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Saturday, April 26, 2008

Draft day news

The Post-Gazette had Kentwan Balmer as the pick, but I've heard some on the coaching staff don't feel he's quick enough to play end in the 3-4.

With the Patriots taking Mayo, Cherlius is not back in play for the Steelers. Philadelphia and Houston will be key picks.

Baltimore didn't get as much as it should have for the eighth pick in the trade with Jacksonville, but it put the Ravens in a position to take a young QB without having to trade up from the second round.

It's look like Cherlius is going to fall to the Steelers, but it's still dicey. Houston will likely take a lineman, as could Philadelphia and/or Arizona.

Wow. Lots of trades today. Rashard Mendenhall and Michael Jenkins are falling. One of them should be available for the Steelers and would be solid picks.

It looks like Mendenhall is the pick. Wow. Never would have seen that coming until about 4 p.m. today when all the trades started.

Look for the Steelers to target offensive line or defensive line in the second. Targets include Kendall Langford and Dre Moore on the D-line and Chilo Rachal and ONeal Cousins.

The Steelers also like Calais Campbell, even though he's coming off a poor senior season at Miami.

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dale, the Eagles have a pretty solid OL. Their problems are in the defensive backfield. They aren't happy with Lito Shepard and B Dawk is getting up there in age. In Jim Johnson's blitzing defense, they absolutely need DBs who can play man coverage. If one of the top corners or safties are available, look for the Eagles to go that way.

Dale Lolley said...

They could. Rodgers-Cromartie could fit, as could Jenkins.

Anonymous said...

If the Eagles need OL help, they'll be able to get some later in the draft and as UDFAs just like the Steelers will.

Anonymous said...

I think it will be Quentin Groves to the Steelers.

Dale Lolley said...

Mendenhall.

Anonymous said...

Wow. No mock draft I saw had Mendenhall falling this far. The Steelers didn't even bring him in for a visit, did they? Did they not expect Mendenhall to fall to them?

Could be a great pick. Power running is back in the Burgh!

Anonymous said...

Tomlin just said at the presser that the Steelers were very impressed with him during interviews, so they must have talked to him in depth somewhere.

Dale Lolley said...

They talked to him at the combine. No, they didn't think he'd be available. Complete value pick.

Anonymous said...

If Dan Connor or Justin King drops to the Steelers in round 2, do they have any interest? I know they don't necessarily need ILBs, but Connor is just a flat out football player.

Anonymous said...

One comment on Colbert's whining about only having 6 choices this year. Last year or the year before, the Steelers had a lot of choices and Colbert didn't want them. Instead of perhaps trading them for the next year or this year, he gave them away to trade up in the same draft.

While, as a Steeler fan and season ticket holder, I'd like to see us have more picks this year, I have absolutely no sympathy for Colbert who couldn't figure out how to transfer riches in one year to another.

Dale Lolley said...

Connor can't cover and will be a two-down linebacker in the NFL.
King would be a disaster. If you saw the James Hardy highlights, three of them were against King. Didn't play as well as he tested at the combine.

Anonymous said...

I know you mentioned that the Steelers were targeting a lineman, but any chance the Steelers take Groves here if he is still available?

Anonymous said...

Wow again. I didn't know if Sweed would be there when the Steelers picked in the FIRST round! Another great value pick.

Anonymous said...

Rivals rates Sweed the best blocking WR in the draft. The Steelers will certainly like that. Plus, he's a 5th yr senior and should be more polished.

Anonymous said...

Not what I expected, but i dont think they could pass these two up