During the 2008 season, as I
observed their putrid offensive line and kept in mind the age of their defensive linemen, I kept saying that the Steelers
should not be allowed to pick anyone weighing less than 300 pounds on the first day of the draft.
They must have
heard me.
The Steelers chose 300-pound Evander "Ziggy" Hood in the first round. Then when they
were on the clock for the final pick of the second round, Mel Kiper's best player on the board was San Jose State defensive
end Jarron Gilbert. But Gilbert's only 288 pounds. So the Steelers traded out of the second round, making 300-pound Evander
Hood their only first-day pick.
I should be getting that job offer from the Steelers' personnel department
any time now.
If you want to see the Steelers make their first three picks tomorrow, get up early. They have three
third-round selections. They dealt their second- and fourth-round picks to the Broncos for the Broncos' two third-round
picks (Nos. 79 and 84). And they still have the last pick of the third round (No. 96).
The second day of the draft
begins at 10 a.m. on ESPN.
The Steelers still have two fifth-round picks (Nos. 168 and 169), a sixth-round pick
(No. 205) and two seventh-round picks (Nos. 226 and 241). Their total number of picks remains nine.
I missed most of the
first second round to watch a baseball game between two rival teams that most people from Pittsburgh are
probably sick of seeing on TV. I'm not going to name my favorite baseball team, because I don't want to throw off
the search engines. All I'll say is, I hope the Pirates make it to the World Series, and I'll root for them against
any team except one.
Anyway, the Giants are on the clock at No. 60. My favorite player still on the board is San
Jose State defensive end Jarron Gilbert. I said that if he's still available at the end of the second round, the Steelers
should take him.
The thing is, the Steelers already took a defensive lineman in Evander Hood. So should the Steelers
still take Gilbert if he's there?
I say yes.
Gilbert is more of an end while Hood is more of an
interior player. If they take Gilbert, they wouldn't have to worry about the defensive line at all on Day Two and concentrate
on offensive line, cornerback, receiver and maybe short-yardage back. And like I said before, Gilbert would be a great value
at No. 64.
Evander "Ziggy" Hood, 6-foot-3, 300-pound defensive tackle from Missouri, will
be a Steeler.
Well, before I got into all the permutations and calculations of the draft over the past month, I
said the Steelers shouldn't be allowed take anyone weighing less than 300 pounds on the first day of the NFL draft. Apparently
they listened.
It didn't help my mock draft, but I also didn't anticipate Hood falling to 32. Hood's
the type of player who might not be a star but could be a solid contributor, which would make him a perfect Steelers'
defensive linemen. Their job is to plug holes and stuff the run while the linebackers make the plays.
Evander Hood is available, and the Steelers should take him.
For far too long,
the Steelers have ignored their defensive line in the draft, and while it still remains productive, it's an aging unit.
And Hood's a tough guy. He played seven games as a sophomore with a screw in his foot.
If they don't
take the 6-3, 300-pound Hood, the Steelers will likely take cornerback Darius Butler of Connecticut, cornerback Alphonso Smith
of Wake Forest, center Max Unger of Oregon or offensive tackle Eben Britton of Arizona.
The Steelers should take Missouri defensive tackle Evander "Ziggy" Hood (6-3,
300) at No. 32, if he's still on the board. They can take an offensive lineman and a cornerback later in the draft.
Three picks to go before the Steelers are on the clock.
I had Missouri defensive tackle Evander "Ziggy" Hood going to the Falcons. Atlanta
taking Peria Jerry provides the first glimmer of hope that Hood will be available when the Steelers pick at 32.
The
6-foot-3, 300-pounder from Missouri would provide some much-needed youth on the defensive line.
If Hood gets by
the Colts at 27, the Steelers will have a good chance to get him.
Here's who should be on the Steelers'
board at this point, ranked in order of priority:
Evander Hood, DT, Missouri Darius Butler, CB, Connecticut Eben Britton, OT, Arizona (Jr.) Alphonso Smith, CB, Wake Forest Max Unger, C, Oregon Everette Brown, DE,
Florida State (Jr.)
The Browns picked Alex Mack, who I had the Steelers taking
at 32. I think Fatboy Mangini did this just to show he belongs in Cleveland and fuck the Steelers. And, of course, to help
fuck up my mock draft.
Mack and the Steelers would have been a match made in heaven. He could have restored the
tradition at center forged by Mike Webster, Dermontti Dawson and Jeff Hartings.
My mock draft is falling apart.
(But at least the Vikings helped me by taking Percy Harvin, making me 11 for 22.)
Josh McDaniels and the Broncos
did their part to screw up my mock draft by picking Knowshon Moreno at 12 and Robert Ayers at 18.
Denver could
have waited for a running back. This isn't a great class. And Robert Ayers is a one-year wonder. It figures a Bill Belichick
disciple would fuck up my mock draft.
Good luck against the Steelers with your crappy draft, Josh!
Hey,
maybe this will increase the chances of the Steelers going D-Line at No. 32.
I had Josh Freeman going to the Buccaneers at 19. They traded up to 17 and got him, so as
I did in the case of Mark Sanchez going to the Jets, I'm counting this as a correct pick. So I'm 10 for 17, probably
not good enough to win a trip to the 2010 Pro Bowl in the NFL.com Predict the Pick contest, but enough for a Facebook update.
I needed that. After two straight incorrect picks in my mock draft, Malcolm Jenkins goes
to the Saints, making me 9 for 14.
The Broncos threw the first curveball, I think, by taking Knowshon Moreno at
No. 12. OK, Heyward-Bey to the Raiders was a curveball, but I saw that one coming. I just thought the Broncos had to go all-defense,
all the time. Only the Lions, Chiefs and Seahawks were ranked lower on defense last season.
I guess I'll be
wrong about the Broncos taking LeSean McCoy in the second round.
The draft so far:
1. Lions: Matthew
Stafford, QB, Georgia (Jr.) 2. Rams: Jason Smith, OT, Baylor 3. Chiefs: Tyson Jackson, DT, LSU 4. Seahawks:
Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest 5. Jets (from Browns): Mark Sanchez, QB, USC (Jr.) 6. Bengals: Andre Smith, OT, Alabama
(Jr.) 7. Raiders: Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland (Jr.) 8. Jaguars: Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia 9. Packers:
B.J. Raji, DT, Boston College 10. 49ers: Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech (So.) 11. Bills: Aaron Maybin, DE, Penn
State (So.) 12. Broncos: Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia (So.) 13. Redskins: Brian Orakpo, DE, Texas 14. Saints:
Malcolm Jenkins, CB, Ohio State
For the moment, I've gone from loathing the Raiders to just hating
them.
There had been rumblings about the Raiders taking Darrius Heyward-Bey at No. 7. Still, I took a big risk
predicting the Raiders would take him.
Michael Crabtree looks like he's about to cry.
The Raiders
made me look smart, although they don't look smart picking this guy with unreliable hands. Despite the fact it helps my
mock draft, I would thoroughly enjoy watching the Raiders fail miserably with this pick.
There, see, I loathe the
Raiders again.
The draft so far:
1. Lions: Matthew
Stafford, QB, Georgia (Jr.) 2. Rams: Jason Smith, OT, Baylor 3. Chiefs: Tyson Jackson, DT, LSU 4. Seahawks:
Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest 5. Jets (from Browns): Mark Sanchez, QB, USC (Jr.) 6. Bengals: Andre Smith, OT, Alabama
(Jr.) 7. Raiders: Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland (Jr.)
There was no way the Jets weren't getting Mark Sanchez.
I was just one spot off in predicting the trade.
In the NFL.com Predict the Pick contest, I had Sanchez going
to the Jets at No. 17, figuring they'd trade up to get him. I hope that still counts as a correct pick. I'm counting
it. I'm 4-for-5 in my mock draft. Woohoo!
The draft so far:
1. Lions: Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia
(Jr.) 2. Rams: Jason Smith, OT, Baylor 3. Chiefs: Tyson Jackson, DT, LSU 4. Seahawks: Aaron Curry, LB, Wake
Forest 5. Jets (from Browns): Mark Sanchez, QB, USC (Jr.)
This morning, Kiper and
Todd McShay suddenly had Tyson Jackson going to the Chiefs in their mock drafts. It's one of the reasons I did a second
version of my mock draft. They were right. The Chiefs took Jackson.
I think Kiper ought to think about predicting
the NFL draft for a living.
The draft so far:
1. Lions: Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia (Jr.) 2.
Rams: Jason Smith, OT, Baylor 3. Chiefs: Tyson Jackson, DT, LSU
I thought about going to the draft in person, but I didn't want
to be waiting in line outside Radio City Music Hall at midnight. So I'm going to try to give this site a New York theme,
and list the Steelers' picks in this draft, with the following photos.
In case you haven't figured it out, the Steelers pick 32nd (first round), 64th (second round) and 96th (third
round), barring trades.
Their next pick is in the fourth round, 132nd overall. But I wasn't sure how safe
132nd Street would be, so 96th Street is as far as I got with my camera.
The Steelers' fifth-round picks are
back-to-back, 168th and 169th. Then they pick 205th overall in the sixth round and 226th and 241st in the seventh round.
According to Ed Bouchette, the Dean of Steelers Scribes, the Steelers are expected to make their pick around 8 p.m.
Thank you for sacrificing the beautiful weather to follow my blog during the draft. If you're that dedicated,
then I know you'll want to become a fan of Steelahs.com on Facebook.
One down, 31 to go.
The Lions have signed Matthew Stafford. Here is my final mock draft, just in a nick of time. Where there are changes, the
previous pick for that position is in parentheses.
1.
Lions: Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia (Jr.) I think Mark Sanchez ultimately will prove to be better. 2.
Rams: Jason Smith, OT, Baylor They thought about Sanchez, but need to fill the gaping hole left by Orlando
Pace. 3. Chiefs: Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU (Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest) I like this guy, but I'm
wondering what he's done to shoot all the way up to 3 in so many mock drafts. Mel Kiper and Todd McShay must know something. 4. Jets (from Seahawks): Mark Sanchez, QB, Southern California
(Jr.) I'm predicting the Jets trade up to get Sanchez. With the Chiefs' apparent hard-on for Jackson,
No. 4 is the earliest Sanchez will go. 5. Browns: Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest (Michael Crabtree, WR,
Texas Tech) The best player in the draft falls into the Browns' lap. They couldn't possibly screw that up, could
they? 6. Bengals: Andre Smith, OT, Alabama (Jr.) (Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia) With his character
questions, Smith would be a much better fit in Cincinnati than Monroe. 7. Raiders: Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR,
Maryland (Jr.) (Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri (So.)) Al Davis likes speed. I hope he likes dropped passes, too. 8. Jaguars: Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech (So.) (B.J. Raji, DT, Boston College) They got Torry
Holt, but they still need help at receiver. 9. Packers: B.J. Raji, DT, Boston College (Malcolm Jenkins,
CB, Ohio State) Packers get their nose tackle as they install the 3-4 defense. 10. 49ers: Brian Orakpo,
DE, Texas He wasn't nervous at the combine because he just pictured 49ers coach Mike Singletary in his underwear. 11. Bills: Aaron Maybin, DE, Penn State (So.) (Everette Brown, DE, Florida State (Jr.)) Bills were
tied for 28th in the league with 24 sacks last season. Either way, they're addressing their pass rush. 12.
Broncos: Brian Cushing, OLB, Southern California The only teams ranked lower than Denver on defense last
season are the Lions, Chiefs and Seahawks, three of the first four teams picking. 13. Redskins: Eugene Monroe,
OT, Virginia (Andre Smith, OT, Alabama (Jr.)) Monroe drops because he doesn't have a very tough-sounding
name. Not only that, but he can tie his own tie. Way too civilized for an offensive lineman. 14. Saints: Malcolm Jenkins, CB, Ohio State (Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois (Jr.)) A good pick for the Saints. It better be a good pick. They entered draft day with only four. 15. Texans: Clay
Matthews, OLB, Southern California Another Matthews in Houston. His uncle, Bruce Matthews, played for the Oilers/Titans
from 1983-2001. His father, Clay Matthews Jr., played for the Browns
and Falcons from 1978-1996. 16. Chargers: Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri (So.) (Peria Jerry, DT, Mississippi) Maclin's free fall stops here. Chargers take the best available player. 17. Seahawks (from Jets): Michael
Oher, OT, Mississippi Need to find an eventual replacement for 35-year-old Walter Jones. 18. Broncos:
Peria Jerry, DT, Mississippi (Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU) Despite Jackson's meteoric rise, Broncos still get
a quality addition to their front seven. 19. Buccaneers: Josh Freeman, QB, Kansas State (Jr.) (Aaron
Maybin, DE, Penn State (So.)) No way Maybin falls to 19. Former Steeler Byron Leftwich could be the one to keep the seat
warm while Freeman develops. 20. Lions: Rey Maualuga, ILB, Southern California I hope he enjoyed
all those wins at USC. 21. Eagles: Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia (So.) In a so-so running back class,
the first one falls into the Eagles' lap. 22. Vikings: Percy Harvin, WR, Florida (Jr.) Maybe
having Harvin to throw to will make Tarvaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels or John David Booty better. Maybe not. 23.
Patriots: Everette Brown, DE, Florida State (Jr.) (Larry English, OLB, Northern Illinois) Brown could turn into
the outside linebacker the Patriots are seeking. 24. Falcons: Evander "Ziggy" Hood, DT, Missouri Coach Mike Smith begins to mold the defense into the type he coordinated in Jacksonville, with massive defensive
linemen. Meanwhile, the Steelers scratch a name off their board. 25. Dolphins: Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois (Jr.) (Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland (Jr.)) Brother of
49ers tight end Vernon Davis, who doesn't have to picture Mike Singletary in his underwear. 26. Ravens: Brian
Robiskie, WR, Ohio State His "Welcome to the NFL" moment will come the first time he's whacked
by Ryan Clark. I can't wait. 27. Colts: James Laurinaitis, ILB, Ohio State Winner of the Lowe's
Senior CLASS Award as the most outstanding NCAA Division I student-athlete in nine sports. Should we really be surprised that the son of the "Animal" is such a good student? The "Animal"
was the professional wrestling nickname of Joe Laurinaitis. 28. Bills: Eben Britton, OT, Arizona (Jr.) (Michael
Oher, OT, Mississippi) It all works out for the Bills. They trade Jason Peters, but get their left tackle of the future
in the first round. Don't be surprised to see the Steelers trade
into this spot and get Britton. 29. Giants: Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma State All the receivers
who could replace Plaxico Burress in a hurry are off the board. But this guy could be an impact tight end. 30.
Titans: Darius Butler, CB, Connecticut With no huge weaknesses, the Titans could be in position to look for
the best player available. 31. Cardinals: Chris "Beenie" Wells, RB, Ohio State (Jr.) If
Edgerrin James wasn't so damn old, and the Cardinals weren't so damn lucky to have Wells drop, you know damn well
Ken Whisenhunt would probably try to figure out who the Steelers want,
and take him. 32. Steelers: Alex Mack, C, California No defensive linemen left worth taking in
the first round. Steelers have had three centers in three seasons. This guy could restore the Steelers' rich tradition at the position.
ROUND TWO Except for the Steelers, I don't have comments on these
picks. There just isn't enough material to be funny for two rounds. No one's that funny.
33. Lions: Max Unger, C, Oregon (Eben Britton, OT, Arizona (Jr.)) 34. Patriots: Connor Barwin, OLB, Cincinnati
(Donald Brown, RB, Connecticut (Jr.)) 35. Rams: Hakeem Nicks, WR, North Carolina (Jr.) (Connor Barwin, OLB, Cincinnati) 36. Browns: Sean Smith, CB, Utah (Jr.) (Alphonso Smith, CB, Wake Forest) 37. Seahawks: Kenny Britt, WR, Rutgers (Jr.)
(Hakeem Nicks, WR, North Carolina (Jr.)) 38. Bengals: Robert Ayers, DE, Tennessee 39. Jaguars: Alphonso Smith, CB,
Wake Forest (Sean Smith, CB, Utah (Jr.)) 40. Raiders: William Beatty, OT, Connecticut 41. Packers: Jamon Meredith,
OT, South Carolina (Ron Brace, DT, Boston College) 42. Bills: Jared Cook, TE, South Carolina (Jr.) 43. 49ers: Philip
Loadholt, OT, Oklahoma (Jamon Meredith, OT, South Carolina) 44. Dolphins: Larry English, OLB, Northern Illinois (D.J.
Moore, CB, Vanderbilt (Jr.)) 45. Giants: Lawrence Sidbury Jr., DE, Richmond (Kenny Britt, WR, Rutgers (Jr.)) 46.
Texans: Jairus Byrd, CB, Oregon (Jr.) 47. Patriots: Donald Brown, RB, Connecticut (Jr.) (Jarron Gilbert, DE, San Jose
State) 48. Broncos: LeSean McCoy, RB, Pittsburgh (So.) 49. Bears: Mohamed Massaquoi, WR, Georgia 50. Browns:
Derrick Williams, WR, Penn State (Lawrence Sidbury Jr., DE, Richmond) 51. Cowboys: Duke Robinson, OG, Oklahoma (Philip
Loadholt, OT, Oklahoma) 52. Jets: Juaquin Iglesias, WR, Oklahoma (Derrick Williams, WR, Penn State) 53. Eagles:
Louis Delmas, FS, Western Michigan 54. Vikings: Eric Wood, C, Louisville (Rhett Bomar, QB, Sam Houston State) 55.
Falcons: Clint Sintim, OLB, Virginia 56. Dolphins: Jarron Gilbert, DE, San Jose State (Eric Wood, C, Louisville) 57.
Ravens: Kevin Barnes, CB, Maryland 58. Patriots: D.J. Moore, CB, Vanderbilt (Jr.) (Duke Robinson, OG, Oklahoma) 59.
Panthers: Ron Brace, DT, Boston College (Michael Johnson, DE, Georgia Tech) 60. Giants: Michael Johnson, DE, Georgia
Tech (Marcus Freeman, OLB, Ohio State) 61. Colts: Sen'Derrick Marks, DT, Auburn (Jr.) (Juaquin Iglesias, WR, Oklahoma) 62. Titans: Fili Moala, DT, USC (Patrick White, QB, West Virginia) 63. Cardinals: Cody Brown, DE, Connecticut 64.
Steelers: Alex Magee, DT, Purdue Steelers MUST address defensive line on Day One.
After
a chilly, rainy, dreary April so far, it's sunny and 80 in New York today.
It figures.
So is it
really worth it for me to stay inside and blog all day as I watch the draft? Isn't the draft a little overhyped?
Does the draft really help determine a team's future? Perhaps this photo from the 2004 draft will help answer that question:
I think this guy has had a bit of an impact.
I'll be back in a little while. In the meantime, don't
forget to become a fan of Steelahs.com on Facebook.
We know there are going to be draft-day deals, so there's no way this will be the order that the teams pick in
the first two rounds. But all the cool kids are doing mock drafts, so I'm doing one, too. And yes, if all the cool kids
played in the middle of the highway, I would, too.
ROUND ONE
1. Lions: Matthew Stafford, QB, Georgia (Jr.) Once the Lions get Matthew,
all they'll need is Mark, Luke and John. We need a religious reference here, because Stafford is going to football hell. 2. Rams: Jason Smith, OT, Baylor They need to fill the gaping hole left by Orlando Pace. 3. Chiefs: Aaron Curry, LB, Wake Forest As their former coach would say: YOU ... TAKE ... THE
... BEST ... PLAYER ... IN ... THE ... DRAFT!
4. Seahawks: Mark Sanchez, QB, Southern California (Jr.) It's time to start looking at life after Matt Hasselbeck, who will be 34 next season.
5.
Browns: Michael Crabtree, WR, Texas Tech (So.) I originally had the Browns picking Brian Orakpo here, but I
don't think Eric Mangini wants another Vernon Gholston on his hands.
6. Bengals: Eugene Monroe, OT,
Virginia No character issues. We'll see what the Bengals can do about that.
7. Raiders:
Jeremy Maclin, WR, Missouri (So.) Maclin didn't get invited to attend the draft in person. He said "I'm
not tripping off of that." Good thing. Tripping on that stage at Radio City Music Hall wouldn't be a good thing.
8. Jaguars: B.J Raji, DT, Boston College Jaguars
are on the clock, and Jack Del Rio's on the hot seat.
9. Packers: Malcolm Jenkins, CB, Ohio State Really needed Raji as the nose tackle as they install the 3-4 defense. But they're also getting old in the
secondary.
10. 49ers: Brian Orakpo, DE, Texas He wasn't nervous at the combine because
he just pictured 49ers coach Mike Singletary in his underwear.
11. Bills: Everette Brown, DE, Florida State
(Jr.) Bills were tied for 28th in the league with 24 sacks last season. This should be a step in the right direction.
12. Broncos: Brian Cushing, OLB, Southern California The only teams ranked lower than
Denver on defense last season are the Lions, Chiefs and Seahawks, three of the first four teams picking.
13.
Redskins: Andre Smith, OT, Alabama (Jr.) According to a report, Jason Campbell was "pissed" the Redskins
tried to get Jay Cutler (although he handled it a little better than Cutler did with the Broncos). Getting this 6-4, 332-pounder to protect him would be a nice peace offering.
14.
Saints: Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois (Jr.) Brother of 49ers tight end Vernon Davis, who doesn't have to picture
Mike Singletary in his underwear.
15. Texans: Clay Matthews, OLB, Southern California Another
Matthews in Houston. His uncle, Bruce Matthews, played for the Oilers/Titans from 1983-2001. His father, Clay Matthews Jr.,
played for the Browns and Falcons from 1978-1996.
16.
Chargers: Peria Jerry, DT, Mississippi First name is pronounced "Pah-RAY," but not nearly as cool
a name as the guy he'll try to replace, Igor Olshansky.
17. Jets: Josh Freeman, QB, Kansas State The affair with Brett Favre is over. They need to find a younger guy.
18. Broncos: Tyson Jackson, DE,
LSU Scouts are impressed with his ability to punch people out and then do the moonwalk.
19.
Buccaneers: Aaron Maybin, DE, Penn State (So.) Their offense is now a juggernaut with the signing of Steelers
great Byron Leftwich. On defense, however, it's spring cleaning.
20. Lions: Rey Maualuga, ILB, Southern
California I hope he enjoyed all those wins at USC.
21. Eagles: Knowshon Moreno, RB, Georgia
(So.) In a so-so running back class, the first one falls into the Eagles' lap.
22. Vikings:
Percy Harvin, WR, Florida (Jr.) Maybe having Harvin to throw to will make Tarvaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels
or John David Booty better. Maybe not.
23. Patriots: Larry English, OLB, Northern Illinois The perfect pick for the Patriots, considering they play a game in London next season.
24. Falcons: Evander
"Ziggy" Hood, DT, Missouri With the 6-3, 300-pound Hood, coach Mike Smith starts to mold the defense
into the type he coordinated in Jacksonville, with massive defensive linemen.
25. Dolphins: Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR, Maryland (Jr.) This guy better stay healthy. Bill Parcells
tends to question the gender of rookie receivers who get hurt.
26. Ravens: Brian Robiskie, WR, Ohio State His "Welcome to the NFL" moment will come the first time he's whacked by Ryan Clark. I can't wait.
27. Colts: James Laurinaitis, ILB, Ohio State Winner of the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award as
the most outstanding NCAA Division I student-athlete in nine sports. Should we really be surprised that the son of the "Animal"
is such a good student? The "Animal" was the professional wrestling nickname of Joe Laurinaitis.
28.
Bills: Michael Oher, OL, Mississippi It all works out for the Bills. They trade Jason Peters, but get their
left tackle of the future in the first round. They might need to light a fire under Oher's ass, but this is a good value pick.
29. Giants: Brandon Pettigrew, TE, Oklahoma State All the receivers who could replace Plaxico Burress in a hurry are off the board. But this guy could be an impact tight
end.
30. Titans: Darius Butler, CB, Connecticut With no huge weaknesses, the Titans could
be in position to look for the best player available.
31. Cardinals: Chris "Beenie" Wells, RB,
Ohio State (Jr.) If Edgerrin James wasn't so damn old, and the Cardinals weren't so damn lucky to have
Wells drop, you know damn well Ken Whisenhunt would probably try to
figure out who the Steelers want, and take him. 32. Steelers: Well, let's see ...
I've been on my soapbox about how I have no faith in Limas Sweed. But Steelers.com, the Steelers' official Web site,
has run stories about how Sweed and practice squadder Martin Nance
are ready to compete for the No. 3 receiver spot. Unless the team is planting those stories as a smokescreen, the Steelers aren't likely to go receiver in Round 1.
Alphonso Smith is probably the
best corner still on the board, but at 5-9 his best contribution might be as a returner.
So in my mind it comes
down to California center Alex Mack (6-4, 307), who seemed to be the pre-ordained pick for the Steelers when draft talk started late last season, or Arizona offensive tackle Eben Britton (6-6, 309),
a junior.
Mack visited the Steelers, and Britton didn't.
But tackles Max Starks and Willie Colon,
as well center Justin Hartwig, all will be free agents after next season. I think "False Start" Colon is the most expendable. After a year of grooming, Britton easily could step in for him.
He also has the potential to be the Steelers' left tackle of the future while Starks moves to his more natural right tackle position.
On the other hand, Mack is a guy who can
start in Week 1 of his rookie season and play center or either of the guard positions.
But the Steelers are trying
to see if their current O-Line can improve with another year together, so an immediate starter isn't what they need.
However, while Hartwig hasn't been bad, a position manned by Mike Webster, Dermontti Dawson and Jeff Hartings
from 1976-2006 has been in flux the last few years. If Hartwig departs
as a free agent in 2010, Mack could restore the Steelers' tradition at center. So ... Alex Mack, C,
California
ROUND TWO
Except for the Steelers, I don't have comments on these picks. There just isn't enough material to be funny
for two rounds. No one's that funny. Not even me.
33.
Lions: Eben Britton, OL, Arizona (Jr.) 34. Patriots: Donald Brown, RB, Connecticut (Jr.) 35. Rams: Connor Barwin,
OLB, Cincinnati 36. Browns: Alphonso Smith, CB, Wake Forest 37. Seahawks: Hakeem Nicks, WR, North Carolina (Jr.) 38. Bengals: Robert Ayers, DE, Tennessee 39. Jaguars: Sean Smith, CB, Utah (Jr.) 40. Raiders: William Beatty,
OT, Connecticut 41. Packers: Ron Brace, DT, Boston College 42. Bills: Jared Cook, TE, South Carolina (Jr.) 43.
49ers: Jamon Meredith, OT, South Carolina 44. Dolphins: D.J. Moore, CB, Vanderbilt (Jr.) 45. Giants: Kenny Britt,
WR, Rutgers (Jr.) 46. Texans: Jairus Byrd, CB, Oregon (Jr.) 47. Patriots: Jarron Gilbert, DE, San Jose State 48. Broncos: LeSean McCoy, RB, Pittsburgh (So.) 49. Bears: Mohamed Massaquoi, WR, Georgia 50. Browns: Lawrence
Sidbury Jr., DE, Richmond 51. Cowboys: Philip Loadholt, OT, Oklahoma 52. Jets: Derrick Williams, WR, Penn State 53. Eagles: Louis Delmas, FS, Western Michigan 54. Vikings: Rhett Bomar, QB, Sam Houston State 55. Falcons: Clint
Sintim, OLB, Virginia 56. Dolphins: Eric Wood, C, Louisville 57. Ravens: Kevin Barnes, CB, Maryland 58. Patriots:
Duke Robinson, OG, Oklahoma 59. Panthers: Michael Johnson, DE, Georgia Tech 60. Giants: Marcus Freeman, OLB, Ohio
State 61. Colts: Juaquin Iglesias, WR, Oklahoma 62. Titans: Patrick White, QB, West Virginia 63. Cardinals:
Cody Brown, DE, Connecticut 64. Steelers: Well ... OK, I won't screw with you this time:
Alex
Magee, DT, Purdue
Cornerback Mike Mickens, Cincinnati's all-time leader in interceptions (14) and
interception return yards (296) is tempting here, and the Steelers brought
him in for a visit.
But the Steelers have ignored their defensive line in the draft for too long. They didn't
bring Magee in for a visit, and the popular choice here is USC's Fili Moala. But I'm concerned about Moala's inconsistency
and character red flags. And I'm not really impressed with any of the mid- to late-round defensive linemen they've
brought in.
The 6-3, 298-pound Magee is versatile, can stop the run and is a solid team player. He eventually wants to work for the FBI or the DEA. Hopefully after his career with the Steelers, he
won't have to.
Still on the board are cornerbacks like Joe Burnett of Central Florida, Don Carey of Norfolk
State and Sherrod Martin of Troy. All came to Pittsburgh for visits.
Hopefully the Steelers can grab one of them on the second day.
So both of the Steelers' first-day picks in
my mock draft are named Alex. There's no truth to the rumor that they're eyeing Alex Trebeck as a Day Two pick.
