NFL Draft

Steelers Draft Tuitt and Archer in Rounds 2 & 3

by Chris
May 10, 2014May 10, 2014

Somewhere the spirit of Al Davis is clapping his hands and laughing.

For years and years the running joke in the NFL draft was if a player was fast, the Raiders would inevitably take him. With Darth Al’s passing, Oakland has taken a much more sensible approach to picking players. Of all the teams to step in and take over their obsession with speed, who expected it to be the Pittsburgh Steelers?

In my Steelers Draft preview, I didn’t mock out specific players but I did identify bolstering the defensive line and a Chris Rainey-type running back as areas of interest. I just didn’t expect them to go out and fill those needs in rounds two and three. Your second and third rounders are premium picks today’s NFL. I’m not too sure about the wisdom behind using one of those picks on a third string running back.Read More »Steelers Draft Tuitt and Archer in Rounds 2 & 3

Steelers First Round Pick – Linebacker Ryan Shazier?

by Chris
May 9, 2014May 9, 2014

Huh. I certainly didn’t see that coming…

In the 2007 NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers were widely projected to take former Pitt Panthers cornerback Darrelle Revis with the fifteenth overall pick. Fans knew it, draftniks knew it, and everybody in the NFL evidently knew it because the New York Jets swung a last second deal with Carolina to leapfrog the Black and Gold and snatch Revis out from under us. With their coveted prospect gone, the Steelers threw up their hands and took a flier on the best athlete left on the board. That athlete wound up being a linebacker out of Florida State named Lawrence Timmons.

Fast forward seven years later and the 2014 NFL Draft. Everybody and their mother predicted the Steelers would take either a playmaking wide receiver or a cornerback capable of stepping in to start for their beleaguered secondary. By the time pick #15 rolled around, all three of the draft’s most explosive playmakers were long gone. So was top CB prospect Justin Gilbert and, one pick before the Steelers, fast rising #2 option Kyle Fuller. What did the Steelers do? Threw up their hands and took a flier on the best athlete left on the board.

Ohio State linebacker Ryan Shazier is your newest member of the Pittsburgh Steelers.Read More »Steelers First Round Pick – Linebacker Ryan Shazier?

Steelers Draft Preview (Finally!)

by Chris
May 7, 2014May 9, 2014

The 2014 NFL draft finally takes place this Thursday night. As with everything Roger Goodell touches, nice of the Ginger Dictator to mess up what used to be an off-season highlight by dragging it out until May and the middle of the NHL playoffs. So without further delay, let’s get to my annual Pittsburgh Steelers draft preview.Read More »Steelers Draft Preview (Finally!)

Pittsburgh Steelers Must Take Calculated Risks in the Draft

by Josh Kaercher
April 23, 2014April 22, 2014

This is possibly one of the deepest draft classes in the the last 10 years. This is something that should seriously be taken advantage of. One must take these words with a grain of salt, and realize that this does not apply to every position, but simply caters to the strengths of the positions and opines that they outweigh the weakness of others. The Pittsburgh Steelers must take calculated risks.

Best-Case Pick for Steelers in First Round: Marqise Lee

by Brett Blizinski
April 17, 2014April 16, 2014

Marqise Lee

It’s no question that there are two big gaps the Pittsburgh Steelers need to fill in the draft. Those gaps are wide receiver and defensive back.

Outside of Lance Moore and Antonio Brown, the receiving corps does not impress. Darrius Heyward-Bey was signed, but he’s prone to dropping the ball. Derek Moye showed some positive signs last year, but also dropped some balls. The only other viable option the Steelers have right now is Markus Wheaton.

Who the Pittsburgh Steelers Should Target in the NFL Draft

by Josh Kaercher
April 10, 2014April 9, 2014

Mike Evans

Due to some extremely surprising non-impactful drafts, the Pittsburgh Steelers are in desperate need of some immediate impact to change their fortunes.

Their is a dire need at several positions and depth is a screaming issue for the Steelers. I’ll pinpoint some players that should be available when the Steelers pick or should be within reach to obtain through a trade of picks.

Three More Draft Picks For Steelers

by Chris
March 26, 2014March 26, 2014

Looks like Kevin Colbert knew what he was doing after all…

In last year’s draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers sent their third round pick this year to the Cleveland Browns in order to move up to the top of the 4th round and take Shamarko Thomas. I guess we’ll have to wait and see what Kevin Costner does with our pick. In the meantime, while I like the Shamarknado, I was never thrilled about giving up a third rounder for a guy not likely to start for the foreseeable future. In today’s NFL, you stay under the salary cap is by constantly infusing the roster with young talent. And the picks you’re most likely to hit on come in the first three rounds.

Well, the Steelers got their third rounder back yesterday when the NFL awarded their compensation picks in the 2014 NFL Draft. Granted, it’s about 20 spots later than the one we traded away but when you view the Thomas deal as trading back a couple dozen places the price definitely looks a helluva lot cheaper.Read More »Three More Draft Picks For Steelers

What the Pittsburgh Steelers Need the Most in the Draft

by Brett Blizinski
February 28, 2014February 27, 2014

It’s no question that the Pittsburgh Steelers have their work cut out for them this offseason. The team finished 8-8 for the second straight year in 2013 and have plenty of holes to fill.

The Steelers’ two most obvious positions of weakness are wide receiver and defensive tackle.

The Steelers lost the turnover battle in 2013, finishing with a minus-4 turnover differential. There’s no question that another pass rushing defensive lineman could help put pressure on opposing quarterbacks and bolster the defense.

Offensively, the Steelers finished 2013 ranked 16th in points with an average of 23.7 per game. However, they may soon have a big hole to fill if free agent receiver Emmanuel Sanders departs.Read More »What the Pittsburgh Steelers Need the Most in the Draft

Could Michael Sam Be Drafted by the Steelers?

by Brett Blizinski
February 27, 2014February 26, 2014

Michael Sam

Here’s an interesting thought for the Pittsburgh Steelers 2013 offseason. What happens if they were to draft Missouri defensive end Michael Sam?

Everyone knows Sam by now as the prospect who openly admitted he’s gay. I personally have no problem with his decision and not many other people appear to either.

I could see the Steelers drafting Sam, but only if the timing was absolutely right. Sam is not a can’t-miss prospect, but the kid is on a mission. He’s already said he wants to be known for what he does on the field and not his life off it.

Would the Steelers draft Sam? Yes.

Ginger Dictator Fines Tomlin, Draft Pick Loss Pending

by Chris
December 5, 2013December 5, 2013

Nearly a week since Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin executed the Two Step Heard ‘Round The World, Steeler Nation has been bracing for the inevitable consequences. Yesterday, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell finally deigned to step down from Mount Olympus and pass down punishment for The Blunder. As usual when the Ginger Dictator deals with the Black and Gold, his punishments were both harsh and potentially very damaging. At least he’s consistent.

The first – and least – important part of Ginger’s ruling was a cool $100,000 fine for Tomlin. That may sound like big money to you or I but to a head coach making $5 million, it’s not much different than an average worker getting docked $150. As an aside, can anybody else believe that goof Tomlin gets paid five MILLION dollars to lie his ass off at press conferences and embarrass the franchise on national television? Meanwhile, a truly great head coach like Bill Cowher was sent into retirement because the team didn’t feel he was worth a top salary.Read More »Ginger Dictator Fines Tomlin, Draft Pick Loss Pending