any of you think Alaxander would of been a better pick?
It's very hard to say "Burns' tape is bad" unless you watch all the other tape of many of the other cornerbacks in typical drafts.
If you look hard enough, you'll find warts on EVERY tape on EVERY college prospect. The process isn't about looking for warts. It's about identifying the warts and then ranking players according to the overall picture (warts and all) and how they fit in your system, your coaching and projected improvement.
I kind of look at Artie Burns and see some glass half-full moments too. He's certainly is the top-5 or 6 corners in this draft in my opinion (depends if you call Ramsey is corner).
Look, I wasn't happy with the pick because I thought there was a drop off between Hargreaves, Apple and Jackson vs. McKensie, Burns, Howard and S. Davis (depending if you call him a corner). And it's frustrating when a division rival gets what I think it a tier-better prospect in Jackson at pick #24 and we get a tier-lower prospect at the same position at pick #25. That never leaves a really good taste in your mouth as a resource manager/analyzer.
But even if you just cut your losses and push your resource issues aside we likely got TWO round-2 or top-60 talents for our secondary. Yes, if we think more like New England we probably could have gotten two round-2 and top-60 players and still traded back and picking up a top-100 pick as well. And that would have been better.
But the talent from Burns and Davis is real. It's tangible. Be it ready for week 1 or not, who knows. And nothing is a guarantee in this business. But damn, we needed secondary youth and talent and we got it. Probably not a superstar, but certainly better than any of us have seen in that group for 5 years.
Let them play and see what happens.
Deljzc,
Didn't you say his tape video is more like a 3rd round grade? Fans can be impressed with Burns interception total in 2015, size and speed. That's a given.
Like I said when he sees the ball in the air and Burns is close to where the point of delivery happens he can make a QB pay. Most of the time, it's on passes that take a longer time to arrive.
But man, his film is not good vs. mediocre WR and QB competition. Burns looks like a sophomore college CB to me and is much further off from being NFL ready in comparison to the other corners taken in round one, and two. I'll stand by that statement, and will gladly bump this thread when Tomlin gives us coach speak that Burns is " In the learning process " which is code for he's not ready to play. It did not take Ross Cockrell long to learn our system. Of course, he went to Duke. I liked Cockrell in round three in the draft. We got him for free! I think Ross Cockrell starts this season.
Is Burns one of the top 5-6 best corners in the draft? On potential, yes, in terms of being NFL ready, no way. And that irks me as we need help in 2016, not 2018.
I also think Burns is not suited to play the slot and lacks some quickness to defend on quick slants, and comeback routes. He's an outside the hash marks type of CB. The NFL will slant and nickel and dime him for first downs until he learns how to play.
Going off tangent for a moment, I do not think Davis is a top 60 talent. He was over drafted due to our need. Davis gave up a lot of yardages, and like Burns has issues with penalties. As they say, when you reach for need, it tends not to work out. I'm okay with gambles from rounds 3-7, just not in rounds 1 or 2 unless you have the luxury of time, which in this case the Steelers do not.
There has been some talk to qualifications to comment here. I played and coached, obviously not at the NFL level. I'm 99.999% sure there is a reader who knows more than I do and I'll leave it at that. However I think I know enough about what is needed at the NFL level to be successful, and I do not see that with Burns yet. Jackson III knew how to play. You saw it on film. Burns, for now, is an athlete playing corner. Not so long ago the Steelers really like CB Justin Gilbert, who was also an athlete playing corner, but man his tape showed he had no technique and relied heavily on athletic ability in college. In the NFL, he's not living up to his status. Going into his 3rd season, Justin Gilbert has started just 3 games.
How do you know he wasn't doing a good job at S? Do you personally know the UM coaches ? Or you found it "scouting" 4 minutes of tape?
any of you think Alaxander would of been a better pick?
I had my Burns notes say "2nd rounder" and he ended up in the 2B group on my big board.
I had my notes on Davis say "2nd-3rd rounder" and he ended up in the 2B group on my big board as well.
I'm not arguing with you. If you think Burns is the next coming of Justin Gilbert, you're certainly entitled to that opinion. No one is stopping you. And you are on record as taking a Broncos trade back offer and picking Xavier Howard instead.
I actually think Howard is just as much a reach at #32 as Burns was at #25, but so be it. We'll see how that turns out.
I think for MOST of this message board, the consensus is we should have traded back to #32 with Denver once William Jackson was selected at #24. There were too many wishy-washy picks (including Burns, Howard, H. Henry and a host of DT's) left on the board. There's also a bit of Monday morning QB'ing going on knowing that extra 3rd round pick you'd get from Denver could have been Justin Simmons (who was a huge fan favorite on this board). However in real time, you don't know you'll get that good a secondary player with that extra 3rd round pick.
I think we can be critical of the decision NOT to trade back while not be so critical of the selection of Burns at #25.
To me the most outspoken fans against the pick also seem to be the ones mostly likely to trade back in their "what I would do" statements. I sort of think those are two separate issues and debates.
Can any of us change the picks that were drafted???
I suggest we sit back and wait to see what unfolds---first.
And then, if you must, restart your incessant complaining...
kansas traded back just after we picked burns , seems they were going to choose him , so probably no burns at 32
I don't agree with that assumption. Maybe they didn't like anyone (including Burns) and did exactly what we should have done.
And remember KC drafted Marcus Peters with their #1 pick last season as well.
I don't think ANY of us know 100% sure if Burns' availability changes any pick between #25 and #31 had we traded back. And you never trade back if you don't have multiple options still on the board. Obviously Tombert didn't think so and many here do (myself included).
What a surprise.... some of us disagree with the front office and head coach.
I saw Burns play live twice, but as they say the tape tells the tale and there are lots of easy snaps to identify #1.
He's at his best when the ball is in the air coming his way. Technique, zone defense, instincts/smarts, and such is not his forte. In some ways, he's a bit similar to Shamko Thomas.
Where's the video?
Tape isn't his best friend. Extremely raw and undisciplined. Leggy and grabby in routes. Flagged for four pass interference and two unsportsmanlike penalties. Upright in backpedal and plays with very little bend. High center of gravity prevents fluid change of direction. Coasts on athleticism and talent over proper technique. Turns motor off and on from game to game, and play can be lackadaisical. Would like to see him attack blockers rather than waiting for running back before disengaging.
http://www.nfl.com/draft/2016/profiles/artie-burns?id=2555344
I've been saying this from the start: Burns is raw. They have lots of work to do before he is legit. If he tries to _just_ relay on this athletic ability, we are in trouble.
He also needs to tone his act down a bit. If he comes in too cocky and brash. this league will punish him. He also tends to draw too many flags.
But, I think he has all the tools. It's just a matter of how far can he develop. They think he is mature and driven due to his family situation. Let's hope so. Physical skills alone = Justin Gilbert.
http://thebiglead.com/2015/11/30/ju...-aloof-and-a-loner-that-angers-his-teammates/
Pop,
Most teams say they draft what's on tape over any other medium.
Honestly, I think his best position if he developed better reads and instincts might be free safety as he really excels at jump balls and can converts bad passes into interceptions. A large Seattle Seahawk type of safety if you will.
Burns is at his best when the sees play is in front of him with eyes on the football and at his worse while in coverage while the play is developing for the first 10-15 yards or so.
As a corner, he does not have the good quickness or top speed...at least that what the films says. To me, it's just above average in both areas. He is long and tall, but he's badly beaten on quick slants and posts giving up too much real estate on these routes. His route recognition is terrible, and if he was faster/quicker, I think he would not give up the short stuff as easily as he did on film. While Burns lived on being a good athlete in college, he's not a Rod Woodson or Deion Sanders type. Not even close, and it he can't learn a lot more will be a bust in the NFL.
Well, we will see what happens. IF he applies strong work ethic, he could be decent, maybe. He certainly isn't a Woodson or Sanders - or he would have been taken in the top 8. He is probably a 2-3rd round grade. What concerns me is the "raw" title describes our 2nd pick as well.