Who We're Looking at...

[Finnegans Wake]

Thanks.  The visits generally correlate well to R1 picks, Mendenhall a notable exception, as no one thought he'd slide that far.  It's at least a decent guide to players we like, if not position/round clusters.

Will update with the rest of Bouchette's players once I figure the exemptions.  Pretty sure Davis is one, but there must be

More college players visit Steelers
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Four more college players are visiting the Steelers today in the runup to next week's draft: wide receiver Travis Shelton of Temple, linebacker Spence Adkins of Miami, Fla., quarterback Nate Davis of Ball State and guard Andy Levitre of Oregon State.

I knew we liked Levitre and thought we had him scheduled, but this was the first confirmation.  If three go one, three must come off.  Davis might be one, but two others must be locals, too.

[Finnegans Wake]

***FINAL REVISION***


Steelers are allowed 30 visits; this should be all 30, ranked according to NFLDS.

Note:  Removed Jairus Byrd, as my notes indicated interest before visits, and no confirmed visit was verified.  Also, list does not include local visits (WVU, Pitt, PSU).  Final revision deletes previously included players that I was unable to verify through top media sources (Carter, Ittersagen, Lewis, Johnson).  All includees now verified through major media (e.g., Bouchette, Wexell).

Position Name School NFLDS Round NFLDS Overall CB Vontae Davis Illinois 1 21 CB Alphonso Smith Wake Forest 1-2 32 C Alex Mack California 1-2 34 C/OG Eric Wood Louisville 2 43 C/OG Max Unger Oregon 2 45 FS Louis Delmas Western Michigan 2 51 DE Jarron Gilbert San Jose St. 2-3 58 WR/KR Mike Thomas Arizona 2-3 63 OLB Lawrence Sidbury Richmond 2-3 65 OG/OT Herman Johnson LSU 2-3 66 OT Phil Loadholt Oklahoma 2-3 67 CB Mike Mickens Cincinnati 2-3 69 CB/S Sherrod Martin Troy 2-3 72 DT Fili Moala USC 2-3 74 OG Andy Levitre Oregon St. 3 85 WR/KR Louis Murphy Florida 3 89 DT Dorell Scott Clemson 3-4 104 TE Richard Quinn North Carolina 4 125 DT    Sammie Lee Hill Stillman 4-5 148 CB Greg Toler St. Paul's (VA) 5 158 OG    Louis Vasquez Texas Tech 5 170 CB Donald Washington Ohio St. 5-6 177 CB/S Joe Burnett    Central Florida 6 206 CB/S Don Carey Norfolk St. 7 242 DT Ra'Shon Harris Oregon 7 245 FB Frank Summers UNLV 7-FA 277 ILB Spencer Adkins Miami    7-FA 303 WR/KR Jason Chery Louisiana-Lafayette 7-FA 308 DE/OLB Brandon Long Michigan St. FA 403 WR/KR Travis Shelton Temple FA 999

[Finnegans Wake]

***Final Revision***

I don't necessarily agree with the NFLDS rankings, but they offer a framework.  IMO, Gilbert is a late-R1, although Larry Zierlein's son Lance, who blogs for the Texans and seems to have a decent sense of what teams want, has Gilbert going at 18 to Denver.  Also believe Don Carey will go higher, seems like teams in the know (Steelers, Ravens, others) like him and will want to get him safely.

Breaking it down by rounds, using NFLDS plus some tweaks, these are the clusters.  Bold are players of high interest to me, italicized are players who might be of higher value in a trade-down.

1.32

CB Vontae Davis,Illinois
DE Jarron Gilbert, San Jose St.
C Alex Mack, California
C/OG Eric Wood, Louisville
CB Alphonso Smith, Wake Forest
C/OG Max Unger, Oregon
FS Louis Delmas, Western Michigan

IMO, Davis may be a risk.  Smith's height makes me believe he'll never be a CB on the outside, just a package player.  Unger is not as strong as Mack or Wood, IMO.  Delmas is a very interesting pick, but would be a better value in a trade down as well.

2.64

DT Fili Moala, USC
CB Mike Mickens, Cincinnati
OG Andy Levitre, Oregon St.
WR/KR Mike Thomas, Arizona   
OT Phil Loadholt, Oklahoma    
OG/OT Herman Johnson, LSU   
CB/S Sherrod Martin, Troy   
OLB Lawrence Sidbury, Richmond       


It's tempting to look at the number of CBs we've brought in and cry Overkill!,<3.96

OG Louis Vasquez, Texas Tech
DT Dorell Scott, Clemson
TE Richard Quinn, North Carolina

Hard to figure this group.  Is Scott a light NT or a beefy DE?  And Quinn is really just another blocker, but might be a reach at 3.96.  This could mean we'll see if any of the above cluster drop, or it could signal that we're willing to trade out of this pick (up or down).  Trade possibilities involving the 3.96 include:  2.64 + 3.96 --> 2.51 (Dallas) or 2.52 (NYJ); 3.96 + 4.168 --> 3.90 (Atl); 1.32 + 3.96 + 4.132 --> 2.47 + 2.58 (NE), or --> 2.45 + 2.60 (Miami).  Of those scenarios, I find it less likely that we trade either R1 or R2; the trade with Atlanta could happen, if they want to increase the number of picks they have from 7, and we see a faller from that R2 cluster.

Otherwise, we may just go off the visit list and take a BPA.  I'd be a little upset if we reached again for a TE in R3.  Edit: I bumped Louis Vasquez up to R3.  He's a massively strong OG who I think won't make it out of R4.  Needs to show he can transition from that funky TT offense.

4.132

DT Sammie Lee Hill, Stillman

A cluster of one, IMO.  Did not some of the R5 players, as I think R4 is too rich, even in trade-down.  Hill is an interesting small school guy who looks to be a long-term project at NT.  After Raji and Brace come NTs with all sorts of caveats.  Of those, Hill and Vaughn Martin, W. Ontario (!) offer the most upside IMO.  Terrance Taylor remains a turd, and is a bit smallish IMO.  Terrance Knighton is too lanky and LOC is an issue.  Chris Baker of Hampton has character flags.  Roy Miller of Texas also might not have the frame.  Antonio Dixon of Miami is an interesting FA who cannot stay healthy. 

5.168
5.169

CB/S Don Carey, Norfolk St.
CB/KR Joe Burnett, Central Florida
CB Greg Toler, St. Paul's (VA)
CB Donald Washington, Ohio St.

Carey and Toler are getting serious attention from teams, and won't last past here.  These guys are all developmental CBs, some can play S or return kicks.  It seems increasingly likely that we will draft a DB early and another late, for FS depth and CB depth.  Is Davis another Omar Jacobs?

Some folks have Washington rated much higher, but he is a very raw, athletic CB who should go around R5.

6.205
7.226
7.241

FB Frank Summers, UNLV
DT Ra'Shon Harris,    Oregon
WR/KR Jason Chery, Louisiana-Lafayette
WR/KR Travis Shelton, Temple

If I had to put my $37 on ONE GUY the Steelers will draft this year, it would be Frank Summers.  Kirby Wilson loves him, and we need that short yardage punch that a better FB can provide.  He also runs and catches well.  Sign him up.  Chery could be a nice addition in the kick coverage role, and as an up-and-coming WR from Ike Taylor's LL.  Like Taylor, he could be a very nice developmental player with some decent upside.  But his biggest impact might be as a Chidi Iwuoma-type gunner on STs.  I'd take Chery just for that alone.  On top of that, Chery can return kicks, so he's a versatile guy for STs, if nothing else.  Speaking of special teams, Temple's all-time kickoff return yardage leader is on our radar, Travis Shelton.  If another small program, 5'8" potential return man doesn't pique your interest, consider his bloodlines.  He has three cousins playing in the NFL: now-Denver LB Andra Davis, New England DB Jarvis Herring and... Chicago DB/WR Devin Hester.  Who cares about the first two, we want another Hester.  I'd bring him in if Chery were gone.

FA

ILB Spencer Adkins, Miami
DE/OLB Brandon Long, Michigan St.


On paper, Long should be a dominant OLB prospect.  On paper.  Adkins was a part-time ILB, and does not appear to be a developmental player, but rather a STs-only. 

From the visit list alone, and not trading up or down, I'd like to see them go:

1. Eric Wood
2. Fili Moala
3. Louis Vasquez
4. Sammie Lee Hill
5. Don Carey
5. Greg Toler
6. Frank Summers
7. Jason Chery
7. Travis Shelton

FA
Brandon Long

[jonzr]

Hey Finny, I posted the previous over on the blog using your ID.  If you don't approve, let me know and I'll take it down.

[msdmnr2002]

Final revision deletes previously included players that I was unable to verify through top media sources (Carter, Ittersagen, Lewis, Johnson).

Dang was just about to start a SING PETE ISRINGHOUSEN thread.

Nice work Finny.

[Finnegans Wake]

Hey Finny, I posted the previous over on the blog using your ID.  If you don't approve, let me know and I'll take it down.

That's cool.  I've revised it slightly, to adjust for corrections to the overall list, but the essence is the same.  I still like who I like and all.