Wide Receiver, Safety Or Linebacker - Which Will Be The Steelers First Pick?

by Jason and Jayden

They're called mock drafts for a reason...because they're meant to be mocked. Most of them bear no resemblance to what actually transpires, or at best get sporadic selections correct.

However, since we all know the saying about opinions, If It Ain't Steel will poke its nose into this and tell you whom we see as as viable picks, focusing in on the first one at No. 17 in Thursday's draft. We'll readdress players already already covered, via either description or link, and cover one or two players each that could also be skipped over 16 times.

WIDE RECEIVER -
We covered this position fairly extensively in a recent blog post, going over all who are possibilities. - http://ifitaintsteel.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-steelers-options-for-wide-receivers.html

Now, though, we'll focus on the first round alone, and with the most polarizing player at the position:

Cordarrelle Patterson, in his only college football season in 2012, caught 46 balls for 778 yards and five touchdowns. He rushed the ball 25 times for 308 yards and another three scores, and also returned kickoff and punt return for touchdowns. But I offer as a comparative "so what" the numbers of Tavon Austin who had 114 receptions for 1,289 yards for 12 TDs, rushed 72 times for 643 yards and three scores, and also returned a kick and a punt for touchdowns. Plus, Austin has been doing it for four years, not just one.

Patterson simply lacks polish, especially in his route running. He tips his hand by his feet - showing where the route is going - or by body language. He is very raw, catches the ball with his body too much, seems to get lost at times, doesn't always play to his competition (feasted on weak opponents and was pedestrian against stronger ones) and doesn't always play up to his 6'2" frame.

Don't take our word for it, though. Read what Jim Wexell, writer for Steel City Insider and contributor for Steelers Digest had to say about him: "The only reason I can see the Steelers drafting this receiver – whose Wonderlic score of 11 was surprisingly high to me – is because he’s a dynamic kick returner. With the signing of Emmanuel Sanders, the Steelers can also give Patterson a year to learn a rudimentary offensive package. Otherwise, this is not a Kevin Colbert type. Listen to an interview of Robert Woods and then listen to Patterson and you’ll understand what I’m trying to say. But, Patterson gets the short odds because the Pittsburgh public is in love with him." - http://pit.scout.com/2/1285245.html

Come to think of it, he sounds a lot like Mike Wallace. no wonder "the Pittsburgh public" wants him. Definitely talented, just not first-round talented.

Steelers choose: Tavon Austin, DeAndre Hopkins or trade down.

SAFETY -
Troy Polamalu missed nine games with a calf injury in 2012 and 11 in 2009 with a knee injury. At 31 years old with 10 seasons in the NFL, you'd think this is the beginning of the end for the former defensive player of the year.

Don't tell that to defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau.

"He has a lot of tremendous football talent still in him," LeBeau told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "Once he got back on the field, I couldn't see any difference in his play than when he was winning the Defensive Player of the Year Award.

"I know Troy will do everything he can to get himself physically ready to compete for a 16-game season. And we'll have to wait and see (if he can)."

When he came back, as LeBeau alluded to, Polamalu had an interception, a sack and most of his tackles in the last three games. Regardless, with free safety Ryan Clark now 33, the Steelers have to start thinking about the future now. And with Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert saying that they believe there are only about six to eight "special players" in draft, getting depth and (a) future starter(s) at the position is key. - http://tinyurl.com/bapga52

We've covered several safeties whom we think would fit well with the Steelers. We've highlighted Kenny Vaccaro especially, as well as Matt Elam, Eric Reid, Jonathan Cyprien and Bacarri Rambo. - http://ifitaintsteel.blogspot.com/2013/01/fixing-steelers-starts-with-drafting.html ~/~ http://ifitaintsteel.blogspot.com/2013/02/whether-offense-or-defense-steelers.html

We also went over USC's T.J. McDonald and Syracuse's Sharmarko Thomas briefly. McDonald has the distinction of having pedigree - his father is former USC and NFL safety, Pro Bowler, All Pro and Super Bowl champion Tim McDonald.

Steelers' defensive backs coach Carnell Lake, worked out USC's cornerbacks and safety and called him "an explosive athlete who is quickly able to take what we were asking him to do and apply it to the field. He's so explosive out of his cuts and covers such ground."

But the 6'3" 213-pound prospect won't make it into the first round. Syracuse's Shamarko Thomas, who ran the fastest 40-yard dash of all the safeties at 4.38 seconds (despite falling over at the finish line), had the most reps at the bench press, tied for the highest vertical jump and was one inch off the longest broad jump, is worth drafting high. That said, Thomas may not be considered one of the top safety prospects, but those numbers should do wonders for his draft stock.

Steelers choose: Kenny Vaccaro, Eric Reid or Matt Elam.

LINEBACKERS -
This is where thoughts amongst pundits and fans differ. Jim Wexell, mentioned earlier, leans toward inside linebacker and Kansas State product Arthur Brown, saying that "Brown strikes me as a Mike Tomlin type with his quick-twitch muscle fiber, his suddenness, and his leadership skills." - http://pit.scout.com/2/1286477.html

NFL.com analyst Mike Mayock has predicted the Steelers will take fan favorite Georgia outside linebacker Jarvis Jones, saying "I don't care as much about the potential medical issues, I don't care that he ran 4.9. This kid plays football. He's explosive....I just think he fits what Pittsburgh does." - http://www.nfl.com/draft/2013/mock-drafts/mike-mayock/171006

Then Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Gerry Dulac says someone even different in projecting Florida State defensive end/outside linebacker Bjoern Werner as the pick. Of him, Dulac says he is "one of the best 4-3 defensive ends....He is rangy at 6-3, 261, and can pressure off the edge – something the Steelers have been lacking since the middle of the 2011 season." - http://tinyurl.com/ao23fts

We covered our thoughts for the outside linebacker pick a few times, but most notably when James Harrison was released from the Steelers for refusing to take a pay cut (only to take a bigger one when he recently signed with the Cincinnati Bengals). His ferocity and intensity needs to be replaced. The players we covered all bring that. - http://ifitaintsteel.blogspot.com/2013/03/who-will-replace-james-harrison.html

Steelers choose: Jarvis Jones or trade down.

However, there is only one No. 1 pick. So who will be the selection?

This draft is top heavy with high-level wide receivers and safeties. A solid, hardcore OLB, though, could be found in the fourth or even fifth round. That narrows things a bit. Then consider that since Sanders was signed, they don't have to go for a WR in the first. The possibility exists that they could even double dip at the position.

That leaves us to gamble at the safety position and prognosticate that either Vaccaro, Reid or Elam will be the pick. And since Eric Reid resembles another LSU safety already on the Steelers roster...

The Steelers Options For Wide Receivers Are Wide Open

Now that the Pittsburgh Steelers have Emmanuel Sanders and Steve McLendon signed to contracts (see TIDBITS for McLendon's contract and his impact), they've secured depth at both the wide receiver and defensive line positions, but the move also likely impacted the team’s draft plans.

Without Sanders, the Steelers would have been bereft at wideout with only Antonio Brown, Jerricho Cotchery and Plaxico Burress, a lineup that wouldn't scare anyone. So the drafting of a wide receiver early is essential.

With Sanders, the Steelers are a better team, yes. Production, however, must now increase. Per Pro Football Focus, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's passer rating when throwing at Sanders in 2012 was just 79.6, below Brown, Mike Wallace and Cotchery. A season of 60 receptions, 800 yards and four touchdowns isn't setting the bar too high.

The other wide receivers currently listed on the roster are David Gilreath, Kashif Moore, Derek Moye and Bert Reed. But those names aren't going to scare anyone, either. As it stands, Brown is the team's No. 1, Sanders would be the No. 2 and Cotchery would be the No. 3 receiver. Even with Burress as your No. 4, it still leaves room for the drafting of one or possibly even two WRs to push, challenge and maybe surprise.

There are a baker's dozen or so who would fit what the Steelers are looking to do in their offense. Either a multi-threat WR/KR guy, or a red zone threat who can also take the top off of the defense. We list 10 below whom we feel are some of the Steelers' best options and ones who could have an impact in their first season:

(ASIDE: We've written ad nauseum about the West Virginia product, the four-year starter, the "they call me Mr. Austin in Oklahoma" wide receiver known as Tavon Austin, so we won't tarry here. We'll simply provide a link to a previous piece we wrote on him that contains a breakdown of "the Awesome one." - http://ifitaintsteel.blogspot.com/2013/03/do-recent-pro-day-visits-indicate-who.html)

KEENAN ALLEN -
Ignore his Pro Day times, he was still nursing a PCL injury that affected his performance. Per Allen himself via CBSSports.com, he was "only about 85% back." He's a true football player who goes and gets the ball with conviction. Also per NFL.com analyst Mike Mayock, who timed Allen at 4.71 and 4.75, Allen shouldn't be judged on that and the talk of safeties repeatedly running him down from behind.

"Let me preface the whole 40-yard conversation with this," Mayock told NFL Network's "Path to the Draft." "Three months ago, I said -- if you watch this kid on tape -- if you like him, he's Anquan Boldin. If you don't like him, he's speed-deficient. So I don't really care what he runs in the 40. On tape, to me, he's a 4.55 guy all day long." - http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/players/1737096

ROBERT WOODS -
As If It Ain't Steel said before of Woods, "he definitely has his upside, but there are also concerns."

Woods underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right ankle in December 2011, though he looked mostly healthy throughout the 2012 season, but his long-term stability will still be under scrutiny if there is any issue with his ankles. Despite this, he's still climbing the draft boards.

He is 6'1" and 185 lbs. with sub 4.4 speed, runs a 21.07 in the 200 meters and 46.02 in the 400 meters and has true separation ability. He would be a very good replacement for Mike Wallace in that he has similar scoring-threat speed, but is a better route runner and has slightly better hands. He tends to rely on his speed a little too much in order to make plays, but, well, that didn't exactly impede Wallace, did it? - http://youtu.be/IVMbjxKZyK8



DEANDRE HOPKINS -
Though he may currently be on Hotel.com's most wanted list, he's still one of the best wideouts at the top of the draft.

Hopkins is so creative in how he's able to deceive defensive backs with head fakes, then he combines his solid route-running ability with his length, fluidity, quickness and flexibility to avoid corners in zone or to gain separation. "Nuuuk" is smooth. - http://youtu.be/13cTixvMEos

JUSTIN HUNTER -
Tall and fluid, Hunter locates the ball well and makes sure he gets it. He completely believes every ball is should be his. He has big, strong hands and knows how to catch the ball away from his body. At the Tennessee Pro Day, Hunter measured in at an eyelash under 6'4", weighed 200 pounds and had a very impressive 40.5" vertical jump. - http://tinyurl.com/cz6hhct

MARKUS WHEATON -
At 6-0, 182 pounds, Wheaton isn’t the biggest receiver in the draft class, but he’s a heck of a playmaker. He’s been compared to Antonio Brown for his ability to break plays open and to run the ball on reverses. Or as CBSSports.com simply puts it, "he's a big play waiting to happen." - http://tinyurl.com/ctz3fjf

MARCUS GOODWIN -
Fast. Goodwin only had 33 touches on offense all season for Texas, including 13 carries, but he made those touches count. In spades. There were a couple of games in particular where this human pinball machine was directly responsible for the TILT of his opponents.

Goodwin, a 10.4 100-meter speedster and Olympic long jumper, had five total touches for 132 yards and two touchdowns against Oregon State, and another four touches for 182 yards and two touchdowns against Ole Miss. Included in those stats were TD runs of 64 and 69 yards respectively. - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Je7sPrc4RnQ

RYAN SWOPE -
Jim Wexell of Steel City Insider said of him that he's "a steal" if he drops below the 3rd round and that he is "closer to HWard {with a} large sac." (Brackets ours) He's 6'0", 204 lbs., is tough, is a very good blocker and simply loves playing the game. And, also like Ward, he's fearless over the middle and he always gets up smiling. - http://youtu.be/howDumVCmfU

STEDMAN BAILEY -
A three-year starter, Bailey caught 114 passes for 1,622 yards and 25 touchdowns in 2012. Yet, despite his college success, despite better numbers than teammate Tavon Austin and despite being clocked at 4.48 and 4.46 in the 40-yard dash at his Pro Day, Bailey is still projected as a third rounder. - http://ifitaintsteel.blogspot.com/2013/04/making-case-for-tavon-austin-and.html

Make no mistake, Bailey is the real deal. Get out the game film and watch him consistently get open. He opens up shop 10-to-20 yards down the field and works his craft against all defensive looks. Bailey is a good and quick route runner who knows how to get himself open. He has great body control and goes and gets the majority of the balls thrown his way. And when he doesn't get it, he knows how to play the defender role. - http://tinyurl.com/bpnda5o

If Steady B is still available at pick No. 79, his blue and gold could turn to Black and Gold.

As a way of an honorable mention, Tavarres King of Georgia and Josh Boyce of TCU have been to the the Steelers South Side facilities on pre-draft visits. King is a fluid WR with very good hands and Boyce has good speed and is a natural playmaker.

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TIDBITS: Steelers nose tackle Steve McLendon signed a 3-year $7.25M deal with a $1.67M signing bonus. Per Ian Rapoport, the Steelers had $743K cap room before McLendon deal. But his RFA counted $1.323M. Now, he'll count about $1.4M with his new deal (leaving the Steelers with approximately $600,000 in Salary Cap space).

His signing was fortuitous also. Without McLendon, the trio of Alameda Ta'amu, Al Woods and Hebron Fangupo represent a not ready for primetime group at nose tackle, with the only one starter capable being Ta'amu. Drafting a defensive tackle/end could certainly still figure in to the plan, but even that player would need at least a year of grooming. So the signing was not only fortuitous, but prodigious.

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The Steelers schedule is out: http://tinyurl.com/czuo25k


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Isaac Redman signs tender to remain with Steelers http://tinyurl.com/cjgxawm