Steelers Pick and First Round Mock

The Steelers head into the first round of the NFL draft tonight in a good position with their number 18 overall pick. The Steelers have no definitive needs in their starting line-up and are in a position to take the best available player with their selection. Yes, they have some needs, but none are so desperately glaring for the 2010 season that the Steelers would need to reach on any specific position with their first round pick. The Steelers could use an upgrade and added depth at the corner position, and upgrade on the offensive line, and inside linebacker depth and potentially an heir apparent to the aging James Farrior. Depending on how things shake out in front of them, I could see the Steelers taking any of those three positions in the first round and addressing the other two at some point in the draft.

This all assumes, of course, that the Steelers do not make the bold move and deal quarterback Ben Roethlisberger sometime before or during the draft. If the Steelers decide to move Roethlisberger, all bets are off. I really do not believe the Steelers are going to move Ben for a variety of reasons, but if they would decide to move him, here would be my criteria to make a deal. The Steelers would need to receive at least two first round draft picks (this year and next year’s) and they better be absolutely 100% sold on a quarterback in this draft that they can develop as their franchise guy. I don’t see both of those things happening.

(And just to get my thoughts on the Big Ben suspension out of the way here: In short, I think the suspension was way, way too severe. It is a minimum of 25% of the season, equivalent to 40 games in baseball or 20 games in basketball or hockey, seems very harsh when you think of it in those terms. Four games is what someone should get for using steroids, which is cheating, or multiple violations of the drug or conduct policy, not in an incident that involves he said-she said anecdotes. I am not saying Ben is in the right, he obviously has some kind of problem with how he treats women, but the Commissioner is going down quite a slippery slope in my opinion. That being said, the NFL is able to do what it wants as long as it falls under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, and here it is looking to protect its image, which is understandable from a business sense. As the old saying goes, no use crying over spilt milk. Ben’s going to miss four games, oh well, let’s move on to things we can actually speculate on.)

One rule before we start the mock draft, no trades. Trades are impossible to predict and change the complete makeover of the draft. I may mention a team looking to trade, but we are going to stick with the order as-is. So without further ado, let’s get to The People’s Quarterback first ever, NFL First Round Mock Draft:

Pick One – St. Louis Rams
Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma – I would take Suh here, but if a team is sold on a quarterback being their potential franchise guy, they have to take him. It sounds as though the Rams are sold.

Pick Two – Detroit Lions
Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska – Suh was the most dominant player in college football last year and his size, skill and athleticism should anchor a NFL defense for years. The Lions will have a QB in Matt Stafford on offense and Suh on defense to lead this team for the foreseeable future. There may just be hope in Detroit yet…

Pick Three – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Gerald McCoy, DT, Oklahoma – Perfect defensive tackle for the Bucs as they return to their 4-3 Tampa Two defensive scheme. McCoy could be a real star in the Warren Sapp-type model in this system.

Pick Four – Washington Redskins
Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma State – The Redskins need to significantly upgrade their dismal offensive line and Okung is the consensus top tackle in a heavily loaded offensive tackle draft. The Redskins will need Okung to protect McNabb’s blindside as he gets up there in age.

Pick Five – Kansas City Chiefs
Trent Williams, OT, Oklahoma – Yes if you are counting at home, that makes three Oklahoma guys in the top five. If Bradford and Gresham do not get hurt last year, that team wins the National Title. Chiefs could be tempted to draft Eric Berry here, or possibly trade down, but I don’t think Patriots’ disciple and current Chiefs GM Scott Pioli is going to spend top five money on a safety.

Pick Six – Seattle Seahawks
Eric Berry, S, Tennessee – Seattle will be tempted here to grab an offensive lineman or running back C.J. Spiller but ultimately will take the best player left on the board in Berry and hope that Spiller falls to them at number fourteen.

Pick Seven – Cleveland Browns
Dez Bryant, WR, Oklahoma State – Many “experts” feel that Bryant will drop because of his off-field transgressions. If he doesn’t go here, I could see that happening as well. But the Browns are desperate for a playmaker on offense and you know Mike Holmgren is an offensive guy.

Pick Eight – Oakland Raiders
Anthony Davis, OT, Rutgers – Who really knows what Al Davis will do, but we do know that he is always enamored with potential. Well Anthony Davis probably has the most potential of any tackle in this draft, and the Raiders do need offensive line help.

Pick Nine – Buffalo Bills
Bryan Bulaga, OT, Iowa – This feels like a pseudo-fantasy draft, only with offensive tackles. You know how the first guy who takes a defense or tight end in your fantasy draft always begins the run where like five or six go in the next round, I feel the same thing about the offensive tackles early in this draft.

Pick Ten – Jacksonville Jaguars
Earl Thomas, S, Texas – This is a spot where I definitely could see a trade happening. The Eagles want to move up for Thomas and the Seahawks could look to move up for Spiller, among many other possibilities, but we had to play by the rules. I also think somehow, someway, Tim Tebow ends up in a Jaguars uniform in this draft.

Pick Eleven – Denver Broncos (from Chicago)
Rolando McLain, LB, Alabama – This is another one of the picks that the Broncos got in the Jay Cutler deal, a move that looks better and better every day and one that I very much applauded at the time. McLain is by far the best rated inside linebacker in the draft.

Pick Twelve – Miami Dolphins
Dan Williams, DT, Tennessee – Williams is a run stuffer and a guy who eats up blockers. Perfect fit to play in Miami’s 3-4 scheme at end or nose tackle if needed. I have seen guys projecting Derrick Morgan out of Georgia Tech with this pick, but Morgan is your prototype 4-3 DE. I just do not see how he would fit in Miami’s system.

Pick Thirteen – San Francisco 49ers
Kyle Wilson, CB, Boise State – San Fran seems sold on Alex Smith at QB, otherwise this could be a potential landing spot for Jimmy Clausen. Wilson has quickly elevated up draft boards. I like Haden just a tad better, but Mike Singletary doesn’t usually follow the conventional path.

Pick Fourteen – Seattle Seahawks (From Denver)
CJ Spiller, RB, Clemson – The Seahawks luck out and get Spiller with the fourteenth pick. Spiller has Chris Johnson-type upside and Pete Carroll loves big-play ability in his running backs.

Pick Fifteen – New York Giants
Mike Iupati, OG, Idaho – This is an interesting pick for the Giants who could go a number of different directions. I think they play it safe and upgrade their offensive line.

Pick Sixteen – Tennessee Titans
Derrick Morgan, DE, Georgia Tech – I think Morgan will be the pick here if he is still available. Jason Pierre-Paul would be another candidate as a pass-rushing defensive end out of South Florida.

Pick Seventeen – San Francisco 49ers (from Carolina)
Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame – The 49ers passed once on Clausen, but I do not think they would pass a second time. I could definitely see them trading back a few spots as the next few teams do not need quarterbacks and still landing Clausen in the early 20s. I like Clausen, by the way. They guy has played in a pro-system, has the arm, has the moxy. I think he could be a really good NFL QB in the right system.

Pick Eighteen – Pittsburgh Steelers
Joe Haden, CB, Florida – The pick many of you have been waiting for. I really think this would be best case scenario for the Steelers, that is if Haden or Kyle Wilson is available at this point in the draft. Assuming the Steelers do not trade Ben, they are built to win now with their aging defense and off-season signings. A cornerback would best suit the near-term as the Steelers must improve on their pass-coverage to get back to and win another Super Bowl. If Haden and Wilson are both gone, I could see the Steelers taking Iupati here or Maurkice Pouncey of Florida to upgrade the interior of their offensive line.

Pick Nineteen – Atlanta Falcons
Jason Pierre-Paul, DE, South Florida – Everyone has the Falcons taking a defensive end here so who am I to disagree. Usually, Brandon Graham of Michigan has been that defensive end, but I don’t think the Falcons are passing on Pierre-Paul if he is available.

Pick Twenty – Houston Texans
Maurkice Pouncey, C, Florida – With the loss of Dunta Robinson, I think the Texans would really like a corner here but with Wilson and Haden off the board they will use the opportunity to upgrade the interior of their offensive line.

Pick Twenty One – Cincinnati Bengals
Jermaine Gresham, TE, Oklahoma – The Bengals need to give QB Carson Palmer more playmakers and Gresham will be the best available at this point, not to mention the Bengals need for a tight end. Gresham missed all of last season to an injury but reports are that he is fully recovered and tested well. I originally like Demaryius Thomas here, the WR out of Georgia Tech, but that was until the Bengals went out and grabbed Antonio Bryant, the former Pitt star, to play opposite of Ochocinco.

Pick Twenty Two – New England Patriots
Sergio Kindle, DE/OLB, Texas – Another of the hybrid types that Bill Belichick loves. Can play OLB in the 3-4 or DE in the 4-3. Would be a steal for the Pats at this point in the draft.

Pick Twenty Three – Green Bay Packers
Charles Brown, OT, USC – As great as Aaron Rodgers is at avoiding the rush, it is still important for the Packers to keep their franchise guy off of his back. Brown is the best tackle available at this point and should help an aging offensive line.

Pick Twenty Four – Philadelphia Eagles
Kareem Jackson, CB, Alabama – If the Eagles are unable to move up and grab a safety earlier in the first round, they could go in a number of different directions with this pick. My best guess is that they still look to upgrade in the secondary.

Pick Twenty Five – Baltimore Ravens
Demaryius Thomas, WR, Georgia Tech – Even with the addition on Anquan Boldin in the offseason the Ravens are still looking for playmakers to surround their franchise QB Joe Flacco with, a very sound strategy by my estimation.

Pick Twenty Six – Arizona Cardinals
Brandon Graham, DE, Michigan – Best player available pick. Besides, even with the loss of Kurt Warner and Boldin this offseason, it is still the defensive side of the ball the Cardinals have to be most concerned with. This is the defense that was absolutely torched by the Packers and Saints in the playoffs.

Pick Twenty Seven– Dallas Cowboys
Taylor Mays, S, USC – Why not, Jerry Jones loves stars and Mays has the look of one. Look is the key word here, however, as the jury is definitely still out on whether Mays can play or not.

Pick Twenty Eight – San Diego Chargers
Ryan Matthews, RB, Fresno State – Would be a replacement for LaDainian Tomlinson and a good compliment to Darren Sproles.

Pick Twenty Nine – New York Jets
Jerry Hughes, DE/OLB, TCU – Hughes would play OLB in the Jets’ 3-4 scheme and he certainly has the athleticism to do it. We know Rex Ryan loves getting after the QB and Hughes is certainly an expert at that.

Pick Thirty – Minnesota Vikings
Devin McCourty, CB, Rutgers – Vikings are a very well rounded football team, especially if Favre comes back, but their most pressing concern is probably in the secondary. Besides, we are pretty much throwing darts blindfolded at this point!

Pick Thirty One – Indianapolis Colts
Jared Odrick, DT, Penn State – We have to have at least one local player in the first round, right? Odrick had an outstanding year anchoring Penn State’s defensive line and should fit in nicely playing next to Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis.

Pick Thirty Two – New Orleans Saints
Sean Weatherspoon, OLB, Missouri – Weatherspoon would replace the departed Scott Fujita in the Saints linebacking core. The Saints have to go defense with this pick I would imagine.

Well there you have it, the first ever People’s Quarterback Mock Draft. Let me be the first to tell you that it was not nearly as fun to do one of these that so many of the draft analysts out there would leave you to believe...