The Draft!

[Moose]

Do you think that if the Steelers drafted a great prospect at the ILB position, that he would suddenly forget things he learned playing 8+ years of football, like how to tackle, because of the defensive coaches?

Well, it kinda looks like that ! Have you watched ALL the missed tackles ? Where they 'launch' instead of ARM and WRAP up the player. For some reason they forget from college ( arm tackle, wrap up the runner and drag to ground ) to professional. You HAVE TO ADMIT that the tackling is pathetic. Either the player is getting lazy, or the coaches aren't getting in their ass on the correct way to TACKLE.......NOT LAUNCHING.

[BlackAndGold]

I'm not sayin', I'm just sayin

[Mojouw]

Well, it kinda looks like that ! Have you watched ALL the missed tackles ? Where they 'launch' instead of ARM and WRAP up the player. For some reason they forget from college ( arm tackle, wrap up the runner and drag to ground ) to professional. You HAVE TO ADMIT that the tackling is pathetic. Either the player is getting lazy, or the coaches aren't getting in their ass on the correct way to TACKLE.......NOT LAUNCHING.

It is a pretty simple answer. It is happening around the NFL. Teams are limited to a far shorter off-season program than they used to be. Said shortened off-season program also features less padded practices and extended sessions than in the past. Then during the season teams are only allowed to have 13 padded practices.

Can't get better at fundamentals, retain existing skills, and sharpen new skills if you never get to put on the pads and practice them. From college to the NFL, the majority of practice time is spent on gameplan installation and playbook stuff. There is simply no time outside of limited portions of OTAs and training camp where guys work on the basics.

[Shoes]

I'm not sayin', I'm just sayin

I like how he plays!

[BlackAndGold]

I like how he plays!

He had a impressive college career.

This is the 2nd time the Steelers have talked to Rudolph. Would it shock me if he's the pick at #28? maybe, but if he's there in the 2nd? nope.

Ben is 35 years old, the same age Bradshaw was when the Steelers passed on Marino in 83', and it came back and haunted them. I'm sure that is in the minds of Mr. Rooney and the rest of the front office.

[Shoes]

He had a impressive college career.

This is the 2nd time the Steelers have talked to Rudolph. Would it shock me if he's the pick at #28? maybe, but if he's there in the 2nd? nope.

Ben is 35 years old, the same age Bradshaw was when the Steelers passed on Marino in 83', and it came back and haunted them. I'm sure that is in the minds of Mr. Rooney and the rest of the front office.

His NFL profile has him going in R2 or R3, but I agree I doubt he'll be there.

[hawaiiansteeler]

He had a impressive college career.

This is the 2nd time the Steelers have talked to Rudolph. Would it shock me if he's the pick at #28? maybe, but if he's there in the 2nd? nope.

no chance at Rudolph at 2(60), if we want him we would need to take him at 1(28) if he's still available then.

[BlackAndGold]

no chance at Rudolph at 2(60), if we want him we would need to take him at 1(28) if he's still available then.

I agree, would need for a trade up if they wanted him.

But if they like him that much he'll go at #28.

[steelreserve]

no chance at Rudolph at 2(60), if we want him we would need to take him at 1(28) if he's still available then.

If you can get a potential franchise QB that you like, you do it and sort out the rest later. It won't kill us to have a second-round guy as our future linebacker instead of a first-rounder, or to have to find a few extra million in cap space for a quality safety. Not quite the same for QB.

The QB craze being what it is, though, if we are thinking a guy with a second-round rating will be there at 28, what will probably happen is that he goes in the top 15 along with five other QBs.

[Born2Steel]

If you're looking at the QB prospects, just gonna drop this right here for you.

http://www.steelersuniverse.com/foru...l-QB-Watchlist

[st33lersguy]

Rudolph is a reach at #28. 60 makes more sense, though I wouldn't take him at all and think he is just yet another by-product of the pass happy, no defense Big 12. If they bypass a top 5 s or lb in the draft for Rudolph, it would be a bad decision

[steelreserve]

I honestly have no idea whether Rudolph is any good, or which of the other top prospects we'd want, having been embarrassingly out of the college football loop this season. Just that if we find someone who the coaches and scouts think is "the" guy, it's pretty rare for us to actually be in a position to be able to get one. Whether that's him or someone else.

Really if any of the top QBs are ready for the NFL or even look like they might be, I'd expect them to be gone in the top 15 no matter what. If it's four QBs, they'll take four in the top 15. If it's six QBs, they'll take six in the top 15. If only three or four teams in the top 15 are looking for QBs, someone will trade up. That's just the way it's gotten.

[Craic]

If you can get a potential franchise QB that you like, you do it and sort out the rest later. It won't kill us to have a second-round guy as our future linebacker instead of a first-rounder, or to have to find a few extra million in cap space for a quality safety. Not quite the same for QB.

The QB craze being what it is, though, if we are thinking a guy with a second-round rating will be there at 28, what will probably happen is that he goes in the top 15 along with five other QBs.

I don't know about the player in particular, but your logic here is exactly right. Plus, it's better to pick a guy that you can evaluate for a year or two before having to depend on him.

[hawaiiansteeler]

Really if any of the top QBs are ready for the NFL or even look like they might be, I'd expect them to be gone in the top 15 no matter what. If it's four QBs, they'll take four in the top 15. If it's six QBs, they'll take six in the top 15. If only three or four teams in the top 15 are looking for QBs, someone will trade up. That's just the way it's gotten.

once Darnold, Allen, Rosen and Mayfield come off the board other QB needy teams may be looking to trade up for Lamar Jackson or Rudolph. maybe the Steelers could trade down and pick up an extra 3rd round pick from one of those teams if they're not in love with any player still available at 1(28)

[Dwinsgames]

once Darnold, Allen, Rosen and Mayfield come off the board other QB needy teams may be looking to trade up for Lamar Jackson or Rudolph. maybe the Steelers could trade down and pick up an extra 3rd round pick from one of those teams if they're not in love with any player still available at 1(28)

this could all be a smoke screen and preparation ( as they called it last year in brushing up on their QB scouting ) and in the meantime hoping for a scenario as suggested above ....

I mean we are going into this draft a little short handed in terms of middle round selections if we can bait a team into giving us one back why not ?

[JimHarbaugh'ssoakedtissue]

If the Steelers don't draft a qb in the first then I wouldn't draft one at all. We don't need another late rd project and already have that in Dobbs.

[Psycho Ward 86]

Rudolph is a reach at #28. 60 makes more sense, though I wouldn't take him at all and think he is just yet another by-product of the pass happy, no defense Big 12. If they bypass a top 5 s or lb in the draft for Rudolph, it would be a bad decision

I genuinely wonder about the logic of this kind of QB rhetoric. If a QB isnt good enough to warrant a 1st round pick, but good enough for a 2nd round pick, how far are you expecting him to take your team?

To me that means he's either:

1) Not warranting any consideration to be drafted by your team

2) A back up


And if he's being picked so early, there are obvious expectations that he should probably be taking your team all the way. I see Rudolph no differently. Draft him at #1 if he looks like he has a strong chance to be an heir. Dont draft him at all if it doesnt (or if something crazy happens that gets him to drop to the middle rounds)

Who are these QB's throughout NFL history that have been good 2nd round picks, but definitely wouldnt have been a good 1st round pick?

[hawaiiansteeler]

I genuinely wonder about the logic of this kind of QB rhetoric. If a QB isnt good enough to warrant a 1st round pick, but good enough for a 2nd round pick, how far are you expecting him to take your team?

Who are these QB's throughout NFL history that have been good 2nd round picks, but definitely wouldnt have been a good 1st round pick?

great point $$$$

[Shoes]

I've been anti-QB the last few years in the draft, but really like Rudolph. This kid seems to have all the tools and if he were available at 28 I'd take him.

[hawaiiansteeler]

I've been anti-QB the last few years in the draft, but really like Rudolph. This kid seems to have all the tools and if he were available at 28 I'd take him.

what about the window is closing with Ben and we need to win now philosophy?

[Shoes]

what about the window is closing with Ben and we need to win now philosophy?

With Rudolph as Ben's backup the window stays open imo.

[86WARD]

But with the lack of depth and starters, that window pretty much closes on Ben...

[hawaiiansteeler]

With Rudolph as Ben's backup the window stays open imo.

especially if we are somehow able to address the safety and ILB positions in free agency...

[Mojouw]

Heard Mike Lombardi make an interesting point about teams and QBs during the draft process. He was arguing that many teams scout the QBs hard but with no intention of drafting one. What they are doing is testing and refining their scouting and projection process. That way when they do feel it is time to draft a high round QB they are certain of their evaluation methods and will have more confidence in their evaluations.

No idea if this is true overall or has any relevance to the Steelers this or any other year. But it could explain their recent googlly eyes at QBs.

[BlackAndGold]

Heard Mike Lombardi make an interesting point about teams and QBs during the draft process. He was arguing that many teams scout the QBs hard but with no intention of drafting one. What they are doing is testing and refining their scouting and projection process. That way when they do feel it is time to draft a high round QB they are certain of their evaluation methods and will have more confidence in their evaluations.

No idea if this is true overall or has any relevance to the Steelers this or any other year. But it could explain their recent googlly eyes at QBs.

That could easily be the case here, they scouted a few QB's last year also but I don't remember them talking to one like they are with Rudolph.

[Psycho Ward 86]

this could all be a smoke screen and preparation ( as they called it last year in brushing up on their QB scouting ) and in the meantime hoping for a scenario as suggested above ....

I mean we are going into this draft a little short handed in terms of middle round selections if we can bait a team into giving us one back why not ?

Steelers arent one of those teams. Were pretty intentional about who visits us and who we talk to/have dinner with.

We burned a 4th on Josh Dobbs to brush up on scouting?

[Born2Steel]

Potential for Josh Dobbs > Potential for Landry Jones moving forward. From that perspective only does that draft pick make sense. Potential for Mason Rudolph > Potential for Josh Dobbs. Again that draft pick makes sense. The arguing point here is 1st or 2nd round value. I would "waste " a 1st round pick on Rudolph because he definitely has NFL starter potential. That alone makes him worthy, IMO. Have to plan for long term success, and the right QB is crucial to that. ILB and safety, while very important, can wait a round.

[steelreserve]

I mean, maybe the explanation for the sudden interest is that we're playing spy games, but another explanation could be that we have a 36-year-old quarterback and there happen to be a ton of QB prospects in this draft.

A 4th-round pick on Dobbs made sense because even if there was only a 1% chance he'd ever be a starter, who the hell wouldn't want to do better than Landry Jones as a backup.

[Psycho Ward 86]

fire up the hype engines!!

http://www.steelersdepot.com/2018/03...with-steelers/

[BlackAndGold]

fire up the hype engines!!

http://www.steelersdepot.com/2018/03...with-steelers/

Stanford's pro day is on the same day as Ohio States. It'll be interesting to see what the Steelers do.

Three of the last 1st round picks have gone out to dinner with Tomlin. Reason why I currently have Jessie Bates(JB and Reid are neck to neck) as my first round pick.