Sleeper ILB this draft

[FordFairLane]

So basically I’m rating players currently ranked as after round one and two draft prospects. Anyone can say “I’d draft Devin White” but the reality is he won’t be there at #20. These are guys that I feel are a bit under the radar that could be later round gems if the Steelers go different directions in the draft early. Will likely ad as I watch more film.

Germaine Pratt NC State
I was a big Darius Leonard fan last year and Pratt has some of those traits. He’s raw but has huge upside. Pratt is a former safety and it shows in both good and bad ways.
The good-
Imposing size at 6-3 245lbs
Freak athlete and speed for said size. Looks 4.5-4.6
Understands coverage responsibilities and can flip his hips and cover the seam.
Not a violent tackler but sure tackler
Can run side to side with quick twitch first step

The bad-
A bit slow to read and react.
Can get fooled by motion or traps.
Does not shed blocks
Doesn’t have that mean streak mentality

Overall he’s a slight project on run defense but I don’t see him not having the ability just lack of coaching and experience. He could easily come in day one and take Burnett’s spot as the hybrid LB/S role as we ease him into the three down Mac backer role.

Projected as of 1/20/19 3rd round

Tyrel Dodson Texas A&M
Dodson is a guy I really liked in 2017 and thought he’d be a 1st or 2nd round pick. Looking through early declarations I saw his name and thought to myself “what happened”? Well, from what I can tell the what is Jimbo Fisher. New coach and defense and these two never really seemed to hit it off.
The good-
Sniffs through traffic well
Very good at zone and underneath pass coverage
Great first step
Reads and reacts well. Very natural linebacker.
Good size
Above average pass rusher

Cons-
attitude? Big drop in production
Football IQ is a box that needs checking during interviews
Wasn’t asked to flip his hips and run with the tight end
Short area speed is tremendous but long speed is questionable at this point

Projected as of 1/20/19 as 4th round pick

Khalil Hodge Buffalo

Hodge is one of my favorite sleeper prospects. I feel if he rests well he flies up draft boards but right now he’s under the radar.

The good-
Sniffs thru traffic seamlessly
Hard violent tackler
Tackling machine always around the play
Motor runs hot all the time
Reads and reacts and seems natural
High football IQ

Cons-
Level of competition
Improved at pass coverage but isn’t his strong suit. Wasn’t asked to much either
Long speed is questionable

Projected as 5th/6st round pick as 1/21/19

Ulysees Gilbert III Akron

Gilbert is one of my favorite guys for pass coverage at a reasonable price. He’s definitely undersized at 6-1 228lbs but he flies around making tackles and is an instinctual player. He fits the Shaz mold even though he’s not as fast or big. But Shaz was a rare athlete and we can’t sit around waiting for that again.

The good-
Fast and finds gaps to shoot
Rangy going sideline to sideline
Loose hips and can run with the seam
Decent hands

Cons-
Undersized
Level of competition
Does not shed blocks well
Gets washed up with the trash now and again
Relied a lot on speed vs inferior opponents

Projected as a 7th round pick as 1/22/19










Sent from my iPhone using Steeler Nation mobile app

 

[Steeltime]

Thanks, FFL. Good info ...

As for Pratt:

"The bad-
A bit slow to read and react.
Can get fooled by motion or traps.
Does not shed blocks
Doesn’t have that mean streak mentality"

I think Tomlin just found his guy!!

 

[Coryea]

I thought we had a decent sleeper ILB in Thomas this past year, but he never stepped on the field, I guess it's due to the amazing talent we had on the field in front of him

Sent from my XT1585 using Steeler Nation mobile app

 

[Lmob0621]

I would add David Long from WVU to this list... the guy is a football player... 40 tackles for loss in his career... 111 tackles and 19 for loss his junior year (leaving early). 2nd team All American and Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year. I think he is projected in the 4th-5th round.

 

[21STEELERS21]

Unless they resign Fort, the Steelers could be picking 2 ILB's.

 

[nooneuno]

I thought we had a decent sleeper ILB in Thomas this past year, but he never stepped on the field, I guess it's due to the amazing talent we had on the field in front of him

Sent from my XT1585 using Steeler Nation mobile app

Or maybe he couldn't adjust to the NFL and sucked in practice even worse than the mediocre guys in front of him

 

[fogdoctor]

IMO if Gilbert could shed 15lbs, I think he could play safetfy in the NFL.

I absolutely love how the kid runs - totally agree with your sideline to sideline range. Anyway, while he looks blazing fast, the level of competition is an issue because the speed is relative and I have been very wrong before. Honestly, if he runs as fast as I think he is going to run then he will be gone by the 5th, potentially 4th. And if he cracks the 4.4 range then he will be gone by the 3rd.

My major issues with him: He does not have the frame to carry more weight and he has the look of a kid that is peaked out on strength. The pessimist in me does not see him playing ILB successfully in the NFL.

 

[Coryea]

Or maybe he couldn't adjust to the NFL and sucked in practice even worse than the mediocre guys in front of him

Like James Harrison as a rookie? Thomas showed some very good things in preseason, hell his athletism alone was enough for me to try to keep him around

Sent from my XT1585 using Steeler Nation mobile app

 

[kev4heels]

So basically I’m rating players currently ranked as after round one and two draft prospects. Anyone can say “I’d draft Devin White” but the reality is he won’t be there at #20. These are guys that I feel are a bit under the radar that could be later round gems if the Steelers go different directions in the draft early. Will likely ad as I watch more film.

Germaine Pratt NC State
I was a big Darius Leonard fan last year and Pratt has some of those traits. He’s raw but has huge upside. Pratt is a former safety and it shows in both good and bad ways.
The good-
Imposing size at 6-3 245lbs
Freak athlete and speed for said size. Looks 4.5-4.6
Understands coverage responsibilities and can flip his hips and cover the seam.
Not a violent tackler but sure tackler
Can run side to side with quick twitch first step

The bad-
A bit slow to read and react.
Can get fooled by motion or traps.
Does not shed blocks
Doesn’t have that mean streak mentality

Overall he’s a slight project on run defense but I don’t see him not having the ability just lack of coaching and experience. He could easily come in day one and take Burnett’s spot as the hybrid LB/S role as we ease him into the three down Mac backer role.

Projected as of 1/20/19 3rd round

Tyrel Dodson Texas A&M
Dodson is a guy I really liked in 2017 and thought he’d be a 1st or 2nd round pick. Looking through early declarations I saw his name and thought to myself “what happened”? Well, from what I can tell the what is Jimbo Fisher. New coach and defense and these two never really seemed to hit it off.
The good-
Sniffs through traffic well
Very good at zone and underneath pass coverage
Great first step
Reads and reacts well. Very natural linebacker.
Good size
Above average pass rusher

Cons-
attitude? Big drop in production
Football IQ is a box that needs checking during interviews
Wasn’t asked to flip his hips and run with the tight end
Short area speed is tremendous but long speed is questionable at this point

Projected as of 1/20/19 as 4th round pick

Khalil Hodge Buffalo

Hodge is one of my favorite sleeper prospects. I feel if he rests well he flies up draft boards but right now he’s under the radar.

The good-
Sniffs thru traffic seamlessly
Hard violent tackler
Tackling machine always around the play
Motor runs hot all the time
Reads and reacts and seems natural
High football IQ

Cons-
Level of competition
Improved at pass coverage but isn’t his strong suit. Wasn’t asked to much either
Long speed is questionable

Projected as 5th/6st round pick as 1/21/19

Ulysees Gilbert III Akron

Gilbert is one of my favorite guys for pass coverage at a reasonable price. He’s definitely undersized at 6-1 228lbs but he flies around making tackles and is an instinctual player. He fits the Shaz mold even though he’s not as fast or big. But Shaz was a rare athlete and we can’t sit around waiting for that again.

The good-
Fast and finds gaps to shoot
Rangy going sideline to sideline
Loose hips and can run with the seam
Decent hands

Cons-
Undersized
Level of competition
Does not shed blocks well
Gets washed up with the trash now and again
Relied a lot on speed vs inferior opponents

Projected as a 7th round pick as 1/22/19










Sent from my iPhone using Steeler Nation mobile app

Well, it isn't Devin White, but I would be more than comfortable with Mack Wilson at ILB. If we wait until the 2nd round, Bush from Michigan would be a great selection.

Although, I wouldn't be surprised to see us target someone like Hicks in FA.

All in all, if White makes it 12 or so, I would trade up for him. With AB probably getting moved, we should have the ammo.

 

[Coach]

Well, it isn't Devin White, but I would be more than comfortable with Mack Wilson at ILB. If we wait until the 2nd round, Bush from Michigan would be a great selection.

Although, I wouldn't be surprised to see us target someone like Hicks in FA.

All in all, if White makes it 12 or so, I would trade up for him. With AB probably getting moved, we should have the ammo.

I’d love to have White in round one.

I think Wilson is over rated. Not that big or fast. He could very well be out of round one.

Bush in round two? I’m on Board with that idea if he runs well.




Sent from my iPhone using Steeler Nation mobile app

 

[ark steel]

Like James Harrison as a rookie? Thomas showed some very good things in preseason, hell his athletism alone was enough for me to try to keep him around

Sent from my XT1585 using Steeler Nation mobile app

James Harrison is the exception rather than the rule. Maybe Thomas is following his footsteps. Didn't Harrison go to Baltimore to get cut before coming back to the Steelers?

Against grocery baggers he showed some things. Against the real guy, he showed less than Williams and Bostic.

I was a bit confused about Thomas. I looked at the Gamebook for the Ravens playoff game and I didn't see him on it. If they signed him from our PS, I thought they had to put him on the 53-man roster. did I over look him in the gamebook? Why would they have signed him from the PS and not even had him suited up for the game?

 

[slashsteel]

James Harrison is the exception rather than the rule. Maybe Thomas is following his footsteps. Didn't Harrison go to Baltimore to get cut before coming back to the Steelers?

Against grocery baggers he showed some things. Against the real guy, he showed less than Williams and Bostic.

I was a bit confused about Thomas. I looked at the Gamebook for the Ravens playoff game and I didn't see him on it. If they signed him from our PS, I thought they had to put him on the 53-man roster. did I over look him in the gamebook? Why would they have signed him from the PS and not even had him suited up for the game?

Wasn't he signed after their season was over? I could be wrong..

 

[Coryea]

James Harrison is the exception rather than the rule. Maybe Thomas is following his footsteps. Didn't Harrison go to Baltimore to get cut before coming back to the Steelers?

Against grocery baggers he showed some things. Against the real guy, he showed less than Williams and Bostic.

I was a bit confused about Thomas. I looked at the Gamebook for the Ravens playoff game and I didn't see him on it. If they signed him from our PS, I thought they had to put him on the 53-man roster. did I over look him in the gamebook? Why would they have signed him from the PS and not even had him suited up for the game?

Look I'm in no way saying the guy is going to be a star or anything, but at the weakest and most unathletic position on defense, he was athletic and looked good in the preseason. I thought he was definitely worth another look.

Sent from my XT1585 using Steeler Nation mobile app

 

[Stryker]

James Harrison is the exception rather than the rule. Maybe Thomas is following his footsteps. Didn't Harrison go to Baltimore to get cut before coming back to the Steelers?

Against grocery baggers he showed some things. Against the real guy, he showed less than Williams and Bostic.

I was a bit confused about Thomas. I looked at the Gamebook for the Ravens playoff game and I didn't see him on it. If they signed him from our PS, I thought they had to put him on the 53-man roster. did I over look him in the gamebook? Why would they have signed him from the PS and not even had him suited up for the game?

Yea, at the end of the season, playoff teams used to not be able to pick up futures contracts until they were eliminated from the playoffs. That changed this year and they took Thomas. He doesn't have to be rostered because he was a FA, and signed to a futures deal.

And yes, Harrison was cut by the Steelers twice and the Ravens once.

 

[ark steel]

Look I'm in no way saying the guy is going to be a star or anything, but at the weakest and most unathletic position on defense, he was athletic and looked good in the preseason. I thought he was definitely worth another look.

Sent from my XT1585 using Steeler Nation mobile app

His "looked good in the preseason" was against grocery baggers and ups drivers, though.

 

[stuntmanmike]

Thomas will make it in nfl he’s 6-3 ish 230’s can run and move laterally pretty well and has pretty good football instincts just needed playing time to pickup the speed of the game and learn the defense and Get a feel for his teammates. this isn’t fukn rocket science no matter what butler “I’m a mad genius” wants everything to think it is. Steelers are notorious for not playing rookies rather playing journeymen. Journeymen suck and that why our defense sucks. Why keep Brian Allen for 2 years on bench and not play him? Butler rathered to put linebacks on wrs all season long rather than use Allen. Something wrong there...

 

[Ron Burgundy]

Thanks, FFL. Good info ...

As for Pratt:

"The bad-
A bit slow to read and react.
Can get fooled by motion or traps.
Does not shed blocks
Doesn’t have that mean streak mentality"

I think Tomlin just found his guy!!

Jarvis III.

The evidence would seem to indicate that Tombert needs to draft LB's who are already very very good in college, like Shazier and Watt. Anybody who has *cough* potential *cough* and needs some coaching up, they might as well not draft since they will get the same end result with UDFA's who cost a lot less money.

My take is that Tombert should not draft defensive players ever again. Draft offense and trade draft pick and players, and sign FA's and cut players from other teams for defensive positions. We simply need to trust other teams' scouting and drafting defense since ours is ****. I mean, hell, our best DB since Ike Taylor retired is an ex-Brown.

 

[Coryea]

His "looked good in the preseason" was against grocery baggers and ups drivers, though.

Yeah, so? AB looked good vs grocery baggers and UPS drivers at one point, most 2nd day draft picks and undrafted FAs play against those guys in the preseason

Sent from my XT1585 using Steeler Nation mobile app

 

[ark steel]

Yeah, so? AB looked good vs grocery baggers and UPS drivers at one point, most 2nd day draft picks and undrafted FAs play against those guys in the preseason

Sent from my XT1585 using Steeler Nation mobile app

OMG. WTF does AB have to do with the price of tea in China.

Thomas looked good against scrubs. When he was in with the first teamers he underperformed Williams AND Bostic, in the same game. He is far more likely to be this years Thadeus "i can't believe these stupid people let him go" Gibson (Gipson?), than a pee stain on the jock of either AB or Harrison.

Most UDFAs, probably, dont have people whining for 2 months about him being let go, either.

 

[ark steel]

Steelers are notorious for not playing rookies rather playing journeymen. ...

Are, they? Burns, Edmunds, Watt, Jarvis, Durpee, Davis, Bell, juju...

 

[Coryea]

OMG. WTF does AB have to do with the price of tea in China.

Thomas looked good against scrubs. When he was in with the first teamers he underperformed Williams AND Bostic, in the same game. He is far more likely to be this years Thadeus "i can't believe these stupid people let him go" Gibson (Gipson?), than a pee stain on the jock of either AB or Harrison.

Most UDFAs, probably, dont have people whining for 2 months about him being let go, either.

Point is AB played against grocery baggers and UPS drivers as you put it too, and looked good, OMG!

When do you recall him being with first teams?

Sent from my XT1585 using Steeler Nation mobile app

 

[ark steel]

Point is AB played against grocery baggers and UPS drivers as you put it too, and looked good, OMG!

When do you recall him being with first teams?

Sent from my XT1585 using Steeler Nation mobile app

I don't recall whether AB did or did not play with the 1st teams. What AB did is completely irrelevant to the Thomas issue. Thomas got cut from the 53, made it thru waivers to the PS and only got signed elsewhere after the season and wasn't even used by that team in their PO game.

The idea that he is anything more than that has no basis in fact. Playing well in preseason means jack ****.

Maybe, next year e will prove me wrong. More likely he will be just another nobody.

 

[Coryea]

I don't recall whether AB did or did not play with the 1st teams. What AB did is completely irrelevant to the Thomas issue. Thomas got cut from the 53, made it thru waivers to the PS and only got signed elsewhere after the season and wasn't even used by that team in their PO game.

The idea that he is anything more than that has no basis in fact. Playing well in preseason means jack ****.

Maybe, next year e will prove me wrong. More likely he will be just another nobody.

Playing well in the preseason means jack ****? Hmm I'm guessing Willie Parker, Vince Williams, Joey Porter, Mike Hilton will all disagree with you.
So you're saying how you play in the preseason means jack ****???

Again it's more about the position, we are horrible at ILB, no athletes, no speed, this guy has all that and played good, had 11 tackles in the 3rd preseason game I believe, the game the starters play the most, so either he made plays with the 1's or 2's or he made a **** load of tackles in the 4th.

Sent from my XT1585 using Steeler Nation mobile app

 

[Litos]

Playing well in the preseason means jack ****? Hmm I'm guessing Willie Parker, Vince Williams, Joey Porter, Mike Hilton will all disagree with you.
So you're saying how you play in the preseason means jack ****???

Again it's more about the position, we are horrible at ILB, no athletes, no speed, this guy has all that and played good, had 11 tackles in the 3rd preseason game I believe, the game the starters play the most, so either he made plays with the 1's or 2's or he made a **** load of tackles in the 4th.

Sent from my XT1585 using Steeler Nation mobile app

We don't know what happened while he was in the roster. Did he show interest in learning? Was he problematic? Did he put an all-out effort in practice?

Too many questions to just say " **** they just cut a possible starter". They had him enough time in the 53 to see what he can do so probably they have a better idea than we do, is not like they never gave him the chance to stick around.

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Steeler Nation mobile app

 

[Coryea]

We don't know what happened while he was in the roster. Did he show interest in learning? Was he problematic? Did he put an all-out effort in practice?

Too many questions to just say " **** they just cut a possible starter". They had him enough time in the 53 to see what he can do so probably they have a better idea than we do, is not like they never gave him the chance to stick around.

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Steeler Nation mobile app

Yeah on this team all those are very possible.

Sent from my XT1585 using Steeler Nation mobile app