10,000 Lakes

[Steeldrama]

2) Marlon Davidson 6’3 297 DT Auburn- Former 5 star recruit and the first freshman starter on Auburn’s defensive line since 1985. Probably not big enough to play a true NT. Playmaker and a versatile chess piece. Violence on a stick. I’m moving this hyperactive war daddy all over the front 7. Team leader. Fulfilled his promise to his late mother forgoing the NFL Draft as a junior to earn his college degree.

3C) Ben Bartch 6’6 308 OT St Johns (Minnesota)- This darling of Senior Bowl week hasn’t escaped my brain. Former track and field star came to the land of 10,000 lakes as a TE. Has since gained 75 pounds while keeping his obvious movement skills. The offensive line comings and goings this offseason should be quite interesting. IF BJ Finney isn’t re-signed, my Ruiz/Cushonberry selections will resume in earnest. "Sorry but I'm not sorry. I'm not going to apologize. I'm a cocksman."

4T) Tyler Johnson 6’2 205 WR Minnesota- HIGHLY productive Golden Gopher. Owns all major school receiving records including receiving yards previously held by my guy Eric Decker. So competitive and CLUTCH. PJ Fleck absolutely raves about this kid’s character breaking down in tears while singing his praises after the Gophers upset Bowl win over Auburn. Special season for the Gophers for sure. I was tailgating in the quad on the ‘Bama campus waiting to go into the LSU game when I gleefully watched Coach Rowboat and his band of Gophers take down Penn State. Fantastic day of football for yours truly.

4) Logan Wilson 6’3 241 LB Wyoming- Mocking this Cowboy again. Stat sheet filler with all the intangibles. Three year team captain who I think is going to be a steady riser post Indy. Linebacker depth is sorely lacking but I can't justify both Vince Williams and Mark Barron eating up that much cap space for mediocre production.

6) Antoine Brooks 5’11 215 S Maryland- Lotta trepidation on my part in making this pick after Tomlin's miss on Sean Davis but this Brooks kid is a collusion junkie and I know Mikey will dig that. The Steelers could have nothing left of the 2016 draft assuming Artie Burns, Davis, Javon Hargrave, and Dirty Red all depart this offseason. Not good.

7) Stephen Sullivan 6’6 254 TE LSU- Highly recruited top 10 wide receiver in the country for the National Champs. Athletic ability is obvious so if the Steelers actually employ a TE coach it’s incumbent upon that clown to develop all that ability. My fear in this draft is the Steelers bypass better players and reach to fill the void at TE. I’d rather roll with McDonald, Vannett, and a day 3 prospect rather than reach for need but that’s just me.

Thanks as always for reading. Please comment on the players you like and those you don’t. Go Pens!

[Steelafan77]

Like the Sullivan pick. I think he goes higher as we get closer to draft day. Great job as usual Drama. Keep 'em going...

[bradshaw2ben]

Marlon is a helluva player but I'm not sure he'd fit in PIT scheme very well. And, while I like Tyler Johnson a lot (reminds me of former Jaguar Jimmy Smith), I heard this week he has some off-field red flags, so don't know if that will come into play.

[Steeldrama]

Marlon is a helluva player but I'm not sure he'd fit in PIT scheme very well. And, while I like Tyler Johnson a lot (reminds me of former Jaguar Jimmy Smith), I heard this week he has some off-field red flags, so don't know if that will come into play.

What red flags for Johnson?
Fleck LOVES that kid.
Seems really well liked in Minneapolis

https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2020/01/ ... nneapolis/

[bradshaw2ben]

https://twitter.com/RotoLounge/status/1 ... 69478?s=20

It's mostly some vague stuff about character reports, possibly coachability AND that he wasn't at any all-star game. I think he's looking at being a 5th or 6th round pick.

[Steeldrama]

Well that sucks. I gotta get on that whole twitter thing. Kid had big hand in wins vs PSU and Auburn. Oh well deep class we'll simply cross him off the list.

[bradshaw2ben]

I really like Johnson... he was great in their bowl game. Having hung out with some scouts, it could be anything, could be nothing. One thing I will say is that he strikes me as more of a big slot guy than an outside receiver, begging the question: If this WR class is a big buffet that has everything and it just depends on taste... what flavor do the Steelers need? Every time I look at this class, I think: our current WR room has some good pieces but I'm not sure they each complement the others. Washington is a deep threat without speed/separation, JuJu is a great slot guy with build-up speed, Diontae is probably the best of the three but he's more of an Emmanuel Sanders route runner/slippery guy than he is a big speed deep threat. I think if you draft a speed guy, Washington is damn near dispensable. And that's taking into account he was pretty dang good last year and hasn't yet reached his ceiling. I'm just not sure how you plug in those three guys in a way that plays to each's strength.

I think they need speed, speed, and more speed on offense. They don't really have much of it on that side of the ball and they're not consistent enough to dribble and drab their way down the field consistently, even with Ben.

[smithessmokin]

I really like Johnson... he was great in their bowl game. Having hung out with some scouts, it could be anything, could be nothing. One thing I will say is that he strikes me as more of a big slot guy than an outside receiver, begging the question: If this WR class is a big buffet that has everything and it just depends on taste... what flavor do the Steelers need? Every time I look at this class, I think: our current WR room has some good pieces but I'm not sure they each complement the others. Washington is a deep threat without speed/separation, JuJu is a great slot guy with build-up speed, Diontae is probably the best of the three but he's more of an Emmanuel Sanders route runner/slippery guy than he is a big speed deep threat. I think if you draft a speed guy, Washington is damn near dispensable. And that's taking into account he was pretty dang good last year and hasn't yet reached his ceiling. I'm just not sure how you plug in those three guys in a way that plays to each's strength.

I think they need speed, speed, and more speed on offense. They don't really have much of it on that side of the ball and they're not consistent enough to dribble and drab their way down the field consistently, even with Ben.

Regarding him as a big slot WR got me thinking....could he be a poor mans version of Cooper Kupp?

[bradshaw2ben]

I really like Johnson... he was great in their bowl game. Having hung out with some scouts, it could be anything, could be nothing. One thing I will say is that he strikes me as more of a big slot guy than an outside receiver, begging the question: If this WR class is a big buffet that has everything and it just depends on taste... what flavor do the Steelers need? Every time I look at this class, I think: our current WR room has some good pieces but I'm not sure they each complement the others. Washington is a deep threat without speed/separation, JuJu is a great slot guy with build-up speed, Diontae is probably the best of the three but he's more of an Emmanuel Sanders route runner/slippery guy than he is a big speed deep threat. I think if you draft a speed guy, Washington is damn near dispensable. And that's taking into account he was pretty dang good last year and hasn't yet reached his ceiling. I'm just not sure how you plug in those three guys in a way that plays to each's strength.

I think they need speed, speed, and more speed on offense. They don't really have much of it on that side of the ball and they're not consistent enough to dribble and drab their way down the field consistently, even with Ben.

Regarding him as a big slot WR got me thinking....could he be a poor mans version of Cooper Kupp?

Don't know if you're old enough to remember, but he strikes me as Jimmy Smith, the Jaguars guy from the 90s. Good player.

[SteelWIll]

how about Denzel Mims for the speed guy? Likely sitting there w/ our 3C pick, right?

[Steeldrama]

how about Denzel Mims for the speed guy? Likely sitting there w/ our 3C pick, right?

Dig him. Fast riser

[bradshaw2ben]

how about Denzel Mims for the speed guy? Likely sitting there w/ our 3C pick, right?

Dig him. Fast riser

Love the player, great blocker, too... but he's more of a 4.5 guy, not really speed guy.

[SteelWIll]

re Mims and 4.5 speed: guess we'll find out for sure in about another 10 days...

[Steeldrama]

Bump to TE Stephen Sullivan
6’5 248 34 7/8 arms and ‘85 wingspan
Nice day 3 piece of clay right there

[bradshaw2ben]

re Mims and 4.5 speed: guess we'll find out for sure in about another 10 days...

I’m thinking we found out that that estimate form last year’s 40 was... a wee bit off

[SteelWIll]

Yep, BtB: i saw that too....Alex K. now calling him a 1st rounder b/c of it...

[bradshaw2ben]

Yep, BtB: i saw that too....Alex K. now calling him a 1st rounder b/c of it...

Well, when you consider that he's the best blocking WR in the draft, and he's one of the fastest/most athletic... the only think keeping him down is the extremely high quality of the guys above him. I'd say Lamb-Ruggs-Jeudy in some order, then the next tier is a possibility of almost any WR, based on taste/fit/off-the-field.