Davis/Hargrave Reactions + Day 3 Predictions

2nd Round Pick Reaction 

Sean Davis (Safety) - Maryland - 6'1" 201 lbs. 

Wow, another surprise pick by the Steelers. Time to go bury my mock draft in the back yard. With players like Andrew Billings, Vonn Bell, and Darian Thompson on the board, I would've bet we were going to take one of those guys. I'm not upset though! Davis was obviously their guy, and as I stated in my Artie Burns Reaction article, I trust our organization. 

The Steelers discussed earlier in the offseason how they want to address and improve the secondary, and boy they weren't lying. The Steelers have added size and attitude to their secondary in this draft!

Sean Davis is a big bad man; he led the nation with 5 forced fumbles in 2015. He also has ball skills with 3 interceptions. Steeler nation will fall in love with him when they see him destroying guys on the field. Unlike many of the safeties in the draft, Davis is capable of playing in the box as well as in coverage. He brings versatility to the safety position that the Steelers have lacked since the Polamalu/Clark days. I'm sure Kieth Butler has a smile on his and can't wait to play with his new safety duo. 

Similar to Burns though, he's a little raw. Lucky for us we retained Robert Golden, giving us the luxury of bringing him along at a steady pace. Davis was used at both cornerback and safety while at Maryland, and surely flipping between positions hindered his development. Being focused at safety will undoubtedly help him out. 

Overall I'm happy with this pick and I'm glad the Steelers have addressed the safety position early. For the first time in awhile i'm actually excited about this Steelers secondary.

3rd Round Pick Reaction

Javon Hargrave (Defensive Tackle) - South Carolina St. - 6'1" 309 lbs

Finally! A guy in my mock gets drafted by the Steelers! Also, the first pick that didn't catch me by surprise.

I'm so happy with this pick. Hargrave fits perfectly with what Tomlin wants from a DT. He's a guy who is able to play nose tackle in the 3-4 as well as be used as a pass rusher in the nickel. Beautiful. Surely Cam Heyward & Stephon Tuitt are happy with this pick as well because he's a player that will give them some relief in passing downs. 

Though myself and many other fans are jumping for joy, Hargrave isn't a perfect prospect. The jump from a small school to the NFL is a major adjustment so it may take him time to adapt. Raw-ness seems to be a theme for his years draft class. Because of this his impact may only be modest at first. He also has short arms (32") compared to how the Steelers prefer their d-lineman (34").

Criticisms aside, this was a perfect 3rd round pick. The Steelers filled a position of need while potentially getting a major steal. Many fans have been clamoring for a defensive tackle and boy we got one. Pittsburgh should be very excited about this pick. 

Day 3 Predictions 

The Steelers are in a perfect position going into day 3. Their major needs (CB, S, DL) were all addressed in the first 3 rounds, giving them the luxury of selecting the best player available for the remainder of the draft. Based on need, the positions they will likely be paying close attention to are WR, OL, EDGE, & MLB. Trading back may even be considered depending on who is available.

Some players I could see them taking in the 4th round:

• Pharoh Cooper (WR)
• Malcolm Mitchel (WR)
• Jerald Hawkins (OT)
• Nick Kwiatkoski (MLB)
• Jatavis Brown (LB/S)
• Devontae Booker (RB)

My 4th round prediction: Pharoh Cooper 

To reiterate, the Steelers are in a great position entering day 3 and shouldn't feel pressured to reach for any needs. I'm confident they will end the day with some quality players.

Artie Burns Reaction + 2nd Round Prediction

Pick Reaction 

Artie Burns (Cornerback) - Miami - 6'0" 193 lbs. 

As soon as the Bengals took William Jackson III (ugh) and the Steelers were on the clock, I tweeted out how I think the Steelers should trade back. As soon as I hit send, the Steelers had submitted their pick. 

The fastest pick of the first round was pick 25 for the Steelers, Artie Burns. 

I had a similar initial reaction to when Ryan Shazier was drafted: "...huh?"

Burns has all the necessary tools to be a great corner in the league, he's just raw and lacks a lot of experience. Just seems like an odd Steelers pick considering they've had trouble not only drafting, but developing cornerbacks. I was chatting with Joe Kuzma of Steel City Underground and we were both equally perplexed following the announcement. 

However, a further look and some further thinking about Burns should give fans reasons to be excited. You see statistics showing QB's had a passer-rating of 39.8 when targeting Burns and how he had 6 interceptions in 2015. You see a guy with the measurables to be a star in this league. You see a man with strong character, who had to be the man of his household once his father went to jail. You see a player with the swagger and confidence that Tomlin loves. 

The Steelers are taking the initiative to re-build this secondary. They view Artie Burns as a building block, a piece of clay for them to mold. Many may see this pick as a reach or overreaction, but I trust my team and it's leaders. The Steelers didn't hesitate to take him, showing that they believe in Burns and think he can be a major asset to this team. He obviously won't be a star from day one, but the potential is there. Welcome to Steeler Nation Artie. 

2nd Round Prediction

In the second round I'm anticipating the Steelers checking out safeties, defensive lineman, as well as some of the linebackers/edge-rushers still available. There are many guys at each position that would be great fits with the Steelers. 

Defensive lineman still available:

• Andrew Billings
• Chris Jones
• Jarran Reed
• A'Shawn Robinson 
• Jonathan Bullard
• Javon Hargrave
• Jihad Ward 

Safeties still available:

• Darian Thompson
• Vonn Bell 
• Jeremy Cash 
• Justin Simmons
• TJ Green 

Linebackers/EDGE still available:

• Noah Spence 
• Kamalei Correa
• Shilique Calhoun
• Reggie Ragland 

Steeler fans shouldn't have any worries; there are still many great players available. The Steelers are a smart team and we should all trust them to take a great player that will contribute to our team. 

My guess is the Steelers draft a safety in the 2nd round and continue to rebuild their secondary. They did an extensive amount of research on safeties this offseason and ideally one of the guys they want will fall. Defensive line depth is certainly a need in this draft, but because a safety would play a bigger role for this defense, I give safety priority. Linebacker/edge rusher can't be forgotten either. If either Spence, Correa, or Ragland fall to the 58th pick, I'm sure they would be considered.  

My 2nd round prediction: Darian Thompson 

Final Thoughts:

Tonight reaffirmed what we all know: you can never predict the draft. 

Overall I'm happy with the selection of Artie Burns. I was very skeptical at first, but as I read more about him and saw what Tomlin & Colbert said about him following the pick, I believe he was the right selection. 

I can't wait to see who else we draft tomorrow that fans will surely freak out about. 

Thanks for reading. 

SG 2016 Steelers Mock Draft

This mock draft is what I think the Steelers will do and how I think the board will fall. 

Aimed for realistic picks rather than dream picks. 

Round 1: Keanu Neal (Safety) - Florida 

The Steelers address one of their biggest needs immediately. Say what you want about Neal, but nobody can deny he's one of the biggest hitters in this draft. Neal has the swagger and hard-nosed style Tomlin covets. He has the tackling skills to help in run support and the athletic ability to drop into coverage. Teaming Neal with Mike Mitchel gives Kieth Butler an athletic safety duo that I know he'll have fun with. Neal will be able to come in and have an instant impact on the secondary with his playmaking ability. 

The Steelers have shown a lot of interest in Neal, both attending his pro day and bringing him to Pittsburgh for a visit. The Steelers also tend to draft in the first round one of the top 2 positions they brought in for a visit. 

Round 2: Javon Hargrave (Defensive Tackle) - South Carolina State

If you follow my tweets, you should know that i've been adament about the Steelers not addressed the defensive line in the first round. The 2nd round is perfect for the Steelers to address the position. Because of the depth of the defensive line class, a great player is sure to fall to the Steelers.

Hargrave perfectly fits the mold of the kind of defensive tackle Tomlin is seeking. He's a player who will be able to both play nose tackle and also be used as a pass rusher in nickel looks. Talented, undersized defensive tackles fall in the draft each year, and the Steelers will be beneficiaries of that this year. 

Round 3: Yannick Ngakoue (EDGE) - Maryland 

Many analysts have the Steelers going with wide receiver this round or next. I think drafting an edge rusher follows the same logic of drafting a wide receiver. The position is fine this year but next year the cupboard will empty, so we need to draft a mid-round guy to develop. 

Ngakoue is a great candidate to sit for a year in order to bulk up, learn the defense, & improve his technique. In a year when we're likely without Jarvis Jones & James Harrison we'll have him ready. Ngakoue has all the tools but just needs time to put it all together, making him a perfect 3rd round pick. 

The Steelers didn't bring in him for a visit, but Joey Porter attended his pro day and put him through a multitude of drills. The Steelers tend to draft at least one player they didn't visit with in the top 4 rounds. 

Round 4: Jonathan Jones (Cornerback) - Auburn 

Yeah I know, another addition the Steelers elven secondary. Jones can ball though. He compensates his 5'9" height with a blistering 4.33 40 yard dash. Throw in instincts, willingness in run-support, & ball-skills and you have a great cornerback despite his height.

Similar to fellow shorty Senquez Golson, Jones is versatile enough to play both the slot and outside. Steeler nation may groan when they see the Steelers draft another tiny cornerback, but come game-day they certainly won't be complaining. 

Round 6: Jay Lee (Wide Receiver) - Baylor  

Jay Lee fits the mold of the Steelers recent methodology of drafting wide receivers. He has the height/weight/speed to excel in the league, but he's an extremely raw route-runner and has inconsistent hands. This description sounds familiar... (Sammie Coates & Martavis Bryant). Like Coates & Bryant, Lee will need time to develop and ideally would turn into another Steelers mid-late wide receiver gem. 

Round 7a: DeAndre Elliot (Cornerback) - Colorado State 

Another year another double-dip at cornerback. DeAndre Elliot is a raw player, but has ideal measurable's. If he is able to develop, his height and length would be a great asset for our vertically challenged secondary. 

Round 7b: Caleb Benenoch (Offensive Tackle) - UCLA

With their final pick in the draft, the Steelers take a developmental offensive lineman. Benenoch shows the tools and ability, but needs to gain strength and develop his technique. The Munchak magic could help him become a solid swing-lineman for the Steelers. 


Thanks for reading!