I already chimed in on what I thought about the DeCastro pick in my Rounds 2 and 3 primer and shared my thoughts on the Adams and Spence picks in the Rounds 4-7 primer, but I figured I'd put everything together and add some more on Adams and Spence.
First of all, I love the DeCastro pick. I know taking a guard is a boring way to go, but it also makes a lot of sense. I didn't include anything about DeCastro in my round one preview because I didn't think he was going to be available. The Steelers got the best guard in the draft and a top 20 player at 24th overall. Not too shabby at all. He's smart, he's tough, he plays with a mean streak, and he reminds me a lot of Alan Faneca. I think he'll be starting at right guard when the 2012 season kicks off and he's going to make a big impact on the interior of the offensive line.
Mike Adams has tons of talent, but there are character concerns, namely that he tested positive for marijuana at the combine in February. I can only assume that's because every grocery store in Indianapolis was out of cranberry juice, but whatever. I have no problem with guys smoking weed on their own time, but the league has a big problem with it. The Steelers have a big problem with it, which is one of the reasons they traded Santonio Holmes. I'm sure everyone has heard by now that they found out he tested positive and they took him off their board entirely (had a first round grade on him at the time). Then Adams, who lives in western Pennsylvania, called up the Steeler headquarters and asked to meet with Tomlin, Colbert, and the Rooneys. He convinced them that he had gotten past his demons and was seeking counseling for marijuana addiction (which is apparently a thing).
My thinking is that he's been scared straight, at least for the first two or three seasons (like Holmes), and the Steelers get a first round talent at a need position in the second round. I don't think he'll be starting at the beginning of the season, but I can definitely see him following in the footsteps of Marcus Gilbert and cracking the line-up at some point in the middle of 2012. If nothing else, these two picks give the Steelers the kind of youth, talent, and options that they haven't had on the offensive line in a long, long time. That's huge. Anything they do to help protect Ben Roethlisberger helps them win games. This is a rebuilding project that really started with Maurkice Pouncey in 2010, but I love that they kept at it, kept adding guys, and those guys worked out.
Sean Spence was a four year starter at The U, their linebackers have a history of playing well at the NFL level, he's better in coverage than any linebacker on the roster not named Timmons, and he plays faster than his stopwatch speed. He'll contribute in the nickle and dime packages and on special teams and he'll back up Timmons. Solid guy, solid pick, but I'd be surprised if he ever starts. He could play a lot of snaps and contribute a great deal -- especially if teams continue to favor throwing the ball -- but I think his upside is limited. He's a guy with a high floor and a low ceiling. I'm fine with that in the third round.
I'd like to point out that I (kinda) called the Alameda Ta'amu pick. Second time's a charm and I will take it. He's a huge dude, he eats up a lot of blockers in the middle of the field, and he wins at the point of attack. He doesn't have polished pass rushing moves and he'll probably need to come off the field on third down and in sub packages. Well, so what? Casey Hampton has been playing this role (and playing it well) in this defense for the last 11 seasons. If Ta'amu can replicate Hampton's performance and results, then this is a fantastic pick. If Ta'amu struggles with his weight and balloons up to 400 pounds, then the pick isn't so great. I'm thinking the pick will end up being fantastic.
Chris Rainey sent a threatening text message and got suspended by the Florida Gators. He was young, he was dumb, he'd take it back if he could. I was young and still am dumb, so I can understand and move on. Rainey, basically, played the Percy Harvin role in Florida's defense the last couple of years. The major difference between Rainey and Harvin is that Harvin's bigger, faster, and more explosive than Rainey. That's why Harvin was drafted in the middle of the first round and Rainey was drafted in the fifth round.
But, I think Rainey is plenty fast and explosive enough to make a difference if the Steelers get him 5-8 touches a game. He's a running back by position, but he's lined up in the slot like a receiver and he's also returned kicks. I think they get him involved in the return game right away to take some of the load off Antonio Brown then slowly work him in on offense. He doesn't pass block well, so Kirby Wilson would need to show him the finer points of that skill before they put him in at tailback. If the other team knows he can't block and he's in at tailback and he wasn't in for the other 40 snaps in the game, the defense knows where the ball is going. Limiting his touches and setting him up in the best position to succeed will make sure that he gets the most out of his 5-8 shots a game. For a fifth round pick in an offense that could use another playmaker, I think Rainey's another great pickup.
They traded their sixth round pick to move up and draft Ta'amu and I'm fine with that. In the seventh round, I really have no idea. This round has been mostly crap for the Steelers in the Tomlin era and, in general, there aren't a bunch of quality guys that emerge from the seventh round.
I like the Toney Clemons and Terrance Frederick picks. I don't like the David Paulson and Kelvin Beachum picks.
Clemons is a big dude (6'2", 210) that doesn't run particularly well and likes to work the middle of the field. That at least gives the Steelers a change of pace, since every other receiver on the roster is about 5'10" and about 190. He also has inconsistent hands. As I've mentioned before, that's not really something that can be coached out of a guy at this point. He's had inconsistent hands for about 20 years. He's had people try to teach him to do different things to get over it. He's had coaches yell at him to stop dropping passes. He's been through all that and won't suddenly have consistent hands just because a pro coach is working with him instead of a college one.
Really, he's Limas Sweed but less risky. He was a seventh round pick and the Steelers are already pretty loaded at the position. If he works out, he gives them variety and depth. If he doesn't... meh. Bonus coverage: This is what I wrote about Antonio Brown in my 2010 review: "He has no chance to make the roster unless he returns kicks." That's it. That's all I had. But, he worked out just fine, so maybe Clemons will, too.
Frederick is another unremarkable warm body that plays cornerback and is much better at zone coverage than man coverage. The Steelers need like five of those guys for training camp, with one guy hopefully emerging as a starter or (really hopefully) as a star.
Paulson isn't a great blocker and he isn't a great receiver. He's just "good" at a lot of things. My thinking is that's not good enough to make this roster, particularly after the Steelers signed Leonard Pope.
Beachum played tackle at SMU and projects as a guard in the NFL. The Steelers have DeCastro, Legursky, Foster, Essex, and possibly Colon if he moves to guard. That's five guys that are all way better than Beachum and they're competing for two jobs. I don't think Beachum is good enough to overcome those odds, but I hope he proves me wrong (Essex is hogging a roster spot). You hear that, Beachum? PROVE ME WRONG.
All in all, I loved this draft. Way more hits than misses, solid picks through the first five rounds, and two potential starters on the offensive line.
I was talking to a friend of mine last night about the draft. He and I both have felt, since about December, that bad times are ahead for the Steelers. After this draft, we both agreed that there is cause for optimism. Now that's a powerful draft right there.
Steelers Grade: A
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