Steelers Select OLB Bud Dupree With 22nd Overall Pick In 2015 NFL Draft

[Steelman]

Every other fan base is jealous of our pick of Dupree, but he slid from potential top-ten to 22. What do the GM's know that the fans don't? Makes me think he was drafted exactly where he should've been drafted, in the mid-twenties as exactly what he is; a freakishly athletic edge rusher who has the talent to become great but has to battle consistency and instincts and improve his repertoire at the next level.

I think at worst you've got yourself a more athletic Jason Worilds where you can count on 6 sacks, two highlight plays, and a stretch of games where he disappears, followed by a stretch of games where he's dominate.

At best, he's a situational pass rusher behind Moats on the left side while Joey Porter and James Harrison fine-tune his skills and he's a full time starter next season who produces something similar to Woodley's numbers pre-Hamstring era.


Or maybe I'm still disappointed about Peters and trying to rationalize the pick.

[tube517]

http://www.thescore.com/nfl/news/756825

Cardinals were interested in trading up for Bud Dupree; Bengals declined

Of course

[ALLD]

Just because there are some really good OLBs and CBs in this draft does not mean they are HoF material. We would be better off with a bunch of good no name players that showed up to play and didn't bring any drama. Most of the superstars we had in the last 5 years have also caused a lot of problems.

Maybe it is better not to chase and let the picks fall as long as they don't draft any more 5'6" cake toppers or hands of stone alligator armed WRs.

[zulater]

I'm happy with the pick. Nothing really to add otherwise, just looking at all the capsules on this guy and it's look solid. I wish a great corner would have fell in their lap. But not worth reaching if none of the corners left had first round value.

[st33lersguy]

Had they selected Byron Jones instead of this inconsistent glorified athlete in shoulder pads they wouldn't have selected that elf at CB that will get burned by every tall WR we go against.

[Steelman]

Had they selected Byron Jones instead of this inconsistent glorified athlete in shoulder pads they wouldn't have selected that elf at CB that will get burned by every tall WR we go against.

I love you.


For the record though, I like Golson, but wish we'd landed Carter or PJ to pair with him.

[Lady Steel]

[stillers4me]

They always drag these guys to Primanti Bros. The poor guys are probably thinking...WTH is this shit??? #justkeepsmiling

[Lady Steel]

They always drag these guys to Primanti Bros. The poor guys are probably thinking...WTH is this shit??? #justkeepsmiling

He was also at DeLuca's for breakfast.

[stillers4me]

Plus an awesome view right into the belly of Heinz Field!

[BigNastyDefense]

I love my Steelers, but sometimes I absolutely hate Steelers fans because:

1. Always bitching. Even after winning Super Bowls fans have bitched about shit and couldn't just be happy for a few days that the team hoisted another Lombardi Trophy.

2. Think that they know so much more than the people who actually are paid to watch endless amounts of tape, break that tape down, interview the players/families/friends/coaches.

I'm not going to take the time to read through this entire thread, where at least half of it will be bitching and arguing.

Personally, I like the pick. Bud Dupree was considered a top 15 pick. Did he slide? Yeah. But the Steelers got a guy who could be very dynamic for the defense.

Pass rusher wasn't the most glaring need, but it was a need. This doesn't necessarily mean the team has soured on Jarvis Jones. I have a good feeling about Jones this year. On average, many NFL players don't blossom until their third season. Look at LT. People wonder why he didn't replace Foote earlier when it was apparent that he wasn't going to be replacing Joey Porter because Harrison had taken that spot. The reason was, he wasn't ready. I think we could see a breakout season from JJ.

Speaking of Harrison, he's in his upper 30's. While he is still a force in the pass rush, he's not what he once was, and he might not play beyond this season. Even if JJ breaks out this season, the Steelers will still need someone across from him as a starter, and Bud Dupree might end up being a beast.

The defense has always thrived on getting pressure on the QB. Forcing them into early/bad throws, hitting them and making them skittish, and getting sacks. Last season the Steelers bottomed out at 33 sacks, the lowest amount for the team since 1989.

I think we are going to see more blitzing under Keith Butler, get back to being Blitzburgh. Dupree could see the field this season at the least on pass rush situations. I think that's why the Steelers went with some ball hawk secondary players, to take advantage of QB's throwing before they want to.

The Steelers obviously didn't view any of the other corners available at 22 as worthy of the pick. I'd rather the team take a player they view worthy of the pick and have a first round grade on than reach for a player they feel isn't worth the pick, or the round.

And to everyone saying trade up to get the player you really want, for all we know they wanted to. For all we know, they tried. It takes two teams to trade up, and maybe the asking price was more than what the Steelers were willing to give up, especially with all of the holes on the defense that needed fixing. Marcus Peters would have been great, he's the guy I wanted the most. But he was gone when they picked. Maybe they viewed him as a good pick at 22, but didn't want to give up more than that for a player with character concerns. Maybe teams just didn't want to trade back to 22.

All I know is that I'll trust the FO, they're the ones who's jobs ride on these choices.

If Allen really was injured all last season, that leads me to believe that he will bounce back this year. If he does, he is at the least a #2 corner. Hopefully LT doesn't injure half of his teammates this season so we can see what Shazier, who I think is going to be special, can show why the Steelers surprised most people by taking him 15th overall last season.

I think it's going to be a dog fight for a lot of positions on defense in mini camps, OTA's, and training camp. I see very few spots where players will be guaranteed starters. I think our DE's and ILB's are set. I think Mitchell will get one of the two safety spots.

I think Harrison/Jones/Dupree/Moats are all going to have the opportunity to win the starting jobs. I think NT is going to be a battle between Mclendon and McCullers. And I honestly think they're going to let the defensive back battles play out, and they'll play who they feel are the best guys at the open S spot, and the CB spots.

[fansince'76]

Plus an awesome view right into the belly of Heinz Field!

That guy is 270? Looks like he could add 20 lbs easily and not miss a beat!

[Shoes]

That guy is 270? Looks like he could add 20 lbs easily and not miss a beat!

I think 200 of it is from his waist down.

[fansince'76]

They always drag these guys to Primanti Bros. The poor guys are probably thinking...WTH is this shit??? #justkeepsmiling

Agreed. They'd be better served taking them to some of the pizza places in town. Pittsburgh has some AMAZING Italian food.

[st33lersguy]

I do think that this kid can make a lot of splash plays in his rookie year and develop into a solid starter in year 2. I do however think he is too raw to be a full-time starter in year 1

[hawaiiansteeler]

I do think that this kid can make a lot of splash plays in his rookie year and develop into a solid starter in year 2. I do however think he is too raw to be a full-time starter in year 1

we don't need Dupree to be a full-time starter as long as Moats stays healthy...

[st33lersguy]

we don't need Dupree to be a full-time starter as long as Moats stays healthy...

Not saying he needed to be just trying to project what he can do his rookie year. I think their intention for him is to try and develop him into a more complete pass rusher and play him only in spot duty until he fully develops. I would say he would play behind Harrison and wait for Harrison to retire to insert him in as more than a situational pass rusher, but Harrison will be seeing limited time himself

[hawaiiansteeler]

I would say he would play behind Harrison and wait for Harrison to retire to insert him in as more than a situational pass rusher, but Harrison will be seeing limited time himself

from what I read the Steelers will have Jarvis Jones and James Harrison competing for the ROLB spot while Arthur Moats and Bud Dupree will play LOLB.

[Bluecoat96]

The more I read and think about this pick, the more I like it. I get the impression that because Dupree was used in multiple ways on the field, we was a "jack of all trades, master of none." Settling into one role and also having some continuity in coaching should really do wonders for him.

[TD's & Beer]

The dude is a freak athletically - just needs a little coaching

here - this should explain some things

[hawaiiansteeler]

Pro Football Focus: Steelers reached on Bud Dupree

By Daniel Sager May 6, 2015

With analytics becoming such an important part of professional sports, it’s important to consider how a player may perform based on non-traditional forms of analysis. At Pro Football Focus, they specialize in this sort of outside the box thinking; and they aren’t fans of newly minted Pittsburgh Steelers rookie Bud Dupree. In fact, Dupree is considered among the 10 players in the 2015 NFL Draft who were over-drafted, according to PFF’s metrics.

In the months leading up to the draft, PFF was very vocal in regards to their opinion of Dupree: He’s a fine athletic specimen, but the collegiate production wasn’t there to match. So, while both ESPN experts Todd McShay and Mel Kiper Jr. were stunned in Dupree’s fall and Steelers GM Kevin Colbert feels like the team got a steal, PFF maintains the Kentucky standout was still picked too high.

Because PFF measures more than just 40-yard dash times and sacks, they feel some of his intangibles don’t match up to what some of the other prospects have accomplished. For example, according to PFF, Dupree rushed the quarterback more than all but one player in the draft pool, but he generated only the seventh most quarterback pressures.

PFF suggests the Steelers’ selection of Dupree might be the result of over-correcting a “mistake” they made two years ago when they selected Jarvis Jones in the first round of the 2015 draft. Jones was among the most productive college players in the draft, but lacked the measurements that make Dupree, for example, an athletic freak. Two years later, Jones has yet to establish himself as a reliable NFL starter, although to be fair, he’s battled injuries. Dupree presents as the opposite of Jones; great athleticism but lacking college production.

to read rest of article:

http://steelerswire.usatoday.com/201...on-bud-dupree/

[Count Steeler]

Let's see how he does with a bit of coaching and mentoring from Harrison and Porter.

However, I understand the need to raise the pitchforks and declare BUST!!!! You know, because sports journalism is all about reality.

[Lady Steel]

[tube517]

Bust. Skipping workouts. Selfish.

[Lady Steel]

Yay! Congratulations, Bud!

[86WARD]

Lol. Slacker. How dare he skip workouts...

[GBMelBlount]

That guy is 270? Looks like he could add 20 lbs easily and not miss a beat!

He sure looks a lot better at 270 than Woodsloth did.

[tube517]

Lol. Slacker. How dare he skip workouts...

Diva OLB. Get rid of these head cases.