Early Draft Grade Poll

[polamalubeast]

[Dwinsgames]

Steelers get a C here

http://steelerswire.usatoday.com/2017/04/30/which-team-won-the-nfl-draft-in-the-afc-north/

[GBMelBlount]

Steelers get a C here

http://steelerswire.usatoday.com/2017/04/30/which-team-won-the-nfl-draft-in-the-afc-north/

We're doomed.

[Craic]

I think that was pretty much on display this weekend.

[Mojouw]

They also took "toolsy" athletes/projects from Round 1 through the UDFA period. DE they signed after the draft may not be able to play football but is one hell of an athlete.

This is there new draft model - high athletic upside and let's hope they can coach them up.

Don't know why anyone is surprised.

[Six Rings]

All draft the day after look good on paper. I thought Day one was excellent, day two solid, day three, on the weak side.

A 6-7 type of draft, which is better than average but hardly 1974, or 1987 good!

[86WARD]

So pointless...lol.

[DesertSteel]

Steelers get a C here

http://steelerswire.usatoday.com/2017/04/30/which-team-won-the-nfl-draft-in-the-afc-north/

We got an A here:

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap300...r-all-32-teams

[Dwinsgames]

We got an A here:

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap300...r-all-32-teams

lol he only gave 1 team a sub B grade ( 1 c ) that is carefully not alienating any fan base from you reader base , I mean it is impossible for every team to get a good grade , only so many good players to give every team no less than a C for an over all grade it has to be done on a huge curve .. otherwise its impossible

[DesertSteel]

lol he only gave 1 team a sub B grade ( 1 c ) that is carefully not alienating any fan base from you reader base , I mean it is impossible for every team to get a good grade , only so many good players to give every team no less than a C for an over all grade it has to be done on a huge curve .. otherwise its impossible

I don't care for those type of graders too much either. On the other hand, some guys who hand out bad grades are doing it for shock effect. It's all an exercise in futility until the draft class is 2-3 years in.

[Dwinsgames]

I don't care for those type of graders too much either. On the other hand, some guys who hand out bad grades are doing it for shock effect. It's all an exercise in futility until the draft class is 2-3 years in.

I agree we just do not know until they have played its all projection

that being said Luke Easterling the author of the one I posted is where many go to for player evals and he bases his grades from those evals and team needs ... probably the only fare way to do it but it is still assuming the evals are correct

[FrancoLambert]

If accuracy is your thing, everyone should vote in 2 years.

[DesertSteel]

I agree we just do not know until they have played its all projection

that being said Luke Easterling the author of the one I posted is where many go to for player evals and he bases his grades from those evals and team needs ... probably the only fare way to do it but it is still assuming the evals are correct

I think the top 2 picks are gonna be stars. That will make the draft. After that, of one if the five remaining becomes a solid contributor it will be the icing on the cake.

[GBMelBlount]

I don't care for those type of graders too much either. On the other hand, some guys who hand out bad grades are doing it for shock effect. It's all an exercise in futility until the draft class is 2-3 years in.

Yes, and I think it can also be out of ignorance.

A lot of pundits only have a broad understanding of team needs.

However once the reasoning for a pick is better understood it can make a lot more sense.

[AtlantaDan]

All draft the day after look good on paper. I thought Day one was excellent, day two solid, day three, on the weak side.

A 6-7 type of draft, which is better than average but hardly 1974, or 1987 good!

1974 good has never happened again for any team and I doubt ever will

FWIW do not sleep on the 1971 draft

If '74 was the most glamorous draft in NFL history, the Steelers' '71 draft may have been its most productive, the one that formed the backbone for at least their first two Super Bowls....

The Elite Eight of '71 included wide receiver Frank Lewis, Hall of Fame linebacker Jack Ham, guard Gerry "Moon" Mullins, defensive end Dwight White, tight end/tackle Larry Brown, defensive tackle Ernie "Fats" Holmes, safety Mike Wagner and cornerback Glenn Edwards, signed as an undrafted rookie running back who the Steelers converted to defense.

http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/s...ersion=pgevoke

[Steeldude]

How does that explain Shamarko Thomas? Haha

[StillCurtains]

It's not about just picking a position of need. For it is who you pick and when.

I'm fine with the two first picks, even though I feel they were taken a little high for what they bring.

Sutton looks very weak and timid. He feels more like a 6th round talent, IMO.

Conner is just a big, north-south runner. They are a dime-a-dozen. Too high of a pick for a RB.

Dobbs won't be an upgrade over Jones. He will either get cut or remain eating up a roster spot for 4 years. Just another running QB.

I like the LS pick over the Dobbs and Sutton pick.

This is just my initial feeling. When pre-season starts it will change : )


Note:When I look at all of the players in this year's draft I don't really see many stars. They mostly seem blah.

I like the Watt pick! Fiery guy with attitude and will work his butt off. He won't accept failure.

JuJu- I like him and we need a guy like him. I just feel he could have been had in the 4th.

Sutton - Let me say this first. The Steelers need to stop playing nice feeling that teams are going to wait around and let players drop to them. There is no way you don't make a play for the talent they had in the 2nd at corner.
They had 2-3rds and I would have offered my 1st 3rd and our 6th to move up.
Taking a long snapper is unacceptable. They could have signed a UDFA for long snapper.

Now to Sutton - Being that he was picked in the 3rd I liked the pick. This is one of the better picks in the draft. He is a natural cover corner with ball skills who I assure you will be the best cover corner on the team. Burns is better all around of course, but Sutton is better in coverage. The kid is slightly smaller than Cockrell but is better than him. Sutton just needs better run support tackling. Sutton can play boundary as well as slot but has mostly been a boundary corner.

Conner - Like the pick but not here. He could have been had in the 5th. For this 2nd 3rd Round pick I would have landed the best valued player of ILB or OLB.

Dobbs - Don't like this pick. Would have went WR here. Too high to pick for someone of his skillset. Also fumbles alot.

Allen - Ehh, has the height and atheletic ability but not a true natural corner. Steelers do terrible with corners in late rounds. Doubt he makes the team.

Longsnapper- Yuck, as I said I would have used this pick for a trade to move up in the 2nd. If that didn't work, I go BPA at S, ILB, or OLB.

Adams - Can't argue the pick. I would have went BPA at S, OLB, ILB or DE. Not much to be expected out of a 7th round pick.

[hawaiiansteeler]

Grading a draft before anyone plays a down is of course nonsense but writers publish what fans want to read - links to some draft grades

Mel Kiper - ESPN - B+ (might be behind paywall)

James Conner is a great story and pretty good player, but there were better backs available

All in all, needs filled.

http://www.espn.com/nfl/draft2017/in...s-all-32-teams

[zulater]

obviously ( in my best Mike Tomlin voice ) its all projection but based on evidence we have seen from college tape
I think we left more talent and greater needs unattended or properly attended ( again my opinion )

so for that reason I give this draft a 4 out of 10 , I think we over drafted a few guys that we could have got later and think we passed on guys we should have taken

but its not my team and I do not get paid to make those decisions

Thankfully so!

Sorry not picking on ya, just bored and thought it would be fun to revisit some of the draft threads. Looks to me that we got a pretty solid bunch. I can't remember the last time we got 3 high end contributors as rookies? ( T.J., Ju Ju, and Sutton). Connor looks like a keeper too. Hopefully he'll figure out blitz pick ups this offseason, if so I think we bring back Leveon on the franchise tag one more year and mix in Connor for about 75- 100 carries, maybe 15-20 catches and see if he's a possible successor to Bell.

[Fire Goodell]

Getting 3 starters in the first 3 rounds is extremely solid. TJ and Juju look like they're bound for stardom in this league. Sutton looks solid as well, with good man coverage ability.

Conner has a bright future and looks to be more explosive than he gets credit for. He seems overdue to break a long gainer, we'll see next year.

We'll see about the later half of the draft, though I wonder if someone like Allen could be brought in to shadow pass catching TE's with his height? I know we did something similar to that against the pats in 2011 with Cortez Allen and it worked pretty good. I figure a 6'3 corner with sub 4.5 speed would physically be best suited to handle a TE like Gronk

[GBMelBlount]

Getting 3 starters in the first 3 rounds is extremely solid. TJ and Juju look like they're bound for stardom in this league. Sutton looks solid as well, with good man coverage ability.

Conner has a bright future and looks to be more explosive than he gets credit for. He seems overdue to break a long gainer, we'll see next year.

We'll see about the later half of the draft, though I wonder if someone like Allen could be brought in to shadow pass catching TE's with his height? I know we did something similar to that against the pats in 2011 with Cortez Allen and it worked pretty good. I figure a 6'3 corner with sub 4.5 speed would physically be best suited to handle a TE like Gronk

Maybe still early, but so far this draft looks quite good.

[st33lersguy]

Through 14 games, this is looking like a solid draft thus far. Juju's hit on Barfass alone is worth 1 extra point

[Fire Goodell]

Maybe still early, but so far this draft looks quite good.

True. Well the #1 and #2 picks are definite starters. TJ has been solid all year and will only get better. Juju looks like a future star. Sutton probably will be an odd man out, though he's looked good when needed. Right now our top 3 CB's are playing really well, Haden, Burns, and Hilton. At worst he'll be a solid #4 CB, which in today's pass happy league is a huge plus.

[DesertSteel]

True. Well the #1 and #2 picks are definite starters. TJ has been solid all year and will only get better. Juju looks like a future star. Sutton probably will be an odd man out, though he's looked good when needed. Right now our top 3 CB's are playing really well, Haden, Burns, and Hilton. At worst he'll be a solid #4 CB, which in today's pass happy league is a huge plus.

Haden is likely here just one more year.

[JimHarbaugh'ssoakedtissue]

Homerun and knew Watt was the real deal but JUJU amazing pick! First two picks you can't ask for more and then there is Sutton with lots of potential!

- - - Updated - - -

Haden is likely here just one more year.

I highly doubt we will let our best CB walk. He finishes the rest of the year healthy he will be resigned.

[JimHarbaugh'ssoakedtissue]

Mel actually got something right. Don't mind the Conner pick but a round to early. Yes there was better backs like Hunt but Pitt wanted the Hometown feel good story!

[JimHarbaugh'ssoakedtissue]

Also what I don't like about Conner besides the injuries, is he is a old school 70's and 80's rb and hits the hole hard and fast and that's great! One dimensional and offers little in the passing game I don't dig.