I think the best thing for the Steelers to do is just stay put at #31 and take BPA, with needs in mind. Obviously, despite Mendenhall's occasional coughing up the ball, we shouldn't draft a RB in the first round. We have a franchise QB. We really don't need to spend a first round pick on a WR, TE, or LB...so that leaves DL, OL, CB, S.

Moving up a few spots to get the guy they really want would be ok, but I'm not in favor of giving up a 2nd round pick to do it. I'm not even sure giving a 3rd would be ok.

We have very specific needs, and CB has been one for a while, however, the talent is not there after the 3rd round. We have drafted 3 CBs late in the last 2 drafts, and have not gotten the results we have wanted. There is a huge drop-off of talent out of the first 2 rounds.

We also have not had much luck drafting DL late in the draft either. Yes, I know A. Smith and Keisel were drafted after the 3rd round, but there's a long list of guys that have been cut since then. Ziggy Hood has been a good pick. He's come into his own and we can safely feel o.k. with him as a starter. DL guys in a 3-4 are always underrated. Hampton can't play forever, Hoke, the backup is even older. Solid 3-4 nose guys are rare. We gotta find a NT in the first 3, and take a shot on a DE later.

The OL situation is somewhat murky. Colon is a FA, J. Scott is a RFA. Flozell is fighting father time. Starks will be back, but will he be motivated?  That being said, we aren't going to find a premium tackle in this draft unless we mortgage the future, but really, it's not that big of a need immediately. I say we keep the 4 tackles listed, and cut ties with Tony Hills. We are set at Center with Pouncey and Legursky. So, we could look at the interior linemen in this draft. Our options are Foster, Essex, Legursky, Kemo. Essex pretty well stunk at every position all year, Foster has been o.k., Legursky has been surprisingly decent, and Kemo has been great in run blocking, but a liability in pass protection. Time to cut Essex, and find a younger guy. I think the 3rd round is where we could find some value. However, that being said, I am intrigued by the idea of twin pounding Pounceys. I don't know that I would move up to get him, but if he fell in our laps...

Finally, there's the safety position. Troy is an all-time, all-world safety, but injuries show that he is, in fact, a mortal. Ryan Clark is getting older and has lost a few steps over the years. Mundy and Allen are ok, but our defense gets vanilla real quick. My suggestion here is to try to covert one of the CBs we previously drafted into a Safety. I don't feel good about these guys anymore (Lewis/Butler), because they couldn't even get on the field in the dime package...they got beat out by Anthony Madison. Maybe there will be hope for one of them at safety.

So, here are some scenerios...

#1

1st - CB

2nd - DT

3rd - OG

4th - DE

5th - S

6th - OT

7th - K

#2

1st - DT

2nd - CB

3rd - OG

4th - OT

5th - DE

6th - S

7th - K

#3

1st - POUNCEY

2nd - CB (Dowling)

3rd - DT

4th - S

5th - DE

6th - OT

7th - K