2012 Pittsburgh Steelers Discussion

[DeeboHarrison]

Hines Ward press conference today. Word is he's going to officially retire. Think it's great he will retire a Steeler. Thanks Hines for all the great memories!

[DeeboHarrison]

Bouchette believes Mendenhall is in his final season as a Steelers and has probably carried the rock his last time as a Steeler as well. So maybe RB is a higher priority than we think for this draft.

http://plus.sites.post-gazette.com/i...view&id=115416

[K Train]

i hope dwyer can come in and take advantage of this opportunity. he has legit ability i guess we'll find out how much faith they have in him after the draft

i do not want redman to be the starting RB...yuck

[Hines]

Ya I want Dwyer to be the starting back. I'm still not a fan of Redman, though he runs hard and that's what old timers like. I know the Steelers have shown interest in Isaiah Pead.

[K Train]

thats exactly it, old timers love redman because he was undrafted and runs pretty hard. i like him as a pass blocking back and a reciever, i think hes got great balance and a feel for the play out beating zones...hes a very mediocre back though.

dwyer has a tendancy to come in kinda tubby, but even so hes still the fastest, hopefully he can be in good shape and take control of the spot.

all indications are that they love Pead though, i wouldnt be surprised one bit to take him in 3 (possibly trade up in 3?)

[Hines]

Yeah, Pead will be had in the third. Unless some strange **** goes on, I think the Steelers want to go Hightower-Martin-Pead-Robinson in the first couple rounds. Possibly trade down and get more picks for Lucas Nix.

I still have high hopes for Baron Batch. I believe he will make plays this coming season.

[K Train]

heres my current mock, posted at steeleraddicts. this was 2 weeks ago, ill have 2 more like it at least by the draft

im doing a podcast on the 26th with them as well you guys should check it out.

1) Donta Hightower MLB AlabamaI think if Higtower is there at 24, he will be the pick. MLB is a need, but in this case it is also a luxury pick. Hightower has had his stock up and down over the last few years, looking like a first rounder early and then a mid rounder after his injury when he didnt really play that well and looked sluggish off the snap. Since then however he has been a force in the middle of the Alabama defense. Running a 4.6 at the combine has me sold on any speed question marks he once had. At 6-4 260 that speed is ridiculous. He is a perfect compliment to timmons in the middle and will start early in his career. Has the size to take on blockers, he has the blitzing ability to get to the QB both through the middle and off the ede at OLB so if harrison and woodley both are hurt we wont be crippled at OLB, and he has the size and strength to play DE on passing downs and just get after the QB. Very versatile, but will be a key in the middle of the defense for us, ive compared him to Adalius Thomas in that he can line up anywhere on the defense pretty much. imo hes a better prospect than Rolando mcclain in every way

Other possible picks:
Cordy Glenn- Big, mauling guard. A rare athlete at the position, instant upgrade at either guard spot
Mike Adams- 19 reps isnt a problem imo, these 6-8 guys usually do about that much, starks did 21. Great athlete and would be a great duo at tackle with Gilbert.
Dontari Poe- If hes there
Peter Konz- Upgrade at guard or an EXTREME upgrade at guard if they move pouncey and put Konz at center

2) Brandon Brooks OG Miami (OH)Heres a guy that has quickly risen up my board, hard to judge someone playing at Miami Ohio that didnt get a combine invite, but heres a little info on Brooks pro day:

After sizzling during the testing portion of his workout, Brandon Brooks continued to impress during a 10-minute segment of position drills. According to scouts Brooks moved well around the field, looking fluid and smooth. At one point during bag drills he knocked over a coach from the Pittsburgh Steelers after violently striking the bag with his powerful hand punch.Brooks is slated for a second workout next Thursday, March 8, where he will solely participate in offensive line drills. The expectations from NFL decision makers at the workout is Brooks will be the first non-combine participant drafted in April

Miami (OH) Guard Brandon Brooks had a very good pro day. He showed great athleticism (4.98, 32 inch vertical) and is a very big guy at 346. Not sure why he didn't get a Combine invite.

I think the bold is a positive thing much more than it is a negative thing. He kind of reminds me of Heath Benedict, a prospect who passed away a few years ago that the steelers were very interested in coming in and replacing Alan Faneca. Big violent guard that showed a great punch and nimble feet. I have him as a 3rd round prospect at the moment, but the steelers take him near the tail end of round 2 after missing out on Decastro, Konz, Glenn, B. Washington, K Osemele, and maybe Kevin Zeitler. But Brooks is a great consolation prize to missing out on the top guards in a pretty good guard class.

Other Possible picks: Brandon Washington, K. Osemele, Kevin Zeitler, Stephen Gilmore, Alfonzo Dennard, Chase Minnifield, Alemeda Taamu, Jared Crick

3) Josh Chapman NT AlabamaHeres a guy that fought through injuries to play on arguably one of the greatest collegiate defenses ever, and he played a position that got no glory while opening up things for guys like Hightower, Upshaw, and Kirkpatrick to be first round picks. He wont be able to work out til this summer but he had a good showing on the bench (like 33 reps i believe) and he looks te part of a NT that we look for. We dont need a NT to run a 40 to draft him in the 3rd round, his tape speaks for itself

Other possible picks: Brandon Boykin, Doug Martin, Vontaze Bufict, D. Posey, Chris Polk

4) Isaiah Pead RB CincinattiRB probably needs to be addressed with Mendenhall starting out on the PUP list and his status being unclear. Dwyer, Clay and Redman are not guys i am comfortable with as RBs to start the year with and who the hell knows what they have planned for Baron Batch. My guess is Batch wins the 3rd down back role, but doesnt do much more than that. The steelers have shown a lot of interest in Pead and he had good workout numbers, definitely good enough to warrant a 4th rounder.

5) Chad Deihl FB ClemsonMassive 6-2 265 pound FB, no arians leaves a windo open for the steelers to use a real FB again. This man has head hunter potential. Hes got good acceleration, a mean punch, and never misses his assignments. Watch some stuff on him, hes a crushing lead blocker. Not sure what the steelers actual intentions are to use a FB in the next year, but if they go back to a mosre traditional FB running scheme, Diehl is a hell of a jumping off point.

6) Ron Brooks CB LSUNever started at LSU but was impressive in drills and ran in the 4.3s, its hard to find a starting spot when you are playing behind 2 top 6 picks in Peterson and Claiborne, and a Heisman Hopeful in Tyrann Mathieu, but hes athletic and can cover and be a beast on ST.

7) Blair Walsh Kicker GeorgiaBest kicker in the draft, bring him in to compete, it is about time to make moves on a kicker that can be reliable.

http://www.steeleraddicts.com/forum/...eeler-Mock-1-0

[K Train]

anyone know if deunta williams ever signed with anyone? he sat out last season rehabbing after going undrafted

[Hines]

The Steelers signed Wes Lyons back, along with former WVU TE Will Johnson. Johnson impressed Tomlin at WVU's Pro Day. He's 6'3 244 pounds, pushed 225 up 30 times and ran a 4.49. If he shows he can catch passes well, he could be a nice piece to our offfense down the seam.

Also, we brought in TE Anthony Hill for a visit. He's strictly a blocking TE. Could this mean the end of DJ? I kind of hope so.

[brat316]

We signed Will Johnson? And he worked out at the pro day

[Hines]

Originally Posted by bhaarat316

We signed Will Johnson? And he worked out at the pro day

He was in the draft a few years ago. A lot of players do that.

[brat316]

I really want Brandon Washington in the second

[Hines]

Here's some highlights of Will Johnson:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouwkrBkagkQ

[brat316]

Looks fat, but small as well, I can't buy that he is 240

[Burden]

I agree, he looks small for an H-Back.

[Hines]

These were highlights in '10. He bulked up since then. At his Pro Day, he was 236 I believe.

[Hines]

I'm starting to think Luke Kuelchy is going to be there at 24. If he is, I take him over Hightower any day.

[DeathbyStat]

Started watching the running backs, really into Isiah Pead


Could be a steal in the 3rd round

Love to go

1.Hightower

2.Osemele/Brandon Brooks

3.Pead


Or maybe

1.Hightower

2.Osemele.

3.Brooks

4.Tauren Poole

[steelersrock151]

Originally Posted by Hines

I'm starting to think Luke Kuelchy is going to be there at 24. If he is, I take him over Hightower any day.

Most common place I see him in mocks is to Philly at 15, but Philly just picked up a MLB from Houston. Maybe. And I would be racing to the podium with that one.

[Mr. Goosemahn]

Originally Posted by steelersrock151

Most common place I see him in mocks is to Philly at 15, but Philly just picked up a MLB from Houston. Maybe. And I would be racing to the podium with that one.

As would I. Kuechly would be awesome.

Also, Willie *** will decide where to play soon, rumored to be elsewhere. Keenan Lewis is gonna have to step up, and hopefully Cortez Allen shows why the coaches like him so much.

[Burden]

profootballtalk is reporting that the 49ers had interest in Mike Wallace until they realized what his asking price was. He wants more than Larry Fitzgerald's 8yr/120mil contract. I don't know what the policy is about posting links so I won't here, but its at profootball talk right now.

Honestly if this is what it is going to take to sign him, I would try to cut my losses now and look for a trade partner. No way Pittsburgh can afford a deal like that and no way they would pay any receiver that kind of cash. I would focus my attention to signing Antonio Brown long term (who I think has the better chance of being the better all around receiver) and look to ship Wallace somewhere.

Wallace must have been smoking something Santonio left behind.

[brat316]

Ask price and negotiations price are 2 different things.

Also we can franchise him next year and trade him, if we can't get him signed. He is a very good WR, but he is not Calvin Johnson, Larry Fitz, Andre Johnson

[Burden]

he should look for djax money not fitz/megatron money. That's one hell of a gap to negotiate. I think if he does this with Pittsburgh, this may be his last year (unless they franchise him). There's no way Pittsburgh coughs up that much on a WR.

[Phillysteeler]

Originally Posted by bhaarat316

Ask price and negotiations price are 2 different things.

Also we can franchise him next year and trade him, if we can't get him signed. He is a very good WR, but he is not Calvin Johnson, Larry Fitz, Andre Johnson

If we can make it through next year with him franchised, we might as well keep him at that point. The new tv deals would kick in that year which would significantly raise the salary cap (approximately $20-$30 million a team). We just have to make it through the next two years.

[Burden]

Quick Mock:

1. Mike Adams, OT, Ohio State
2. Alameda Ta’amu, DT, Washington
3. Brandon Brooks, OG, Miami (OH)
4. Tank Carder, ILB, TCU
5. Tauren Poole, HB, Tennessee
6. Trenton Robinson, FS, Michigan State
7. Miles Burris, OLB, San Diego State
7a. Akiem Nicks, DE, University of Regina