Kirwans Take on the New Steelers

[tony hipchest]

he had mendenhall ranked #2 rb overall-

http://www.nfl.com/draft/story;jsess...o&confirm=true

2. Rashard Mendenhall, Illinois
Height: 5-10 Weight: 225
College stats: 14 starts, 388 carries, 2,539 yards, 22 TDs; 59 receptions, 5 TDs
Vital numbers: 4.45 40-yard dash

Mendenhall is a one-year starter and the limited carries is a plus for teams looking for under-used college backs. I watched the Penn State and USC games and Mendenhall has the power to burst through the line and the speed to have a significant number of explosive plays in the NFL. He has excellent weight room strength and can take contact. Sees the field well and will take advantage of over-pursuing defenses. Many draftable defensive players mentioned him as the best back they faced. Catching the ball is easy for him and an expanded pass attack around him is a strong possibility. He has 397 less carries than McFadden. Draft projection: Round 1.

and he had sweed ranked #1

http://www.nfl.com/draft/story;jsess...o&confirm=true

1. Limas Sweed, Texas
Height: 6-4 Weight: 210
College stats: 124 receptions, 20 TDs
Vital numbers: 4.50 40-yard dash, 4.33 short shuttle, 37 ½-inch vertical

Limas stayed in college for four year and refined his route running and ability to read coverage's. There is a lot less risk with Sweed than many of the other receivers. He had 39 starts in college football as opposed to Devin Thomas with 13 college starts. As he said to me in our discussions, "I know how to get open, I can leap and the best thing I do is adjust to the ball." Sweed will not be in the dark when he lines up against NFL secondary, while some of the other candidates just might be lost. Finally, this guy has excellent character. Draft projection: Round 1.

[rdsovchen]

Do you think we could possibly walk away from day one with two of the biggest steals of the draft? How lucky can we get for these two guys to fall all that way.

[tony hipchest]

Originally Posted by rdsovchen

Do you think we could possibly walk away from day one with two of the biggest steals of the draft? How lucky can we get for these two guys to fall all that way.

this is only 1 guys opinion (1 that i place highly) but i do think the steelers do really well when they take the highest ranked player at their position in the 1st few rounds of the draft.

this is potential insurance for possible departures of ward and parker leaving in the next few years, when we are faced with keeping miller and holmes.

it gives us some flexibility and potentially opens up alot of cap room if the steelers need to address other needs after this season.

[ShutDown24]

I know a few people in the business (As well as the unexperienced mind of myself) who thought Mendenhall was better than McFadden.

I'm so excited for Sweed. I have almost a 'too good to be true' mindset about him. I like can't believe he's a Steeler. Something about him, I just really feel like he can be big time. REAL big time.

I am VERY happy with our draft so far. With the big men who were available I think we made the right, easy decision and took the best players on the board.

[Texasteel]

I think we did very well, there was no OT left that I would spend the 23rd pick on, and the trades we all were talking about happened before the Steelers pick.

Taking Sweed with the 53rd is hard to argue with, looking at the O-linemen that were left.

We still have the 3rd round, and if we find Langford, Moore, or Godfrey still there we still have the 4th round. No O-lineman we take now is likly to start for us, all those guys were gone before we had our 1st pick. In my opinion we are looking at backup from here on even though we might get luck on a lesser known OT.

I'm just not ready to cry the sky is falling just yet.

[19ward86]

Steelers and Cheifs by far made the best moves of day 1.

[LambertIsGod58]

best player on the board...that's what it's about. I agree, with the OL that were left, we'd be crazy to pass on Limas.

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

No O-lineman we drafted at #23 was gonna start this year anyways. The only problem with one drafted from now on is the learning curve might be even longer. I'm somehow hoping Collins is there in round 3, but I think he will be gone.

Still gotta like Sweed. Like Brohm, he was the top ranked guy at his position when the college season started last year and he's gonna be a good pro. Mendenhall is the total package at RB, while McFadden doesnt run between the tackles. Both were steals.

[Preacher]

Like I've said in another post... and another and another...


If we had another FA come in on the line as well.. I would have been perfectly happy with this draft.

If we had a OL drafted first, I would have been very happy with the second.

I am just worried about our line.

Of course... come camp and the beginning of the year.. I will be screaming for these same guys.

[Black@Gold Forever32]

Originally Posted by Preacher

Like I've said in another post... and another and another...


If we had another FA come in on the line as well.. I would have been perfectly happy with this draft.

If we had a OL drafted first, I would have been very happy with the second.

I am just worried about our line.

Of course... come camp and the beginning of the year.. I will be screaming for these same guys.

Can I ask at 23 what OL was really there that you wanted? All the top OTs were gone by 23 and even Brandon Albert the top OG who maybe can play LT one day was gone....Over-rated OTs like Otah and Cherilus were gone.....Then Sam Baker who was a complete reach was gone....I guess the Steelers seriously could have reached for Duane Brown at 23.....There was no center worth drafting in the first round either....

Then in the 2nd round there really wasn't any OL worth taking.....I thought Duane Brown was going to be there for the Steelers in the 2nd but the Texans reached for him...lol

I still think OT is a serious need but I just feel there really wasn't one worth taking at the Steelers picks....So I'm hoping they take an Anthony Collins in the 3rd or a Barry Richardson in the 4th.....

Its all about value when it comes to the draft and the Steelers netted some serious value with both picks.....I think the Steelers still can find a gem for their OL or DL....