Rating the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2012 draft
Now that the dust has settled, and we’ve all had a chance to think about what the Pittsburgh Steelers did in the 2012 NFL Draft, it’s time to evaluate how they did.
In order to properly evaluate the Steelers’ performance in the draft, we have to first look at what they needed going into the draft. We ranked the Steelers’ team needs here.
As you see, we said that the Steelers’ top need was at guard. And with their first pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, they selected the best guard in this year’s draft class. In fact, some have said that David DeCastro is the best guard to come around in the past 10 years. So we were very happy about this selection. And to make matters even better, they also selected offensive tackle Kelvin Beachum, who the Steelers will likely move to guard.
We said that the Steelers’ next greatest need was at nose tackle. Casey Hampton is past his prime, and the Steelers couldn’t afford to wait one more year to find a replacement for him. Most people thought that Dontari Poe was the best nose tackle available in this year’s draft. But having watched him play at the University of Memphis, I disagreed with that opinion. I thought that Alabama’s Josh Chapman was the best NT in this year’s class, and that Alemeda Ta’amu was second best. I even said so here. However, I didn’t think the Steelers would take Ta’amu because they brought several nose tackles into Pittsburgh for a visit, and Ta’amu wasn’t one of them.
But the Steelers surprised me and drafted Ta’amu. So not only did they fill what we considered to be the team’s second most important need, but they also got the second best player available at that position.
The 3rd greatest need on the team was offensive tackle, and the Steelers addressed that too. In fact, they got a guy who was rated as a 1st rounder, only they got him in the 2nd round. So the Steelers essentially got two 1st round talents in this year’s draft.
Mike Adams is a big guy who played left tackle at Ohio State. I don’t think the Steelers will entrust him with the left tackle position as a rookie (they seem intent on moving Marcus Gilbert to left tackle), but I’m going to assume that Adams will compete with Gilbert for that spot in 2013.
The next greatest needs that I saw were at safety and inside linebacker. And the Steelers may have addressed both with one pick. Sean Spence was a highly productive linebacker at The U. Despite being “undersized”, he managed to make plays all over the field. He has incredible instincts, and gets a great jump on most plays.
The Steelers are saying that he will play inside linebacker behind Lawrence Timmons. However, if you look his size, the way he’s able to read plays, and the way he makes tackles all over the field, he most reminds me of a certain Tazmanian Devil who plays for the Steelers. Could he be a strong safety in waiting?
Those selections alone make the Steelers’ 2012 draft a huge success. I give it an A. However, they also picked up three guys who should help them in the passing game. Chris Rainey has good hands coming out of the backfield, and he’ll compete for 3rd down duties. He’ll also likely have an immediate impact on special teams. Toney Clemons is a big wide receiver who has a very good chance of making the roster. And David Paulson is a tight end with good hands who can definitely contribute in the passing game.
In my opionion, the only real question mark in this draft was Terrence Frederick, the cornerback out of Texas A&M. He’s a cornerback who is not particularly big, and not particularly fast. That’s not a good combination. But as a compensatory 7th round pick, there was little downside to taking him. Even if he doesn’t make the team, it’s no great loss. 7th round picks usually have a hard time making NFL rosters anyway.
So overall, Steelers fans have to be pretty happy with this draft. I certainly am.
What about you readers? Any final thoughts or comments on the Steelers’ 2012 draft?
As a third down back, Rainey would have to be able to pickup blitzing linebackers. At 180, can he really do that?
As for Spence, it may make sense for him to put on 5 pounds if he can maintain his speed. He could become a faster version of Farrior who played at similar weight or less during the end of his career.
1I would echo most of your analysis. The Steeler’s got value with their picks at the positions of need. Most of my criticism would revolve around the risk inherent in Adams. Overall, I would give them an A-
Some minutia:
I would have liked them to address CB before the 7th round. Not that we need a starting calibur one (I’m high on Brown and Allen) but we need depth and the CB class was suppossed to be deep.
The TE pick appears to be more of an h-back and camp competition for Johnson. I would have preferred to take Carrier here as a potential Dwight Clark type TE.
Of course, it takes years to truly grade a draft based on actual results. An interesting sidenote on this draft is the “what if” possibility in Rounds 2-4.
We took Adams (OT), Spence (LB), and Ta’amu (NT)
We could have taken Lavonte David (LB), Massie (OT), and Chapman (NT)…and kept our 6th round pick.
It will be interesting to see how these players are doing 4-5 years form now.
It doesn’t make any sense to second guess now. I disagreed with the Adams pick due to the risk but now that he’s a Steeler, I will hope for the best.
P.S. Dan, The problem with Rainey as a 3rd down back isn’t just that he’s too small to block but that he doesn’t give any effort to block. Now maybe that’s because his coaches told him not to try – to avoid getting hurt. I don’t know. I do know that it limits him as a 3rd down back – whose #1 job is to block and then be outlet if no one is open. Of course, if he’s a “Hester” quality returner it won’t matter – he’ll be worth a roster slot even if he doesn’t pan out as a 3rd down back.
Or, maybe they feel that with Adams, DeCastro, Pouncey, a healthy Colon – they won’t need a 3rd down back who can block
2I give them and A and I’d bet Big Ben does too!
I said it before, Adams best chance to make it as a man, and it is a really good chance, is to play for and hang with his life long heroes, the Pittsburgh Steelers.
We know he’s a special talent, already way above average and no so distant future all pro.
I believe he will become a bonafide Steeler and we’ll all be thrilled!
If Spence could possibly (physically) move to Safety and be tutored and taught by LeBeau, Troy and Ryan, there is no telling how good he could be.
This one, Spence, really has me wondering..
Rainey? Well I can think of severa; 180 pounders who were and are worth their weight in gold.
I’m not saying he’s a Dorsett or a Wilbert Montgomery, a Metcalf or a Sprolls but who really knows? Just the fact that all tha potential is there is pretty darn exciting.
This draft would have been A if they had only gotten the three big guys they drafted!
Another superb and expert draft for Colbert and Company!
Ain’t that right Ben!
3Im with you hp Adams went out of his was to speak with the steelers face to face and colbert himself acknowledged that. I think he will pan out cause it takes falling on your face sometimes to realize what you could lose and and what you need to do to keep it. Decastro no brainer spence great talent who could turn out to be a better version of london fletcher at lb alameda great pick and rainey is said to probably be the only person in the league that can challenge mike wallaces speed. So basicaly you could run him opposite of wallace and the safety wouldnt no who to help cover so everyone underneath would be wide open? The first 5 guys alone where great pickups and if the are coached up right and give 100% effort they can take a great team to another level. With someone like haley who is obviously the type of coach who adjust to his players I think this offense will be out of this world.
4I would’ve gone with Lavonte, Massie, and Chapman myself, but with LB and DT the better overall player is by no means the best fit for our system. I’m guessing the FO didn’t think Lavonte would be a good fit.
Rainey certainly won’t be used as a traditional 3rd down back. He’ll be used like Haley used McCluster in KC, who is ten pounds lighter than Rainey and had over 800 all purpose yards last season. He gives defensive coordinators headaches because you can’t let him get the ball in space and a LB can’t keep up with him. He’ll come in as a 2nd back or 4th WR.
I think Spence will be used more creatively than a straight up ILB or SS also. LeBeau loves ‘tweeners who keep the defense guessing, and I think in a few years Spence will rove a lot like Polamalu used to, but without quite as much range. In the meantime, he’ll come in on nickel packages to help cover TE’s without giving up any beef.
5Up until the Rainey pick, I had an A+ grade (think DeCastro & Spence will be BEASTS!) with the way the Steelers draft fell to them AND going up and after Ta’amu. The only thing about Chapman was the injury. We do not need 2 recovering NTs at the start of the season. I am skeptical about the Rainey pick for two reasons: 1) Character (2 charcter ?? in one draft!) 2) I ahd Safety as a greater need at that point in the draft. (I will be watching how Markelle Martin does in Tenn.) That being said, I do like the idea of a fast back who can add a new dimension (new formations; new plays; new misdirections) – so I am willing to wait and see with optimism.
The 7th round was a bit odd for me- I like Clemons; Beachum – they liked and we need another OT; Paulson – I just can’t see-he does not look like a very good athlete at all and the CB Frederick – I would have gone with another defender OLB, DT, DE or even a Safety!
Lastly, we always pick some interesting undrafted FA–it seems like we didn’t get very much to help our defense despite there being a lot of ‘names’ out there.
John – where did Carrier sign? I thought FOR SURE we would sign him.
All in all, we did an outstanding job of getting great athletes at key positions of need. Still an A
6Carrier went to Oakland. Jeremy Jones (Wayne St.) was a CB/S I hoped we would pick up – he went to Chicago.
I was a little surprised there wasn’t a safety in the UDFAs (at least). Maybe they like some of the practice squad/offseason pick-ups (Cromartie Smith / Rolle)?
Also, I was surprised there wasn’t a late round DE (although there was 1 in the UDFA…the unpronouncable guy). Of course, we have a few 1-2 year guys on the roster. I don’t know much bout any of them but maybe the coaches are high enough on 1 of them that they didn’t feel the need to draft more depth there.
On Rainey – I’m not so concerned about the character issue – not that the was minor but that, with Rainey’s close connection to the Pouncey’s they should have been able to do their homework on him.
Anyway….now it is a looong boorrrinng time until camp opens…bummer.
7Dan R.,
I agree with you about Spence’s weight. James Farrior preferred to play at 225 lbs. He always said that he felt faster at that weight. In fact, he had one of his best seasons at 225.
Others said that he was too small at that weight, but it didn’t stop him from tackling anyone who came his way.
8I’m not as concerned about the character issues as some of you are. The Steelers have repeatedly said that Adams met all of their stipulations (although they haven’t said what those were). I’m guessing that one of those stipulations was to agree to frequent drug testing.
I heard on one of the Draft shows that Adams and his agent also offered to defer his signing bonus for 1.5 years. I’m going to assume that if he fails a drug test during that time, he would lose his signing bonus altogether. That sounds like it could be a pretty motivating arrangement.
As far as Rainey goes, I also agree that Pouncey’s presence will help. Also, when you consider his crime, it wasn’t all that bad. He never hit his girlfriend. He just sent her threatening text messages.
While threatening a woman is never a good thing, it’s not the most horrendous crime that he could have committed. Besides, who among us hasn’t had 3 or 4 restraining orders thrown our way?
9BTW, I believe that adding DeCastro, Adams, Spence, and Ta’amu automatically earns the Steelers an “A”. The rest of the draft is just gravy after that.
I think that Rainey and Clemons also have a real chance of making the team.
After them, I’m not overly concerned. After all, did anyone really expect those 7th round compensatory picks to make the team?
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