D. Lebeau told J. Laurinaitis...

[lilyoder6]

the last couple of mock drafts i have seen.. they have him going in the 2nd rd..

so he should be there

[DACEB]

Originally Posted by revefsreleets

He won't be there...I already said I'd eat my hat if he lasts that long.

Originally Posted by revefsreleets

But he'll be gone by 20 or so anyway...

Originally Posted by revefsreleets

I still think he's gone well before #32.

Never mind the hat, why not a bet. If he doesn't go by 20 like you say then you leave the board, if he does then I'll go. How 'bout it?

[SunshineMan21]

Originally Posted by revefsreleets

No, because he'll be gone.

Laurinaitis is indeed dropping because of combine stuff. But combine #'s are only tools that help determine the decisions FO's make, and draft analysts DO NOT SELECT PLAYERS IN THE NFL DRAFT. In fact, the only real number I saw that was so negative was his 40, and, as I've said before, the day players start playing the game in shorts and t-shirts and running in straight lines is the day I'll pay attention to 40 times. He's football fast, and that's what counts...

Also, James' decsion to not play in the Sr. Bowl hurt him a little bit in the eyes of some, but, really, what was he going to prove? He's played for 4, and started for 3 in a program that has had an average ending rank of #5. He had and has nothing to prove.

I still think he's gone well before #32.

Gholston I think has little to do with it, either. It's premature to call Ghost a bust, because he was a DE on the Bucks and mostly asked to rush the QB. Just as it takes time for our LBers (who PLAYED LB in college) to adjust to the system, it will take him some time to adjust to standing up. I think he'll end up being a decent LB. But Lil Animal is something special. But he's also a Buckeye, which triggers knee-jerk hate...that doesn't help either.

Again, FO's aren't going to late hatred of a program blind them to true talent. That kind of ignorance is much better represented by MB posters...

By the by, another LB who's stock dropped because his 40 time was percieved as too slow was Chad Greenway. He ran a 4.74 and was supposed to drop in the draft because of it. He was picked 17th overall, and that "bust" had 115 tackles and 5.5 sacks last year.

Greenway is not as good as Laurinaitis.

You may like him. I certainly like him. And LeBeau seems to like him. That doesn't mean that FOs (who, let's be honest, aren't all as capable as Colbert) like him.

The fact is, FOs don't like him enough to draft him top 20 . . . I would bet a ton he's not gone by 20, and if he were taken that early it would be considered a fairly large surprise at this point.

Most mocks have him as a second-round picks at this point, because there are only so many LBs that are going to get drafted that high, and most teams have the 3-4 Hybrids, as well as the USC LBs ahead of him.

[J Dogg]

I have to wonder how many coaches say things like this to players and it never makes it to the media.

[J Dogg]

Originally Posted by SunshineMan21

You may like him. I certainly like him. And LeBeau seems to like him. That doesn't mean that FOs (who, let's be honest, aren't all as capable as Colbert) like him.

The fact is, FOs don't like him enough to draft him top 20 . . . I would bet a ton he's not gone by 20, and if he were taken that early it would be considered a fairly large surprise at this point.

Most mocks have him as a second-round picks at this point, because there are only so many LBs that are going to get drafted that high, and most teams have the 3-4 Hybrids, as well as the USC LBs ahead of him.

If the Steelers were going to take a linebacker, I'd rather have Manaluga.

[SunshineMan21]

See, but Maualuga actually won't be there at 32.

I'm not sure whether Laurinaitis will, either, but I don't think Maulaugua is an option. If he was, I think he would be possibly better than Laurinaitis, although I'm not sure it's clear-cut.

[Steel Head]

Originally Posted by SunshineMan21

See, but Maualuga actually won't be there at 32.

I'm not sure whether Laurinaitis will, either, but I don't think Maulaugua is an option. If he was, I think he would be possibly better than Laurinaitis, although I'm not sure it's clear-cut.

dont be all fixed on staying at #32. the Steelers aren't shy about moving up to select someone. If there is somebody the Steelers value highly that starts slipping in the 1st round, the Steelers could easily move up 5-10 spots to grab him.

[revefsreleets]

Originally Posted by DACEB

Never mind the hat, why not a bet. If he doesn't go by 20 like you say then you leave the board, if he does then I'll go. How 'bout it?

Pass. It's the draft. Nothing is certain.

[SunshineMan21]

Originally Posted by Steel Head

dont be all fixed on staying at #32. the Steelers aren't shy about moving up to select someone. If there is somebody the Steelers value highly that starts slipping in the 1st round, the Steelers could easily move up 5-10 spots to grab him.

That's true, but I don't think we would move up for a LB. A LB would almost certainly be a BPA pick we made because they fell into our laps.

[revefsreleets]

hey might move for an OL. They might move for a Butler or Jenkins if they are in love with a guy like that. But can't see it for anything other than OL or CB.