Tomlin High on Mendenhall

[Hypocycloid]

Tomlin High On Mendenhall
7:30 PM ET NFL.com - Frank Tadych

Taking a look back at the first round, there's a consensus here that the Steelers got great value in taking RB Rashard Mendenhall at No. 24. It's one of those picks that seems to make sense all the way around. Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin says the club was pleased he fell to them.

"Coming into the day we weren't confident any of the guys we wanted would be on the board, but we are very pleased one of those guys, Rashard Mendenhall fell to us," said Tomlin. "We had this young man very high on our board and we're happy we got him. There was an eruption in the room when we saw the Cowboys took Felix Jones and we knew we would get our man. It's awesome that he has low mileage and he's shown the ability to be a workhorse and catch the ball out of the backfield."

[19ward86]

He is the big shocker of the 1st round, followed by Joe Flacco getting picking in the 1st round also.

[Haiku_Dirtt]

With all of the potential vacancies on the o-line depth chart and we take a running back?

Genius.

It's obvious that the required build-up for the o-line is going to take time. Adding one mediocre body from the end of the first round to the long list of question marks we already have is going to help us how?

The one major difference repeated over and over again by rookies who make the jump to the NFL is speed. The one common denominator for Adrian Peterson, Darren McFadden, Felix Jones, Rashard Mendenhall and Jonathan Stewart is that they all played against SC and with the exception of Stewert were all on the wrong end of an ass whoopin' - for McFadden and Jones...ass whooping times two.

But Stewert faced a dismantled version of the defense that turned Zook's squad upside down. There were perhaps two flashes of Mendenhall where he made the USC defense look like Division II - no worse, like the Buckeye defense

One hit wonder or just hitting stride? Perhaps he'll prove to be a three down back if Willie needs a breather or worse goes down. If Willie does go down then who would fill in? Davenport has limits. Where I think Rashard can make an immediate impact is in the passing game. Being the third or fourth option before Ben gets decapitated again and again will be a treasure trove for us. We hope.

We'll still go 8-8 though.

[Hypocycloid]

Originally Posted by Haiku_Dirtt

With all of the potential vacancies on the o-line depth chart and we take a running back?

Genius.

It's obvious that the required build-up for the o-line is going to take time. Adding one mediocre body from the end of the first round to the long list of question marks we already have is going to help us how?

The one major difference repeated over and over again by rookies who make the jump to the NFL is speed. The one common denominator for Adrian Peterson, Darren McFadden, Felix Jones, Rashard Mendenhall and Jonathan Stewart is that they all played against SC and with the exception of Stewert were all on the wrong end of an ass whoopin' - for McFadden and Jones...ass whooping times two.

But Stewert faced a dismantled version of the defense that turned Zook's squad upside down. There were perhaps two flashes of Mendenhall where he made the USC defense look like Division II - no worse, like the Buckeye defense

One hit wonder or just hitting stride? Perhaps he'll prove to be a three down back if Willie needs a breather or worse goes down. If Willie does go down then who would fill in? Davenport has limits. Where I think Rashard can make an immediate impact is in the passing game. Being the third or fourth option before Ben gets decapitated again and again will be a treasure trove for us. We hope.

We'll still go 8-8 though.

Did you mean Mendenhall faced a dismantled version of USC's defense? Didn't Mendehall dismantle USC's defense. He was the only bright spot for Illinois. Maybe I am mistaken.

[BettisFan]

Thats the last thing we want to be hearing Tomlin is high on something lol

[Steeldude]

an O-line without a single good player waiting in the wings. an aging D-line with no future starters or depth. those problems have now been solved by drafting a RB who will not start anytime soon.

hopefully mendenhall plays like a 1st round RB. meaning he should get 1,500+ yards. does he really have anymore potential than russell? all remains to be seen.

i wouldn't be surprised if the steelers select another RB and WR on sunday.

[Black@Gold Forever32]

Originally Posted by Steeldude

an O-line without a single good player waiting in the wings. an aging D-line with no future starters or depth. those problems have now been solved by drafting a RB who will not start anytime soon.

hopefully mendenhall plays like a 1st round RB. meaning he should get 1,500+ yards. does he really have anymore potential than russell? all remains to be seen.

i wouldn't be surprised if the steelers select another RB and WR on sunday.

I have asked this question about a dozen times today....So lets make it one more time....What OL or DL at 23 do the Steelers take?

Clady, Williams and Albert were gone......Cherilus and Otah were also gone....even freaking Sam Baker was gone...lol I know lets reach for Duane Brown who is a 2nd round talent at best...lol Only OG worth taking in the first was Albert.....No center was worth drafting in the first....

At DL I wasn't really thrilled with Balmer or Campbell....I don't think they fit the 3-4....which the Steelers still employ as their base defense.....Phillip Merling would have been a solid pick and I really could see Merling at 23...But I'm also not sure if he can play in a 3-4.....

Mendenhall was considered the second best RB in this draft and offered to much value to pass up.....Same goes for Sweed in the 2nd round....At the Steelers pick in the second round the OL and DL left didn't meet the value Sweed had.....

There is still some quality OL and DL left out there.....This is were the Steelers really need to hit big and put the final touches on a potentially great draft....

[Preacher]

Originally Posted by Black@Gold Forever32

I have asked this question about a dozen times today....So lets make it one more time....What OL or DL at 23 do the Steelers take?

Clady, Williams and Albert were gone......Cherilus and Otah were also gone....even freaking Sam Baker was gone...lol I know lets reach for Duane Brown who is a 2nd round talent at best...lol Only OG worth taking in the first was Albert.....No center was worth drafting in the first....

At DL I wasn't really thrilled with Balmer or Campbell....I don't think they fit the 3-4....which the Steelers still employ as their base defense.....Phillip Merling would have been a solid pick and I really could see Merling at 23...But I'm also not sure if he can play in a 3-4.....

Mendenhall was considered the second best RB in this draft and offered to much value to pass up.....Same goes for Sweed in the 2nd round....At the Steelers pick in the second round the OL and DL left didn't meet the value Sweed had.....

There is still some quality OL and DL left out there.....This is were the Steelers really need to hit big and put the final touches on a potentially great draft....

I think there was a couple different things.

1. the idea was to trade down about 5 or 8 picks and pick up another pick in the second or third round. Then, pick up Merling or someone else.

2. the other question is.. why didn't they trade a third to move up and pick a OL or even a DL.

When they were sitting at their pick... and maybe not the right offers coming in... who should have they picked? At that point, other than maybe merling... it is a good pick.

[Steeldude]

Originally Posted by Black@Gold Forever32

I have asked this question about a dozen times today....So lets make it one more time....What OL or DL at 23 do the Steelers take?

trade down or trade up.

picking BPA in a position that doesn't need an upgrade is puzzling. there is a very good chance that mendenhall won't see the field for 3 or more years.

[polamalu82]

Originally Posted by Black@Gold Forever32

I have asked this question about a dozen times today....So lets make it one more time....What OL or DL at 23 do the Steelers take?

Clady, Williams and Albert were gone......Cherilus and Otah were also gone....even freaking Sam Baker was gone...lol I know lets reach for Duane Brown who is a 2nd round talent at best...lol Only OG worth taking in the first was Albert.....No center was worth drafting in the first....

At DL I wasn't really thrilled with Balmer or Campbell....I don't think they fit the 3-4....which the Steelers still employ as their base defense.....Phillip Merling would have been a solid pick and I really could see Merling at 23...But I'm also not sure if he can play in a 3-4.....

Mendenhall was considered the second best RB in this draft and offered to much value to pass up.....Same goes for Sweed in the 2nd round....At the Steelers pick in the second round the OL and DL left didn't meet the value Sweed had.....

There is still some quality OL and DL left out there.....This is were the Steelers really need to hit big and put the final touches on a potentially great draft....

You see it exactly the way I wish everyone on this board should see it. Every NFL team has a draft board. Listed "first" to "worst". In the early rounds you take Best Available Player left on your board. The Steelers had no DL or OL players ranked high enough in rounds 1 and 2 to make the call.