1st Round Pick is Ryan Shazier LB OSU !

[katmandu]

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/drafttracker


http://www.nfl.com/draft/2014/profiles/ryan-shazier?id=2543486

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Will he be used at ILB ?

[Iron Steeler]

Sighhhh so many fricken lbs

[KeiselPower99]

Did not see this one coming.

[Iron Steeler]

Hate this pick ugh

[Hawkman]

WHAT???!!

[katmandu]

Sighhhh so many fricken lbs

....and what if Sean Spence makes a miraculous recovery ???

[st33lersguy]

Dennard was the no-brainer choice. This pick makes no sense. Spence was just cleared so that shored it up more. If they wanted an ILB, why didn't they get Mosley?

[touchdownward]

He's big at 236 lbs. but not so big that it would slow him down. Great pick, but a surprise to me. I thought we would go with an O lineman.

[Devilsdancefloor]

i was thinking ILB but now i am thinking SS lol

[Godfather]

Good player, but not a great pick when you had Dennard and Martin on the board.

[Shoes]

I like the pick…amazing speed for a LB

[Heinz Hitman]

It was a little bit of a reach and I feel like we just drafted another Jarvis Jones. A quick outside linebacker who is a bit slender and may need to add some muscle. Dennard was there for the taking and we sh!t the bed. I feel sick.

[katmandu]

If they wanted an ILB, why didn't they get Mosley?

??? Mosley is a beast and now the Ratbirds just picked him.

[touchdownward]

It was a little bit of a reach and I feel like we just drafted another Jarvis Jones. A quick outside linebacker who is a bit slender and may need to add some muscle. Dennard was there for the taking and we sh!t the bed. I feel sick.

Not draft related, but dude I love that avatar you got!

[Iron Steeler]

Spence just got cleared . Now were crowded at one position and empty at DB great job Kevin colbert

[salamander]

I'm pissed.

[katmandu]

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

ANALYSIS

STRENGTHS

Highly productive, disruptive playmaker vs. the run and pass. Shoots gaps and plays behind the line of scrimmage (compiled 39.5 TFL the last two seasons). Agile to slip blocks. Quick, strong hands to shed. Knifes gaps and flows very well laterally. Striking tackler -- uncoils on contact. Excellent speed and range -- opens up his stride in space and really covers ground. Bends naturally. Changes direction and accelerates with ease. Explosive first step as a pass rusher -- shows the ability to dip, bend and run the arc low to the ground. Ample athleticism and flexibility to mark backs and tight ends. Led all players at the combine with a 42-inch vertical jump and blazed a sub-4.4 40 time at his pro day. Four-down utility. Arrow is pointing up.WEAKNESSES

Lacks ideal size and bulk. Still developing eyes and instincts -- will diagnose and trigger more quickly down the road. Gets caught in traffic or engulfed by larger blockers when he hesitates to step downhill. Prone to overaggressiveness -- occasionally overruns plays or loses cutback contain. Could stand to improve his eyes, awareness, anticipation and reactions as a zone defender. Took some time to acclimate before making an impact.DRAFT PROJECTION

Round 1BOTTOM LINE

The Big Ten's leading tackler, Shazier flies around the field and his unique athletic ability stands out. Offers a tremendous combination of speed, tackling and coverage skills to become a playmaker as a run-and-hit 4-3 Will or perhaps a 3-4 weakside 'backer if protected by a block-occupying nose tackle. Value is increased by the fact that he will not have to come off the field

[touchdownward]

If Suit were still around, he'd love this pick.

[X-Terminator]

I'll tell you what, this guy had better pan out...for Tomlin's and Colbert's sake. To say they have been underwhelming at the draft is an understatement.

I just knew they were going to do something to piss off the fans.

[steelerdude15]

He seems to be a good linebacker and I'm sure he'll be used next to Lawrence. It makes the most sense.

[one side only]

Says a little about the Jarvis Jones pick, which I hated almost as much as this one. Shazier also won't start, just like Jones. Not sure what is going on with the Steelers brain trust.

[st33lersguy]

"Yeah our corners are crap and the Jim Thorpe award winner is available, let's reach for the 2nd best LB available". Did they let Biden make this pick?

[Steelerette]

The problem is on message board communities like this we tend to fall in love with a certain group of players and then get upset if we miss on those particular guys.

But looking at the bigger picture, well I'll quote what I said in the draft thread.

I wasn't expecting Shazier but I love the pick.

Shazier beside Timmons inside is going to be beautiful. Worilds and Jarvis outside. Now Moats is truly going to flex for us and backup at both positions. Vince Williams as a backup as he should be at this point. After June 1st let's bring back Harrison for a last hurrah to shore up the other side.

And I wager Spence's health is just fine but even when we drafted him, the dude's not really a ILB. A tweener, situational guy, or maybe safety conversion project. He could even be special... but in his role, not manning the line full-time.

Linebacker City Baby!

Shazier will play inside, Spence will continue to be a tweener/situational and possible safety conversion project. When we drafted Spence nobody thought he was going to be a stout 3-down ILB so why is that different now?

[Steeldude]

I am just happy that it wasn't Dennard at #15

[Psycho Ward 86]

ok i love ryan shazier, but the fact that we picked him at #15 pisses me off. Wish we had at least traded back for more picks and gotten him. if he isnt at least as good at lawrence timmons i am not going to be a happy camper. Even then, i might not be happy

[Steelerette]

2. Tuitt
3. McGill
4. Abbrederis

And I'll be pleased.

[st33lersguy]

The problem is on message board communities like this we tend to fall in love with a certain group of players and then get upset if we miss on those particular guys.

But looking at the bigger picture, well I'll quote what I said in the draft thread.



Shazier will play inside, Spence will continue to be a tweener/situational and possible safety conversion project. When we drafted Spence nobody thought he was going to be a stout 3-down ILB so why is that different now?

And it won't matter one iota because wide receiver will get open against the garbage we have at corners with ease

[fansince'76]

We need help at all 3 levels, so I'm not upset.

[86WARD]

I would've rather have had one of the safeties.

[Steelerette]

And it won't matter one iota because wide receiver will get open against the garbage we have at corners with ease

McGill and Baptiste are both very prototypically what the Steelers would want. They're just not guys who could start this year. But you have Allen blossoming, Ike back for another season (for better or worse), and a few guys who can backup if they really had to. If you weren't going to start Dennard this year anyways, why not wait and get McGill or Baptiste? They could play situationally and step into the starting role next season.