SteelCzar76's Mock 1st rnd. (And i'm sticking to it.)

[tony hipchest]

Originally Posted by SteelCzar76

That would be WR Calvin Johnson. (Probably the closest thing to a 'sure bet' in years) But i don't think Colbert and Co have the 'stones' and or 'vision' for that move.

hell, we could position ourselves to trade ward and faneca for c. johnson and j. thomas (and not cost that much more in picks or future cash) but not only would the steelers balk, the fans would downright riot.

[Livinginthe past]

Originally Posted by SteelCzar76

I have you guys going with Revis because of the contract situation with Assante Samuel. I also have you guys taking Eric Weddle at Safety because let's face it,......Harrison is a stud,....but he may be on the downside of his career. (Along with the fact that you guys seemed to have filled your needs at WR and LB via free agency.)
Weddle is not a physical specimen,... but to me he has Patriot written all over him. He was extremely productive at Utah. He's a fundamentally sound, disciplined, hard worker with great range,... and is always 'around the ball'.
He's not flashy,.. but he's a playmaker. The knock on him was his speed (or lack thereof) but he turned in a 4.4 at the combine.
You could go with a 'physical' stud like Sabby Piscitelli,.....but Weddle just seems like a better fit. Simply put,....the kid is a 'Football player' IMO.

Harrison is definitely on the downside - its hard to see him playing past this year - thats if he lasts as long as that.

I like what you say about Weddle, but I just don't think he needs to be picked up in the 1st round - LaRon Landy would be a nice pick (in a possible trade).

Safety has been an important position for us, if we could pick up someone with his tangibles and with a year to learn from Rodney - well, its a nice thought.

[tony hipchest]

Originally Posted by SteelCzar76

I have you guys going with Revis because of the contract situation with Assante Samuel. I also have you guys taking Eric Weddle at Safety because let's face it,......Harrison is a stud,....but he may be on the downside of his career. (Along with the fact that you guys seemed to have filled your needs at WR and LB via free agency.)
Weddle is not a physical specimen,... but to me he has Patriot written all over him. He was extremely productive at Utah. He's a fundamentally sound, disciplined, hard worker with great range,... and is always 'around the ball'.
He's not flashy,.. but he's a playmaker. The knock on him was his speed (or lack thereof) but he turned in a 4.4 at the combine.
You could go with a 'physical' stud like Sabby Piscitelli,.....but Weddle just seems like a better fit. Simply put,....the kid is a 'Football player' IMO.

you know who weddle reminds me of? a smaller version of brian urlacher. he can do anything on both sides of the ball (rb, wr, cb, lb, s) and has the same motor and intensity. however it is common for the nfl to sleep on WAC players because of the supposed "lack of competition".

the biggest question mark on urlacher, tomlinson, faulk, s. young was that they played in the WAC yet theyre all HOF potential players who are some of the best (if not the best) players in their respective draft class.

[SteelCzar76]

Originally Posted by tony hipchest

you know who weddle reminds me of? a smaller version of brian urlacher. he can do anything on both sides of the ball (rb, wr, cb, lb, s) and has the same motor and intensity. however it is common for the nfl to sleep on WAC players because of the supposed "lack of competition".

the biggest question mark on urlacher, tomlinson, faulk, s. young was that they played in the WAC yet theyre all HOF potential players who are some of the best (if not the best) players in their respective draft class.

My sentiments exactly Tone. (regarding the league 'sleeping' on players based upon conferance)
Yes it's always a plus to see a guy turn in impressive performances against competition the elite 'power house' programs. But at the same time,....if a kid displays the ability to be productive consistently, along with being head and shoulders above his his onfield peers. (Regardless as to whom they are as long as it's D1 ball),....i think they deserve a shot.

Granted though,...i'm never sold on any of the 'workout warriors' with little or no actual onfield production from ANY program. LOL

[mac daddy]

this is good i like it

[Elvis]

I honestly believe that if I were to be the GM for the Raiders I would Not take a player that just had 1 good year... no way.. Brady Quinn would be my pick at there if I were gonna take a QB.. but I think that the Raiders should trade down and get some more picks, thats what they need. One player is not gonna make this team that much better... not a rookie anyway..
Elvis

[BettisFan]

what is this

[tony hipchest]

good article. the more i read about weddle the more i want him to be a steeler.

More than a knack, these players have skill


By Pat Kirwan
NFL.com Senior Analyst




(April 13, 2007) -- It's easy to say things like "the guy just has a knack for it" when describing how some players just seem to find ways to get the ball back on defense. I don't buy the idea that there's a knack to anything in football.

Guys work at all the skills required to play the game, they have the athletic ability to make plays on the ball, and they never waste an opportunity to do the extra things.

I always go through the whole draft class looking for those defensive players who found ways to excel at getting the ball back for the offense. The NFL game hinges on turnovers, and defenders who will not drop an interception -- or who are always thinking about stripping the football when they're the second or third tackler on the scene, or are always hustling to a loose ball on the ground -- intrigue me more than a 40-yard dash time.

This draft class has a number of defensive players who run off the field with the ball in their hand enough times to take notice. For example, how do you explain a linebacker who ran a slow 4.95 40-yard time yet had 10 interceptions and forced three fumbles? He plays faster than his timed speed and understands the most important thing is to get the ball back for the offense, but he's projected to be a fifth-round player.

Here are the players who found the football a lot during their college days and soon could be part of your team. Take a look at the combined number of interceptions, forced fumbles and fumble recoveries these draft prospects produced in their college careers.



Name/ School/ Pos./ INT-FF-FR total/ Projected round
Eric Weddle Utah S 27 2nd
Michael Griffin Texas S 24 1st
Josh Gattis Wake Forest S 23 4th
Sabby Piscitelli Oregon St S 19 3rd
Leon Hall Michigan CB 18 1st
John Wendling Wyoming S 16 4th
Daymeion Hughes California CB 15 2nd
LaMarr Woodley Michigan DE 15 2nd
Dan Bazuin Cent. Michigan DE 15 4th
Aaron Ross Texas CB 14 1st
Tony Taylor Georgia LB 13 5th
Anthony Spencer Purdue DE 13 1st
Rufus Alexander Oklahoma LB 13 3rd
Tim Crowder Texas DE 12 3rd



How about the Texas defense, which had three players in this draft class who combined for 50 plays that got the ball back for the offense? Or Michigan, with two players creating 33 turnovers? The linebacker with the above-mentioned 4.95 (and a fifth-round grade) is Tony Taylor. Dan Bazuin not only forced nine fumbles and recovered six, but he also blocked four field goals.

NFL defensive coordinators will never stop talking about how important it is to get the ball back. I say it's more important to get players with a proven track record of getting the ball back and stop hoping they have a knack for it.

[lamberts-lost-tooth]

Originally Posted by tony hipchest

good article. the more i read about weddle the more i want him to be a steeler.

Weddle accepted a scholarship to the University of Utah where he went on to see action in all 12 games as a true freshman. He started 9 games at right cornerback that season, finishing with 60 tackles, 4 sacks, 1 interception, and 3 pass break-ups. He was named academic all-MWC, as well as numerous freshman all-American teams following the season.
As a sophomore, Eric moved to strong safety, starting 11 games, missing one due to a knee injury. He totaled 75 tackles, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble, 2 interceptions, and 5 pass break-ups on his way to second team all-MWC honors.
His junior season was a breakout year for Weddle. After moving back to cornerback, he finished with 78 tackles, 4 sacks, 4 interceptions, and 12 pass break-ups on the year. His 16 passes defensed were the most in the Mountain West Conference. He returned 24 punts for 154 yards (6.4 avg) on special teams. He was named first team all-conference and Mountain West defensive player of the year. He finished off the season by being named defensive MVP of the Emerald Bowl after holding Calvin Johnson to 2 catches for 19 yards.

He is a very versatile player, starting at cornerback and safety. He returned punts for two years and even lined up at receiver and running back from time to time. His combination of size and speed allows him to cover just about any receiver that lines up against him. He has good hands and is a threat to take it all the way after the interception. Against San Diego State, Eric had 3 interceptions, taking all 3 back for touchdowns. Eric is a tough, aggressive run defender and a hard hitter. He has been used quite often on the blitz and has proven to be effective getting to the quarterback. Eric also has served as a punt returner on special teams which will only add to his draft day value. Eric Weddle is a versatile player who could project free safety, strong safety, or cornerback at the next level. He should be a first day pick in the 2007 NFL Draft.

[tony hipchest]

teams are a little hesitant cause they say he likes (and wants to be a cb). the only reason he was moved from a cb to safety in college was because teams simply quit going in his direction. noving him to saftey utilized his talents and got him back in the action.

shutting down c. johnson is pretty impressive for a white guy. dare i say hes the next jason sehorn?