The practices for the Senior Bowl have been happening all week long and the best player there has been someone most probably wouldn't have thought much about prior to this week.
Idaho guard Mike Iupati was somebody I wanted to see more of this week. And thanks to the miracle of the NFL Network, I got that chance.
And Iupati is as good as advertised.
So while all the early focus for the Steelers is on other positions, I'm narrowing in on Iupati as a strong possibility as the team's No. 1 draft pick.
Yes, he's a guard. But he also lined up at tackle this week and more than held his own.
With Art Rooney II's proclamation in the media last week about wanting to get back to running the ball more, Iupati would make a lot of sense as the Steelers' top pick.
Iupati is the next Alan Faneca. Heres the drill, if Bulaga makes it past about 12 or so, I think were trading up using our 1st and 3rd (we'll have a 3rd rd comp pick for McFaddon to use in its place) and were drafting him to start at LT. Max back to the right. However if the top OTs are gone early, and all thats left in the 1st rd is Trent Williams (pure Right OT) then its all Iupati. His position flexibility has coach T drooling. Oh, lastly, screw anybody who thinks Mays makes it past Pete Carroll with 2 seahawk picks in the top 15 (and Mays is an over rated Roy Williams, or Lee Flowers). And screw anyone who thinks were gonna tie our hands behind or backs and suffer with a fata** DT that looks like he eats babies for lunch. Were not drafting Mount Cody. Bye
ReplyDeleteAny chance you see the Steelers looking at Myron Rolle in the 2nd or 3rd round?? I know he's worked out with guys like Santonio and Willie Gay. Plus he's about as good of a "character guy" as there is.
ReplyDeleteThat would be a great draft, Iupati in the first and Rolle in the second, i doubt he makes it to the third
ReplyDeleteI wonder if Rolle is going to be the guy this year to sky rocket up. Not saying he doesn't deserve it - I hardly know anything about him besides what has been reported from the Senior Bowl.
ReplyDeleteWith his wits and physical committment, he sounds like he would fit in nicely with Troy.
Mike Iupati = Branden Albert
ReplyDeleteOnce teams start to think he might have the potential to play OT, he'll be gone by pick 18.
Rolle seems like the type of guy Tomlin would love.
I'm worried about that Branden Albert comparison too, and that he might end up getting taken around the mid teens.
ReplyDeleteI know some are jumping all over Cody (and bouncing off of him while they do), but if he keeps it up, he might slide into the mid 2nd round... Like to pick #50.
I find most years that the places I think the Steelers have are not necessarily the same places the organization thinks they have holes, so I'm probably way off on all of this anyway.
From my understanding Cody has looked good in drills.
ReplyDeleteHe was listed on the program as 365 for the Sr. Bowl. Not sure I see the controversy about him coming in 5 lb over that. I read some Mike Mayock comment about "not a clean 370" I don't think a clean 370 is possible, in the human species anyway.
If he plays well and shows up a the combine at 345 lb or so and looking like he's in decent condition stamina wise, there's no reason he couldn't be a first rounder. Lot of If's I know but it seems foolish to have so much confidence in ruling something out definitively.
OT is the only OL I would draft in the 1st three RDs. Interior Lineman I feel we have. If a Good LT comes along move Starks back t RT and Colon RG or Draft a top RT an still move colon inside.Larry Z was the one who loved Colon as RT and not OG. My hopes is for a shut down corner rd 1 and DT rd 2.
ReplyDeleteCajun-
A shutdown corner would be great but this draft is BAD for corners and there is none worth our pick. A corner at our spot would be a huge reach.
ReplyDeleteSo far no one has said the dirty word. Urbik. I know he had a poor training camp last year, but have they already given up on him? I was under the impression that he is intelligent but needed some time to get stronger. Do you have any thoughts on his place on this team in the future, Dale?
ReplyDeleteAssuming Hampton resigns (for more than a year), I don't think a DT is needed high at all. Sure Hoke and Hampton are both old, but there are 2 of them for a position that only play 2 downs generally. That of course assumes that Ziggy Hood will play 3rd down, which I think he will.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Other Patrick for his reasons for not ruling out Cody. Except that even if Cody is natrually huge, the way he showed up at the Senior Bowl showed no indication of working on that. These guys have access to great facilities and trainers, why not use them? I didn't see that in Cody's picture.
I think the way Cody shows up at the combine will be a good indiciation of whether he can keep it together or not. He'll be under the microscope
I wasn't impressed with Urbik at all last year. That being said, I haven't really seen him do anything since the preseason, so he may have progressed.
ReplyDeleteDale,
ReplyDeleteIf the Steelers do happen to draft Iupati or if Bulaga should happen to fall to them, do you see the Steelers starting a rookie or do they ease him in to the role?
Do you guys even pay attention to whats going on? We signed coach Kugler. Why did we choose him? Because he was the guy that with the Bills last years signed the 2 O-lineman WE wanted, Wood and Levitre... and STARTED BOTH OF THEM. And thru all of their injuries still turned out a 1000 yd rusher using some no-name kid. They also had fewer sacks than us. And he was steller in working with Boise State in 2006, Ian Johnson was a stud. Also, Mr Rooney said recently that 1. gotta cut down on the sacks. And 2. gotta get back to the run. And 3. gotta inject the youth faster. So, look for Bulaga or Iupati in round 1. And look for them to start. We arent drafting Mays or Cody, give up on it now. I taped all of the Senior bowl practices, and Cody was soaked after ONE 1 on 1 drill. He is a 1 down player at best. He is unbelievably overweight. And Mays is a Strong Safety at best, hes a run stopper, he cant cover well enough to be an umbrella for coverage. So, Iupati to LG or RT, Kemo moving to RG (we could now pull guards both ways). If we keep Colon, another waste, move him inside and challenge Urbik. Or, if its Bulaga, then hes LT and move Max to RT where he belongs. Peace
ReplyDeleteSteelRose,
ReplyDeleteSaying it and doing it are two different things. The Steelers haven't started a lot of rookies unless emergencies require it (Ramon Foster). I like your train of thought and I hope you're right but there are a few special players that you have to consider if they happen to fall to the 18th pick. Remember, when we drafted Rashard Mendenhall we didn't really need a runningback. And if we happen to find a linebacker (Witherspoon) or some other special talent then we should consider it. That aside, Bulaga or Iupati would be great additions to a very average line.
I hope we can get Iupati or Bulaga..that's a dream scenario for me. I believe we have a decent O-line but we need to inject some first round level talent to it. Lotta depth players like Essex/Stapleton starting and that's not the path back to the SB, IMO.
ReplyDeleteI hope the poster near the top is wrong about Iupati being this year's Brandon Albert but it makes very good sense that it could happen.
I love Rolle as well. Great minds think alike? hee hee..my mind has been on vacation for the last few years so I think I can't claim any real knowledge or smarts. EVery year the Steelers seem to defy what I see as obvious needs.
Its Sean Weatherspoon, the LB from Missouri. He is the one player, after seeing the Senior Bowl, that I can see us drafting in the 1st round IF all OT/OG options are lost. He is FAST. He HITS. He can play ANY LB spot, in 3-4 or 4-3. I am a firm believer we go 4-3 once LeBeau retires, probably after 2010, after hes in the HOF. So, were gonna need a FAST MLB that can cover. Weatherspoon is a guy that can do just that.
ReplyDeleteIn case you Steelers dimwits haven't noticed, defense is the area of need not offensive line.
ReplyDelete