You Can Say a Lot of Things About the Steelers 2011 Draft, but You Can't Say They Didn't Address Their Needs

by Anthony Defeo on May 1, 2011 2:28 PM EDT in 2011 Steelers Draft

Like most Steelers fans, I was expecting the team to select cornerback Aaron Williams from Texas with the 31st pick in round 1 in-order to fill their most pressing need. But I must say that I wasn't overly disappointed when they went a different direction and addressed another concern with defensive end Cameron Heyward from Ohio State.

From what I've read about Heyward from the many awesome contributors to BTSC and from what I've heard on the radio from Steelers insiders, most seem to be happy with the pick. I'm far from an expert on the 3-4 defense and don't pretend to know a lot about the 5-technique, but the experts are saying Heyward is the perfect fit for what the Steelers like in a 3-4 end. I guess we'll find out.

I think we can all agree that the quickest way for teams to get into trouble is by reaching on first round selections. Even though Williams was the projected pick for the Steelers on several mock drafts before Thursday night, I didn't sense great enthusiasm about him from fans and most draft experts. The consensus was that he wasn't exactly the fastest of cornerbacks and I believe I heard it suggested by more than one person that he may be better suited at safety down the road. Those are the kinds of things people used to say about Chad Scott. Remember him?

I know players like Williams, and Brandon Harris from Miami, graded out as end of the first round selections, but when it comes to grading players, I often wonder if a lot of it has to do with the needs of certain teams and where they happen to be drafting. For instance, would Williams or Harris be thought of as potential late first round prospects if a team like Pittsburgh (drafting 31st) didn't need to seriously upgrade at the corner position?

And there's a difference between addressing a position and being set at one. So many draft experts that you see on television talk in absolutes when a team drafts a player. For example: "The Carolina Panthers drafted Cam Newton at quarterback so they're set at that position." No, they're not set, they've just addressed a need--two totally different things.

The Tennessee Titans had to draft another quarterback in the first round Thursday night because the Vince Young pick from a number of years ago failed miserably. They sure weren't set at the quarterback position. There are obviously no guarantees.

Some people are disappointed that the Steelers didn't just roll the dice and draft a corner anyway in round one , but it isn't as if the defensive line didn't need to be addressed. The defensive line is probably the team's 3rd most pressing need behind cornerback and offensive line. But just because the defensive line is their 3rd greatest need doesn't mean they should automatically try to fill a greater need with a player that they feel grades out lower than the top DE on their board.

The age of the defensive line has been an obvious concern for the Steelers for a long time and it wouldn't take long for it to go to the top of the list and become the team's number 1 priority. By drafting Evander "Ziggy" Hood just two years ago and now Heyward this year, they've at least taken steps to reload at that position with players of high pedigree.

In the 2nd and 3rd rounds, the team went about addressing their top 2 needs when they selected right tackle Marcus Gilbert out of Florida. In the 3rd round, the Steelers did take a defensive back out of Texas after all in one Curtis Brown.

Some might say the Steelers addressed their top 3 needs in reverse order, but I'd say it's fairly reasonable to expect 2nd and 3rd round selections to someday start in the NFL.

Along those lines, in my opinion, the drafting of Gilbert pretty much signals Willie Colon's exit from the team. With Flozell Adams stating he'd like to come back for another year, that could be enough time to groom the young lineman and have him ready to start in 2012. The Steelers aren't going to pay second round money for a right tackle if they are at all serious about signing Colon.

As for Curtis Brown, as I said, it's not unreasonable to expect a 2nd or 3rd round choice to start and even if Brown only cracks the line-up as a nickel back in his first few years, it would still be a successful pick. As Michael, Maryrose, and many others have been stressing this weekend, in today's NFL, the nickel position is becoming more and more valuable. If you remember back to the late 90's, one Deshea Townsend cut his teeth as a nickel back in his first few seasons and eventually went on to have a great career with the Steelers.

As you know, it's far too early to judge this draft, but I'm happy that the team used its top 3 picks to address their most glaring needs. As a fan, that's all I can ask for.

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Comments

Baron Batch

I absolutely love the batch pick in the 7th. I got to see alot of tech games living in the Dallas area on tv, And i love his physicallity. His “I am second” video on YouTube is a testament to the strides he’s made as a man. I love memo and what he brings to us, but I think batch will be special

by TheStillerWay86 on May 1, 2011 2:52 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

Watching ESPN right now

and I dont put a whole lot of stock in what there NFL “experts” say, but I was surprised when they all picked AFC north teams for their best drafts in the AFC, with one of the guys picking the steelers. I think this draft has alot of potential, hopefully we have enough roster space and don’t lose any young guys to other teams like we did last year.

by blitzzburgh on May 1, 2011 3:00 PM EDT reply actions

Interestingly

The first 3 picks really made sense, but I would have been a lot happier if they had gotten their kicker and brewer .
Time will tell, I have absolutely loved the cam pick. The Steelers needed to address the d line first despite the obvious. The o line was banged up and should be better this season, not great but better. My concerns are FA -Taylor and gay, we need I T
In addition we also have to get a kicker, safety help and RG, plus another cb. I was sorry to see Burnett go, I thought the kid had potential, hopefully Lewis and butler step up.

by ALDOG on May 1, 2011 3:44 PM EDT reply actions

We also could use a 2nd TE

Miller seems to be gettin banged up, and Spaeth sucks…

by Mechem on May 1, 2011 9:56 PM EDT up reply actions

You can’t look at the group as a whole, list the positions taken, and say that the Steelers addressed needs. This draft is vertical, not horizontal. The only need they really really addressed was the defensive line position, since that was first round. They also really addressed (one really) the offensive line need, since that was second round. They addressed (no reallys) the corner sport with that third pick and the rest is a blind pinata. The fourth-round guy didn’t make first-team all-league, and he came from a small league no one’s heard of, so from him on down you just hope someone can make the team. If Brown and Allen are another Burnett-Lewis tandem, then they haven’t addressed that need at all, and that’s their biggest need.

Sorry to sound like a killjoy, but I look at the draft vertically, not horizontally, and assess what we are doing that way. We know Kevin Colbert is batting 1000 in the first round, but we also know that Ricardo Colclough and Limas Sweed were recent precious second-round picks. Stepping further down in the third round, Curtis Brown could be Mike Wallace or Bruce Davis, and Cortez Allen could be Ike Taylor or Thad Gibson. So when you are talking about how the Steelers addressed their needs, put two reallys for a first rounder, one really for a second rounder, no reallys in the third, with the rest a blind crapshoot.

Thoughtful discussion with a sense of history

by maryrose on May 1, 2011 4:15 PM EDT reply actions

Certainly valid points

But I don’t think a team drafts a guy in the 2nd or 3rd round without at least envisioning that they can be a future starter. It doesn’t always work out that way, obviously, but they had 3 pretty obvious needs to fill. It doesn’t mean any of those needs will eventually be met by those 3 players, but they at least addressed them.

by Anthony Defeo on May 1, 2011 4:37 PM EDT up reply actions

fair enough

But I would have preferred to reversal of addressing those needs. Aaron Williams or Dowling in the first round and Sam Acho in the third would have addressed the needs in the priority they exist on the team, but that’s just me…

Thoughtful discussion with a sense of history

by maryrose on May 1, 2011 4:49 PM EDT up reply actions

Never would have been Williams

Aaron Williams is a very good physical player, but as the vids and reports show that he bites on his covers. The guy will soon become a better safety than a corner because of that. I think the Steelers, Colbert and Carnell Lake did their homework enough to know that. If they were going to pull the trigger on a corner, they needed a guy with the highest value as a cover corner.

by cgmilwaukee on May 1, 2011 9:05 PM EDT up reply actions

Guessing on the FO's view

I may be wrong, but this is what I believe is the reason that the draft went as it did:

Every year teams pick future busts in the first round, but the Steelers haven’t done that this decade. While it’s true that the Steelers would may have been better served to get a starting caliber CB in the first round rather than a starting caliber DE, I believe that the FO must not have graded Williams or Dowling as solid definites to be starting caliber. However, they clearly graded Heyward to be definite starting caliber.

I recall a quote for Colbert a year or two ago saying that he believes it’s inexcusable to miss on your first round pick. I’ve also heard that he believes that you fill holes through FA, and you improve your talent level through the draft. So, from what I can see, that’s exactly the approach they took this year as well. Although they haven’t signed any FA’s yet, they still believe that they can get “hole-fillers” whether it’s before or after the draft. That allows them to take the same approach to the draft. They found a guy that they are very sure will be a starter for them in a couple years in the first round, and they did not fill as confident in those players that filled a bigger need, therefore they didn’t go there.

That is what I believe happened in this draft. And, I agree with that strategy. Why assume a first rounder is a definite for you if your analysis of the player in the position of need leaves you with doubts? Is it not better to go with the player you fill better about, even if it is not as large of a need?

by WolfpackSteelersFan on May 1, 2011 9:12 PM EDT up reply actions

Spot on

Just like Flozell. RT had a gaping hole, and he filled it with a FA signing.

People often wonder why we dont sign a lot of FAs, its because we dont have a lot of holes to fill! We don’t buy FAs very often assuming they will be with us forever.

by Mechem on May 1, 2011 9:58 PM EDT up reply actions

OK, if you want to slice it real thin, technically Heyward might be a sliver above Dowling or Williams. Belichick snapped up Dowling #33 and Williams went immediately afterward, so I don’t see how those guys are reaches, but OK, if you made up your mind that Dowling and Williams aren’t in the top 32, Jimmy Smith was still there 25 and 26. Seattle took Carpenter, clearly still available at 31 if Pittsburgh throws in a fourth rounder. Same thing with the Chiefs and Jonathan Baldwin. Those guys would have traded and we would have beaten Baltimore to the punch, a fierce rival we knew was looking at corner. Ozzie Newsome snapped up Smith. Like Belichick, Newsome is one of the absolute finest drafters. I would have preferred any of those options.

I am not just going to drink whatever kool aid the team puts out there all the time. Mike Tomlin is 1-6 against guys named Brady, Manning, Rodgers and Brees and we better figure that out. He’d be 0-7 were it not for a miracle pass and catch with no time on the clock. The secondary must get better or the legendary run defense won’t mean a hill of beans. Those quarterbacks I mentioned all get rid of the ball before Cam Heyward gets to them anyhow. We’ve got to defend the pass against top quarterbacks.

Thoughtful discussion with a sense of history

by maryrose on May 1, 2011 10:45 PM EDT up reply actions

Not saying you are wrong

I’m saying the FO disagreed with you, as you clearly disagree with them. You say there is a sliver of difference. I have to think the FO sees it different. Under Colbert, they haven’t missed in Round 1. Belichick can’t say that.

by WolfpackSteelersFan on May 2, 2011 8:24 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

i think a person taken in the 3rd or 4th rd are drafted to be potential starters whether they actually make it there or not. cobert’s current track record is about 60% for a 2nd rd pick, 40% for a 3rd rd pick (i’m excluding sanders as of right now because i wouldn’t consider him a “proven starter” yet & counting urbik is a non-starter), and 33-40% for a 4th rd pick (i’m counting mcbean & gibson as a non-starters; the range is if you choose to include drafting a punter in the 4th). http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2010/4/28/1446084/colberts-drafting-success

by t1mmy10 on May 1, 2011 7:55 PM EDT up reply actions

I'm probably a little tougher grader than you

But I remember your post and it was an excellent one. I grade Colbert at about 33% for combined third and fourth rounders, which is why I can’t get excited yet. Of course, I want this year’s third and fourth to be the equivalent of Wallace and Ivan, but there’s a better chance, given Colbert’s mathematical history, for some Bruce Davis/Ryan McBean slop. The reason why the Steelers’ cornerback situation is so shaky now is that they haven’t given it love in Colbert’s first round, where he hits grand slams. They keep trying to find those guys in the second, third and fourth rounds, where Colbert’s average plummets markerdly. Between Colclough, McFadden, Keenan Lewis and Anthony Smith, you would have hoped someone would have worked out, but they haven’t and now we’re scrambling (I know Smith was a safety).

Thoughtful discussion with a sense of history

by maryrose on May 1, 2011 9:03 PM EDT up reply actions

Couple points

First, like I said above, I think that a big reason that the secondary hasn’t gotten the first round love that you mention is that Colbert and FO haven’t graded the available DBs in the first round to the grand slams that they routinely pick in the first. Just because they pick a player in the first doesn’t make that player a sure thing. They do all their research and analysis and determine which players are sure things. That’s why every first rounder is a grand slam.

Second, I think that Colbert gambles a lot more after the first round, but he offsets those misses with several very late round picks and UDFAs that work out (Keisel, FWP, David Johnson).

I think we’d all have loved to have the next Rod Woodson or Deion Sanders (or Ike Taylor) fall to 31, but the FO didn’t grade it out that way.

by WolfpackSteelersFan on May 1, 2011 9:30 PM EDT up reply actions

I give Colbert a little more slack because he's picking need later

I think he hits so many grand slams in the first because he values talent and productivity ahead of need there. In later rounds, he increasingly lets need trump trump pure draft “grade”. The more you weigh need vs. “best available”, the more times you’re going to miss. If he reversed it, we’d miss a lot more often in the first, and his later round percentages would probably be “better” — because he wouldn’t have to “reach”.

I’d rather reach later. It’s less painful when you miss.

Can’t really argue with your contention that we should have traded up, though. The steelers are sturdy enough across the board that we could have given up a pick, not like some years, where needs across the board demanded that we keep every last pick.

by cee_jay on May 2, 2011 1:28 AM EDT up reply actions

thanks for the compliment

i definitely was very conservative in my grading of colbert. there is no question he goes for high risk/high reward picks later in the draft while playing it conservative early on. i also agree that because we’ve taken players that we grade out better than other db’s earlier our db positions have suffered. definitely arguable on either side whether this has been a good strategy or not with no clear cut answer.

i think colbert’s only major faux pas this year was not trading up to select brandon harris. according to what houston gave to get NE’s pick we could have given up even a 5th rd pick to move up and take harris. maybe the steelers weren’t that wild about him for whatever reason or maybe they thought there was a bigger drop off from gilbert to another 3rd player than harris to brown. i don’t make my own evaluations of prospects and know little about them, but according to most of the major draft prospect evaluators (including mike mayock) there was a big drop off from him to brown. so there is just as much chance that they expected harris would fall to us & guessed wrong cuz of the houston trade. i guess what i’m trying to say is yes, BPA is great but having a general idea of how other teams value players can help you get a lot more for your allotted draft picks. based upon a post made by the son of our former offensive line coach saying the steelers completely ignore that, i feel that’s a major why we can improve in the drafting dept.

by t1mmy10 on May 3, 2011 9:25 PM EDT up reply actions

my fav pick

i was hopimng they would pick him. great addition to the DL! CAM HEYWARD.

THE LORD JESUS CHRIST COMES FIRST,THE REST FOLLOWSIsa 54:17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue [that] shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This [is] the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness [is] of me, saith the LORD.

by steelerfan19650511 on May 1, 2011 4:48 PM EDT reply actions

Boo hoo hoo....

I love the Cam Heyward pick. Welcome Cam, i’m sure you will fit right in with our team and I know you will hold up the tradition proudly. Next to seeing Mike Pouncey reunited with his brother,this would have been my next choice and third was Martez Wilson (ILB) to replace Farrior for 2012 or 2013 . Overall I think the Steelers had a pretty much, Steeler like draft. The Steelers never really go out to make splashes all thru the draft. You won’t see the Steelers go up and give away their entire draft for a big name (WR) Julio Jones; i.e. Atlanta or make nonsense picks like Seattle,Minnesota, etc. They just plug away at putting quality pieces at the puzzle. They see the big picture and most fans (fanatics) see big names and cry about why they didn’t take so and so. The front office,player personnel and scouts, do their due diligence on the backgrounds of these players.I say let the other teams take the headache divas and crack from within,i.e Cincy,Dallas,Minnesota,etc. So you guy’s can cry in your beer all you want about why we didn’t take so and so , but I will just watch the games during the season and be saying to myself I’m glad we didn’t take so and so . Good job Steelers! And I welcome all our draftees to our team .Still climbing the STAIRWAY 2 SEVEN !

by Al Love on May 1, 2011 6:03 PM EDT reply actions

1st Round CB might not have started anyway

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not familiar with all the CBs available; but I wonder if any of them would really be able to come in an absorb LeBeau’s 3-4 zone blitz scheme and start from Game 1. It requires not just cover skills, but also experience with the speed and schemes of the pro game, and the willingness/savvy to support the Run D. Though I am certain LeBeau could design a D around a shutdown corner…

So I wonder if all the complaints about not taking a CB in the first round are warranted…

by John Kang on May 1, 2011 8:20 PM EDT reply actions

No player drafted in the 1st is going to start in a Lebeau defense from day 1

So that’s not a valid excuse for not picking a better corner.

The reason they never pick one is because there is a player available to them that is a better overall player at a position of need, aka BPA.

You can bet that if there was a corner that took an Aaron Rodgers-like tumble down draft boards, Colbert and co. would be chomping at the bit to pick him. But if they don’t value that player as much as they do a another player that is still available at the time then it’s not going to happen.

It’s all about value.

by StoneColdSteel on May 1, 2011 9:51 PM EDT up reply actions

I agree. Back in '08, I wanted them to draft an offensive lineman to take Faneca's place.

However, by the time the Steelers drafted later in the first round, all the projected “sure things” were off the board. Rashard Mendenhall surprisingly fell to them and the Steelers scooped him up. It didn’t seem like a huge need at the time, but now he’s a 1000 rusher for them two-years in a row. Like I said, no draft choice is a sure thing, but I’d rather see them pick the best player regardless of position (within reason, of course) than pick a position of need just for the sake of it.

Like maryrose said, the Steelers haven’t dedicated a first round pick on a corner in many years, but the need and the player haven’t been the right combination in the first round in recent memory. It was the same with with the offensive line for many years. They hadn’t picked anyone higher than the 3rd round going all the way back to when Simmons was taken in the first round in ‘02. But there just never seemed to be a good time to go after one. However, last year, the perfect scenario presented himself in Maurkice Pouncey and they pounced (pun intended.) I’m sure had Revis been available in ‘07, they would have scooped him up in a heartbeat, but he wasn’t there and Timmons seemed the best available option when their time came to pick.

I’m sure, one of these years, the right opportunity to address the CB situation in round one will present itself, and Pittsburgh will probably land a gem.

by Anthony Defeo on May 1, 2011 10:35 PM EDT reply actions

I'll be honest...

Aaron Williams was hyped because of his size. Curtis Brown was the better prospect by far. You guys got a solid corner who loves to tackle and will run support. And Cameron Jordan? You also got a hell of a 3-4 end, who will surpass Ziggy Hood. I was never really impressed with him anyway.

F**** establishing a culture, we need to establish dominance...

by Holchr31 on May 1, 2011 10:40 PM EDT reply actions

I don't think they drafted Heyward to replace Hood, I think they drafted both Hood and Heyward to someday replace Smith and Keisel. We'll have to see if they're up to the task.

by Anthony Defeo on May 1, 2011 11:06 PM EDT up reply actions

FA

I wonder how different the Steelers draft would have looked if we had been able to resign our free agents. The fact that we took a safe and dependable choice first over all in Heyward when we still didn’t have Ike resigned indicates that the team thinks Heyward was that much better a player than Dowling or that they have serious concerns about Dowling’s health/fragility.

The Pats, with their mitt full of draft choices, had the luxury of taking Dowling, Mallett and Cannon that other teams couldn’t risk when they hadn’t picked up their FAs yet. I expect Mallett will become trade bait if he develops. Dowling and Cannon will either work out and stick with the team or they will be gone and the Pats will trade some more guys next year.

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by Cold_Old_Steelers_Fan on May 2, 2011 9:16 AM EDT reply actions

It's not an excuse, but...

It’s not an excuse, but if we assume that we are paying a premium in contract price and draft ranking for a first rounder, then are we better using that pick on a top polished college corner who other teams see as a starter on their team, or later on a smart athlete with a lot of upside who will have a year or two to learn the ropes?

by John Kang on May 2, 2011 5:19 PM EDT reply actions