April 29, 2009
Setting Foote
in desert?
By Mike Batista
Steelahs.com
Could
Larry Foote be the next former Steeler in witness protection?
OK,
so maybe not everyone who lives in Arizona is participating in the witness protection program.
ProFootballTalk.com mentioned the possibility of Foote becoming the next former Steeler poached by Cardinals coach and former Steelers' offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt.
TANGENT
WARNING: Speaking of the Cardinals, they were the only team whose picks I accurately predicted in both rounds of
my two-round mock draft. But being the man of honor that I am, if the Cardinals ever offered me a player personnel job, I'd take a whiz on Whisenhunt.
He may be able to take former Steelers players, but he'll never get their fans! For the record, I got 13 out of 32
right in the first round of my mock draft, including eight of the first 11. END OF TANGENT
The Lions and Colts also were mentioned as possible landing spots
for Foote.
With Lawrence Timmons ready to take over as
a starter at inside linebacker, Foote knows his playing time will diminish, so he wants out of Pittsburgh. The Steelers tried unsuccessfully to trade him during the draft.
So now the Steelers will hang on to Foote through this weekend's mini-camp and make a last-ditch effort
to trade him. If they can't trade him, then they'll release
him.
The former Detroit Pershing Doughboy says he wants
to play for the Lions. But they only offered a seventh-round pick for him during the draft. That's how highly they think of him. The Lions would be stupid to not want Foote, who will turn 29 on June 12.
He and Ryan Clark were the unsung heroes of the Steelers defense.
He started every game for the last five years.
On one hand,
it's time for Timmons to be more than just a part-time player. On the other hand, I don't think this will be a case
of the Steelers letting go of a veteran at just the right time. I
think Foote has a lot left in the tank.
At least this saves
the Steelers $2.9 million in salary cap space for 2009 and gives them one less free-agent worry. The number of players who
will be free agents after next season is down to nine. That list includes
Heath Miller, Casey Hampton, Willie Parker, Brett Keisel, Justin Hartwig, Ryan Clark, Jeff Reed, Willie Colon and Max Starks.
This
might be a good time to mention that Hines Ward is now a virtual lock to retire a Steeler after the 33-year-old agreed to
a four- or five-year contract extension. This bit of news got lost
in the shuffle during draft weekend.
Also, below are the
13 undrafted free agents the Steelers signed. Most of these names I'm typing for the first and last time, but hopefully
there's a hidden gem somewhere. Click on the link to find info
on Ramon Foster.
Steven Black, WR, Memphis; Jeff Bradley, DT, Western Carolina; Mark Erstmeyer, LS, Pittsburgh; Ramon Foster, OT, Tennessee; Cedric Goodman, WR, Georgia; Tyler Grisham, WR, Clemson; Tom Korte, LB, Hillside; Kevin McCabe, QB, California of Pa.; Steve McLendon, DT, Troy; Isaac Redman, RB, Bowie State; Mike Reilly, QB, Central Washington;
Andrew Schwartz, LB, Portland State; Derrick Richardson, S, New Mexico
State
Last but certainly not least, it didn't take
the NFL schedule makers long to fuck with our plans on autumn afternoons. The Steelers' game at Cincinnati on Sept. 27 has been moved from 1 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. That means the Steelers won't play a 1 p.m. Sunday game until Oct.
11 in Detroit, which will be Phil Luckett Day at Ford Field, not to mention a possible reunion with Larry Foote.
April 28, 2009
Foote to get the boot
By
Mike Batista
Steelahs.com
The Steelers plan to cut inside linebacker Larry Foote, but keep him through
their mandatory minicamp this weekend in hopes of possibly trading him.
This story, broken by ProFootballTalk.com
and The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, is developing by the minute. I'll have more later. But for now, here's
one thing I'll miss hearing from Larry Foote:
"Larry Foote: Detroit Pershing Doughboys"
3:23 pm | link
April 27, 2009
Steelers' draft grade: A-minus
By Mike Batista
Steelahs.com Draftnik
The only bad thing about the Steelers' draft is that it made me wish I had made the train ride from Yonkers to
see it in person.
Almost every pick the Steelers made was worth a loud cheer and a wave of the Terrible Towel.
But I read that fans start lining up at Radio City Music Hall at midnight the morning of the draft. I figured fuck that. I'll
just stay home, watch it on TV and blog live.
So on a gorgeous, summer-like weekend, I stayed in my studio apartment
and blogged for about 14 hours on Saturday and another eight or nine hours on Sunday, when the Steelers made eight of their
nine picks.
Why does the first nice weekend of the year always come on draft weekend?
Here's a look
at the Steelers' picks, with most of the information coming from Scott Wright's Draft Countdown, NFLDraftScout and
my own stream of consciousness.
FIRST ROUND
32, Evander "Ziggy" Hood,
DT, Missouri (6-foot-3, 300): For the second year in a row, the Steelers catch a player unexpectedly falling in the
first round. Last year, it was Rashard Mendenhall dropping to 23. This year it's Hood, who I had going to the Falcons
at 24 and NFLDraftScout ranked as the 26th best player on the board. ... A prototypical Steelers' defensive lineman in
that he's more likely to be a solid contributor than a star. The Steelers don't need stars on their D-Line. They just
need guys to keep blockers occupied while the linebackers get the glory in the 3-4 defense. ... Hood also has a Steelers-type
toughness. After getting hurt his sophomore year, he played with a screw in his foot.
THIRD
ROUND
79, Kraig Urbik, OG, Wisconsin (6-foot-5, 328):In this draft, the Steelers have chosen a Ziggy
and a Sonny, an A.Q., a D.J. and a guy named Mike Wallace (as Mike Tomlin says, Steelers football is 60 minutes).
But for some reason out of the nine names this is the one that sticks in my head the most. Maybe it's because it's
the toughest sounding name of all the Steelers' picks. Maybe it's because Wisconsin is known for churning out good
offensive linemen. ... In 2005, Urbik became the first freshman in nine years to start on the Badgers' offensive line.
... When Urbik was hurt in 2008, the Badgers lost five of six games, then won three out of four when he returned. ... Urbik's
a hard worker who plays with a mean streak. ... The first guard the Steelers have chosen in the draft since they lost Alan
Faneca. ... He also can play right tackle.
84, Mike Wallace, WR, Mississippi (6-foot-0, 199): A legitimate
vertical threat who can return kicks, which is something the Steelers need. ... Not a great route runner and can drop passes,
but with Nate Washington gone, it's nice to see the Steelers won't sink or swim with Limas Sweed or Martin Nance
as the No. 3 receiver.
96, Keenan Lewis, CB, Oregon State (6-foot-1, 208): Physical, good in run support.
... Gets his hands on a lot of passes but not a lot of interceptions. ... Not the greatest tackler. ... Also might be able
to play some safety. ... A New Orleans native whose family had to evacuate during Hurricane Katrina.
FIFTH ROUND
168, Joe Burnett, CB, Central Florida (5-foot-9, 192): Another guy who can return
kicks. Four-year starter had three career punt returns and two career kickoff returns for touchdowns, and then there's
the 16 career interceptions. ... A good athlete, was nominated for the McDonald's All-American game in basketball.
169, Frank Summers, FB, UNLV (5-foot-9, 241): Hopefully this pick will help spare the Steelers the embarrassment
of getting knocked backwards trying to run the ball in from the 1-yard line. ... I wanted the Steelers to get this guy badly.
He's been called a "bowling ball" of a running back and a "junior Bus." Gary Russell tried, but he
wasn't really the short-yardage back the Steelers needed. ... Summers can run, block and catch passes.
SIXTH ROUND
205, Ra'Shon "Sonny" Harris, DT, Oregon (6-foot-4, 298): This pick
is one of the reasons for the "minus" in the Steelers' A-minus grade. ... Even after they got Hood in the first
round, I said the Steelers needed another body for the aging defensive line. Harris meets that qualification in that he has
a body. ... He's an underachiever who started just one year in college. ... Stamina is a concern and he doesn't have
a great work ethic. But he's a good athlete with a lot of upside. It's going to take some coaching.
SEVENTH ROUND
226, A.Q. Shipley, C, Penn State (6-foot-1, 304): Like Summers, this is an undersized
guy who was on my radar as a late-round pick, and someone I would have cheered loudly for had I been at Radio City Music Hall.
... Justin Hartwig's done a nice job at center, but he's not going to hold down the position for a decade or more
like Mike Webster, Dermontti Dawson and Jeff Hartings. Since Hartings retired after the 2006 season, there's been an interlude
in the Steelers' center tradition. Perhaps it will take a Penn State guy like Hartings to restore that tradition. ...
Shipley makes up for his lack of size with technique. Scott Wright's Draft Countdown calls him "the type of guy you
hate to doubt." ... An overachiever. ... Won the 2008 Rimington Award as the nation's top center. I'm surprised
he stayed on the board as long as he did.
241, D.J. Johnson, TE, Arkansas State (6-foot-1, 260): This
is the other reason for the "minus" in the Steelers' grade. ... Although not a need this season, they could
have used an inside linebacker or a safety with Larry Foote and Ryan Clark potential free-agent departures after next season.
... As a tight end-fullback hybrid like Sean McHugh, Johnson is a redundancy. His only chance to stick will be if he can prove
he's better than McHugh.
I feel better about this year's draft than I did about last year's. After
Rashard Mendenhall and Limas Sweed, I hadn't heard of any players the Steelers picked last season. This year, I recognized
the names of all the players picked by the Steelers except for Johnson. Maybe it's because I did more research on prospects
this year. Or maybe it's because unlike last year, the Steelers addressed areas of need in this draft.
Of course
it's way too early to declare the 2008 draft a bust. I think Mendenhall could be the Steelers' running back of the
future. I think Sweed has a chance to win the No. 3 receiver spot. And don't give up on Bruce Davis and Tony Hills just
yet.
The 2007 draft is looking really good after two years. Lawrence Timmons, LaMarr Woodley, Matt Spaeth
and William Gay all were factors in the Steelers' championship in one way or another. Punter Daniel Sepulveda will probably
regain the starting job after missing last season with an injury. And Dallas Baker is still hanging around.
As
far as this draft goes, I'm giving the Steelers an A-minus because they addressed all the needs I outlined on April 1.
I ranked the Steelers' needs as 1) Defensive line 2) Wide receiver 3) Cornerback 4) Offensive line 5) Short-yardage back.
They got two defensive linemen, a wide receiver, two cornerbacks, two offensive linemen and a short-yardage back.
The ESPN analysts aren't mentioning the Steelers among the draft's biggest winners or losers. That's because
they didn't make a big splash. They just got the job done.
2:26 am | link
April 26, 2009
That's the draft
Ryan Succop (is it pronounced Suck-Up?) is this year's Mr. Irrelevant. The Kansas City
Chiefs chose him with the 256th and final pick of the draft.
Penn State offensive tackle Gerald Cadogan and Iowa
defensive end Mitch King went undrafted. The Steelers got two interior offensive linemen and two defensive tackles in the
draft, but no offensive tackle or defensive end.
Could Cadogan and King be on the Steelers' radar as undrafted
free agents? The phone lines are lighting up.
I'll be back soon with summaries of all the Steelers' picks,
and maybe some news on undrafted free agents.
7:40 pm | link
Initial reaction
In the seventh round of the 2009 NFL draft, the Steelers picked an A.Q. and a D.J.
With their 241st and final pick, the Steelers chose tight end D.J. Johnson of Arkansas State. They chose Penn State center
A.Q. Shipley with the 226th pick.
Since all of their top five needs were filled, I anticipated the Steelers
going either inside linebacker or safety with their final pick, since they might be areas of need next season with free agency.
So at first I was a little perplexed with this choice, since they're pretty well stocked at tight end and I'm figuring
they'll find a way to re-sign Heath Miller after next season.
But Johnson is a good blocking tight end who
could end up as an H-Back or fullback in the NFL, so he could be another short-yardage weapon for the Steelers. Let's
not forget the Steelers goal-line woes last season.
7:05 pm | link
Another cool name
The selection of Penn State center A.Q. Shipley in the seventh round (226th overall), officially
makes this a kick-ass draft for the Steelers.
I'm not saying it's 1974-caliber, but this isn't a bad
way to commemorate the 25th anniversary of that draft.
Scott Wright's Draft Countdown, which as I said earlier
is a very user-friendly draft site, calls Shipley "the type of guy you hate to doubt." At 6-1, 304 pounds he lacks
ideal size, but he compensates for it with technique. He's definitely a guy in the Steelers' mold.
So now
the Steelers have drafted a Ziggy and a Sonny as well as a Mike Wallace and an A.Q.
All five of the needs I outlined
at the beginning of draft season have been filled. The Steelers have picked two defensive linemen, two offensive linemen,
two cornerbacks, a wide receiver and a short-yardage back. And they still have one more pick.
I haven't filled
in the seventh-round picks yet, sorry. But I had to run out and get a sandwich.
6:32 pm | link
One round to go
Now the Steelers have chosen a Ziggy and a Sonny in this draft.
With the 205th
pick in the draft, the Steelers chose defensive tackle Ra'Shon "Sonny" Harris from Oregon.
The Steelers
brought this guy in for a workout and I wasn't crazy about him from what I read. He only started for one year, stamina
is an issue and he doesn't have a great work ethic.
Still, I said a couple of posts ago that the Steelers needed
another body for the D-Line. Harris qualifies in that regard
5:33 pm | link
My Fave Five
We got 10 picks left before the Steelers pick at 205.
Here's my board, in
order of value:
1. Gerald Cadogan, OT, Penn State: Good offensive lineman, but dedication to game
and killer instinct have been called into question. Steelers still need a tackle, in my opinion.
2. A.Q. Shipley,
C, Penn State: Maybe this is the guy who restores the Steelers' tradition at center. Justin Hartwig could keep
the seat warm for him until he's ready. Shipley might be a little undersized, but the whole is greater than the sum of
the parts.
3. Mitch King, DE, Iowa: Remember when I was talking about Iowa's uniforms looking like
the Steelers? That was at the start of the third round. It seems like days ago. Well, King wouldn't have to change his
colors. He's too small to be a tackle and too slow to be an end. But it says he has a "non-stop motor." That
sounds like a good thing, even though I still don't know what a "motor" is (anybody know?).
4.
Vance Walker, DT, Georgia Tech: Does everything well and nothing great. He's probably better than King, but I'm
ranking him below King because the Steelers already got a defensive tackle in Ziggy Hood. Now they could use a defensive end.
5. Michael Bennett, DE, Texas A&M: Good tackler, but underachiever with minor character concerns.
4:58 pm | link
Through five rounds
Fra-ank Summers! Clap-clap. Clap-clap-clap!
Fra-ank Summers! Clap-clap. Clap-clap-clap!
With the 169th pick of the draft, the Steelers selected UNLV fullback Frank Summers. Yeah, I know they took Central
Florida cornerback Joe Burnett the pick before that, but I'll get to that in a second.
I wanted Summers badly.
He's 5-foot-9, 241 pounds. He's been called a "bowling ball of a running back" and a "junior Bus."
He's the type of short-yardage back the Steelers haven't had since Jerome Bettis. I was hoping that cutting Gary Russell
was a sign the Steelers were going to grab Summers. I see fan-favorite potential here.
Now the only thing that
tempers my enthusiasm about Summers is that he likely still would have been there in the seventh round, or even as an undrafted
free agent. So this might have been the Steelers' first reach of this draft. I think they still need to draft an offensive
tackle and another body for the defensive line. They have three picks left to do that.
With the 168th pick, the
Steelers chose Burnett. He's an All-American and a four-year starter with 16 career interceptions, three career punt returns
and two career kickoff returns for touchdowns. I like the pick. The Steelers can put to bed their pursuit of cornerbacks and
returners, but they still need some beef in the trenches.
Their remaining picks are in the sixth round (205th overall)
and seventh round (226th and 241st).
4:12 pm | link
Four rounds down, three to go
While we wait for the Steelers to make their fifth-round picks, here's a summary
of who they've taken so far, with help mostly from Scott Wright's NFL Draft Countdown, a very user-friendly draft
site.
First round (32nd overall)
Evander "Ziggy" Hood, DT, Missouri (6-3,
300): Tough guy. Played seven games his sophomore year with a screw in his foot. Does everything well but nothing
great. Not likely to be a star but rather a solid contributor, which makes him a perfect fit as a Steelers' defensive
lineman. Their job is to plug holes and keep blockers occupied while the linebackers wreak havoc.
Third
round (79th overall)
Kraig Urbik, OG, Wisconsin (6-5, 328): A mauler who fits well in a power running attack.
Four-year starter in the Big Ten. Plays with a nasty edge. A good pick.
Third round (84th overall)
Mike Wallace, WR, Mississippi (6-0, 199): Tenacious interviewer, but isn't Mike Wallace, like, 80 years old?
Just kidding. This isn't the "60 Minutes" Mike Wallace. This is a guy who's a legitimate deep threat and
also can return kicks. Good to see that the Steelers aren't going to sink or swim with Limas Sweed and Martin Nance to
fill the void at No. 3 receiver.
Third round (96th overall)
Keenan Lewis, CB, Oregon State (6-1, 208):
Good size, good ball skills, good against the run, smart, but not a great tackler. The rankings of cornerback prospects are
puzzling. I was lobbying for Mike Mickens of Cincinnati here. But it really is hard to argue with the Steelers' moves
at this point.
The Steelers addressed the offensive line by getting a guard. But I'd like to see them get a
tackle somewhere in the later rounds, and maybe another defensive lineman. All of their major needs have been addressed.
Here's a complete list of the first four rounds. From now on the draft list
will only be on my most recent post. I deleted it from all the previous posts because it was taking forever to scroll down.
2:02 pm | link
Well, at least they went corner
With the 96th pick, the Steelers have selected Keenan Lewis, cornerback out of Oregon State.
Despite a run on cornerbacks late in the third round, Mike Mickens is still on the board. Interesting.
So
with their first four picks, the Steelers have addressed their top four needs, defensive line with Ziggy Hood, offensive line
with Kraig Urbik, wide receiver with Mike Wallace and cornerback with Keenan Lewis.
They don't pick again until
the fifth round, where they'll have two picks. Then they pick once in the sixth round and twice in the seventh round.
With their top four needs addressed, the Steelers should use their remaining picks to double up on any of those needs,
particularly offensive and defensive line, and maybe get a short-yardage back. UNLV fullback Frank Summers in the seventh
round, maybe?
12:10 pm | link
Steelers are on the Clock IV
Mickens! Mickens! Mickens!
My board:
Mike Mickens, CB, Cincinnati:
Bearcats' career leader in interceptions (14) and interception return yards (296).
A.Q. Shipley, C, Penn
State: This could be the Steelers' center of the future, and he could be gone by the fifth round. Keep in mind
the Steelers don't pick in the fourth round.
Gerald Cadogan, OT, Penn State: Good offensive lineman,
but dedication to game and killer instinct have been called into question.
Lawrence Sidbury Jr., DE, Richmond:
An intriguing prospect. Dominated Football Championship Subdivision title game, but that was a lower level of competition.
If the Steelers pick him, they probably wouldn't have to worry about D-Line for the rest of the draft since they got Ziggy
Hood in the first round.
Jamon Meredith, OT, South Carolina: They got a guard. Now let's get a tackle.
Meredith's been called soft, but I think he's worth picking.
Jason Phillips, ILB, Texas Christian:
Inside linebacker will be a need at some point with James Farrior not getting any younger and Larry Foote a possible free
agent departure.
Jasper Brinkley, ILB, South Carolina: See Jason Phillips.
Herman Johnson,
OG, LSU: At 364 pounds, would make Casey Hampton look skinny. But they already got a guard.
T.J. Lang,
OT, Eastern Michigan: Overachiever who might end up being a guard
D.J. Moore, CB, Vanderbilt:
Should be taken only if Mike Mickens is gone. A risky pick.
11:57 am | link
The case for Mickens
Another reason for picking Mike Mickens at No. 96, assuming he's still around,
is that cornerback was an area of need last year, and the Steelers didn't draft one.
Nothing against William
Gay, but with Bryant McFadden gone, cornerback is more of an area of need next year. Their No. 3 corner is Deshea Townsend,
who will be 34 next season.
They did get Kiewan Ratliff from the Colts. But I think Mickens is a good value at
the end of the third round.
11:47 am | link
Board update
With the Steelers' sights now set on the 96th pick, here's my new board, adding
players who would be of value at the end of the third round:
Mike Mickens, CB, Cincinnati: Bearcats'
career leader in interceptions (14) and interception return yards (296).
A.Q. Shipley, C, Penn State:
This could be the Steelers' center of the future, and he could be gone by the fifth round. Keep in mind the Steelers don't
pick in the fourth round.
Gerald Cadogan, OT, Penn State: Good offensive lineman, but dedication to
game and killer instinct have been called into question.
Lawrence Sidbury Jr., DE, Richmond: An intriguing
prospect. Dominated Football Championship Subdivision title game, but that was a lower level of competition. If the Steelers
pick him, they probably wouldn't have to worry about D-Line for the rest of the draft since they got Ziggy Hood in the
first round.
Jamon Meredith, OT, South Carolina: They got a guard. Now let's get a tackle. Meredith's
been called soft, but I think he's worth picking.
Jason Phillips, ILB, Texas Christian: Inside linebacker
will be a need at some point with James Farrior not getting any younger and Larry Foote a possible free agent departure.
Jasper Brinkley, ILB, South Carolina: See Jason Phillips.
Herman Johnson, OG, LSU:
At 364 pounds, would make Casey Hampton look skinny. But they already got a guard.
T.J. Lang, OT, Eastern Michigan:
Overachiever who might end up being a guard
D.J. Moore, CB, Vanderbilt: Should be taken only if Mike
Mickens is gone. A risky pick.
11:37 am | link
Tick, tick, tick, tick, tick
With the 84th pick, the Steelers chose Mississippi wide receiver Mike Wallace.
Well, Mike Tomlin did say that Steelers football is 60 minutes.
He wasn't on my board, but the Steelers
did need to pick a receiver somewhere.
Details to come.
Mike Mickens, CB, Cincinnati:
Bearcats' career leader in interceptions (14) and interception return yards (296).
Gerald Cadogan, OT, Penn
State: Good offensive lineman, but dedication to game and killer instinct have been called into question.
Lawrence
Sidbury Jr., DE, Richmond: Dominated Football Championship Subdivision title game, but that was a lower level of
competition. If the Steelers pick him, they probably wouldn't have to worry about D-Line for the rest of the draft since
they got Ziggy Hood in the first round.
Herman Johnson, OG, LSU: At 364 pounds, would make Casey Hampton
look skinny.
T.J. Lang, OT, Eastern Michigan
Duke Robinson, OG, Oklahoma
Chip Vaughn, S, Wake Forest
11:22 am | link
Steelers are on the clock, Part 3
They've addressed the defensive and offensive lines, now it's time for the
Steelers to go cornerback and pick Mickens.
Mike Mickens, CB, Cincinnati: Bearcats' career
leader in interceptions (14) and interception return yards (296).
Gerald Cadogan, OT, Penn State: Good
offensive lineman, but dedication to game and killer instinct have been called into question.
Lawrence Sidbury
Jr., DE, Richmond: Dominated Football Championship Subdivision title game, but that was a lower level of competition.
If the Steelers pick him, they probably wouldn't have to worry about D-Line for the rest of the draft since they got Ziggy
Hood in the first round.
Herman Johnson, OG, LSU: At 364 pounds, would make Casey Hampton look skinny.
T.J. Lang, OT, Eastern Michigan
Duke Robinson, OG, Oklahoma
Chip Vaughn, S, Wake Forest
11:17 am | link
Urbik's the pick
The Steelers chose offensive guard Kraig Urbik of Wisconsin with the 79th pick in
the draft.
Well, OK, he's a guy who I valued more at the end of the third, but as a Steelers pick in general,
I approve.
Redskins just took Kevin Barnes, so here's my updated board for the No. 84 pick:
Mike
Mickens, CB, Cincinnati: Bearcats' career leader in interceptions (14) and interception return yards (296).
Gerald Cadogan, OT, Penn State: Good offensive lineman, but dedication to game and killer instinct have
been called into question.
Lawrence Sidbury Jr., DE, Richmond: Dominated Football Championship Subdivision
title game, but that was a lower level of competition. If the Steelers pick him, they probably wouldn't have to worry
about D-Line for the rest of the draft since they got Ziggy Hood in the first round.
Herman Johnson, OG, LSU:
At 364 pounds, would make Casey Hampton look skinny.
T.J. Lang, OT, Eastern Michigan
Duke Robinson, OG, Oklahoma
Chip Vaughn, S, Wake Forest
11:07 am | link
Make it Mickens!
I just tried to call Mike Tomlin to tell him to pick Mike Mickens, but the line is
busy. They must already be doing that.
Mike Mickens, CB, Cincinnati: Bearcats' career leader
in interceptions (14) and interception return yards (296).
Kevin Barnes, CB, Maryland: Dropping because
of an injury his senior year. Would be a good value.
Gerald Cadogan, OT, Penn State: Good offensive
lineman, but dedication to game and killer instinct have been called into question.
Lawrence Sidbury Jr., DE,
Richmond: Dominated Football Championship Subdivision title game, but that was a lower level of competition. If the
Steelers pick him, they probably wouldn't have to worry about D-Line for the rest of the draft since they got Ziggy Hood
in the first round.
Herman Johnson, OG, LSU: At 364 pounds, would make Casey Hampton look skinny.
T.J. Lang, OT, Eastern Michigan
Duke Robinson, OG, Oklahoma
Chip Vaughn, S, Wake Forest
11:01 am | link
Two picks away
A lot of the guys who I'd like to see in a Steelers are remaining on the board. Here's
my board, with a little background on the top five at this point. Picking at 79 and 84, the Steelers might be able to pass
on someone and have another chance to grab him five picks later.
Mike Mickens, CB, Cincinnati:
Bearcats' career leader in interceptions (14) and interception return yards (296).
Kevin Barnes, CB, Maryland:
Dropping because of an injury his senior year. Would be a good value.
Gerald Cadogan, OT, Penn State:
Good offensive lineman, but dedication to game and killer instinct have been called into question.
Lawrence Sidbury
Jr., DE, Richmond: Dominated Football Championship Subdivision title game, but that was a lower level of competition.
If the Steelers pick him, they probably wouldn't have to worry about D-Line for the rest of the draft since they got Ziggy
Hood in the first round.
Herman Johnson, OG, LSU: At 364 pounds, would make Casey Hampton look skinny.
Antoine Caldwell, C, Alabama
T.J. Lang, OT, Eastern Michigan
Duke Robinson, OG, Oklahoma
Chip Vaughn, S,
Wake Forest
10:53 am | link
Hawkeye Day
The first two picks of the third round are both from Iowa. That reminds me of when
I was a kid, and there happened to be an Iowa game on TV. My mom would see their black and yellow uniforms and ask if it was
the Steelers.
The Steelers have three picks in the third round, 79th, 84th and 96th overall. If I were in the war
room, here's who I'd have on the board, in order of value. They probably won't all be there when the Steelers
pick.
Mike Mickens, CB, Cincinnati
Kevin Barnes, CB, Maryland
Gerald Cadogan, OT, Penn State
Lawrence
Sidbury Jr., DE, Richmond
Herman Johnson, OG, LSU
Antoine Caldwell, C, Alabama
T.J. Lang, OT, Eastern Michigan
Duke Robinson, OG, Oklahoma
Chip Vaughn, S, Wake Forest
10:27 am | link
Day Two Preview
Before looking ahead to the second day of the NFL draft, let me wrap
up Day One with this thought:
Hey Hoodie, we got Hood!
Most casual observers figured the Steelers would
take an offensive lineman on the first day of the draft. The ineptitude of the Steelers' O-Line was well publicized.
But hard-core Steelers fans know that the Steelers' offensive line improved slowly but surely as the 2008 season
went on, that all of the offensive linemen who started in the Super Bowl will be back next season, and that the Steelers'
defensive line is getting old.
So even though they made just one pick Saturday, I'd have to give the Steelers
an A for Day One for selecting Missouri defensive tackle Evander Hood.
Looking ahead to today, there's
just as much anticipation for Steelers fans, if not more, than there was heading into yesterday.
After trading
their second- and fourth-round picks to the Broncos, the Steelers have three third-round picks today, making the third round
of the 2009 draft one of the most pivotal rounds for the Steelers in recent memory.
The Steelers will have the
15th, 20th and 32nd picks in the third round, 79th, 84th and 96th overall. Below is a list of players who might be available
at all of the Steelers' possible areas of need. I've broken them down into four categories: players who would be worth
taking in the middle of the round (79th or 84th), the end of the round (96th), later in the draft or not at all. Players are
listed in order of value.
79th and 84th
Jarron Gilbert, DE, San Jose State
Alex Magee,
DT, Purdue
Mike Mickens, CB, Cincinnati
Kevin Barnes, CB, Maryland
Gerald Cadogan, OT, Penn State
Lawrence
Sidbury Jr., DE, Richmond
Herman Johnson, OG, LSU
Antoine Caldwell, C, Alabama
T.J. Lang, OT, Eastern Michigan
Duke Robinson, OG, Oklahoma
Chip Vaughn, S, Wake Forest
96th
A.Q. Shipley, C, Penn
State
Kraig Urbik, OG, Wisconsin
Jason Phillips, ILB, Texas Christian
Jamon Meredith, OT, South Carolina
Jasper Brinkley, ILB, South Carolina
Mike Thomas, WR, Arizona
D.J. Moore, CB, Vanderbilt (Jr.)
Later
in draft
Jonathan Luigs, C, Arkansas
Troy Kropog, OT, Tulane
Tyronne Green, OG, Auburn
Louis
Murphy, WR, Florida
Scott McKillop, ILB, Pittsburgh
Asher Allen, CB, Georgia (Jr.)
Juaquin Iglesias, WR, Oklahoma
Derrick Williams, WR, Penn State
Brandon Williams, DE, Texas Tech (Jr.)
Brandon Tate, WR, North Carolina
Michael
Johnson, DE, Georgia Tech
Stay away from
Coye Francies, CB, San Jose State
Ricky-Jean
Francois, DT, LSU (Jr.)
Rashad Johnson, S, Alabama
Donald Washington, CB, Ohio State (Jr.)
This ends
my broadcast day. On the warmest day of the year so far, and on a rare Saturday night off from work at my real job, the
only time I went outside was to take out some trash, and that was at night. I've been blogging about the draft for the
last 14 hours, and I'm wiped. Good night.
1:55 am | link
