Top Ten Draft Successes of the Kevin Colbert Era: No. 1 -- CB Ike Taylor, 4th Round, 2003

by Michael Bean on Apr 29, 2011 3:16 PM EDT

Again, we have the 2011 NFL Draft to occupy our attention, but let's round off the top ten draft 'successes' and 'busts' of the Kevin Colbert era with a quick shoutout to who I believe is deserving of the top spot -- shutdown cornerback Ike Taylor, taken in the fourth round of the 2003 Draft.

Even though Taylor has never made a Pro Bowl, been named to an All Pro team, and only has a modest 11 interception in 91 career starts, the Louisiana Lafayette product has been the team's best lockdown corner on several league-leading defenses.

Taylor has been remarkably durable for the Steelers, which is no surprise when you read about his ridiculously intense offseason workout regiments back home in Louisiana each summer. Taylor has appeared in all 96 of the team's regular season games since 2005, not starting in only seven, five of which came in '06 when he was benched by Bill Cowher for reasons that I'm still not too sure about.

Here are the Steelers final DVOA Rankings against the pass since 2005 when Taylor became a full time starter. Rather than using traditional metrics, it makes more sense to use Football Outsiders' primary metric for the simple fact that teams throw more against the Steelers because of how futile it is to try to run the ball:

2005: 5th

2006: 14th

2007: 7th

2008: 1st

2009: 14th

2010: 2nd

Hopefully Taylor has not played his last down in a Steelers uniform. It's quite possible that he has, and if so, I can't say I'd blame him for wanting to chase a huge pay day before entering the final stages of his career. As much as Steeler Nation wants him back, I don't think anybody would hold it against him were he to part ways with the Steelers after eight outstanding seasons with the black and gold.

To conldue, I wonder if the 'always rational and level-headed' Mark Madden might want to have a mulligan in this 2003 article in which he boldly proclaimed that Taylor was the worst pick in Steelers franchise history!

Taylor was a tailback at Louisiana-Lafayette in 2001, making the team as a walk-on. Taylor's draft profile on NFL.com says he did not play in 2000 because he "concentrated on academics." Before that, he was a Prop 48. Before that, he was dumb. Probably still is.

Probably not dumb enough to pick himself in the fourth round, though. This pick makes no sense. On a scale of one to 10, Ourlads Scouting Service gave Taylor a one. They projected him to be drafted when hell froze over.

But Taylor is a Steeler. I guarantee he will make the team. Taylor could lose a leg at rookie camp, have a lobotomy at minicamp and develop a heroin habit at training camp, and he would make the Steelers. When a team makes a bad draft choice, cutting him right away fairly screams the club's stupidity in all-too-short order.

Whoops.

Go Ike! Please come back in '11 and beyond to finish your career where you started it! Go Steelers!

Kevin Colbert's Top 10 Draft 'Successes'

No. 2: DE Brett Keisel, 7th Round, 2002

No. 3: LB LaMarr Woodley, 2nd Round, 2007

No. 4: LB Clark Haggans, 5th Round, 2000

No. 5: WR Mike Wallace, 3rd Round, 2009

No. 6: OT Willie Colon, 4th Round, 2006

No. 7: LB Larry Foote, 4th Round, 2002

No. 8: OG Chris Kemoeatu, 6th Round, 2005

No. 9: OT Marvel Smith, 2nd Round, 2000

No. 10: WR Antonio Brown, 6th Round, 2010

Kevin Colbert's Top 10 Draft 'Busts'

No. 2: OG Kraig Urbik, 3rd Round, 2009

No. 3: LB Alonzo Jackson, 2nd Round, 2003

No. 4: DT Kendrick Clancy, 3rd Round, 2000

No. 5: WR Willie Reid, 3rd Round, 2006

No. 6: WR Limas Sweed, 2nd Round, 2008

No. 7: OLB Bruce Davis, 3rd Round, 2008

No. 8: OLB Thaddeus Gibson, 4th Round, 2010

No. 9: WR Plaxico Burress, 1st Round, 2000

No. 10: OG Kendall Simmons, 1st Round, 2002

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Comments

Come back Ike

You know you belong here!

If Ike does leave then the best of luck to him but if he stays and we can draft him a good #2 to partner with then this defense will be even scarier than last year and it was pretty damn good last year.

"A Canadian is someone who knows how to make love in a canoe" Pierre Burton (historian)

"It is wonderful to feel the grandness of Canada in the raw, not because she is Canada but because she's something sublime that you were born into, some great rugged power that you are a part of." Emily Carr (artist)

by Cold_Old_Steelers_Fan on Apr 29, 2011 3:31 PM EDT reply actions

Great List Mike!

Taylor is a special player, who will be missed if he chases a big payday. Im hoping for some hometown discount.
No matter what Steelers need to draft a CB(if it merits that pick)

"Franco made that play because he never quit on the play. He kept running, he kept hustling. Good things happen to people who hustle."

by PCISteeler on Apr 29, 2011 3:36 PM EDT reply actions

Mark Madden will get shot in the head one of these days, and I don’t think anyone except his immediate family will go ‘aw man, what a tragedy’. But I do hate that man and his idiot rambling, so I might be biased.

Thank you Ned Colletti.

by ryebr3ad on Apr 29, 2011 4:00 PM EDT reply actions

Ike Ike Baby

Ike is a great player who I think is a top 10 conerback in the league. The only reason he has only 11 picks in his carrer is because he has hands of stone. I think we need to keep him if we want a chance to beat baltimore. Since we didn’t draft a corner in the first round. We could still get Ras-I Dowling in the second. We could also ger Nnamdi. Who is this Mark Madden dude anyway. Calling him bad is one thing, but then he calls him dumb. What the heck, Ike was just 22 when this came out . That would suck.

by Lamarr56 on Apr 29, 2011 4:09 PM EDT reply actions

by ICEICETHATGUY13 on Apr 29, 2011 4:24 PM EDT reply actions

Mark Madden

Was listening to Mark Madden’s “advice” every a good decision? And he thought that Alonzo Jackson was a great pick. In fairness, he liked Polamalu.

by dietrich43 on Apr 29, 2011 4:28 PM EDT reply actions

That Madden article is awesome

What a complete douche. Wonder what he would say now if asked to comment on that article?

"We use WhipAss by the case, not the can" - RickVa

by chewiesteeler on Apr 29, 2011 4:29 PM EDT reply actions

hahaha

yeah i was stoked to find that. total gold. what an idiot.

Freel free to email me anytime at behindthesteelcurtain@gmail.com with questions, suggestions, complaints, etc, or to just say what's up. -Michael Bean (Blitz)

by Michael Bean on Apr 29, 2011 4:48 PM EDT up reply actions

At least Mark excluded his

Mugshot from the article… oh wait. The guy obviously didnt know anything about Ike, so why bash him and call him dumb? thats unprofessional and makes him look like a jackass, even 8 years alter.

by Bringin' the Wood(ley) on Apr 29, 2011 5:25 PM EDT up reply actions

I love me some Ike

Realllly hope he pulls a classy move and stays here for some good money. I think a 3 year deal with a nice bonus would be the way to go.

If we could just take off the invisible boxing gloves on his hands he’d be so awesome.

by Mechem on Apr 29, 2011 5:27 PM EDT reply actions

The most underrated player in the last five years....

Sure he has stone hands but in the 2008 Super Bowl season he shut down some great players, T.O., Andre Johnson, Vincent Jackson, Randy Moss, Plaxico Buress, and Reggie Wayne. All of them had below average days. Why he didn’t make the Pro Bowl that year was beyond me.

by Steel34D on Apr 29, 2011 5:52 PM EDT reply actions