Draft
The hardest part about doing a mock draft for me isn’t deciding who I would pick as I always have favorites, but it is deciding who will make it to where I pick. I mean, who would have ever thought that DeCastro would slide, or Bud Dupree, or even Ben Roethlisberger for that matter. Those were highly rated players that fell in your lap. And, that could happen again, or they could be faced with a situation where guys they really like get taken before they pick. So, here is what I would do and why:
<b>25th pick-Andrew Billings, NT, Baylor </b>-I think there is a strong chance that Jackson goes before the Steelers pick. His length, speed, and ball skills have to be intriguing. Karl Joseph is definitely in the mix and depending on how the knee checks out, he could be taken over Billings. Jackson, Billings, and Joseph are my top 3 choices and if I knew about Joseph’s knee and if he would be ready to start the season could affect the order, probably putting him ahead of Billings, but I don’t. Billings played RT in high school and was brought in on passing downs as a 5-tech defensive end. He has some familiarity with being a pass rusher and some of his flexibility was limited last season due to a high ankle sprain. He was much more athletic in previous seasons and, like Tuitt, I think he will return to that player. His power is undeniable. I think he is one of the closest things I have seen to Casey Hampton or Dontari Poe since, well, Dontari Poe. I get we have holes at cornerback and safety, but you always have holes. It happens every draft. Draft the player, not the hole. You can have the player for 10 years if the talent is true and, next season, you will still have the same number of holes.
<b>58th pick-Artie Burns, CB, Miami</b>-I realize Artie Burns has some hype as a potential first rounder, but in the film I watched, he really never jumps off the tape. He is steady and consistent, but not a splash guy that explodes off the film. I think there is a group of top corners that go in the first 40 picks, but after those guys, you have a noticeable gap and Burns is at the top of that second group, along with Kendall Fuller, Will Redmond, and Mac Alexander. It is a flavor thing then and with 4 corners off the board, I think you might see a guy like Alexander/Fuller go early and you get a lull because some DL and WRs fly off the board. Maybe it is wishful thinking, but Redmond and Jalen Mills should be here as well and I like both those guys about as much. I see good value at the end of the second at corner.
<b>89th pick-Justin Simmons, S, Boston College-</b>I think Simmons is criminally under-rated. I considered just taking him in the second and being done with it. I think he is that good. He is athletic as hell, just looks smooth moving around on the field. He can play deep, single high if needed, and then on the next play walk down on the slot and cover the wide receiver. He is not afraid to support the run and is a steady, consistent tackler. He doesn’t blow guys up, but he puts the runner on the ground. He doesn’t bite on play action, never seems to get caught out of position, and was the unquestioned leader on a team that really could not do anything well but play defense. I see him as a guy that can start in this league for a decade and just give you quality play. If Simmons is not there, I think Jalen Mills might be here and even if I get Burns in the 2nd, Mills can play safety. KJ Dillion would be a consideration as well, then comes guys like Jeremy Cash, who I see as more of a moneybacker.
<b>123rd pick-Jatavis Brown, LB, Akron</b>-this is a difficult pick. There are so many ways you can go to backfill the roster with depth and add players you need. I want to double down at corner or safety. I want to nab a pass rusher. I would love to add to the offensive line. A wide receiver is an option. While I hit some needs in the 2nd and 3rd, I really feel that those two guys were excellent value if there. I like the players, they just happen to fill voids. I mean, if we did not “need” corners or safeties, I still want those guys on roster. So, in evaluating guys I want on roster, it has to be Brown here. I would love to get him later, but he is just too much of a player. He is athletic as hell. He does not have great height and that kills his draft stock, but this guy comes through bodies and sniffs out the football like a DEA drug dog. He recognizes plays, finds creases, and blows through to make stops behind the line as well as any linebacker in this draft. He has the speed and athleticism to handle coverage. He is a guy that when you go nickel, he can come in and be that heavy safety, coverage backer (moneybacker) you want and just handle all the roles you need. Love the way he plays. He is short, but dude doesn’t run from contact and will pop your ***.
<b>220th pick-Dadi Nicolas, OLB, Va Tech</b>-so, I am looking at who I have taken and I am thinking, I really need to nab a wide receiver or a runningback to give some fresh legs to those positions and try to develop a guy. But, Dadi Nicolas should be around this area. Many will be turned off because of his lack of bulk and his bench press numbers. I have to be honest, those things don’t blow my skirt up, but the guy plays his rear off. He will have guys cut at his legs, get up, chase, hustle, and run 20 yards to get in on tackles. He has long arms, gets them up when he cannot get pressure, uses his hands, and just appears to be a guy that comes every down to play football. I think he can add some weight and muscle and he plays stronger than his bench numbers indicate. He isn’t going to be a run stopper from day 1, but I think he can develop there and his burst as a pass rusher is really something we need.
<b>229th pick-Trae Elston, S, Ole Miss-</b>Elston is a big hitter that played free safety at Ole Miss and he really should have been cast as a strong. He can give some minutes on special teams while the Steelers work to develop his coverage abilities and try to make him into a starting strong safety. Consistency is his big issue.
<b>246th pick-Ken Crawley, CB, Colorado</b>-Crawley is a solid choice at this point in the draft because you are hoping for height, weight, speed guys. He has the length and long speed to play in the NFL. He isn’t the thickest corner and needs to stay outside because his change of direction isn’t elite. He isn’t a physical guy and has to develop in this area and he isn’t a guy that is going to support the run well. Two glaring holes in his game, but when you are looking for players to develop, the physical traits are what you are hunting. While there are offensive positions I would love to fill, again, drafting players I think can be developed to help the team and Crawley and Elston have the physical traits. In addition, the Steelers visited veteran interior offensive linemen, did not bring in a glut of offensive skill players or linemen, so it looks like they are not as happy with the depth on that side of the ball as they are with the depth on defense.
The hardest part about doing a mock draft for me isn’t deciding who I would pick as I always have favorites, but it is deciding who will make it to where I pick. I mean, who would have ever thought that DeCastro would slide, or Bud Dupree, or even Ben Roethlisberger for that matter. Those were highly rated players that fell in your lap. And, that could happen again, or they could be faced with a situation where guys they really like get taken before they pick. So, here is what I would do and why:
<b>25th pick-Andrew Billings, NT, Baylor </b>-I think there is a strong chance that Jackson goes before the Steelers pick. His length, speed, and ball skills have to be intriguing. Karl Joseph is definitely in the mix and depending on how the knee checks out, he could be taken over Billings. Jackson, Billings, and Joseph are my top 3 choices and if I knew about Joseph’s knee and if he would be ready to start the season could affect the order, probably putting him ahead of Billings, but I don’t. Billings played RT in high school and was brought in on passing downs as a 5-tech defensive end. He has some familiarity with being a pass rusher and some of his flexibility was limited last season due to a high ankle sprain. He was much more athletic in previous seasons and, like Tuitt, I think he will return to that player. His power is undeniable. I think he is one of the closest things I have seen to Casey Hampton or Dontari Poe since, well, Dontari Poe. I get we have holes at cornerback and safety, but you always have holes. It happens every draft. Draft the player, not the hole. You can have the player for 10 years if the talent is true and, next season, you will still have the same number of holes.
<b>58th pick-Artie Burns, CB, Miami</b>-I realize Artie Burns has some hype as a potential first rounder, but in the film I watched, he really never jumps off the tape. He is steady and consistent, but not a splash guy that explodes off the film. I think there is a group of top corners that go in the first 40 picks, but after those guys, you have a noticeable gap and Burns is at the top of that second group, along with Kendall Fuller, Will Redmond, and Mac Alexander. It is a flavor thing then and with 4 corners off the board, I think you might see a guy like Alexander/Fuller go early and you get a lull because some DL and WRs fly off the board. Maybe it is wishful thinking, but Redmond and Jalen Mills should be here as well and I like both those guys about as much. I see good value at the end of the second at corner.
<b>89th pick-Justin Simmons, S, Boston College-</b>I think Simmons is criminally under-rated. I considered just taking him in the second and being done with it. I think he is that good. He is athletic as hell, just looks smooth moving around on the field. He can play deep, single high if needed, and then on the next play walk down on the slot and cover the wide receiver. He is not afraid to support the run and is a steady, consistent tackler. He doesn’t blow guys up, but he puts the runner on the ground. He doesn’t bite on play action, never seems to get caught out of position, and was the unquestioned leader on a team that really could not do anything well but play defense. I see him as a guy that can start in this league for a decade and just give you quality play. If Simmons is not there, I think Jalen Mills might be here and even if I get Burns in the 2nd, Mills can play safety. KJ Dillion would be a consideration as well, then comes guys like Jeremy Cash, who I see as more of a moneybacker.
<b>123rd pick-Jatavis Brown, LB, Akron</b>-this is a difficult pick. There are so many ways you can go to backfill the roster with depth and add players you need. I want to double down at corner or safety. I want to nab a pass rusher. I would love to add to the offensive line. A wide receiver is an option. While I hit some needs in the 2nd and 3rd, I really feel that those two guys were excellent value if there. I like the players, they just happen to fill voids. I mean, if we did not “need” corners or safeties, I still want those guys on roster. So, in evaluating guys I want on roster, it has to be Brown here. I would love to get him later, but he is just too much of a player. He is athletic as hell. He does not have great height and that kills his draft stock, but this guy comes through bodies and sniffs out the football like a DEA drug dog. He recognizes plays, finds creases, and blows through to make stops behind the line as well as any linebacker in this draft. He has the speed and athleticism to handle coverage. He is a guy that when you go nickel, he can come in and be that heavy safety, coverage backer (moneybacker) you want and just handle all the roles you need. Love the way he plays. He is short, but dude doesn’t run from contact and will pop your ***.
<b>220th pick-Dadi Nicolas, OLB, Va Tech</b>-so, I am looking at who I have taken and I am thinking, I really need to nab a wide receiver or a runningback to give some fresh legs to those positions and try to develop a guy. But, Dadi Nicolas should be around this area. Many will be turned off because of his lack of bulk and his bench press numbers. I have to be honest, those things don’t blow my skirt up, but the guy plays his rear off. He will have guys cut at his legs, get up, chase, hustle, and run 20 yards to get in on tackles. He has long arms, gets them up when he cannot get pressure, uses his hands, and just appears to be a guy that comes every down to play football. I think he can add some weight and muscle and he plays stronger than his bench numbers indicate. He isn’t going to be a run stopper from day 1, but I think he can develop there and his burst as a pass rusher is really something we need.
<b>229th pick-Trae Elston, S, Ole Miss-</b>Elston is a big hitter that played free safety at Ole Miss and he really should have been cast as a strong. He can give some minutes on special teams while the Steelers work to develop his coverage abilities and try to make him into a starting strong safety. Consistency is his big issue.
<b>246th pick-Ken Crawley, CB, Colorado</b>-Crawley is a solid choice at this point in the draft because you are hoping for height, weight, speed guys. He has the length and long speed to play in the NFL. He isn’t the thickest corner and needs to stay outside because his change of direction isn’t elite. He isn’t a physical guy and has to develop in this area and he isn’t a guy that is going to support the run well. Two glaring holes in his game, but when you are looking for players to develop, the physical traits are what you are hunting. While there are offensive positions I would love to fill, again, drafting players I think can be developed to help the team and Crawley and Elston have the physical traits. In addition, the Steelers visited veteran interior offensive linemen, did not bring in a glut of offensive skill players or linemen, so it looks like they are not as happy with the depth on that side of the ball as they are with the depth on defense.
