With the first round of the draft completed, here are my initial grades for each of the first 32 picks. In addition, I've included the updated team needs for each team. This should provide a good indication of where the teams are likely to go in next couple of days.

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With the first round of the draft completed, here are my initial grades for each of the first 32 picks. In addition, I've included the updated team needs for each team. This should provide a good indication of where the teams are likely to go in next couple of days.

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With just a few hours left until the draft, here's my final 3 round mock. Enjoy!

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With just a few weeks to go until the draft the Steelers' draft board is coming into focus. I've put together my list, and added a few notes on what each prospect would bring to the team.

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Now that most big-name free agents have new homes here's a mock to show how teams' needs have shifted. I'll address specific signings more in the comments for each team.

1. Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck QB, Stanford

Indianapolis might as well start negotiating its contract with Luck at this point.

2. Washington Redskins (from Rams): Robert Griffin III QB, Baylor

Did anyone think Dan Snyder would lose a bidding war? To those who think they gave up too much, you're wrong.

3. Minnesota Vikings: Matt Kalil OT, USC

Almost as sure about this pick as I am that Luck will be a Colt. Minnesota can't pass on Kalil.

4. Cleveland Browns: Trent Richardson RB, Alabama

This is where things get tricky. After botching the trade for RG3 they need to restock just about every position on offense. Losing Peyton Hillis makes runningback a bigger need than receiver, as incredible as that sounds, and Richardson is a far better prospect than Justin Blackmon.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Morris Claiborne CB, LSU

Another easy pick, Richardson to Tampa has been a common pick lately but with him gone they'll sprint to the podium to grab Claiborne. Signing Eric Wright isn't enough to solve their issues at corner and Claiborne is already a better cover corner than Patrick Peterson, who went 5th overall last year.

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Now that most big-name free agents have new homes here's a mock to show how teams' needs have shifted. I'll address specific signings more in the comments for each team.

1. Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck QB, Stanford

Indianapolis might as well start negotiating its contract with Luck at this point.

2. Washington Redskins (from Rams): Robert Griffin III QB, Baylor

Did anyone think Dan Snyder would lose a bidding war? To those who think they gave up too much, you're wrong.

3. Minnesota Vikings: Matt Kalil OT, USC

Almost as sure about this pick as I am that Luck will be a Colt. Minnesota can't pass on Kalil.

4. Cleveland Browns: Trent Richardson RB, Alabama

This is where things get tricky. After botching the trade for RG3 they need to restock just about every position on offense. Losing Peyton Hillis makes runningback a bigger need than receiver, as incredible as that sounds, and Richardson is a far better prospect than Justin Blackmon.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Morris Claiborne CB, LSU

Another easy pick, Richardson to Tampa has been a common pick lately but with him gone they'll sprint to the podium to grab Claiborne. Signing Eric Wright isn't enough to solve their issues at corner and Claiborne is already a better cover corner than Patrick Peterson, who went 5th overall last year.

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I wanted to get some thoughts out there before the combine really kicks off, so I decided to put together a Steeler Mock. Then, I decided I'd put a second one together to prepare us in the event a team signs Mike Wallace away from us.

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Finally got a 2 Round Mock done. I sprinkled in a few trades but this is more conservative than my last. Enjoy

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Finally got a 2 round mock done. I sprinkled in a few trades, but tried to keep it more conservative than my previous one. Enjoy.

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Dear Hines,

Growing up in the DC area, I would watch the occasional Redskins game, root for them when it was convenient, but I never really felt like a part of the Burgundy and Gold. It wasn't until 2004 that I really started paying attention to football. My dad loved to push people's buttons, so he rooted for the Cowboys. After the Steelers beat the Cowboys that year, he wouldn't stop talking about how overrated Ben Roethlisberger was and how much he hated the Steelers. Maybe I got it from him, but I started rooting for the Steelers to get under his skin. What I didn't know was how that would grow into a love and passion for this team.

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I've gotten a bit bored of doing mock drafts for the time being, so I decided to put together a wish list of prospects in each round for the Steelers. With just a brief overview of each prospect, I'll rank the guys we should be targeting in April's draft. Before I start, here is my ranking of the Steelers' needs as I see them currently, divided into 3 categories.

Must Fill:

1a. Guard, 1b. Nose Tackle

3. Inside Linebacker

Need Depth/Future Starter:

4. Safety

5. Kicker

6. Running Back

7. Offensive Tackle

8. Defensive End

9. Quarterback

OK for now:

10. Cornerback, 11. Outside Linebacker, 12. Tight End, 13. Wide Receiver, 14. Punter, 15. Center

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I haven't tried a mock with trades in a while and with so much movement expected in this year's draft I thought it appropriate. I hope you all appreciate it and as always constructive feedback is welcomed.

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I haven't tried a mock with trades in a while and with so much movement expected in this year's draft I thought it appropriate. I hope you all appreciate it and as always constructive feedback is welcomed.

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OFFENSE

QB: With Ben Roethlisberger, a quality backup is a must. Luckily, we have two in Charlie Batch and Byron Leftwich. However, Batch is likely to retire and Leftwich spent all of 2011 on IR. Dennis Dixon will be the only one under 30 by next summer, and he has shown very little in terms of regular season production. Roethlisberger is also the only one who is not a free agent after this season. I think we should resign Leftwich and either sign a new #3 or draft a someone in the middle rounds to develop. Pick: Ryan Lindley, San Diego State. 5th Round. Lindley has a cannon for an arm and can make every throw in a pro system, but he struggles with the minutia of the position. His mechanics need a ton of work and he needs to make better decisions which is why he is inaccurate on a lot of throws. Fix that, and you've got a hell of a QB.

RB: Rashard Mendenhall tearing his MCL makes the RB situation much more murkey, as he is entering the final year of his rookie contract in 2012. Redman is an exclusive rights free agent which means we can offer him a minimum contract and he'll stay. Mewelde Moore could be resigned for some veteran stability if Mendenhall isn't ready, but if Mendy is ready Moore should not be resigned. A lot of guys love Baron Batch, but he will have to prove his durability as well. Jonathan Dwyer has shown flashes but not enough to count on. Pick: Isiah Pead, Cincinnati. 4th Round. Pead excels more in the passing game but has shown the ability to break long runs as well with his exceptional sPead (ha! get it?). He would make a great 3rd down RB and could split time with Redman if Mendenhall were to miss time.

WR: First of all, a big Congratulations to Hines Ward for reaching 1,000 catches. He has already said he will restructure his contract to stay with the team, and I would love him to stay another year. Wallace and Brown make a great tandem and we will need to work to resign them both in the coming years. Wallace should be given a 1st and 3rd round tender as a restricted free agent. Sanders is not to be dismissed either and hopefully he can stay healthy next year. I would love to have Jerricho Cotchery back, especially if the front office decides to cut Hines. People have thrown Plaxico Burress's name around, and although I was completely against it this past summer I wouldn't be opposed to it this year as long as he is willing to accept a role as a situational 3rd receiver. Regardless, I think we are set at this position for the foreseeable future. Cutting Arnaz Battle will save us a little more than $1mil in cap room. Pick: Laron Byrd, Miami. 7th Round. At 6' 3.5" Byrd could be a good redzone target who also excels going over the middle and catching balls in traffic. Best case scenario he turns into a taller Hines Ward which is the only thing this group is missing out of its young guys.

TE: I've come to realize that Heath Miller may never get another Pro Bowl nod but its not because of a lack of talent. He just doesn't get the same opportunities that a Gronkowski or Graham does. I'm excited to see what Weslye Saunders will be able to do next year. David Johnson is a good H-back/3rd TE even though he dropped a couple balls against Denver. The only way we draft a TE this year is if we don't plan to resign Johnson, who is a restricted free agent. Pick: Brian Linthicum, Michigan State. 7th Round. I heard a rumor that this is Tim Lincecum's cousin with a really bad lisp.

OT: If Starks is resigned there could be a bit of a backlog at OT next year with him, Gilbert, and Colon. However, after tearing his ACL in Denver I don't think he will be resigned. The best case scenario would be to have Gilbert develop into our starting LT, Colon come back healthy as a RT, and resign Starks (if healthy) to a veteran minimum contract as a backup at both positions. I'm not sure if Starks would like that though, since he played very well this year and if not for the injury would deserve a sizable extension. We will probably cut Jonathan Scott to save us $2.2mil, though he could be brought back for vet minimum. Pick: Mike Ryan, Connecticut. 4th Round. Great size and is pretty well rounded as a blocker but doesn't dominate in any one area. A bit of a project but should have room to grow.

G/C: Chris Kemoeatu's penalties are not worth his paycheck and will be released this offseason. The move will probably come after June 1st since cutting him would save the Steelers $2.4mil in cap room, although waiting until after June 1st would save them almost $3.6. Ramon Foster is decent but would be best as a swing backup to both spots, he should be given a 2nd round restricted tender. Trai Essex has been a valuable injury fill-in and would be worth keeping once we cut Kemo. It almost goes without saying, but Pouncey's job is safe. Legursky is a restricted free agent who should be offered a 2nd round tender as well. Pick: Cordy Glenn, Georgia. 1st Round. Glenn plays OT right now for Georgia but should transition to G in the pros. There's no telling how good this offense could be with another top OLman next to Pouncey.

DEFENSE

DL: Having spent 2 of the last 3 first round picks on DEs, the Steelers have their future at the position. Brett Keisel was a Pro Bowl snub this year (Freeney and Mathis got in on reputation and nothing else) with a few more good years left in him. The problem is what to do with the NT position since Chris Hoke will probably retire and Casey Hampton just injured his ACL (no surgery is required though). Hampton is due over $8mil and will have to take a pay cut in order to stay with the team. Steve McLendon has done well this year but he is not a true NT because he is simply too small. He should be back though since he's an exclusive rights free agent. Pick: NT Alameda Ta'amu, Washington. 2nd Round. Ta'amu was a preseason 1st round pick for many Steelers fans, but his stock has fallen into the second after a disappointing year. He will probably be best served learning from Hampton for a year if we can keep him. Pick: DE Ethan Johnson, Notre Dame. 5th Round. I included a second pick in this section since I mashed the whole DL together. Johnson is a project and has an injury history but has experience in the 3-4. He had 5 sacks in 2010 when playing in a 3-4.

OLB: I'm sure this has been a very frustrating year for James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley, who easily make up the best pass-rushing tandem in the league but couldn't stay on the field together at all this year. Still, Woodley is locked up long term and Harrison has a few years left. Backups Jason Worilds and Chris Carter should have at least another year to develop and fight over Harrison's spot when he leaves. Pick: Adrian Robinson, Temple. 7th Round. Hopefully a sleeper pick, Robinson had 13.5 tackles for loss with 6.5 sacks this year.

ILB: Lawrence Timmons didn't have the season we were expecting on account of playing OLB for a few games due to injury. Still, he is locked up long term and should bounce back next year. James Farrior is in a similar situation to Hines, he's probably playing his last year in 2012 and will need to take a pay cut or else be cut altogether. Larry Foote's future is tied to Farrior's, if Farrior leaves we will surely keep Foote for a veteran presence, if Farrior stays Foote will almost assuredly be a cap casualty to save us about $3mil. Stevenson Sylvester hasn't had many opportunities outside special teams, but he will need to show more if he expects to take over for Farrior. Pick: Dont'a Hightower, Alabama. 1st Round. I was extremely disappointed that Manti Te'o opted to stay his senior season as he was my favorite prospect for the Steelers, but Hightower is a great consolation prize. He would be a great "Buck" ILB while Timmons plays the "Mack" position. He excels in taking on blocks and delivering the big hit inside the tackles.

CB: After so much scrutiny and hating on this group last year, this bunch has turned it around to become the #1 pass defense in the league. Ike Taylor has upped his game after getting a new contract and William Gay and Keenan Lewis have completely turned a corner this year. I'm torn on what to do with Gay, he played well this season but we can't afford to give him much of a long-term contract. Lewis should be given a 2nd round restricted tender. Throw in rookies Cortez Allen and Curtis Brown and we have a solid group going forward. The only disappointment has been Bryant McFadden who will be an easy cap casualty this offseason to save us $2.5 million next year. Pick: Tashaun Gipson, Wyoming. 6th Round. Gipson has solid size at 6'0" and 195lbs. and has recorded 3 interceptions in each of the last 3 years. Not bad for a 6th round pick.

S: Ryan Clark and Troy Polamalu have both had great seasons despite their numbers being down. Quite simply, we're lucky to have both these guys for the foreseeable future. I'm not sold on Ryan Mundy as a replacement for Clark, but he should be given a 2nd round tender since he is the only depth we have behind Clark and Troy. Will Allen is great on special teams but shouldn't be counted on as a starter or even reliable backup. He will probably be cut to save us $1.28mil. Pick: Robert Lester, Alabama. 2nd Round. Lester is a ballhawk of a safety who could learn under Clark for a year or two before picking up the spot next to Troy. He is best when roaming center-field of the defense.

ST: Jeremy Kapinos has played well in replacing Sepulveda and deserves a chance to stay. I don't see a rookie who could be better than him this year anyway. Suisham has been an average kicker at best and can't be relied on in pressure situations. If (and only if) the TOP kicker on our board falls to us in the 5th or 6th round then we should grab him but only if we know he's an upgrade over Suisham. If we have to debate over who's better its not even worth drafting him. Pick: Randy Bullock, Texas A&M. 6th Round. Bullock was first team All American this year and can make kicks from 50+. He's almost automatic from within 40 and has a 78% ratio for his career.

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still sick from yesterday, here's a mock.

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With the season ending so unceremoniously yesterday, here's my first official 2012 mock draft.

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Before I do the mock, here are some offseason moves I think/would like the Steelers to make. First, resign Max Starks. Quite simply, he's earned it. We're obviously going to extend Mike Wallace's contract, but we should also try to extend Rashard Mendenhall's. Also, resign Jericho Cotchery, especially if Hines retires. We also need to resign Byron Leftwich and either Dennis Dixon or bring in a cheap veteran for the #3 job. Maybe David Garrard or Chad Henne? I think either William Gay or Bryant McFadden will be cut, as will Larry Foote. Also, goodbye Trai Essex.

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Figured I'd put together a mock draft to keep my mind off of Sunday's game (im a Steelers fan if you couldn't tell). Since the draft order is going to change significantly before the draft anyway, I only loosely used the official league standings and modified them a bit based on future schedules and how I think teams will finish. I also leaned more toward team needs than value of players since the order doesn't matter as much. I probably won't do another one until after the season is over but here you go.

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Figured I'd put together a mock draft to keep my mind off of Sunday's game. Since the draft order is going to change significantly before the draft anyway, I only loosely used the official league standings and modified them a bit based on future schedules and how I think teams will finish. I also leaned more toward team needs than value of players since the order doesn't matter as much. I probably won't do another one until after the season is over but here you go.

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For those of you who haven't read my posts, I like to do a position by position outlook every now and then on the Steelers draft options. Let's get right to it.

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Ladies and gentlemen, the NFL season is upon us! And better yet, we don't have to wait even one week to see a great game, as the schedulers have given us a trip to our most hated rival's home for our first game. Without further ado, here are my 4 most important matchups to watch that will change the tempo of this game.

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Now that most of free agency is done and training camps are underway, I feel I can safely make predictions without any major players switching teams. Keep in mind the records I've given each team are estimations, I looked at each team's schedule, but I didn't go through every game of the season and pick winners. So here are my 2011 Predictions.

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I woke up this morning to a friend calling me asking if I had seen Harrison's latest insults of Roger Goodell. When he told me what James had said, I laughed. I have no problem with what he said about Goodell. I've hated Goodell since he first became the commish, and like James, I'll never respect him. However, when I read the rest of the article on ESPN.com, I was appalled. Harrison's comments on Big Ben and Rashard Mendenhall were downright uncalled for. It was not an off the cuff remark, it was not a slip of the tongue, this was a sit down interview with plenty of time for James to think about what he was saying.These are comments that can kill a team's trust in one another. These are comments that can divide the locker room. These are comments that T.O. or Chad Ochocinco would make for crying out loud!

What may have bothered me most is that James attacked his teammates for their play when, as a football player, he should know that their mistakes were in large part out of their control. Say what you will about Ben's inconsistency in the first 3 quarters of a game, but the man plays when the game is on the line. The pick-6 in the Superbowl was 100% not Ben's fault. Given a half second more time, Ben puts that ball perfectly in Mike Wallace's hands 40 yards downfield. Mendenhall's fumble was just a perfect hit by Clay Matthews, I challenge anyone to hold on to that ball when Matthews's helmet pops it right out. I know I'm making excuses, but that doesn't mean I'm wrong.

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I was on nfl.com earlier trying to find an old article that I read and came across the Blog network. They have some interesting statistics up there from time to time and I found a few very interesting ones that relate to our Steelers.

First is one on Hines Ward, who you might be surprised to know has the most receptions of any player in the last ten years.

Secondly, if you needed any more convincing of how important and talented Ben Roethlisberger is, he ranks second among all QBs in third down passer rating. First place is none other than Tom Brady, but still, anyone who wants to say Ben relies on his defense to win is clearly not looking at the numbers. Games are won and lost on third down, just ask the Ravens.

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I'm bored, you're bored. The lockout sucks. So here's a little "game" where we try to match each QB to a team for next year. Everyone will have different opinions, but the goal of the game is to have every QB and every team happy with who they're matched up with. First, lets look at all the teams who still want/need a new QB.

ARIZONA CARDINALS

Looking for: experienced vet who can create chemistry with Larry Fitzgerald.

Possibilities: Kevin Kolb, Carson Palmer, Marc Bulger

BUFFALO BILLS

Looking for: Competition for or possible upgrade over Ryan Fitzpatrick.

Possibilities: Vince Young, Kyle Orton, Marc Bulger

DENVER BRONCOS

Looking for: Anyone but Tim Tebow.

Possibilities: Tim Tebow, Tim Tebow, Tim Tebow

MIAMI DOLPHINS

Looking for: Competition for or possible upgrade over Chad Henne.

Possibilities: Kyle Orton, Carson Palmer, Vince Young

MINNESOTA VIKINGS

Looking for: stopgap veteran who can hold the reigns while tutoring rookie Christian Ponder.

Possibilities: Donovan McNabb, Carson Palmer, Marc Bulger

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

Looking for: veteran who can lead a young offense and tutor rookie Colin Kaepernick.

Possibilities: Carson Palmer, Donovan McNabb, Kyle Orton

WASHINGTON REDSKINS

Looking for: anyone.

Possibilities: Carson Palmer, Kyle Orton, Marc Bulger

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Now that the draft is over, I'm going to revisit a series I've been doing semi-regularly since before the 2010 season. For those of you that aren't familiar, I'm going to evaluate each position on our roster, taking into consideration all sorts of things like pending free agents, possible retirements, and the development of young players. I'll finish with a projected 2011 roster and a quick list of guys who are in their contract year.

And no, I'm not going to go into possible 2012 draftees like I did in previous posts, as that seems especially pointless at this time.

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After an exciting draft, here are my grades for each pick in the first round.

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After an exciting draft, here are my grades for each pick in the first round.

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I've added a third round and made major changes throughout. I'm also working on a 1 round mock with trades that I'll post in the next week or so. Questions, comments and criticisms are always welcomed. Enjoy!

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I've added a third round and made major changes throughout. I'm also working on a 1 round mock with trades that I'll post in the next week or so. Questions, comments and criticisms are always welcomed. Enjoy!

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