Looking Forward to the 2023 Draft: Mock Draft #1

Sure, it has been a while since last I took the time to publish here. The reason for that is pretty obvious: There are a lot of better, more informed writers covering the Steelers today than there were seven years ago. Like most of you, I consumed most of the content created by Dale Lolley, Dejan Kovacevic, Chris Carter, et al.  Those reporters have access to the team, its players, coaches, and management.  What in the world could I hope to offer that they have not already provided?  But then, mock draft simulations became a thing and I figured my guesses were worth taking the time to share.  

Between now and the NFL Draft I will post my selections for the Steelers along with some rationale for those selections.  For the purposes of these posts, I am not proposing any trades, though it seems pretty clear that pick #32 could be dealt to a team missing out on the first round (e.g., Rams #36, Dolphins #51, Broncos #67) for a decent return both this year and next (and, perhaps, 2025).  For all of these drafts, I am using the Pro Football Focus (PFF) draft simulator with custom settings:

With all of that in mind, let's dive into Mock Draft #1!

By the time for the Steelers' first pick (#17) came around the top three cornerbacks (i.e., Christian Gonzalez, Devon Witherspoon, and Joey Porter Jr. -- he went to the Jets) were already off the board.  As a result, the players at the top of PFF's draft rankings available were:

 

#13: Calijah Kancey (DL, Pitt), 

#14: Brian Branch (S, Alabama), 

#17: Dalton Kincaid (TE, Utah), 

#18: Deonte Banks (CB, Maryland)

A great deal of focus regarding the Steelers this postseason has been on the need for adding quality and depth to their cornerbacks, and Banks would be a good choice here.  Of course, there have been reports that Steelers' management is also looking to add a safety, and if that is perceived as a higher priority then Branch could be the way to go.  Meanwhile, as good as Kincaid may be, there is no chance that the team takes a tight end in the first round.  Having said all of that, Kancey is the selection to make here.  Any doubts I may have had were laid to rest with this from PFF: "He may have to start off as a designated pass-rusher, but he can truly excel in that role. There's little doubt he's going to impact QBs at the next level."  Having a solid secondary is important but one way to improve your secondary is to put more pressure on opposing quarterbacks more consistently.  SELECTION: Calijah Kancey

As selection #32 rolled around, here were the top ten players available according to PFF's rankings:

#30: Josh Downs (WR, UNC)

#31: Dawand Jones (OT, Ohio State)

#32: Tanner McKee (QB, Stanford)

#33: Felix Anudike-Uzomah (Edge, Kansas State)

#35: BJ Ojulari (Edge, LSU)

#36: Emmanual Forbes (CB, Mississippi State)

#37: Daiyan Henley (LB, Washington State)

#38: Cam Smith (CB, South Carolina)

#40: Adetomiwa Adebawore (Edge, Northwestern)

#41: Steve Avila (OG, TCU)

There is a lot to like in this group but there are some positions (i.e., OG, QB, WR) that will not be part of the Steelers' draft calculus at this spot.  Further, as appealing as a young, athletic edge rusher might be it seems a reach at selection #32.  That leaves these players to receive the most serious consideration:

#31: Dawand Jones (OT, Ohio State)

#36: Emmanual Forbes (CB, Mississippi State)

#37: Daiyan Henley (LB, Washington State)

#38: Cam Smith (CB, South Carolina)

Yes, the Steelers need a cornerback (or two).  But, with their future vested in Kenny Pickett, it seems prudent to solidify left tackle.   SELECTION: Dawand Jones (OT, Ohio State)

The next Steelers selection comes at #49 and this was, by far, the toughest choice.  I had hoped that a cornerback (e.g., Tyrique Stevenson) or a safety (e.g., Anotonio Johnson) would be available here but they went off the board shortly ahead of the Steelers' pick.  Here are the top 20 players according to PFF that were available at this spot:

#32: Tanner McKee (QB, Stanford)

#43: Nathaniel Dell (WR, Houston)

#46: Luke Wypler (C, Ohio State)

#49: Garrett Williams (CB, Syracuse)

#50: Sam LaPorta (TE, Iowa)

#51: Jahmyr Gibbs (RB, Alabama)

#52: Andre Carter II (Edge, Army)

#53: Joe Tippmann (C, Wisconsin)

#54: Matthew Bergeron (OT, Syracuse)

#56: Karl Brooks (Edge, Bowling Green)

#57: Sydney Brown (S, Syracuse)

#58: Nick Herbig (Edge, Wisconsin)

#59: Tre'Vius Hodges-Tomlinson (CB, TCU)

#60: Zach Charbonnet (RB, UCLA)

#61: Eli Ricks (CB, Alabama)

#62: Julius Brents (CB, Kansas State)

#63: Jammie Robinson (S, FSU)

#65: Siaki Ika (DL, Baylor)

#66: Trenton Simpson (LB, Clemson)

#67: Keannu Benton (DL, Wisconsin)

Seeing Bergeron available made me a bit whistful about having selected Jones at #32.  With cornerback and safety still a need, I had to pass on Zach Charbonnet who is an outstanding runner and pass catcher -- someone is going to get a great running back.  Similarly, it is difficult to believe that offensive line would see much more attention in this draft, especially considering the two free agent signings earlier this month.  Ultimately, I focused on the defensive backs:

#57: Sydney Brown (S, Syracuse)
#59: Tre'Vius Hodges-Tomlinson (CB, TCU)

#61: Eli Ricks (CB, Alabama)

#62: Julius Brents (CB, Kansas State)

#63: Jammie Robinson (S, FSU)

After perusing the various metrics offered I settled on Sydney Brown, of whom PFF says "Brown is the single best athlete in this safety class. His size [5'10", 211 lbs.] will take him off some boards, but his coverage versatility should be coveted."  SELECTION: Sydney Brown (S, Syracuse).

Now at #80, cornerbacks seem relatively plentiful with a few now familiar names popping up  again, along with some new ones:

#32: Tanner McKee (QB, Stanford)
#49: Garrett Williams (CB, Syracuse)

#59: Tre'Vius Hodges-Tomlinson (CB, TCU)

#63: Jammie Robinson (S, FSU)

#81: Darius Rush (CB, South Carolina)

#82: Dorian Williams (LB, Tulane)

Sorry Tanner McKee, you are not going to be selected here either.  In looking at the defensive backs, the question becomes do the Steelers want to selected a cornerback who is ranked between 15-25 at their position or a safety who is top ten at his?  I opted for the safety who is well rated in both coverage and run defense.  SELECTION: Jammie Robinson (S, FSU).

At spot #120, the top rated players represent an array of positions, including running backs, safeties, linebackers, defensive linemen, edge rushers, and wide receivers.  The players to whom I gave serious consideration were:

#111: Yasir Abdullah (Edge, Louisville)

#116: Ronnie Hickman (Safety, Ohio State)

#121: Keondre Coburn (Nose Tackle, Texas)

#123: Ji'Ayir Brown (Safety, Penn State)

#124: Cam Jones (LB, Indiana)

Abdullah is highly regarded by PFF and had 11 sacks during his 2022 season (as compared to 13 in the previous two seasons combined) and Hickman had the 33rd best passer rating allowed (39.2) amongst all safeties.  Statistics for Jones and Brown were less impressive, with PFF arguing that Brown "is too unreliable to trust deep."  SELECTION: Ronnie Hickman (Safety, Ohio State).

With the final two Steelers picks in the middle of the seventh round, I focused on getting athletes/special teams contributors.  

#234 SELECTION:  SirVocea Dennis (LB, Pitt) -- I rather doubt that Dennis will last this long in the actual draft, especially considering his strong performance at Pitt's pro day, but if he is then the Steelers should snap him up.

#241 SELECTION:  Dorian Thompson-Robinson (QB, UCLA) -- as a UCLA alum, I freely admit my bias.  However, the Steelers need a third quarterback and this young man is an incredible athlete.  Also available in this mock draft was Max Duggan, the quarterback from TCU.

At the conclusion of the draft, here is how PFF graded my selections:

The 49th pick was the toughest so I am not surprised that it received a less than stellar grade.  Further, not finding a cornerback seems problematic.  But, these selections would strengthen both the offensive and defensive lines as well as safety.

Thanks for reading and the next mock draft will be in about a week.

Season's End: Looking to the Draft

With the Steeler's postseason run having come to an untimely end it is time to think about the composition of the 2016 roster, and who doesn't love a good mock draft?  The key is finding good mock drafts, and Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com is one of our personal favorites.  Mr. Jeremiah released his first mock draft late Sunday evening and he has the Steelers choosing Hunter Henry, a tight end from Arkansas, with their first choice.

There is little doubt that if the Steelers were to select a tight end with their #1 pick angry masses would storm the Steelers' Southside offices, but with elite talent at cornerback hard to come by Mr. Jeremiah's best options at that position (four players) are gone in the first 12 picks.

For more perspective take a look at Mr. Jeremiah's current Top 50.

Turning to the 2014 NFL Draft

Losing to Oakland, something that happens with increasing regularity when the Steelers travel west, is always painful but let's face it: This year's Steelers squad is not a Super Bowl contender (and never was), so the long-term health of the franchise would benefit from the highest possible pick next spring.

With that in mind we give you the first mock draft of the season, about four months ahead of schedule.  This particular effort, October 23, has Pittsburgh picking sixth and choosing offensive tackle Jake Matthews out of Texas A&M.  Personally, we think it is time to think nose tackle, defensive end, strong safety but it isn't as if a strong OT wouldn't be helpful.

It's draft day!

A couple more mock drafts -- best to get them out now because the shelf life on these things is minimal -- for your consideration.

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review's Mark Kaboly says it will be Kenny Vaccaro for the Steelers. What interests me about this mock draft is that Mr. Kaboly has both Sheldon Richardson, the DT from Missouri, and Tyler Eifert, TE, Notre Dame still on the board when the Steelers make their selection.

Both Richardson and Eifert are evaluated as better athletes than Mr. Vaccaro, as well as being more impactful at the respective positions.  One cannot argue with Mr. Kaboly's thinking (i.e. with Troy Polamalu and Ryan Clark both getting older it is time to bring in an eventual replacement), but emphasizing need over best athlete is how teams get into long-term trouble.

Meanwhile Mike Mayock at the NFL Network and NFL.com has released his mock draft (on live television Wednesday evening no less), and he says the Steelers' choice will be Jarvis Jones (with Tyler Eifert at #13 to the Jets, Sheldon Richardson at #14 to Carolina, and Kenny Vaccaro going at #16 to the Rams.  That scenario makes the choice of Mr. Jones more sensible).

Last, but not least, the irascible Ed Bouchette  of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has released his mock draft (with only slightly less fanfare than Mr. Mayock), and he says the choice at #17 will be Jarvis Jones.  The shock, to us at least, about this mock draft is that Sheldon Richardson is nowhere to be found (i.e. he falls out of the first round).  Other aspects of Mr. Bouchette's mock draft have us wondering:

• Sharif Floyd, DT, Florida, who most mock drafts have in the top five falls to #10 (Tennessee).
• Eddie Lacy moves into the first round (#22, St. Louis).
• Jonathan Cooper, an outstanding OG from North Carolina, falls to the Cowboys at #18.
• Tyler Eifert falls to #30 (Atlanta).

Finally, we will just reiterate that our prediction for the Steelers is Tyler Eifert.

Enjoy the draft!

With the seventeenth selection in the 2013 draft the Pittsburgh Steelers select . . .

We just are not up for the job of creating an actual mock draft, but thought we would take a moment to predict just who the Steelers will select in Thursday's first round.

After consulting myriad mock drafts, as well as player evaluations, here's who we think will be the top players still available when Pittsburgh makes their first round selection:

• Sheldon Richardson, DT, Missouri
• Tyler Eifert, TE, Notre Dame
• Kenny Vaccaro, S, Texas
• Jarvis Jones, OLB, Georgia

More than a few mock drafts have the Steelers addressing their need at the OLB position by choosing Mr. Jones, and we understand that.  But the physical issues (i.e spinal stenosis), combined with his age (24), and the perception that he is not as stout against the run as some might like do not make this selection a slam dunk.

Meanwhile, there is Tyler Eifert, the 6'5", 250 lb. tight end out of Notre Dame. With Heath Miller out for an indefinite period, and despite the re-signing of Matt Spaeth (really??), a selection of Mr. Eifert would provide a solution to two problems the Steelers face -- a depleted receiving corps and a lack of an impactful player at the tight end position.  The knock on Mr. Eifert is that he is a below average blocker, at least at this point, and that is a shortcoming that the Steelers are sure to consider very carefully.

With the advancing age of the Steelers' two safeties now might be the time to bring in a young player at that position, and Kenny Vaccaro -- a top 20 talent according to most evaluators -- could be that player.  Decent size, and strong to defend the run, he would seem to have many of the traits Dick LeBeau looks for.  On the downside, Mr. Vaccaro is seen as a "one speed" athlete who cannot maintain contact with elite receivers.

Finally, there is Sheldon Richardson.  On the surface a choice like this does not seem to make a lot of sense.  The Steelers have invested draft choices in the recent past to the defensive line, Steve McLendon has a new, three-year contract, and Casey Hampton could be re-signed.  But Mr. Richardson is perceived by evaluators as a top-10 talent, strong against the run and an above average pass rusher who could bring good pressure up the middle.

So who doe we think the Steelers will choose?  The guess here is that Jason Worilds is going to get his chance to replace James Harrison (the Steelers may look to later rounds for linebackers in order to address depth issues) meaning that Jarvis Jones will not be the selection.

We further submit that, despite our arguments for Sheldon Richardson, Kevin Colbert, et al, will not select a defensive lineman.

Which leaves us with Tyler Eifert and Kenny Vaccaro. A look at the current roster reveals that there are 13 defensive backs on the Steelers' roster . . . there have to be a couple who are capable of stepping in for Ryan Clark and/or Troy Polamalu, right?  But with the loss of Heath Miller the tight end group might well be the weakest position on the Steelers.  That, combined with the loss of Mike Wallace, seems to point to Tyler Eifert as the choice this coming Thursday.

More Mock Drafts

As we get closer to the start of round one of the NFL Draft our collective obsession grows.  Here are some more mock drafts (some more obscure than others) and the player they are predicting the Steelers will choose.

San Jose Mercury News: Jarvis Jones, OLB, Georgia

Football Nation: Jarvis Jones.

The Wichita Eagle: Jarvis Jones.

PredictionMachine.com (seven rounds): Matt Elam, S, Florida., Kevni Minter, ILB, LSU. Ryan Swope, WR, Texas A&M. David Bakhtiari, OT, Colorado.  Stefphon Jefferson, RB, Nevada. David Bass, DE, Missouri Western.  Edmund Kugbila, OG, Valdosta State. Lawrence Okoye, DE, Great Britain. (Lawrence Okoye is a British track & field athlete who has never played American football.  To read more about him click here.)

A mock draft rundown

We have never pretended to be experts on anything, and most of our musings have proven that fact.  So instead of throwing together a mock draft of our own, that would likely feature 32 incorrect picks per round, we offer a metadraft -- a view of what all the real "experts" are saying about this week's NFL draft and who the Steelers are likely to choose.

NFL.com: We like Charley Casserly and Gil Brandt, but a few of the folks providing a prediction on picks are unknown to us.  Anyway, of the 11 mock drafts, only eight go as far as pick #17.  Five have the Steelers choosing a wide receiver, two an outside linebacker (Jarvis Jones), and one a cornerback.

SBNation: They are pointing to Cordarrelle Patterson, wide receiver from Tennessee, as the Steelers' guy.

CBSSports.com: Six mock drafts, including one from Pat Kirwan.  Two have the Steelers taking a tight end (Tyler Eifert) and two have them take Jarvis Jones.

Los Angeles Times Bleacher Report: Nothing drives internet traffic like an NFL mock draft, and so it is no surprise that a major metropolitan newspaper (or ten) is getting into the act.  Their pick for Pittsburgh: Texas safety, Kenny Vaccaro.

DraftTek: This is a new one for us, and we are impressed with the fact that they "use a computer model to simulate a 7-round . . . draft."  Their computer model has the Steelers taking Jarvis Jones in the first round.

Scott Wright's Draft Countdown: One of our favorites -- good synopses for all the players, and a nice online layout -- has the Steelers choosing Cordarrelle Patterson in round one, and Eddie Lacy, running back from Alabama, in round two.

Ourlads: Nobody does player evaluation like these guys!  Indeed, there's more information available from them (much of it by subscription) than the average fan could digest.  Their choice for the Steelers is Keenan Allen, wide receiver from Cal.

Mel Kiper, ESPNInsider (subscription required): The Godfather of draft analysis, the man who launched a million mock drafts.  He sees Tyler Eifert as the man for Pittsburgh.

Don Banks, Sports Illustrated: Kenny Vaccaro, safety, Texas.

WalterFootball.com: Jarvis Jones.

Pro Football Weekly: Some of the best reporting on the NFL happens here, and their mock draft tabs Damontre Moore, LB/DE, Texas A&M as the Steelers' guy.

Getting Draft Ready: The Draft Bible

Like all of you, we are always looking for new mock drafts to satisfy our "need" for information about how the Steelers will use their picks in the upcoming NFL draft.

We came across NFL Draft Bible recently, and love its format.

Rather than simply predicting a particular player at a particular point in the draft the folks behind Draft Bible provide information about previous drafts ~ i.e. the player choices that worked out well (e.g. Ben Roethlisberger) and those that were not quite as . . . inspired (e.g. Ricardo Colclough) ~ as well as team's five-year record, and (most significant in terms of the draft) the team's areas of need and the players who will best fill those needs.

The site is as close to comprehensive as a single page can be; and, overall, a great resource

Getting draft ready: Multiple Mocks, multiple rounds

Scott Wright's Draft Countdown: In his previous effort Mr. Wright had the Steelers choosing Max Unger at #32 and Jarron Gilbert, a defensive end from San Jose State University, at #64. However now that the Steelers have re-signed Chris Kemoeatu and Max Starks he believes offensive line is less of a concern. In this newest draft Mr. Writght projects Pittsburgh choosing Alphonso Smith, a cornerback from Wake Forest, with their first round pick. In the second round Mr. Wirght is standing by Jarron Gilbert at #64.

NFL Draft Dog: Another two round effort, this one has Pittsburgh selecting Eben Britton, an offensive tackle from Arizona, at #32 ~ no change from their earlier drat. In the second round they predict Coye Francies, a cornerback from San Jose State as the man at #64. They describe Mr. Francies as a "very underrated, talented cornerback. Didn't have a great combine run (4.56), but proved his talent with a fantastic Senior Bowl performance."

FF Toolbox: Multiple writers make multiple choices ~ most identify offensive line as the area the Steelers will target.

A number of these drafts are multiple rounds, and the last one listed here gives you seven rounds of draft goodness!

NFL Draft Blitz: Alex Mack will be the man at #32 according to these folks

My NFL Draft: Alex Mack again!

Draft Daddy: Alphonso Smith gets a second vote.

Draft King: Max Unger, our choice, is their choice.

The Football Expert: A seven round monster mock that has Alex Mack predicted at #32, and D.J. Moore (CB, Vanderbilt) at #64,

Getting Draft Ready: Five Days and Counting

We are poring over mock drafts and scouting reports in anticipation of next weekend's NFL Draft; and in anticipation of a busy weekend we will offer up links to a variety of mock drafts each day between now and then.

Today we focus on Don Banks' most up-to-date draft at Sports Illustrated. We especially like this one because it moves away from the "average" mock draft ~ i.e. Matthew Stafford is not the number one pick. We have mentioned many times that we do not consider ourselves expert when it comes to player evaluation but we do believe that, all things being equal, choosing an offensive lineman with a high pick is almost always better than choosing a quarterback. Mr. Banks has an offensive lineman going at #1.

As for the Steelers, Mr. Banks has them choosing the versatile Max Unger with pick #32.

Getting Draft Ready: The Mock Draft Hit Parade

We love mock drafts.

Though there is clear and compelling evidence that once "experts" begin trying to speculate what will happen in the bottom half of any round (even the first) their accuracy degrades remarkably, we wait breathlessly to read their opinions and analysis. So we offer up links to seven of our favorite mock drafts (none of who believed Rashard Mendenhall would fall as far as he did, and all of whom projected the Steelers as selecting an offensive lineman in the first round) ~ enjoy:

Scott Wright's Draft Countdown: Mr. Wright's current mock draft (which has not been updated since before the NFL Combine) is a two round effort. He is projecting Oregon center Max Unger as the #32 choice and Jarron Gilbert, a defensive end from San Jose State University, at #64. Both players have been moving up draft boards since the combine, and we have seen some who are projecting Mr. Gilbert at #32.

NFL Draft Dog: Another two round effort, this one is in agreement with Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times with Eben Britton, an offensive tackle from Arizona, at #32. With their second round pick Draft Dog projects Wisconsin's Kraig Urbik as the Steelers' choice. The folks at Ourlads Scouting Services assessed Mr. Urbik's performance at the Senior Bowl thusly: "Good drive blocker and use of hands in the running game. Gave ground too quickly at times in pass protection. Physical player that projects outside as a right tackle."

FF Toolbox: This site offers multiple mock drafts from multiple writers. They currently have a two round mock draft up, with Alex Mack (Center, California) as the consensus first round pick. As for the second round the writer's are all over the map. One writer (Randall Weida) has the Steelers choosing Duke Robinson, an offensive guard from Oklahoma, at #64. Meanwhile another writer (Ricky Dimon) sees William Beatty, the offensive tackle from Connecticut, lasting until the end of the second round (we see that as being very unlikely). Asher Allen, a cornerback out of Georgia, is still another writer's choice (Raul Colon) ~ and an interesting choice. Finally, Jamon Meredith, offensive tackle from South Carolina, is the choice of two writers (Ben Standig and Joel Wesler).

NFL Draft Blitz: This mock draft offers up seven rounds of projections, but only the first round is available for free. In that round Eben Britton is projected as the Pittsburgh pick.

My NFL Draft: A one round mock draft, they are projecting Alex Mack as being available at the end of the first round.

Draft Daddy: Sometimes it is nice to see something different, and this one round mock draft is that. In this one Matthew Stafford and Mark Sanchez are hanging around until the second half of the first round (picks 19 and 20 respectively); and Alex Mack, Eben Britton, Max Unger,et al are not projected as first round choices. Instead the Steelers will select . . . D.J. Moore, a cornerback from Vanderbilt. According to FF Toolbox Mr. Moore ran a 4.58 40-yard dash (outside the top ten), and had a vertical jump of 39.5 inches (third best amongst cornerbacks).

Draft King: A one round draft that projects Duke Robinson, the offensive guard from Oklahoma, as the Steelers choice at #32.

The Football Expert: Like FF Toolbox, this site offers up multiple mock drafts. Players like Alex Mack, Duke Robinson, and Troy Kopog (an offensive tackle from Tulane about whom Ourlads said "More physical than athletic. Struggled with the speed of the edge pass rushers.") figure prominently in the Steelers' plans.

Farmer's Mock Draft

Living in Southern California we have witnessed first-hand the demolition of a world-class newspaper, the Los Angeles Times. But whatever else Sam Zell has wrought, he still has not offered NFL reporter Sam Farmer a buyout. We are glad for that, and happy to offer up Mr. Farmer's first mock draft of 2009.

Mr. Farmer believes that the Steelers should use pick #32 to acquire Eben Britton, an offensive tackle from Arizona. Mr. Britton is 6'6" tall, and weighs in at 309 pounds so he certainly fits the part. However, Pat Kirwan of NFL.com (if you were able to watch Mr. Kirwan's live commentary, online, of the NFL Combine you know why we have so much respect for him) has Mr. Britton going to the Eagles at #21 in his mock draft.

The 2008 draft was marked by a first round run on offensive linemen, and there is no reason not to expect something similar to happen this year. As much as we would like to see someone like Mr. Britton available at #32 it seems unlikely that he will be wearing a Steelers' uniform in 2009.

Getting Draft Ready: The Big Hitters

There are several resources that Pittsburgh Steelers Fanatic leans on pretty heavily -- specifically, Football Outsiders, Pro Football Weekly, and Ourlads Scouting Services. In recognition of that fact we decided to feature their mock drafts in a separate posting, and alert you to an update to Mel Kiper's prediction as well.

• Football Outsiders: Jonathan Stewart, Running Back, Oregon.
  
  The experts at Football Outsiders describe Mr. Stewart as "an elite talent," and "a steal" at the twenty-third spot.


• Pro Football Weekly: Gosder Cherilus, OT, Bostone College.
  
  Currently available only in the print edition of the the magazine, PFW personnel analyst Nolan Nawrocki believes that Mr. Cherilus could be pressed into starting for the Steelers in his rookie season. And in an online article, Mr. Nawrocki tells us that in conversations with NFL personnel people there is a growing belief that Jonathan Stewart will "become the best pro from this year’s draft."


• Ourlads Scouting Service: Chris Williams, OT, Vanderbilt.
  
  In their print Guide to the NFL Draft: 2008 Ourlads rates Mr. Williams as the third bast offensive tackle available -- ahead of both Jeff Otah and Gosder Cherilus. Of Mr. Williams they say, in part, "[c]an deliver an explosive jolt and punch in pass protection. Good arm length and big hands. Eplosive first step into target."


• Mel Kiper & Todd McShay, ESPN (subscription required): Mr. Kiper: Maclolm Kelly, WR, Oklahoma. Mr. McShay: Kentwan Balmer, DT, North Carolina.
  
  We mentioned in our previous post that Mr. Kiper had done a spot on ESPN indicating that Mr. Kelly would be the Steelers' first round pick. We can't say that we are very excited about another first round wide receiver. The time that it takes for young receivers to learn the offense seems reason enough not to choose another -- and given the Steelers' re-signing of Nate Washington it would seem especially ill-advised.
  
  As for Mr. McShay's prediction . . . Mr. Balmer seems a bit of a reach even late in the first round. Though he has good size -- 6'4", 308 pounds -- his limited experience (he was a one-year starter at UNC). He is less developed in terms of technique than some who are less physically gifted.

Getting Draft Ready: Updating the Updates of the Mock Drafts

With just ten days before the teams of the NFL unwrap their newest players, we thought now would be a good time to update the mock drafts we've been tracking for the past couple of months.

• Rivals.com: Previous predictions: Jeff Otah, OL, Pittsburgh; Chris Williams, OT, Vanderbilt. Current prediction: Aqib Talib, CB, Kansas
  
  The alleged positive drug test for marijuana makes us wonder just how eager the Steelers will be to draft him.



• Draft King: Previous prediction: Sam Baker, OL, USC; Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB, Tennessee State. Current prediction: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB, Tennessee State.
  
  
• The Football Expert: Previous predictions: Chris Williams, OT, Vanderbilt; Branden Albert, OL, Virginia. Current prediction: Rey Maualuga, LB, USC.
  
  An excellent senior season, which included four interceptions with two being returned for touchdowns, combined with strong bowl performances place him into the first round. A little small -- 6'2", 235 pounds -- for inside linebacker.



• NFL Draft Blitz: Previous predictions: Michael Oher, OL, Mississippi; Chris Williams, OL, Vanderbilt. Current prediction: Jerod Mayo, LB, Tennessee.
  
  Rated the #2 inside linebacker by Ourlads Scouting Services, which says of Mr. Mayo "[u]ses his body as a weapon."



• My NFL Draft: Previous predictions: Derrick Harvey, DE, Florida; Gosder Cherilus, OT, Boston College. Current perdiction: Gosder Cherilus, OT, Boston College.



• Draft Daddy: Previous predictions: Sam Baker, OL, USC; Branden Albert, G, Virginia. Current prediction: Gosder Cherilus, OT, Boston College.



• Scott Wright's NFL Draft Countdown: Previous predictions: Gosder Cherilus, OT, Boston College; Branden Albert, G, Virginia. Current prediction: Gosder Cherilus, OT, Boston College.



• NFL Draft Dog: Previous prediction: Jonathan Stewart, RB, Oregon; Branden Albert, G, Virginia. Current prediction: Jeff Otah, OT, Pittsburgh.
  
  It seems unlikely that Mr. Otah will fall this far, however there is this interesting tidbit from an unnamed NFL insider in the current issue of Pro Football Weekly:"It baffles me how a guy like Otah is even being talked about in the top 15 . . . [i]f he is not a slow-footed, one-position offensive lineman I don't know who is . . . I got him in the third round.".



• FF Toolbox: Previous predictions: Aqib Talib, CB, Kansas; Sam Baker, OL, USC. Current prediction: Branden Albert, G, Virginia.
  
  
• Ask the Commish: Previous prediction: Kentwan Balmer, DT, North Carolina. Current prediction: Branden Albert, G, Virginia.



• Draft Ace: Previous prediction: Branden Albert, G, Virginia. Current prediction: Gosder Cherilus, OT, Boston College



• Draft Wisdom: Branden Albert, G, Virginia. Current prediction: Branden Albert, G, Virginia.
  
  Sticking with a pick? How creative!



• Mel Kiper (subscription required): Previous prediction: Branden Albert, G, Virginia. Current prediction: Branden Albert.
  
  We find this interesting insomuch as we though we heard Mr. Kiper talking on Sportscenter recently about how Mr. Albert could go in the top ten, and that the Steelers might look at Oklahoma wide receiver Malcolm Kelly.

Getting Draft Ready: Mock Draft Updates

We've presented the predictions of at least ten "experts" (just like Pittsburgh Steelers Fanatic is an "expert") as to who the Steelers will choose with the twenty-third pick in the upcoming NFL draft. Now it's time for an update (though we could not locate an update of Todd McShay's mock draft)! Here, in no particular order are the updated predictions of those same experts -- and we've thrown in a couple of new ones at the bottom.

• Rivals.com: Previous prediction: Jeff Otah, OL, Pittsburgh. New prediction: Chris Williams, OT, Vanderbilt.
  
  Ourlads Scouting Service describes Mr. Williams as "the pick of the litter of all the offensive linemen" who participated in the Senior Bowl.


• Draft King: Previous prediction: Sam Baker, OL, USC. New prediction: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB, Tennessee State.
  
  Described by Ourlads as having "[g]ood ball skills . . . [n]ot afraid on run support. Raw talent." Mel Kiper has Mr. Rodgers-Cromartie being chosen #7 by the New England Patriots.


• The Football Expert: Previous predictions: First Round -- Chris Williams, OT, Vanderbilt. New predictions: Branden Albert, OL, Virginia.
  
  This site is one of the most comprehensive we have found, and has some mock drafts that go five rounds deep. This revision is a direct result of two players who have helped themselves in All-Star games and at the combine.


• NFL Draft Blitz: Previous prediction: Michael Oher, OL, Mississippi. New prediction: Chris Williams, OL, Vanderbilt.


• My NFL Draft: Previous prediction: Derrick Harvey, DE, Florida. New prediction: Gosder Cherilus, OT, Boston College.
  
  Mr. Harvey appears to be climbing up some draft boards -- Mel Kiper projects him at going to the Carolina Panthers at #13. As for Mr. Cherilus, we offered an opinion already.


• Draft Daddy: Previous prediction: Sam Baker, OL, USC. New prediction: Branden Albert, G, Virginia.


• Scott Wright's NFL Draft Countdown: Previous prediction: Gosder Cherilus, OT, Boston College. New prediction: Branden Albert, G, Virginia.
  
  We're beginning to detect a trend.


• NFL Draft Dog: Previous prediction: Jonathan Stewart, RB, Oregon. New prediction: Branden Albert, G, Virginia.
  
  Jonathan Stewart would have been an intriguing choice, but no way is he going to fall this far -- the Steelers have a better chance of getting Darren McFadden.


• FF Toolbox: Previous prediction: Aqib Talib, CB, Kansas. New prediction: Sam Baker, OL, USC.
  
  We don't see Mr. Baker making beyond the teens, but this would be wonderful. On the other hand, Mr. Talib is projected at #21 by Mel Kiper so it seems as though that is the more likely scenario.


• Ask the Commish (New): Kentwan Balmer, DT, North Carolina.
  
  Back when we were young children there was a television show called "Laugh-In." It was a comedy/variety type thing, and on the show they had a recurring character whose one line was "interesting -- but stupid!" That's how we feel about this prediction. Here is what Ourlads had to say about Mr. Balmer: "Boom or bust type . . . [o]ne year wonder." Our prediction is this: Not only will the Steelers not take Mr. Balmer, but we do not see him going on day one.


• Draft Ace (New): Branden Albert, G, Virginia


• Draft Wisdom (New): Branden Albert, G, Virginia
  
  We really like this site (which offers a second round) if for no other reason than it provides information about any revision(s) made to the prediction (in a previous mock draft they predicted Jeff Otah).


• Mel Kiper (New -- subscription required): Branden Albert, G, Virginia
  
  The oracle has spoke

Getting Draft Ready: More Mock Drafts

Look, we're the first to admit that we don't know anything about scouting players or, in the parlance of draftknicks, "projecting how these young men will perform at the next level."

What we do know is how to use Google, so here are more thoughts from other websites in our continuing efforts to get you up to speed as we approach the draft.

• Rivals.com: Well known as a reliable source on college recruiting, the folks at Rivals also prepare a NFL mock draft, and their draft has the Steelers selecting Jeff Otah.


• Draft King: This is a new entry, at least for us, in the mock draft wars; and they do a nice job (from their mouths to God's ear, please) in projecting Sam Baker as the Steelers' selection.


• The Football Expert: We love mock drafts that go out on a limb and predict two, or more, rounds. This one is projecting Chris Williams, an offensive tackle from Vanderbilt as the first round choice for Pittsburgh; while in the second round they have Branden Albert, an offensive guard from Virginia, as the Steelers' man.

Getting Draft Ready: More Mock Drafts

Mock drafts are, arguably, the best part of the NFL draft -- how can any player measure up to the hype? So, for your pleasure, here are more mock drafts:

• NFL Draft Blitz: This is a bare-bones list -- player names, positions, and schools -- that has the Steelers choosing offensive tackle Michael Oher out of the University of Mississippi. It's a shame that there's no information about Mr. Oher on this page because, if his Wikipedia page is to be believed, his is an amazing story of survival and perseverance.


• My NFL Draft: This site goes out on a bit of limb by projecting that the Steelers will choose Derrick Harvey, an outside linebacker from Florida who projects to defensive end in the NFL, with their first round pick. According to the folks at NFL Draft Scout, Mr. Harvey is the #2 defensive end in the 2008 draft.


• Draft Daddy: This site presents a "best case" scenario for the Steelers, projecting that Sam Baker, offensive tackle from the University of Southern California, will fall to #23. That scenario is indirectly supported by Pat Kirwan, at NFL.com, who states that "opinions vary on where Baker will be drafted between first and early second round at this point, but it is still too early to tell."

Getting Draft Ready: The Mock Drafts

We are, and have always been, firm believers in the drafting of offensive linemen early and often. So if there is a criticism that we have made regarding Kevin Colbert's draft strategies is how infrequently he selects players at those positions (i.e. offensive guard and/or offensive tackle) in the early rounds. In fact, from 2000 to 2007 the Steelers have chosen a grand total of four offensive linemen in the first three rounds of those drafts -- four offensive linemen in 24 total picks (i.e. eight drafts multiplied by three rounds each).

However we believe that the 2008 is going to reverse that trend. So we went in search of information to support our view, and came up with mixed results. In the first of many such postings, and in no particular order, here's a look at some of what we discovered:

• Scott Wright's NFL Draft Countdown: Mr. Wright has identified Boston College offensive tackle Gosder Cherilus as the man for the Steelers, saying that "Pittsburgh could be in the market for the best offensive lineman here and Gosder Cherilus is a prototypical NFL right tackle."


• Todd McShay, Scouts Inc. (via ESPN -- subscription required): Mr. McShay also has the Steelers selecting an offensive lineman, but his pick for Pittsburgh is someone with whom the Steelers are already familiar -- Pitt OT Jeffrey Otah. According to Mr. McShay the Steelers "have bigger holes to fill inside at center and guard, but with his combination of size and skills Otah is far and away the best lineman available in this scenario."


• NFL Draft Dog: This resource offers us a 2008 mock draft and a 2009 mock draft. This particular mock draft (the 2008 edition, that is) is interesting insomuch as it projects Oregon running Jonathan Stewart falling to the Steelers. If such a thing should occur -- and the opinion here is that it won't -- it would present an interesting dilemma. Of course, if this scenario should come to pass Mr. Stewart would become the first running back taken by the Steelers in the first round of the draft since Tim Worley (Georgia) was chosen.


• FF Toolbox: Another non-offesnive lineman pick is suggested here. Instead, the suggestion is that the quality offensive linemen will be gone, and that the Steelers will choose Aqib Talib, a cornerback out of Kansas.

The NFL Draft will begin at 3:00 PM (EST), and features a revamped format designed to make watching the proceedings a bit more palatable.