012 draft. So without any further ado, here it is. My preliminary 2013 first round mock draft.

I hope you all enjoy

-Jason

(big_jay71)

*************************

P.S.

I want everyone out there reading this to thank God, Allah, Art Rooney, or whoever it is that you pray to, for the blessing that is the Oakland Raiders ineptitude to make the playoffs in the weak AFC West. Had they made the playoffs their compensation paid to the Cincinnati Bengals in the Carson Palmer trade would have escalated to include their 2013 first round pick, which in this mock draft (and in all likelihood will actually happen)is the first overall pick. The Bungles could have then ransomed it for a treasure trove of picks like the Rams got from Washington, settings them up quite nicely for the future.

Continue reading this post »

I will be forever grateful to whomever out there in Steelers Nation made a deal with the Devil to have DeCastro fall to us in the first round. After sweating out the last few picks before the Steelers drafted the man who was in the hearts and minds of every Steelers fan, then spending the rest of the night swooning like a love sick teenager, it is now time to cross our fingers yet again for that next great prospect to fall into our laps.

33. St. Louis Rams – Stephen Hill WR, Georgia Tech

The Rams missed out on Justin Blackmon but they simply have to find a weapon for Sam Bradford.

34. Indianapolis Colts – Coby Fleener TE, Stanford

When teams draft QB’s at the top of the first round they usually find him some help in the second, so why not take their new QB's safety value at Stanford?

35. Baltimore Ravens – Courtney Upshaw OLB, Alabama

The Ravens like to go with the best player avai

lable as opposed to drafting to fill a need. They could easily take Wisconsin OC Peter Konz to fill in at OG to replace Ben Grubbs while eventually taking the center position from Matt Birk, but I don't think they'll pass up a chance to take a 3-4 OLB with a first round grade here in the second round.

Continue reading this post »

Here it is lady's and gentlemen, my final seven round mock for the 2012 draft. As always I look forward to your questions, comments, and conversations. I'm sure some of the Steelers picks will cause a stir but I hope you all enjoy.

-Jason

(big_jay71)

********************

1. Indianapolis Colts – Andrew Luck QB, Stanford

2011 1st round Draft Pick: Anthony Castonzo OT, Boston College
Team Needs: QB/NT/CB/S/OG/OC/TE

This pick is a done deal, a no brainer. The Colts get Luck-y yet again (terrible pun I know) by being in position to draft a franchise quarterback just as Peyton Manning’s career is winding down. But the Colts have a lot of overhauling left to do to become prominent again. Reggie Wayne will be 34 years old this season and Pierre Garcon left via free agency, and the offensive line needs an infusion of youth and talent. Also the Colts released Dallas Clark at tight end. Defensively it’s likely that new head coach Chuck Pagano with convert them into a 3-4 scheme, and even if they do stay a 4-3 Pagano will spend more time, money, and draft picks on the defense than his predecessors. Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis will convert into OLB’s in the new 3-4 scheme but who knows how well will they make that transition. The Colts also have one of the weakest secondaries in the NFL and upfront they don’t have anyone who can play nose tackle.

2. Washington Redskins (via St. Louis Rams) – Robert Griffin III QB, Baylor

2011 1st round Draft Pick: Ryan Kerrigan DE, Purdue
Team Needs: QB/OG/FS/RT/NT

The Redskins will finally get the franchise quarterback they’ve been lacking for what seems like forever after trading up with the Rams for the number two overall pick and the right to draft Robert Griffin III. Aside from quarterback the Redskins definitely need to upgrade their offensive line. Kory Lichtensteiger tore two ligaments in his knee and Jammal Brown cannot stay healthy. At wide receiver they signed Pierre Garcon and Josh Morgan but Santana Moss and Jabar Gaffney are both over 30 years old and behind them are a bunch of late-round 2011 rookies. Defensively they need an upgrade over Adam Carriker at DE and eventual successor to London Fletcher at ILB. If they draft a nose tackle at some point the Redskins could move Barry Cofield to DE which would be a better fit for him anyway. At safety they signed Brandon Meriweather to replace LaRon Landry but they also cut O.J. Atogwe so they’ll need at least one starter. Beyond that the Redskins could really use some depth at OLB since they will probably lose Rocky McIntosh to free agency and at CB even though they signed Cedric Griffin.

3. Minnesota Vikings – Matt Kalil OT, USC

2011 1st Draft Pick: Christian Ponder QB, FSU
Team Needs: LT/OG/CB/WR/S/LB/DT

The Vikings biggest issue offensively has been trouble protecting the quarterback. Matt Kalil has to be their top priority in the 2012 draft and because of the Rams trade Kalil will be available to protect Christian Ponder’s blindside for the foreseeable future. He is an elite talent and would replace a severely untalented Charlie Johnson. Even before the release of both Steve Hutchinson and Anthony Herrera the Vikings needed guard help and now they must address that need early in the draft. Defensively the Vikings biggest need would be at cornerback. Antoine Winfield is 35 years old and cannot stay healthy while Chris Cook has legal troubles, and they cut Cedric Griffin who has since signed with Washington. And at safety they’ve needed an upgrade for years. If the Vikings took anyone besides Matt Kalil it would most likely be LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne. Another option would be Oklahoma State wide receiver Justin Blackmon. A couple of years ago it was a strength but now the wide receiver corps needs an overhaul.

Continue reading this post »

Yes, we still have a week until the 2012 NFL Draft, but don't be surprised that there's some crazy souls out there already thinking about 2013. One would be our very own, Jason, who's in draft mode 24/7/365. Here's his first crack at mocking the 2013 landscape. --Michael B.--

************

1. Miami Dolphins – Matt Barkley QB, USC

2012 1st round Mock Draft Pick: Quinton Coples DE, UNC
Team Needs: QB/WR/RT/S/WLB/TE

After being unable to trade up for RGIII, being left out of the Peyton Manning sweepstakes, and unable to sign Matt Flynn Miami has tried everything to upgrade the quarterback position this offseason. Going into the 2012 draft they could use the 8^th overall pick on Ryan Tannehill but that would be a huge panic-induced reach. If they take a QB in the later rounds it certainly won’t have an impact on them taking Matt Barkley in 2013 if they are drafting number one overall. As with Andrew Luck in 2012, Matt Barkley is the consensus top quarterback in his draft class and would’ve been a top 5 pick had he chose to enter the 2012 draft and forego his senior year.

2. Cleveland Browns – D.J. Fluker OT, Alabama

2012 1st round Mock Draft Pick: Trent Richardson RB, Alabama; Ryan Tannehill QB, Texas A&M
Team Needs: WR/RT/OG/CB

If Cleveland is drafting in the top 5 yet again it will definitely be interesting to see what Mike Holmgren will do with this pick. Thanks to the rookie salary cap the Browns will not be financially obligated to keep Ryan Tannehill if they select him with the 22^nd overall pick in the 2012 draft. With this pick they would have their choice of QB’s amongst a solid crop, excluding Matt Barkley of course, including Oklahoma’s Landry Jones, Tennessee’s Tyler Bray, Arkansas’ Tyler Wilson, or Georgia’s Aaron Murray, whichever distinguishes themselves as the cream of the crop. Aside from QB the WR position has been a pain for the Browns as well. Holmgren doesn’t like drafting WR’s this early, which is why they won’t take Justin Blackmon in 2012, so they should bypass USC’s Robert Woods and Washington State’s Marquess Wilson. The definite need the Browns can fill here with the talent available is the gaping hole at right tackle. D.J. Fluker is a dominant run blocker as well as a quality pass blocker with good size at 6’6", 335lbs. and would give the Browns the best tackle tandem in the NFL and would give Tannehill, Colt McCoy, or whoever is playing back there the best possible chance to succeed.

3. Minnesota Vikings – Marquess Wilson WR, Washington State

2012 1st round Mock Draft Pick: Matt Kalil OT, USC
Team Needs: OG/CB/WR/S/LB/DT

The Vikings have been struggling for a number one wide receiver ever since Sidney Rice left in free agency. They simply have to draft someone who can take the pressure off of Adrian Peterson and the running game. Therefore it’ll come down to USC’s Robert Woods and Washington State’s Marquess Wilson. Wilson combines solid size at 6’3", 183lbs. with the potential to be a big time threat in the NFL. Given that their need is just as dire at cornerback they could draft N.C. State’s David Amerson who is just as good of a prospect as Wilson. They released Cedric Griffin, Antoine Winfield will be 36 years old before the start of the 2013 season, and Chris Cook has legal issues. Elsewhere the Vikings also have serious issues along the interior of their offensive line. At guard Anthony Herrera is absolutely terrible and they released Steve Hutchinson.

Continue reading this post »

Name: Cordy Glenn
Position: Offensive Lineman
School: Georgia
Height: 6-foot-6
Weight: 346 pounds

The offensive line has been a headache for several years now and as such the Steelers will be looking at all of the offensive line prospects in the draft.

The Steelers seem to have an affinity for offensive linemen that can play multiple positions. It's probably because over the last few years the Steelers line has been bitten hard by the injury bug time and time again so having someone who can play both guard and tackle, and on both sides of the line has proven to be an invaluable commodity.

One such player in this draft who has experience bouncing around the offensive line is Georgia left tackle Cordy Glenn. He played his freshman season starting at right guard, his sophomore year starting at both right and left guard, his junior he started at left guard, and played his entire senior year at left tackle. Some people look at him as a guard-only prospect while other think he can also play right tackle. I feel, with a little refinement, he can play left tackle.

Continue reading this post »

Name: Dont'a Hightower
Position: Linebacker
School: Alabama
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 260 pounds

Due to James Farrior's declining play, the inside linebacker position has needed to be addressed for a couple of years now. Because of the cap issues the Steelers have this offseason, and the fact that Farrior is 37 years old, it's likely that the Steelers will cut him if he doesn't retire. Behind him, Larry Foote is pretty much in the same boat. That would leave the unproven 2010 5th round pick Stevenson Sylvester to inherit a pretty important position on the Steelers defense.

It's a priority to look at the available inside linebackers in this draft class, with the best of the bunch being Alabama's Dont'a Hightower.

Continue reading this post »

Name: Mike Adams
Position: Offensive Tackle
School: Ohio State
Height: 6-foot-7
Weight: 325 pounds

The offensive line has been a big issue with the Steelers for the last few years. Thankfully, with drafting of C Maurkice Pouncey and OT Marcus Gilbert, the overhaul has begun, but there is still some work to do.

The last two years haven't been kind to Willie Colon. He tore his Achilles tendon in 2010, causing him to miss the entire season. In the first game of 2011 he tore his triceps and again was forced to miss another year.

The Steelers cut OT Max Starks in training camp of 2011, only to re-sign him before Week 5. Starks took the left tackle spot from that point on, and outside of a weak performance in Week 15 at San Francisco, Starks played well in 2011.

However, Starks tore his ACL in the playoff loss to Denver and probably won't be ready for the start of the 2012 season. Given that injury, and his free agent status, it's unlikely the Steelers will see Starks back at the start of the season.

That makes it necessary for the Steelers to do their due diligence with regards to the tackle prospects in this draft. Unfortunately this is a fairly weak tackle class so unless they take one in the first two rounds they probably won't take one at all. And unless they trade up in the first round there will really only be one option for them; Ohio State's Mike Adams.

Continue reading this post »

Name: Peter Konz
Position: Offensive Guard
School: Wisconsin
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 315 pounds

Summary: The Steelers like offensive linemen with position flexibility. Konz, despite having played center at the University of Wisconsin, has the skill set to play guard in the NFL. Guard is a position of need for the Steelers in the 2012 NFL Draft, and Konz's resume of three starting years along one of the best offensive lines in college football make him an appealing option in Pittsburgh.

Continue reading this post »

Here's Jason's latest 2012 NFL Mock Draft, with a fifth round added now that the Senior Bowl has come and gone. Great stuff as always from him. Share your thoughts on the selections allotted to the Steelers and other teams. -Michael B.-

**************

1. Indianapolis Colts - Andrew Luck QB, Stanford

2011 1st round Draft Pick: Anthony Castonzo OT, Boston College
Team Needs: RT/OC/OG/WR/CB/SS

At this stage of the game it's pretty much a forgone conclusion that the Colts will take Andrew Luck with the first overall pick. The only other option is ransoming this pick for a treasure trove. They could conceivably get two first round picks out of any deal, and that's just going to be the starting point. In all likelihood they could get three first round picks, or two firsts and a couple of seconds which would seriously help them rebuild their defense. There is a rumor that Dolphins owner Stephen Ross is absolutely infatuated with Andrew Luck. A move like that might drop the Colts back too far to get an elite prospect. The Cleveland Browns hold two firsts in this draft thanks to the Atlanta Falcons trade last year and they have almost nothing invested in Colt McCoy. If they do pull that trade the Colts could be looking at Justin Blackmon to replace Reggie Wayne who is a free agent or bolster their defense by taking LSU CB Morris Claiborne. In the next few rounds the Colts will have to invest in the interior of their offensive line as Jeff Saturday, Ryan Diem, Mike Pollack, and Jamey Richard are all free agents.

2. St. Louis Rams - Matt Kalil OT, USC

2011 1st round Draft Pick: Robert Quinn DE/OLB, UNC
Team Needs: LT/WR/CB/OLB/DT

St. Louis’ biggest downfall this season was their inability to protect Sam Bradford. Fortunately for them they are the first team up that doesn’t need a quarterback so that leaves them with the top tackle in the draft. Matt Kalil is the only tackle in the draft without any flaws to his game and would be a great blindside protector for Sam Bradford. Taking him means they could move Rodger Saffold over to right tackle and move the disappointing Jason Smith to guard. If the Rams go in any other direction they could take Justin Blackmon to give Bradford another weapon and to replace Brandon Lloyd. Defensively they could really use LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne given that they are currently reduced to starting 36-year-old Al Harris. They’ll also need to replace both starting OLB’s who are free agents and needed to be replaced anyway.

3. Minnesota Vikings - Morris Claiborne CB, LSU

2011 1st Draft Pick: Christian Ponder, QB, FSU
Team Needs: LT/CB/WR/OG/FS

The Vikings offense is really hurting since they lost Sidney Rice to free agency and Justin Blackmon would be a great replacement for him. However they also need a better option than Charlie Johnson at left tackle so if the Rams don’t take Matt Kalil he will likely be the pick. Defensively they must improve their secondary at some point. Antoine Winfield is getting frail in his old age and Chris Cook has legal troubles. With the Colts likely not trading away the right to draft Andrew Luck this is where the draft will get interesting. Matt Barkley is staying at USC and Landry Jones is staying at Oklahoma so that leaves RGIII as the only other viable first round quarterback. With Cleveland sure to take him at number 4 Minnesota will find themselves in prime trading territory. The Redskins and Dolphins will be falling over each other to make the Vikings an offer for this pick and it would certainly be in their best interest to deal if the price is right. If they trade back with Washington it’ll be Justin Blackmon, and if it’s with Miami it’ll be for Riley Reiff or Jonathan Martin.

4. Cleveland Browns - Robert Griffin III QB, Baylor

2011 1st round Draft Pick: Phil Taylor NT, Baylor
Team Needs: WR/RT/QB/RB

Cleveland drafted Greg Little in the second round of the 2011 NFL draft and he’s been a nice addition to a very underachieving WR core but they still need a legitimate number one WR. They could take Jonathan Martin or Riley Reiff to fill the void at right tackle but there will be plenty of solid options in the later rounds. But apparently there is a huge rift between the team and current battering ram Peyton Hillis over his contact and he will probably not be there next year. If the Browns were going to find someone to replace him who better than Trent Richardson? On the other side of the ball they could take Morris Claiborne and have one of the top cornerback tandems in the league when paired with Joe Haden. At quarterback Colt McCoy hasn’t shown much and since the Browns took him in the third round they don’t have anything invested in him. As such RGIII makes perfect sense. He has supreme athletic ability with a rocket arm and has drastically improved his decision-making skills from the previous season.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Trent Richardson RB, Alabama

2011 1st round Draft Pick: Adrian Clayborn DE, Iowa
Team Needs: CB/RT/LB/OC/WR

Going into the 2012 season the cornerback position is going to be a huge area of need for the Bucs. Rhonde Barber will be 37 years old by the time the 2012 draft rolls around and who knows what’s going to happen to Aqib Talib as he may be going to jail at some point. Morris Claiborne is already off of the board and it’s too early to draft Alfonzo Dennard or troublemakers Janoris Jenkins and Dre Kirkpatrick. Offensively the Bucs need some serious upgrades on the O-line and as such Riley Reiff and Jonathan Martin will garner some consideration. Donald Penn looks grossly overweight and it would really help Josh Freeman’s development to find a replacement for Penn. They also need a compliment to LaGarrette Blount. Richardson is better than his Heisman trophy predecessor Mark Ingram and has a perfect combination of speed and power running ability. At this point it’ll be a toss-up between Richardson and Justin Blackmon but for now I’ll give the nod to Richardson who has a slightly higher draft grade.

Continue reading this post »

With the start of the 2012 NFL offseason unofficially upon us following the Steelers wild card round loss to the Denver Broncos this past Sunday, let's turn the floor over to Jason for what I imagine will be the first of many mock drafts between now and the 2012 NFL Draft in late April. Please note: Jason finished this prior to Wild Card Weekend, when the first 24 spots in the draft had been determined, but prior to knowing how the final eight teams would shake out in the playoffs. Obviously the Steelers won't be picking at No. 31 as is listed here. But that's not really the point of a huge undertaking like this anyway. Good stuff and many thanks to him for the fine effort.

-Michael B.-

******************

1. Indianapolis Colts - Andrew Luck QB, Stanford

2011 1st round Draft Pick: Anthony Castonzo OT, Boston College
Team Needs: RT/OC/WR

At this stage of the game it's pretty much a forgone conclusion that the Colts will take Andrew Luck with the first overall pick. The only other option is ransoming this pick for a treasure trove. They could conceivably get two first round picks out of any deal, and that's just going to be the starting point. In all likelihood they could get three first round picks, or two firsts and a couple of seconds which would seriously help them rebuild their defense. There is a rumor that Dolphins owner Stephen Ross is absolutely infatuated with Andrew Luck. A move like that might drop the Colts back too far to get an elite prospect. The Cleveland Browns hold two firsts in this draft thanks to the Atlanta Falcons trade last year and they have almost nothing invested in Colt McCoy. If they do pull that trade the Colts could be looking at Justin Blackmon or Alshon Jeffery to replace Reggie Wayne who is a free agent or bolster their defense by taking LSU CB Morris Claiborne.

2. St. Louis Rams - Matt Kalil OT, USC

2011 1st round Draft Pick: Robert Quinn DE/OLB, UNC
Team Needs: WR/FS/DT/RB

St. Louis' biggest downfall this season was their inability to protect Sam Bradford. Fortunately for them they are the first team up that doesn't need a quarterback so that leaves them with the top tackle in the draft. Matt Kalil is the only tackle in the draft without any flaws to his game and would be a great blindside protector for Sam Bradford. Taking him means they could move Rodger Saffold over to right tackle and move the disappointing Jason Smith to guard. If the Rams go in any other direction they could take Justin Blackmon to give Bradford another weapon. Defensively they could really use LSU cornerback Morris Claiborne given that they are currently reduced to starting 36 year old Al Harris.

3. Minnesota Vikings - Morris Claiborne CB, LSU

2011 1st Draft Pick: Christian Ponder QB, FSU
Team Needs: RG/LT/WR/CB/S

The Vikings offense is really hurting since they lost Sidney Rice to free agency and Justin Blackmon would be a great replacement for him. However they also need a better option than Charlie Johnson at left tackle so if the Rams don't take Matt Kalil he will certainly garner a lot of consideration. Defensively they must improve their secondary at some point. Antoine Winfield is getting frail in his old age and Chris Cook has legal troubles. With the Colts likely not trading away the right to draft Andrew Luck this is where the draft will get interesting. Matt Barkley is staying at USC and Landry Jones may stay at Oklahoma after a mediocre season. That leaves RGIII as the only other viable first round quarterback. With Cleveland sure to take him at number 4 Minnesota will find themselves in prime trading territory. The Redskins and Dolphins will be falling over each other to make the Vikings an offer for this pick and it would certainly be in their best interest to deal if the price is right. If they trade back with Washington it'll be Justin Blackmon, and if it's with Miami it'll be Riley Reiff.

Continue reading this post »

Before you get all huffy and puffy about a mock draft being published one week into the new 2011 NFL season, hear me out. First and foremost, if you're like me, you probably don't keep too close an eye on who are considered to be the top prospects in the next year's draft until these dudes are in shorts and working out at The Combine. That's disappointing every year. And while I doubt I'll be tuning in to too many college football games due to time constraints, I'm going to try to make it a point to see how many of these guys I can catch this next two and a half months, even if just for a quarter or two at a time.

Also worth noting is that Big Jay, who rocked our draft coverage along with seton hall and steelers (and others) last spring, sent this to me late last week hoping I would post it before the start of the season. Didn't happen.

So, don't get too worked up about where he's slotted various teams. Really, the only thing Jay might want to have a mulligan on is slotting the Colts into a playoff berth again. I'm assuming he had this fleshed out before it became increasingly clear that Peyton Manning was probably not going to play much, if any, in 2011. As for the other teams, well, one week of action shouldn't cause anybody to veer away from their preseason predictions.

The bottom line though is not dissecting the draft order but trying to learn a thing or two about various teams' needs, as well as to start gathering information on who might be worth watching when some meaningless Big 10 or ACC game this fall.

Many thanks as always to Jay for the fine work.

-Michael B. -

************

1. Seattle Seahawks - Andrew Luck QB, Stanford

2011 1st round Draft Pick: James Carpenter OG/OT, Alabama
Team Needs: QB/CB/ILB

If Seattle does hold the first pick in the draft it'll raise an interesting question. Does Pete Carroll take Andrew Luck or his home grown USC star Matt Barkley. As last year showed Carroll holds no allegiances to USC alum when he took Earl Thomas over Taylor Mays. The Seahawks let Matt Hasselbeck walk in free agency, instead opting for Tavares Jackson. While Hasselbeck is far past his prime he knows the offense and would have been a better choice than Jackson who I expect to falter this season. Going into the draft and holding the first pick this will have to be a quarterback. Will Luck withstand the pressure and prove his choice of returning to school was a good one? Will another quarterback like Barkley or Landry Jones leapfrog over Luck? As of right now Luck is the prize of this draft and the best quarterback prospect since Peyton Manning and the Seahawks would be fools to pass him by.

Continue reading this post »

In a recent interview, Atlanta Falcons GM Thomas Dmitrof said that while the lockout drags on, he and the rest of the Falcons front office are staying busy by preparing for the 2012 NFL Draft. So if the NFL's top GMs are preparing for next April's Draft, why shouldn't we? Let's Continue on then with my series on prospects to watch for during the upcoming college football season that will be targets for the Steelers during the 2012 NFL draft I’ve decided to focus on the guard position. I began the series with a look at some prospects at the Nose Tackle position. Let's change sides of the ball now but stay in the trenches.

The offensive line has been a huge position of needs the last few years, particularly since the 2006 season. Starting with the ’06 season Ben Roethlisberger has been sacked 46,47,46,50, and 32 times. The only reason he his season sack total was so low last year is because he was suspended the first four games. If you adjust the numbers to 16 games he would’ve ended up with 43 sacks on the year. I guess 43 isn’t 50, but it still isn't an acceptable number really.

Continue reading this post »

By now it’s no secret that the Steelers need to make a strong push to resign Ike Taylor, and depending on how the new CBA works out they may also need to worry about resigning LaMarr Woodley and Willie Colon too. But I’m not here to talk about that. Those issues have been talked about to death. This also won’t be an argument in favor of why the Steelers should sign former Oakland Raiders cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha. Well all know that’s never going to happen. The Steelers don’t shell out big bucks on high-priced free agents, it’s just not their style, but they do sign the occasional free agent to fill out the roster, especially ones they think may contribute as starters at some point.

Looking over the free agent landscape, and comparing it to the Steelers needs, I can see three realistic possibilities that they should consider depending on how everything shakes out. Below the jump I’ll deluge into breaking down the need and the player I think could fit in well.

Continue reading this post »

To give our readers something to follow draft wise during the college football season, aside from just enjoying the games, I’m going to profile a few players at each position of need for the Steelers to target during the 2012 NFL Draft. Hopefully by throwing some of these names out there this summer rather than next spring, we'll have a chance to keep closer tabs on some of the 2012 Draft prospects while they're actually competing during the season rather than just doing workouts in shorts.

So let's get started with an overview of the nose tackle position.

Continue reading this post »

Turns out Jay had this puppy completed several weeks ago, but I opted to hold off on inundating you all with more mock drafts for at least a small window in the wake of the 2011 NFL Draft. But with me hard at work trying to get this preseason publication ready to go, now seems like a solid time to throw it up. Many thanks to Jay for the great work this past draft season. Hopefully we can expect something similarly outstanding in the future. Let's see what he's got to say for his preliminary 2012 mock. - Michael B. -

**************

It's never too early to think about the future. Even though the Steelers are perennial powers in the NFL they always have a couple of well defined needs heading into each and every draft season. Heading into the 2012 draft season the Steelers will be looking for a replacement for Casey Hampton and could still need to address the offensive guard and cornerback positions. In addition to that we may be bidding farewell to Hines Ward, and even though it appears as though Emanuel Sanders or Antonio Brown should be able to step up neither one of them may be able to truly fill Ward's shoes.

Please try not to focus too much on the draft position of the Steelers or any other team. I tried not to be a homer and give the Steelers the 32nd pick. While they did a lot in the 2011 draft to fill their needs so did the Packers.

Continue reading this post »

With the draft still fresh in our minds I thought I would focus on a few of the players who weren’t lucky enough to hear their names called at any point during the three day affair that was the 2011 NFL Draft. As was pointed out by ESPN ad nauseam throughout the entire draft, 23 players from the 2011 Pro Bowl were undrafted rookie free agents. Our own James Harrison is a prime example. With the lockout back in place it’s keeping teams from signing these hidden gems but once the lockout is lifted these players will get scooped up in a feeding frenzy.

Continue reading this post »

I know many of you in Steeler Nation are like me -- huge fans of Marcus Cannon -- and were hoping to see him drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft. That's not going to happen following Wednesday's reports that the TCU offensive guard/tackle has been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. As disappointing as that might be for fans hoping to see him get drafted, obviously nobody's thoughts are on anything but the well-being of the kid.

TCU offensive lineman Marcus Cannon has a treatable form of lymphoma that was discovered in the run-up to the NFL draft, sources tell ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

A source told ESPNDallas.com that Cannon was diagnosed with a benign growth in his groin area over four years ago, but physicals for the draft revealed that it had grown. A biopsy and further tests revealed that the 6-foot-6, 350-pound senior has non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Cannon's representatives have released a medical report to all 32 NFL teams, sources told Schefter.

Cannon will begin chemotherapy Wednesday and will have three more treatments over the next three months and be finished by June 29. Because of his age and health, Cannon faces a success rate for beating the cancer of more than 90 percent.

Thankfully it sounds as though they caught it early, and that Cannon has a great shot at making a full recovery following chemotherapy treatments. Very scary stuff though for such a young man. And talk about a massive setback professionally after working hard his whole life to position himself to be drafted in the NFL.

So, what this does this mean for Cannon's draft stock with so little time for teams to reevaluate? Unfortunately for him and his family, the diagnosis almost assuredly bumps him out of the top two rounds, and perhaps all the way in to undrafted free agent status altogether.  Should he be considered such a risk though?

Continue reading this post »

It’s no secret that one of the Steelers biggest needs heading into the 2011 NFL draft is acquiring help along the offensive line, particularly at the right guard spot. It’s been a revolving door at the position, with sub-par to average play from the likes of Trai Essex, Ramon Foster, and Doug Legursky.

Everyone in Steeler Nation seems hell bent on getting Florida’s Mike Pouncey to play alongside his twin brother Maurkice. While that would be an ideal situation, the fact remains that unless the Steelers are willing to trade up to get him, then they’ll need to wait to the second or third rounds before filling their need at RG. One player that could fit the bill in the middle rounds, is Will Rackley, a prospect from tiny local Lehigh College that has been gaining quite a bit of momentum throughout the draft process.

Will Rackley

Height: 6’3"
Weight: 309lbs.
40 time: 5.39secs
Bench: 29reps
Arms: 33.25in

Continue reading this post »

With everyone in the draft world having settled on cornerback and offensive line as the Steelers biggest positional needs, everyone seems to have forgotten, or just overlooked, the fact that the Steelers really need to get younger on the defensive line. Brett Keisel (32), Casey Hampton (33), Aaron Smith (34), Chris Hoke (34), and Nick Eason (30) are all on the wrong side of 30 and if the Steelers keep to their drafting philosophy, where as they take a player to fill for a future need, then it shouldn’t surprise anyone to see them take a defensive lineman somewhere in the first three rounds of the draft. So it’s with that in mind that I continue to profile yet another defensive lineman for the 2011 NFL draft, this time I will focus on Clemson defensive tackle Jarvis Jenkins.

Jarvis Jenkins

Height: 6’4"
Weight: 310lbs.
40 time: 4.98secs
Bench: 17reps
Arms: 33.25in
Vertical: 26.5in
2010 Stats: 38 tackles, 1 sack, 1 Forced Fumble

Pros:

Continue reading this post »

With just a few weeks remaining before the 2011 NFL Draft, there's no need to stop with the player profiles just  yet. So to continue,  I thought I would again focus on defensive line prospects. I’ve already done profiles on Temple DE/DT Muhammed Wilkerson and Baylor NT Phil Taylor. Plenty have heard the name Jerrell Powe, and a fair number of you may even be fairly familiar with his skill set and collegiate career. But let's take a moment to take a closer look at the consensus 2010 preseason top-rated nose tackle. While Powe's stock may have fallen some over the course of the past eight months or so, he’ll still garner some consideration by many teams, including the Steelers, on days two and three of the 2011 NFL Draft.

Jerrell Powe

Height: 6’2"
Weight: 329lbs.
40 time: 5.27secs
Bench: 27reps
Arms: 33.25in
Vertical: 25in
2010 stats: 27 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks

Pros:

Continue reading this post »

Following up on my article on "What if the Steelers drafted a running back in the first round" I thought I would take the time to write a profile on Illinois’ Mikel Leshoure. There are some teams who have him as the top rated running back on their draft boards, higher than Alabama’s Mark Ingram even. Leshoure is a tough, physical runner with the potential to be a three down back at the pro level. I know running back is certainly not going to be a popular choice amongst Steelers fans, but it may be a viable option if the draft doesn’t shake out in the team's favor by the end of the first round.

Mike Leshoure, RB, Illinois
Height: 6’0"
Weight: 232lbs.
40 time: 4.56secs
Vertical: 38in
2010 Stats:  281 att, 1,697 yds, 6.0 avg, 17 rec, 196 yds, 20 total td, 0 fumbles

Pros:

Continue reading this post »

Recently I read an article suggesting that the Steelers could in fact take a running back in the first round of the upcoming 2011 NFL draft. It got me thinking and I’ve decided to explore the notion a little further. I’m sure that the very idea of taking a running back, let alone on in the first round, would make most of you reading this shake with anger.

Now given the Steelers needs it seems absurd that they would even consider doing such a thing but as they article suggests they have done it before. Entering the 2008 NFL draft the position of running back was considered a slight need only because the Steelers lacked a traditional power-back for goal line situations and for someone to occasionally spell "Fast" Willie Parker. Parker had come off of three consecutive years with at least 1,200 rushing yards. If it weren’t for a fractured tibia against the St. Louis Rams in the second-to-last game of the 2007 season Willie Parker probably would have ended the year as the Rushing Champion.

Continue reading this post »

As I was perusing the web, I came across this interesting article about Oklahoma Free Safety Quinton Carter possibly being a perfect fit for the Pittsburgh Steelers. The 2011 Safety class is generally considered a pretty weak one with the exception of UCLA’s Rahim Moore. But Quinton Carter is almost as good from a physical talent perspective, and maybe even a better player in the right system. For the most part however, Carter's name has flown under the radar this draft season. As the article suggests, Quinton Carter is a great fit for the Steelers defensive scheme and should certainly be given some consideration by the front office in the second round of the 2011 NFL draft.

Height: 6’1"
Weight: 208lbs.
40 time: 4.62secs
Bench: 23reps
Arms: 31.5in
Vertical: 34.5in
2010 stats: 96 total tackles, 4 ints

Pros: Quinton Carter might be the most physical Safety prospect in the 2011 draft. He plays a very aggressive style of defense and isn’t afraid to lay the wood on anybody whether it be in run support or some unsuspecting WR going over the middle and not paying attention. While his 40 time reads a little slow Carter plays fast enough to cover in man-to-man if needed but would be better served in a zone coverage scheme. At the combine Mike Mayock pointed out that Carter had very fluid hips. From a personal standpoint there may not be another player in the draft with a higher character than Carter’s. He’s already gotten a degree in Non-profit Organizational Studies and started his own non-profit charity in his hometown of Las Vegas, NV called SOUL (Serving Others with Unit and Leadership).

Continue reading this post »

To continue Tim (HSS) and my series about a number of potentially surprising moves the Steelers might make in April's NFL Draft, I'm focusing here on the possibility of the team trading out of the first round altogether. As suggested by many of you in the comments section recently, it would seem likely that the Steelers would trade out of the first round because of the lack of talent that would be available when the Steelers pick at No. 31. While it’s certainly plausible for the Steelers to execute a trade that would take them out of the first round in exchange for additional picks, it should be noted that since the AFL/NFL merger the Steelers have never not made a selection in the first round of the draft. So to say that it would be out of character to do so would be an understatement. But just because they’ve never done it doesn’t mean that they never will. So that is the premise of this article. What if the Steelers traded out of the first round altogether?

Typically when a team decides to trade back it’s because they aren’t in love enough with the available talent and/or another team calls them and offers enough compensation to make it worth trading back. So for instance, when the Steelers are on the clock at pick 31 and decide to trade back and end up taking Ras-I Dowling wherever they land, it’s not so much because they wanted better value for Dowling specifically, but rather that the team they traded with offered more value than Dowling was worth at 31. So instead of trying to decide who the Steelers would specifically trade back for this article will be more about what team would want to trade up to pick 31 and what type of compensation the Steelers can expect to get in return for doing so.

Following the trade value chart below, the 31^st pick in the NFL draft is worth 600 points. Let's take a look:

Continue reading this post »

Recently Tim (HSS) put out a great piece on "What if the Steelers draft Ras-I Dowling at pick 31?" and it really got me thinking about other moves the Steelers might make that would surprise most of us. Now, it’s no secret the Steelers are not shy about trading up in the first round to take a player they really like. Within the last decade they’ve done it for Troy Polamalu and Santonio Holmes, and while Holmes is no longer on the team I still think both trades worked out pretty well in our favor.

The general consensus is that the most desired player in the 2011 NFL draft for most fans is Florida Offensive Guard Mike Pouncey, twin brother of current Steelers Offensive Center Maurkice Pouncey. And why shouldn’t he be? Maurkice Pouncey was named to the Pro-Bowl in his first year and the Steelers have a huge hole at Right Guard, so why not get a carbon copy of a current Pro-Bowler to fill that need? Mike Pouncey has become a hot commodity and it’s become highly unlikely that he’ll be available when the Steelers make their selection at pick 31, so if the Steelers want him bad enough they’ll have to trade up to get him.

But what if the Steelers front office doesn’t like him as much as the Steelers faithful? Just because his brother became an instant success doesn’t mean that Mike Pouncey will too. And the Steelers have other needs besides just at Offensive Guard, some would say that Cornerback is a much bigger need. And what about Offensive Tackle? Eventually when a new CBA is reached Willie Colon will probably be an unrestricted free agent. Will the Steelers be able to afford him then? If not that’ll leave soon-to-be 36 year old Flozell Adams to man the right side of our O-line. He filled in relatively well last season but he’s not a permanent solution.

And what about the age concerns of our defensive line? With the exception of Ziggy Hood the youngest defensive linemen is Nick Eason at 30 years old. Aaron Smith has missed a significant portion of two out of the last three seasons. Brett Keisel has even missed a little time as well. And while Casey Hampton is still able to occupy multiple blockers he’s no longer getting the same kind of push that we’re used to of him.

It’s with all of these questions that I ask you readers "What if the Steelers traded up in the 2011 NFL draft for someone other than Florida Offensive Guard Mike Pouncey?" Well for this article I’m going to pick a player or two at each position that makes any kind of sense and give my reasoning why I feel the Steelers should pull the trigger on them.

Continue reading this post »

Before I start working on the the next addition of my seven-round mock draft, I thought I would pump out one more player profile. This time I'm highlighting a defensive line prospect since it seems that Tim (HSS) and I have covered the offensive line and secondary pretty well.

Given the age of Brett Keisel (32), Casey Hampton (33), Aaron Smith (34), Chris Hoke(34), and even Nick Eason (30) it's not at all beyond the realm of possibility that the Steelers could target a defensive lineman with the 31st and/or the 63rd picks in the upcoming 2011 NFL Draft. They do have a great building block for the future in Ziggy Hood but they'll need to continue to seek out future stars to pair with him, and it's with that in mind that I give you a player profile on Temple DT/DE Muhammed Wilkerson.

Height: 6'4"
Weight: 315lbs.
40 time: 4.99secs
Bench: 27 reps
Arms: 35.25in
2010 stats: 70 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 9.5 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, 1 blocked kick

Continue reading this post »

I’m an avid reader of Walterfootball.com and recently he’s mocked Illinois ILB Martez Wilson to the Steelers with the 31^st pick in the first round. Now I know that selection may initially make many of you reach for a gun and go on a killing spree, something perhaps not too unlike the responses I received when I previously tabbed Randall Cobb to the Steelers with the 63^rd pick in my most recent seven-round mock draft. While on the surface it seems to be a wasted pick, the fact remains that it would fill an undeniable need. Perhaps not an immediate need in 2011, but Kevin Colbert isn't forced to draft for the immediate future. He's paid to make sure the Steelers remain competitive year after year, and he does so by reloading across the board before glaring needs ever really materialize. That's why the Steelers draft 'best player/talent available' so often.

Here's an article I recently read that better encapsulates the Steelers philosophy of drafting talent over need. After reading it and thinking about how Wilson might fit into the Steelers plans', I thought why not, time to do a player profile on Wilson and give a little insight to a player many in Steelers Nation may not know a whole lot about. 

Height: 6'4"
Weight: 250lbs.
40 time: 4.44 secs
Bench: 23 reps
2010 stats: 112 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery, 1 interception

Pros:

Continue reading this post »

After reading all of the comments from the latest 7-round mock draft I posted a lot of people felt that if the Steelers were to miss out on Mike Pouncey, Jimmy Smith, Brandon Harris, and several other of the potential targets than the team would be better served taking UCLA Free Safety Rahim Moore over a supposed reach like Ben Ijalana. Well that got me thinking so I decided to take a break from profiling potential second round picks to give a little more focus on Moore and his fit as the Steelers first round pick.

Rahim Moore Player Profile:

Height: 6'0"
Weight: 202lbs.
40 time: 4.53
Vertical: 35in
Arms: 30.25in
Bench: 11reps

Pros: Rahim Moore's best attributes are his instincts and his hands which make him a dangerous ball hawk. He's excellent at breaking on the ball , especially on deep routes, and has receiver hands to pick it off. His specialty is zone coverage which makes him a good fit for the Steelers defense. He was a 3 year starter at UCLA, never missing a single game since the day he stepped on campus, and ended his collegiate career with 14 interceptions. Moore also has good straight-line speed and very fluid hips.

Continue reading this post »

It's nice to finally get back to writing some player profiles after all of the excitement surrounding the NFL scouting combine. As with my last post on TCU Offensive Guard Marcus Cannon I'm going to continue looking at a few players the Steelers may be targeting at the end of the second round. As it appears that Cannon may not be available as a result of him moving up draft boards, and because the Steelers may not select an offensive lineman in the first round, this time I thought I would profile another Guard that might make for a good fit in round two -- Clint Boling, University of Georgia.

Height: 6'5"
Weight: 308lbs.
40 time: 5.25
Bench: 28
Arms: 33.5in

Continue reading this post »