Bloggers mock draft pick #18
Yesterday, I announced that Steelers Today was participating in a mock draft among bloggers. The San Francisco 49ers were on the clock, and my pick was after theirs. Well, the San Francisco 49ers surprised me and picked Taylor Mays.
Here is a recap of the picks so far.
No Logo Needed’s 2010 Mock Draft Among Blogs:
Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska
2. Detroit Lions: The Wayne Fontes Experience
Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Bucs Central
Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma State
4. Washington Redskins: The Curly R
Trent Williams, OT, Oklahoma
5. Kansas City Chiefs: Chiefs Report
Bryan Bulaga, OT, Iowa
6. Seattle Seahawks: Dave Krieg’s Strike Beard
Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma
7. Cleveland Browns: No Logo Needed
Eric Berry, DB, Tennessee
8. Oakland Raiders: Just Blog Baby
Bruce Campbell, OT, Maryland
9. Buffalo Bills: Buffalo Sports Now
Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame
10. Jacksonville Jaguars: Black and Teal
Rolando McClain, LB, Alabama
Mike Iupati, G, Iowa
Earl Thomas, S, Texas
C.J. Spiller, RB, Clemson
14. Seattle Sehawks (from Denver Broncos): Dave Krieg’s Strike Beard
Charles Brown, OT, USC
15. New York Giants: Ultimate NYG
Sergio Kindle, LB, Texas
16. Tennessee Titans: Music City Miracles
Derrick Morgan, DE, Georgia Tech
17. San Francisco 49ers (from Carolina Panthers): Niners Nation
Taylor Mays, S, USC
I came into this draft hoping to take an offensive tackle. But with 5 offensive tackles off the board, and the guard that I was also interested in gone as well, I just can’t see spending a 1st round pick on the 6th best offensive tackle. I really like center Maurkice Pouncey out of Florida, but I can’t justify taking a center with the 18th pick. So offensive line will have to wait.
To my great surprise, the top cornerback in the draft is still on the board. Joe Haden is a very enticing pick, regardless of his 40 time at the Combine. The Steelers’ secondary looked pathetic last season, and the cornerbacks looked more pathetic than the safeties. Everyone knows that the Steelers’ cornerbacks didn’t record an interception until the final game of the season. That’s almost unheard of in the NFL.
Most readers who offered suggestions on who I should select were united in their opinion that Joe Haden was the logical pick. I understand that logic. I really do.
CB Joe Haden
But the Steelers selected two cornerbacks (Joe Burnett and Keenan Lewis) in the draft last year. Moreover, there are a lot of talented cornerbacks in this draft, and I am certain that one of them will be available when our second pick comes around. Kyle Wilson, Perrish Cox, Patrick Robinson, Dominique Franks, Syd’quan Thompson, and even Donovan Warren would all be upgrades over William Gay (Actually, my grandmother would be an upgrade over William Gay).
But there is another player who dropped into the Steelers’ lap who I believe will prove to be even more valuable. The single hardest position to find in the draft is nose tackle. With more teams converting to the 3-4 defense, nose tackles are going to be even more difficult to draft in the future. But fate has allowed the best nose tackle in the draft to fall to pick 18. He can sit and learn behind Casey Hampton without being pressured to have to start right away. Then he can gradually displace Hampton and become our nose tackle for the next decade.
That was my logic. Sooooooo………….
With the 18th pick of the 2010 Mock Draft Among Blogs, the Pittsburgh Steelers select:
****Dan Williams, NT, Tennessee****
The Atlanta Falcons and its representative, The Falcoholic, are on the clock.
I know that many of you hate this pick and wanted to see me take Haden. So let me know what you think. If you think this was an idiotic pick, tell me why. But for those of you who have never left a comment here on Steelers Today, we don’t allow name-calling. Only intelligent comments allowed around here. So pick my logic apart. But explain WHY you think I should have taken someone else. Support your argument with sound reasoning. I’m all ears.
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I do not know much about the kid from Tennessee. However, the War room and Sporting News has him going the Jets @ 29. I do not think this is a reach. It fills a need that the Steelers will have probably sooner than they expect. I agree, there are many talented corners and the one I keep hearing tremendous buzz about is Chris Cook from Virginia. We have the 2 kids from last year and I believe 1 of them will be a starter.
1The only problem I have with your pick is that is doesn’t match the weird draft logic that the Steelers seem to have been using lately. Your pick actually makes sense to me right off the bat while the Steelers take a pick that may work out in the long term they usually leave me as well as most of my friends scratching our heads.
2I can’t complain about the pick. I wanted Haden just to have a top cover corner, but your logic is sound. Lewis or Burnett may be able to step in, and, to be honest, LeBeau’s secondary doesn’t cover WR’s like you see a Asmougha or Revis cover. He puts a large pad in coverage and allows the dink and dunk.
I mentioned in comments Dan Williams, because Tennessee has a history of fabulous DL’men (ever heard of Reggie White?), so I think this is a solid pick.
3Being a huge TN fan I was touched by your pick.
4Benny,
5I thought I was the only one who had that reaction to most of the Steelers’ draft picks.
@Josh,
Exactly. LeBeau’s defense is a little different. It gives a lot of cushion and focuses on stopping the run. So a guy like Haden might be underutilized here.
Besides, if you look at the history of guys who were top cornerbacks in the draft, many/most didn’t turn out that way in the pros. Charles Woodson may be the last “Top” cornerback to actually turn out that way.
Revis wasn’t the top CB in his class. Nor was Asmougha, Champ Bailey, Ty Law, or even Ike Taylor. None of them were the top corners in their draft class. That distinction HAS gone to guys like Corey Webster and Ahmad “Batman” Carroll though. So Haden may or may not turn out to be great. We’ll have to wait and see.
6good pick. 6-2, 327lbs. dont know that he would play much in the 1st 2 years. would be behind Big Snack and Chris Hoke, but will fill the need at the position for years to come. I guess I just want that player that could come in and make an immediate impact then add depth in the later rounds.
7I think you have to go with best on the board. While that is a largely subjective conversation, you picked one of the three best remaining. I think corner is a more pressing need, but you used sound logic in picking up Williams. Good pick!
8Would you have considered trading the pick to drop down? Might be able to get Williams at a lower pick is all I’m thinking. I understand this may have not been allowed in the Across Blogs Mock Draft…
9Rodney,
10If we took Williams, it would probably mean the end of Chris Hoke’s career with the Steelers. Hoke is actually older than Hampton (although he obviously hasn’t had the wear and tear that Hampton has).
Tom,
I definitely would have considered a trade down. But it wasn’t allowed in this draft.
If it were, I would have loved to trade down and take Pouncey late in the first. I could actually see taking a center at pick 26 or later. But anything earlier than that just seemed like a reach for a center. Also, Kyle Wilson or Patrick Robinson would have been good late first round cornerbacks.
11Chadly67,
12I’m curious who your third choice was. You said Williams was one of the 3 best left. I assume you meant Williams, Haden, and ?
we already have hampton and hoke. who do we need to replace more?! them or William Gay??!!! I Dont Agree At All
13Love the pick. I’d be unhappy if the Steelers actually go with Taylor Mays. The guy can’t cover at all.
I agree with your OL logic as well.
14The NT is the only defensive position to start a rookie under Dick Lebeau. Lebeau’s defense is too complicated for a rookie, even the great Troy Polomalu only got on the field in the nickle or dime packages as a rookie. Can Williams play DE while he’s waiting for Hampton to reitre? if so he’ll make a fine addition to our line.
15Do you see the Steelers picking recently released RG/RT Shawn Andrews from Phili? He would be a major improvent over Essex or Foster and give us more drafting flexibility.
16Nice pick and your using the Steeler philosophy that draft picks are for future enhancement not immediate stop gaps. As you said, so many teams are converting to 3-4 that when a NT stud is available we better take him because in the drafts to come NT’s will start to be the hot pick to anchor all these 3-4 D’s. I also agree that big time college corners dont fair to well in the NFL.
To Dan, Mays cant cover in the USC scheme, our scheme is area coverage, not man and he ran 4.24, thats covering ALOT of area quick. Mays would have been a corner in our scheme and I believe a darn good one.
17Dawson – Hampton and Hoke are both in their 30′s. Frankly, I don’t think Hampton is going to play out his full contract. With his conditioning, I just can’t see him playing when he’s 35 years old. And Hoke is older than Hampton.
The Steelers have waited too long to inject youth into their defensive line. Ziggy Hood was a good start. They need to continue down that path.
Also, without a good NT, it is impossible to play a 3-4 defense. So this pick was definitely a strategic pick with a long-term view in mind.
18Chuck,
I don’t see Williams playing DE, but I do see him as the primary substitute for Hampton.
Also, Williams has played in both a 3-4 and 4-3 defense. So if the Steelers want to show more 4-3 looks, or if they were to go to a 4-3 full-time, Williams would still be viable.
19Joey,
I remember when Shawn Andrews came out of Arkansas. I was a big fan of his and wanted the Steelers to select him.
He has a history of injuries that is a bit scary. Also, he has a very high salary. But he is a former Pro Bowl guard, so he could help any team (if he is healthy).
The Steelers don’t tend to sign high profile players like him, so I don’t see him joining the Black and Gold.
20What do you think are the chances that Dan Williams will actually fall to 18? I’m kind of skeptical, but you never know how things will shake out.
Of course, I’m kind of expecting the Steelers to trade up anyway (on account of the active free agency). It may be Dan Williams they have their eye on.
21@ admin
22arent they trying rashon harris out at NT?
Dawson,
Sunny Harris may be tried at NT. But i doubt he’ll succeed.
Harris was a lazy, underachiever at Oregon. He was a 6th round draft pick. Not a 1st rounder. Not a 2nd rounder. Not even a 3rd rounder. Nope, a friggin’ 6th rounder.
Do you really think he can be the cornerstone of the Steelers’ defense?
I was at every single day of Steelers training camp, and I can’t ever remember him making a single impressive play. I can’t remember him winning a single blocking drill.
So it always surprises me when I read on Steelers message boards that fans are enamored by Harris. I have never seen a single impressive thing from him.
23Hello,
Can I make a plea for Brandon Graham DE/OLB.
Reason being, the Steelers and James Harrison seem to lost alittle something last year, plus Mr Graham can play MLB as well, give him a redshirt year like Timmons. Here’s my mock since Taylor Mays is taken at 17.
Brandon Graham-DE/OLB
24Brandon Spikes-MLB
Kam Chancellor-FS
Jeff Owens-DT
Myron Rolle-SS
LeGarrett Blount-RB
Clifton Geathers-DE
Jeff Byers-C
Brian Jackson-CB
Enjoyed the post, I’ll have to come back in the future.
I love the idea of Dan Williams at #18, though I don’t think he will be available here.
I agree that O-Line and secondary are huge needs, that need to be addressed.
25