Pittsburgh Steelers
Posted by Mike Harman on Sunday, May 1, 2011
*************2013 NFL DRAFT GRADES************
1.16 Jarvis Jones, DE/LB, Georgia
Without fail the Steelers do it again. They don't have to move and they have a stud fall right in their laps. Jones is the best pass rusher in the draft according to his game tape, and he is a great value here.
A
2.48 Le'Veon Bell, RB, Michigan State
I'm a little Biased because Bell is my favorite runner in the draft, but I like the pick. He is a hard nosed runner that instantly adds an element that has been missing for awhile. Start drafting him for your fantasy team now.
B
3.79 Markus Wheaton, WR, Oregon State
I don't love Wheaton, but he fills a need and is in good value.
B+
4.111 Shamarko Thomas, S, Syracuse
4.115 Landry Jones, QB, Oklahoma
5.150 Terry Hawthorne, CB, Illinois
6.186 Justin Brown, WR, Oklahoma
6.206 Vince Williams, LB, FSU
7.233 Nicholas Williams, DT, Samford
OVERALL GRADE: A
When a team that is already pretty good gets quite a bit better then it is hard to complain. They got potentially four starters, and they have improved on both sides of the ball.
*************2012 NFL DRAFT GRADES************
1.24 David DeCastro, OG, Stanford
DeCastro arguably is the best guard prospect to come out in the last ten years, and somehow he fell in the draft to a team that will be perfect for him. The Steelers fill a big need, make their offense better in every way, and got the best player on the board. Best pick of the draft so far without a doubt.
A+++
2.56 Mike Adams, OT, Ohio State
Before his positive test Mike Adams was a top-25 pick. So for the Steelers to sit back and get him and all of his potential at 56 was fantastic. He is a risk off the field, and he is actually a guy that is raw on the field, but the Steelers stole him here.
A
3.86 Sean Spence, LB, Miami
I was hoping that the Steelers would snatch up another steal, but they instead slightly reached on a guy that doesn't really fit their scheme that well.
C
4.109 Alameda Ta'Amu, NT, Washington
If Ta'Amu had been taken in the 2nd or the 3rd round then few would have complained, so to get him in the 4th round is robbery. Luckily the Steelers did a lot of that in this draft.
A
5.159 Chris Rainey, SPEC, Florida
To call Rainey a running back doesn't do justice. He can run in space, can receive the ball, and do some returns. But why I love Rainey is because he blocked six punts/kicks in college which is an elite asset for a team.
A
7.231 Toney Clemons, WR, Colorado
7.240 David Paulson, TE, Oregon
7.246 Terrence Frederick, CB, TAMU
7.248 Kelvin Beachum, OG, SMU
OVERALL GRADE: A+
This is how teams are supposed to draft. The Steelers three biggest needs in the draft were at tackle, guard and nose tackle. They sat back and had the best guard in maybe the last ten years to come out fall right to them, They then sat back again and had a first round quality tackle fall to them in the 2nd. And then in the 4th round they did it once again and ended up with a nosetackle that they could have gotten in the 2nd or 3rd without question. Add in extra quality depth of need and you have one of the best drafts on paper that I've ever seen.
*************2011 NFL DRAFT GRADES************
Picks
1.31 Cameron Heyward, DE/DT, Ohio State
I have never been in love with Heyward, but he (like a commenter mentioned after the 1st round) was possibly the last top 3-4 end in the draft.
B+
2.63 Marcus Gilbert, OT, Florida
Another guy I didn't love, but his value and need are both great here. Gilbert could also play guard too.
B+
3.95 Curtis Brown, CB, Texas
I actually would have given Curtis Brown a B+ grade if he had been taken with the 63rd overall pick, so to steal him at the end of round three was great.
A+
4.128 Cortez Allen, CB, The Citadel
This may have been a slight reach, but the team either grabbing a nickel or a backup plan for Curtis Brown is a good idea.
B+
5.162 Chris Carter, DE/LB, Fresno State
Wow. Carter is a guy many thought would go in the 2nd round based on potential, so for the team to steal him with here is bad for the other 31 teams.
A++
5.196 Keith Williams, OG, Nebraska
I think some fans would have rather had the team go after a pure guard a little earlier, but great to address it here.
B+
7.232 Baron Batch, RB, Texas Tech
Rushing depth here is plenty good.
B
Draft Grade: A
What a great draft. The team touched essentially on their three biggest needs with their first four picks, got a major steal with Chris Carter and finished up with some extra depth.
NEW GRADE: A+
The Steelers needed a ton of corner depth, a defensive end, and some OL depth. They knocked it out of the park with their first four picks, and I really think we could hear the "how did Chris Carter fall to the 5th round" speech from the media in a few years. Sure there are a few more tools the team could add, but the team that lost the Super Bowl is so much better after this draft.
1.16 Jarvis Jones, DE/LB, Georgia
Without fail the Steelers do it again. They don't have to move and they have a stud fall right in their laps. Jones is the best pass rusher in the draft according to his game tape, and he is a great value here.
A
2.48 Le'Veon Bell, RB, Michigan State
I'm a little Biased because Bell is my favorite runner in the draft, but I like the pick. He is a hard nosed runner that instantly adds an element that has been missing for awhile. Start drafting him for your fantasy team now.
B
3.79 Markus Wheaton, WR, Oregon State
I don't love Wheaton, but he fills a need and is in good value.
B+
4.111 Shamarko Thomas, S, Syracuse
4.115 Landry Jones, QB, Oklahoma
5.150 Terry Hawthorne, CB, Illinois
6.186 Justin Brown, WR, Oklahoma
6.206 Vince Williams, LB, FSU
7.233 Nicholas Williams, DT, Samford
OVERALL GRADE: A
When a team that is already pretty good gets quite a bit better then it is hard to complain. They got potentially four starters, and they have improved on both sides of the ball.
*************2012 NFL DRAFT GRADES************
1.24 David DeCastro, OG, Stanford
DeCastro arguably is the best guard prospect to come out in the last ten years, and somehow he fell in the draft to a team that will be perfect for him. The Steelers fill a big need, make their offense better in every way, and got the best player on the board. Best pick of the draft so far without a doubt.
A+++
2.56 Mike Adams, OT, Ohio State
Before his positive test Mike Adams was a top-25 pick. So for the Steelers to sit back and get him and all of his potential at 56 was fantastic. He is a risk off the field, and he is actually a guy that is raw on the field, but the Steelers stole him here.
A
3.86 Sean Spence, LB, Miami
I was hoping that the Steelers would snatch up another steal, but they instead slightly reached on a guy that doesn't really fit their scheme that well.
C
4.109 Alameda Ta'Amu, NT, Washington
If Ta'Amu had been taken in the 2nd or the 3rd round then few would have complained, so to get him in the 4th round is robbery. Luckily the Steelers did a lot of that in this draft.
A
5.159 Chris Rainey, SPEC, Florida
To call Rainey a running back doesn't do justice. He can run in space, can receive the ball, and do some returns. But why I love Rainey is because he blocked six punts/kicks in college which is an elite asset for a team.
A
7.231 Toney Clemons, WR, Colorado
7.240 David Paulson, TE, Oregon
7.246 Terrence Frederick, CB, TAMU
7.248 Kelvin Beachum, OG, SMU
OVERALL GRADE: A+
This is how teams are supposed to draft. The Steelers three biggest needs in the draft were at tackle, guard and nose tackle. They sat back and had the best guard in maybe the last ten years to come out fall right to them, They then sat back again and had a first round quality tackle fall to them in the 2nd. And then in the 4th round they did it once again and ended up with a nosetackle that they could have gotten in the 2nd or 3rd without question. Add in extra quality depth of need and you have one of the best drafts on paper that I've ever seen.
*************2011 NFL DRAFT GRADES************
Picks
1.31 Cameron Heyward, DE/DT, Ohio State
I have never been in love with Heyward, but he (like a commenter mentioned after the 1st round) was possibly the last top 3-4 end in the draft.
B+
2.63 Marcus Gilbert, OT, Florida
Another guy I didn't love, but his value and need are both great here. Gilbert could also play guard too.
B+
3.95 Curtis Brown, CB, Texas
I actually would have given Curtis Brown a B+ grade if he had been taken with the 63rd overall pick, so to steal him at the end of round three was great.
A+
4.128 Cortez Allen, CB, The Citadel
This may have been a slight reach, but the team either grabbing a nickel or a backup plan for Curtis Brown is a good idea.
B+
5.162 Chris Carter, DE/LB, Fresno State
Wow. Carter is a guy many thought would go in the 2nd round based on potential, so for the team to steal him with here is bad for the other 31 teams.
A++
5.196 Keith Williams, OG, Nebraska
I think some fans would have rather had the team go after a pure guard a little earlier, but great to address it here.
B+
7.232 Baron Batch, RB, Texas Tech
Rushing depth here is plenty good.
B
Draft Grade: A
What a great draft. The team touched essentially on their three biggest needs with their first four picks, got a major steal with Chris Carter and finished up with some extra depth.
NEW GRADE: A+
The Steelers needed a ton of corner depth, a defensive end, and some OL depth. They knocked it out of the park with their first four picks, and I really think we could hear the "how did Chris Carter fall to the 5th round" speech from the media in a few years. Sure there are a few more tools the team could add, but the team that lost the Super Bowl is so much better after this draft.
Tags: "pittsburgh steelers" "steelers draft grade" "2011 nfl draft" "2012 nfl draft"
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