That’s head coach Mike Tomlin basking in the afterglow of his first two picks in the 2008 NFL Draft. Tomlin and Director of Player Personnel Kevin Colbert have every right to be pleased with their work as the general consensus seems to be the Pittsburgh Steelers had themselves one of the finest hauls in this year’s draft. Scanning the interwebz, it appears many of the so-called “experts” graded our picks quite generously.

Jason Cole (Yahoo Sports) – A
Paul Zimmerman (SI.com’s Dr. Z) – Very Good
Larry Weisman (USA Today) – B+
Mel Kiper (Great Hair) – B
NPC (Me) – A

Wait, I gave our draft an A? Didn’t I say in my draft preview post that taking a running back like Jonathan Stewart would be a luxury pick? Didn’t I say a luxury pick is not something we can afford with so many pressing needs? Have I gone mad?

Not really. See, when you evaluate a team’s draft, you have to do so on a sliding scale. The teams picking early almost always have the “best drafts” because they pick the biggest name players. Of course, if those drafts were really the best, or if those big names always panned out, then the Detroits and Atlantas of the world wouldn’t be picking in the top 10 seemingly every year. As John Steinbeck would say, “…the best laid plans of Mice and Matt Millen…”

Mangling of classic English literature aside, I judge a draft by value. As in, what did pass up, what did you get, and what did you give up in getting what you got? By those criteria, the Steelers did a tremendous job this weekend.

Did the draft address our needs? Well, in a word, no. Our biggest needs were OL, WR, DL, and CB in that order. The Steelers only filled one of those four needs (WR). Looking at it that way, you’d think their draft was a total disaster. But this goes back to what I said about value. We passed up guys who’d fill our needs but didn’t have legit first round ability, we got players who are talented enough that most people think they should’ve went 10 to 15 picks sooner than when we got them, and we gave up nothing in order to draft them.

Pittsburgh could’ve gone a similar route as Carolina. The Panthers also needed help on the OL and when there was a run on linemen, they panicked and traded up to get Jeff Otah. As someone who saw him play in a few Pitt games this season, the idea of using one 1st round pick on Otah is questionable. Otah has raw talent and great measurables but he’ll definitely need a lot of coaching and is far from a complete package. Carolina, however, gave up not only several picks to draft him, but next year’s 1st as well. That’s far far too steep a price.

I’m glad the Steelers didn’t play that game. Gosder Cherilus and Sam Baker are nice players but they’re both 2nd round talent. Taking them in the first would’ve been dubious. Trading future draft picks to MOVE UP to take them would’ve been insane. Especially when legitimate first round talent was there to be had.

I don’t believe in drafting specifically to fill needs. That’s how you end up with Troy Edwards instead of Jevon Kearse. I firmly believe you take the best player available. Obviously, all things being equal, you try to fill your needs first but this year, things were not equal. Every offensive lineman of any ability, projected to go in the first OR second round, was gone by the time the Steelers picked at #23. What was sitting there was a running back who many considered the 2nd best back in the entire draft.

It’s a no-brainer.

Of course, like we learned with Huey Richardson, we’ll truly see how smart the Steelers are when these guys actually put on some pads and take the field.

3rd Round:

Pros: Good athlete with decent speed (4.78 sec in the 40). Outstanding quickness off the blocks and is a great closer. Scary as an edge rusher. Very active with a motor that does not stop. Rangy player who will make plays in pursuit. Has played both DE and OLB so can play from either up or down position. Very much in the mold of James Harrison, except he hasn’t backhanded any women (yet).

Cons: Like Harrison, considered to be undersized. Also a liability against the run as he struggles to hold his ground or get a push when being run blocked. One reason he fell is his strength measured well below average. Considered a one trick pony as a pass rush specialist who only dominates against weak opponents.

4th Round:

Pros: Huge man with ginormous frame and long arms. Considered a terrific athlete as he ran the 40 is 5.3 sec flat. Nifty feet with good balance and agility. Outstanding as a pass blocker. Is mobile and when put in space, is very good at lead blocking. Could possibly play guard. Thought to have quite a bit of upside potential.

Cons: Suffered a catastrophic knee injury in high school that required almost total reconstruction.  Obviously that was a while ago but still raises concerns over long term durability. Combine was disappointing as he didn’t measure very strong and doesn’t play with a lot of power. Seems to lack the killer instinct all top notch OL have. Isn’t stout at the point of attack and doesn’t get a great push so needs work on his run blocking. Plays too upright at times and his technique is a bit rough. Considered an underachiever in college whom the Steelers are no doubt hoping will eventually play up to his potential.

5th Round:

Pros: Outstanding athleticism. Played minor league baseball for the Atlanta Braves. Is probably one of the best pure athletes in the entire draft. Reminded many scouts of another Vince Young, which I guess belongs in the Pros but I leave that up to you. Mobile in the pocket and makes plays with his feet. Decent height with the body to put on some weight. Decent arm strength but a quick release who throws extremely well on the move. Was having an awesome Senior year where he was widely considered the front-runner for the Heisman Trophy when a torn ACL ended his season. The Steelers love converting this type of mobile QB into a WR and that is very likely the plan with Dixon. If it works out, could potentially be their best pick this year.

Cons: Health and durability are obviously a concern. Claims to have his ACL completely rehabbed but that’s a major injury which sometimes needs 2 years to fully heal. Needs to bulk up and add some weight if he wants to survive in the NFL. Didn’t play a pro style offense with the Ducks so there will be a learning curve if they expect him to compete for a backup QB position. Much like another #10 for the Steelers, he has poor mechanics, erratic accuracy, and questionable decision-making skills as a QB. As a WR, will have to learn route-running and technique basically from scratch. Also timed at 4.6 sec in the 40 which is good for a QB but not particularly fast for a wide out (although to be fair, he ran it in 4.46 sec prior to the injury).

6^th Round:

Mike Humpal LB Iowa

Height: 6-2^1/2
Weight: 244

Pros: Good size with a non-stop motor. A real ball-hawk as he’s always where the action is. Sure handed tackler. Plays stronger than his size in shedding blocks while remaining stout at the point of attack. Chad Brown-like in demeanor and playing style.

Cons: Not a great athlete. All his measurables, especially timed speed and quickness, are considered below average. Doesn’t have the best footwork so can be twisted around making him a liability in pass coverage. Will probably be a special teamer and a career backup as he’s a solid worker but doesn’t have much upside potential.

6^th Round:

Ryan Mundy S West Virginia

Height: 6-1
Weight: 205

Pros: Adequate size and weight for a safety. Sure tackler. Not afraid of delivering the big hit. A true playmaker with good hands and will make the pick if given the chance. Very active with a non-stop motor. Despite attending WVU, Mundy is a smart player who is seldom fooled or out of position. Will contribute to the special teams immediately and will probably push Tyrone Carter and Anthony Smith for the backup S position a couple seasons from now. Born and raised in Pittsburgh (Woodland Hills).

Cons: Does not have great timed speed and lacks a burst. If beaten, not fast enough to recover. Also isn’t strong enough to cover tight ends or jostle for position with bigger wide receivers. Does not have great measurables but could be a solid backup while also contributing on special teams. (more…)

Rejoice!! The NFL Draft is almost upon us. Two days of hopes, dreams, triumph for some, heartbreak for others, quarterbacks waiting in anticipation with their hot girlfriends and Jet fans eager to boo whatever unfortunate sap is taken by their team.

‘Tis truly one of the most wonderful times of the year. I dare say it’s even better than Christmas. Yes, Mel Kiper is my Santa. Except this jolly old elf has perfectly-coiffed hair.

As you surf around the interwebz, you will probably come across a mock draft or two. Or four. Or three dozen. Concocting mock drafts seems to have become the second biggest time waster of choice behind only filling out as many March Madness brackets as a sports fan can get their grubby little hands on.

I will spare you such things on my site. Besides, this is a Steeler blog. I assume you come here to read about the Steelers. I also imagine you don’t much care who the Houston Texans may or may not take with their compensatory pick in the fifth round.

You care about the Steelers. So All-Steelers All-the-time is what I’ll give you. The following is a short synopsis of prospects you should keep an eye on because they are players the Steelers either have interest in or they should have interest in. If anybody has their own Players To Keep An Eye On, feel free to share your picks in the comments below.

Let’s hope somebody suffers the same fate as poor Brady Quinn. Watching him slide deeper and deeper down the draft board was high drama at its best. I would feel sorry for the kid except he’s still a multi-millionaire, his girlfriend looks like she could suck-start a lawnmower, and he plays for the Browns. Oh, and his name is Brady. I hate that name.

Brenden Albert OT Virginia – The crown jewel of the draft as far as the Steelers are concerned. Albert is a 6’6” 310 pound human bulldozer who plays either left guard or left tackle. He has the talent to start immediately and for our team, probably would. Unfortunately, he has flown up the draft boards in the last month, going from a late 1^st rounder to a possible Top 10 pick. Highly unlikely he’ll make it to #23

Jonathan Stewart RB Oregon – A 5’10” 235 pound power back. Basically, a bowling ball with arms and legs. Has some durability issues as he’s suffered a number of injuries while in college which could be a problem in the pros. Tandem backfields are en vogue in the NFL so that’s what makes him an attractive option. Still, make no mistake, taking Stewart would be a case of taking Best Athlete Available. We’re already 3 deep at running back so unless the Steelers are lying about Willie Parker’s success at rehabbing his broken leg, we have much more pressing needs than at RB.

James Hardy WR Indiana & Limas Sweed WR Texas – I grouped these two together because they both fill a similar hole: the big-ass WR that will make Ben smile and Hines cry. Sweed is 6’4” but coming off a major wrist injury that has scared some teams away. Hardy is 6’5” and basically a poor man’s Plaxico Burress. His biggest knock is his 40 times have been a bit on the slow side so some wonder if he can create enough separation at the pro level. WR is a wild card area in this draft as some people project guys like Hardy, Sweed, and Desean Jackson (a tiny quick guy we wouldn’t be interested in) to be 1^st rounders while others have them all slipping well into the 2^nd. If either of these two fall to the Steelers, I’d heartily endorse either as my preference for their first pick.

Kentwan Balmer DT North Carolina – If you read the Saga of Booger or my posts on the inexplicable signing of Nick Eason, you know the Steelers are paper thin along the defensive line. Brent Kiesel, Casey Hampton, and Aaron Smith are still top notch players but they’re also getting older and the threat of injury is always there. Balmer, a smallish but explosive rusher, projects to being a defensive end in the Steelers 3-4. He’s a gamble, though, as speed guys are usually boom or bust plus he really only started to show any flashes of superior ability during his senior season.

Aqib Talib CB Kansas – Last year, the Steelers were all set to draft Pitt CB Darrelle Revis with their first pick. They probably would’ve cut Ike Taylor, who played so poorly in 2006 that Coach Cowher benched him for several games. Then those tricky Jets swooped in, swung a trade with Carolina, and slipped ahead of us one spot in the draft so they could take Revis. Talib is another wild card as he is generally considered the best cover guy available but his 40 times have been astonishingly slow which raises all kinds of alarms with scouts. If teams go by college performance, he’ll be long gone by our pick. If they don’t, he might slip. Would the Steelers take him? Like I said, we were looking at CB last year. Also, Talib returned punts and even played a little WR at Kansas like a mini-Deon Sanders (“Not-Ready-For-Primetime?”) so he could also help us out in the return game. This would be a bold, interesting pick so I expect the Steelers not to make it if given the opportunity.

Gosder Cherilis OT Boston College – Huge 6’6” 315 monster. Doesn’t have the best form and needs coached up some. He played some left tackle as a senior and looked bad so probably would be a right tackle on the pro level. The Steelers aren’t really that hurting for right tackles (need interior lineman more) so Cherilis would be a safe but unspectacular pick. In fact, a lot of draftniks have him as a 2^nd rounder so taking him in the first might even be considered “reaching.” Probably not the worst pick they could make but not the most attractive option either.

Chilo Rachal OG USC – This is more a guy to look for in the 2^nd round if we go another direction in the 1^st. Not a spectacular college career but his measurables and potential are extremely high. Definitely seen as a future starter in the league, the only question is how soon and how capable. Will probably be gone by the Steelers second pick unless we trade up (or down) and pick up an early 2^nd rounder.

Matt Forte RB Tulane - If the Steelers are serious about going to a shared backfield, they definitely need to find a power back to compliment Fast Willie. Forte is a 6’1″ 217 short-yardage specialist. In fact, some teams think he’ll be a FB at the pro level but either way, I think the Steelers could use him. His measurables kinda sucked as he didn’t appear to be notably fast or notably strong, which is why most teams see him as a late 2^nd/3^rd rounder. But those kind of things are sometimes misleading which is why I wouldn’t mind seeing him in Black and Gold next year.

Ray Rice RB Rutgers – Yes, he had a big college career but that actually works against him with the scouts because they see him as having a lot of wear on the tires. Rice could very well fall to the Steelers late in round 2. Would they take him? The problem with Rice is he runs like a power back, very strong, very straight ahead…but at 5’8″ 199 he doesn’t have power back size. I can see him turning into a Mike Alstott-type pro although I do have to admit I’m not sure his tough running style will be able to hold up over an entire season. Still, this would be another intriguing pick.

Jeremy Zuttah OG Rutgers – Zuttah has been flying up draft boards in the past few weeks. He’s still seen as a 2^nd rounder but a month ago, he was a second dayer. Probably his best feature is he can play center, guard, or tackle and has played all three while in college. That kind of versatility is extremely rare and valuable. He also had a great Combine workout. Then again, so did Mike Mamula. Which is the big question on him: can his measurables translate to on-field ability? The Steelers were burned in this area before (Hello Jamain Stephens) but I’d take a flier on Zuttah if I was stuck picking at the ass end of the 2^nd round.

Mike Pollack C Arizona State & Kory Lichtensteiger C Bowling Green – Two more centers for this team which badly needs to find a guy to bend over and let Ben stick his hands between his legs for the next 5-6 years. I grouped these two together because they’re both late 2^nd/mid 3^rd round types so they are within reach. I also grouped them because they are similar centers in the Mike Webster mold of small, quick, smart guys. Lichensteiger also has a really cool last name which sounds like a tasty German beer. And a team located in Pittsburgh could always use a Pollack. I’d be happy with either of these picks.

Chad Rhinehart OG Northern Iowa - Get this, he’s 6’5″ 325 pounds. Clearly, he’s on the seafood diet…he eats everything he sees. Supposedly he’s pretty athletic and can be coached up. Plus, at that size, if his supposedly decent footwork is decent, he’ll be hard for linemen to deal with. Of course, the knock here is he’s from Northern Iowa. I think they played Robert Morris this year so he’s not exactly been tested against top notch competition. Still, for a late third round pick, he could be a sleeper.