After getting what was probably the steal of the draft in David DeCastro, the question now becomes: What the hell are the Steelers going to do tonight?
I'm not sure, but I look forward to it.
You see, I, along with many other crazies out there in Steeler Nation who follow the draft intently, had the Steelers taking a guard 2nd round in Brandon Brooks. However, with the DeCastro pick, I'm not so sure. If you had asked me prior to the 1st round who I would have wanted above all others, I'd have said DeCastro. I never thought that would have been a possibility. Which is why I had the Steelers pegged to take Brooks tonight, something I still wouldn't mind.
In recent years I'd have said it was possible the Steelers would go with back to back players of the same position, but this year we have more needs. Which is why, though I still have to consider Brooks the favorite, here are some guys who are also options.
The first guy I'll list is the equivalent of what DeCastro was to me yesterday before the draft. The guy I want most, who I don't expect to slide but there is a sliver of hope. That guy is Lavonte David, who could be molded to play inside next to Timmons. He is my favorite option, but remains someone I doubt lasts.
Last night we saw guard Cordy Glenn slip out of the first round but he'll be gone in the first 10 picks of the 2nd. He will not fall. Otherwise I'd love to get him, but it won't happen. Courtney Upshaw, Coby Fleener and Stephen Hill are in the same boat. The Rams have been on the clock since last night, and my guess is they take Hill with the first of their three 2nd rounders. Fleener won't make it past the Colts at 34, while one of the following, Upshaw, Glenn or Peter Konz, will likely go to the Ravens at 35.
So what we're left with is a handful of guys who could be available when the Steelers go on the clock with the 56th pick of the draft.
Obviously we've got Brandon Brooks as an option, and despite taking a guard first round, it would not shock me if the Steelers went there again having shown quite a bit of interest in Brooks since his pro day. It depends just how closely the Steelers follow their board. You could certainly make the argument that we need another guard to start opposite DeCastro anyway, though I think Ramon Foster has shown tremendous improvement.
There are a slew of possibilities on the offensive line, but just like with Brooks, the same question arises over whether the Steelers would go there with back-to-back picks. In addition to Brooks, Amini Silatolu, Bobbie Massie, Jonathan Martin, Mike Adams, Kelechi Osemele, Mitchell Schwartz, Jeff Allen and Peter Konz could all still be available at 56.
If not another lineman, my next option would be Mychal Kendricks, an ILB out of California. He has blazing speed (4.47 40) and good upper body strength to go with it (24 reps on the bench). He is a smaller, faster version of Timmons, who together could make for the most athletic tandems of inside linebackers in the game. Kendricks can hit, and with proper coaching will make for one hell of a backer in a 3-4 defense. He has all the intangibles to become an excellent cover man and pass rusher which is the mark of true three down linebacker. If this is the pick, I'll be very happy.
Let me say this, I doubt the Steelers will take a RB this round. If Doug Martin or David Wilson had slipped down to 56 I might have considered it, but they were taken with the last two picks of the 1st. Neither Lamar Miller nor LaMichael James would be worth it, so RB probably wouldn't be considered until the 3rd round.
CB will merit some consideration but it's unlikely. I'm not loving any of the guys who'll be available. Not to mention I've seen no evidence to show that the Steelers are interested in any of the guys who'll probably go 2nd round.
I can't see the Steelers going TE unless Coby Fleener falls, which he won't. Had Harrison Smith been available I'd have considered safety as a possibility but with that no longer the case, they won't be drafting one tonight. Won't be a RB or WR until the 3rd round at the earliest. And obviously no QB.
We still need a NT somewhere in this class but I'd rather go there in the 3rd round than the 2nd. Mike Martin and Josh Chapman, as I've stated before, are the most likely options when the Steelers pick 86th. However one guy on the defensive line I could see as a possibility is Derek Wolfe, the DE out of Cincinnati who has absolutely flown up draft boards the last few months. He would play as a 5 technique, and reminds me of Aaron Smith.
As usual I doubt the Steelers would trade up. Especially not this round because I'm just not sure who they would be high enough on to want to jump up. There are plenty of options so they'll find a good value at 56. Unless someone they love is within maybe 5 picks and they're worried about missing out on him, I'd be dumbfounded to see them move up. Moving down is unlikely, but more of a possibility as some consider Brooks and Kendricks to be late 2nd, early 3rd round prospects. If we turned our 2nd rounder into a 3rd and 5th, it wouldn't shock me. We've traded out of the 2nd before under Colbert so I won't call this scenario impossible.
In summation, Lavonte David is the guy I hope to get but don't expect to, so consider Brooks the favorite. I would be perfectly happy if we took Kendricks, Silatolu or Wolfe as well.
3rd round, I still think it comes down to Mike Martin and Josh Chapman, but should they both be gone I'll be hopng for Robert Turbin who is an absolute freak at RB.
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