Jessie Bates III, S Wake Forest
Leighton Vander Esch, ILB Boise St
Rashaan Evans, ILB Alabama
Mike Gesicki, TE Penn St
Dallas Goedert, TE South Dakota St
Derrius Guice, RB LSU
Ronnie Harrison, S Alabama
Will Hernandez, G UTEP
Sam Hubbard DE/OLB Ohio St
Lamar Jackson, QB Louisville
Harold Landry, OLB Boston College
Billy Price, C Ohio St.
Justin Reid, S Stanford
Mason Rudolph, QB Oklahoma St
Isaiah Wynn, G Georgia
http://walterfootball.com/draft2018reader_1.php
The Steelers are on the clock in Walterfootball's annual reader mock. Options are:
Rashaan Evans
Derrius Guice
Ronnie Harrison
Mike Hughes
Kyle Lauletta
Sony Michel
Justin Reid
Mason Rudolph
Evans has a commanding lead, poll may not last too long
28. Pittsburgh Steelers: Sony Michel, RB, Georgia
The Steelers just miss out on Rashaan Evans here. I think Leighton Vander Esch could be in play at this point, but some teams have him graded on Day 2 over significant injury concerns. Le'Veon Bell looks like he is on a 1-year proposition in Pittsburgh, and Michel could be a natural scheme fit as a replacement.
The 5-foot-11, 214-pound Michel averaged 7.9 yards per carry in 2017 for 1,227 yards with 16 touchdowns. Michel has a ton of fans in the scouting community and was receiving second-day grades during the fall before his tremendous finish to the season that put him in contention to be a first-round pick. One general manager told me he thinks Michel could go late in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Aside from being a quick back capable of ripping off long runs, Michel showed well in the passing game as a receiver and blocker during his collegiate career. Michel has starting potential for the NFL with speed, strength and versatility. He also enters the pros with less wear-and-tear after splitting carries with a variety of backs at Georgia.
Michel played well in 2016 while serving as the backup to Nick Chubb. On the season, Michel took 152 carries for 840 yards - a 5.3-yard average - and four touchdowns. He also had 22 receptions for 149 yards.
http://walterfootball.com/draft2018charlie_1.php
There really are a lot of very good RBs in this draft.
My guess is the Ravens or Bungles will draft an ILB just to keep the Steelers from getting one.
All Defense!
I like ronnie harrison at 28, so no worries whomever i have a draft crush on never happens, so youre all safe on your picks except shoes TE
For those i love i will sacrifice.
Si ventus non est, remiga
I always notice that whenever one player is frequently linked to the Steelers in round 1, that pick does not end up happening. Evans to the Steelers feels a lot like 2012 when Don'ta Hightower was frequently mocked to the Steelers, then it didn't happen (in 2012 it was Decastro falling).
I think plan A is ILB. OL, TE, WR, RB, and QB would all be a luxury pick for the offense. Bell is the starter with backups in place, IF everyone stays healthy and on the field, the other offensive positions are fine too. DL, CB, and Safety, with the addition of Burnett, would be a luxury pick also. That leaves ILB and OLB as first round needs. Plan A should be the more desperate ILB and plan B is edge rusher. If there are no 1st round ILB or OLB, then there will be a Safety, RB or QB the Steelers would consider. So I am down to 2 primary position goals and 3 secondary position goals. I f no ILB/OLB is there, I would hope to trade down though and get more overall picks.
I'm just throwing my 2 cents in, which means nothing......but, I'm NOT a 'draft' person. Couldn't care less, I think the draft is useless and means nothing, just a waste of time, most of the time it takes 3/4 year's for any draft to pan out and by then either the player has been traded off or not even playing the 'drafted' position. I know it's just me, but the draft time situation is just a joke in the sports field and a time that all, or most, of the talking sport heads to get aroused about nothing. Like I said, just my opinion....LOL. I like the surprise of getting some young, exciting player ( i.e. JuJu) and think, " damn, where in the hell did we get him", rather than be pissed and disappointed when we get a bust and wasted a pick. It's all just a roll of the dice and no one knows how a draftee will pan out in the real world of the NFL.
I think it's gotta be Evans or Vander Esch in Round 1. We have to fix the holes on defense. When Shazier wasn't on the field against Jacksonville in the playoff game, our run defense was pathetic. Shazier is that special, that he actual helps mask other deficiencies in our defense. We need an ILB that can try to fill his shoes. We also need a dominant pass rusher. Bud Dupree has been underwhelming, I wouldn't mind seeing Arden Key in Round 2 to provide Dupree with some motivation and competition.
"If I could start my life all over again, I would be a professional football player, and you damn well better believe I would be a Pittsburgh Steeler." Jack Lambert, 1990 HoF Introduction.
The draft is indeed a roll of the dice, but if it is a guess it should be an educated guess. Problem is, many of us, even those that do this for a living, get infatuated with a player and ignore some red flags. I did that with Jones myself.
I started with Evens, and will stick with him till another team calls his name. If we don't get an ILB in the 1st I hope we find one in the second, or 3rd at the latest, but don't draft one just to be drafting one.
I don't think Cincy will pick Evens because of the lack of drafting information. I don't believe he has a police record.
AML
Gotta believe that either Vander Esch or Evans will be when we pick. But I think a team ahead of us will "probably" grab Vander Esch due to his intangibles. Then I think we look at Safety in the second...and either WR or CB in the third.
"I believe the game is designed to reward the ones who hit the hardest. If you can't take it, you shouldn't play"
-- Jack Lambert --
I've narrowed down the list of who I believe the pick will be if things go to plan (meaning players getting drafted where they're projected to go)
LVE (if he falls, some medical flagged him)
Bates
Evans
Harrison
Maybe list
Reid
Guice (just can't see it)
Lamar Jackson/Rudolph (which ever is there)
1. Graham Barton, C, Duke 2. Ricky Pearsall, WR, Florida 3. Maason Smith, DT, LSU 3. Max Melton, CB, Rutgers 4. Blake Fisher, OT, Notre Dame 6. Tommy Eichenberg, ILB, Ohio State 6. MJ Devonshire, CB, Pittsburgh
"I believe the game is designed to reward the ones who hit the hardest. If you can't take it, you shouldn't play"
-- Jack Lambert --
"If I could start my life all over again, I would be a professional football player, and you damn well better believe I would be a Pittsburgh Steeler." Jack Lambert, 1990 HoF Introduction.