Possible Steelers Draft Board

[darnik44]

Note, at some point the other positions with less priority would start to be worked in. This is a representation of what their board could look like for the first 3 rounds. This is in essence how they draft. Real simple, highest rated player is the pick. Certain positions could drop or be removed based on the picks in the prior rounds. Example, if they take a CB in the first the remaining CB's would probably drop on their board. Explanation on Raji being #1. It's been a while since there has been an all-pro caliber NT prospect in the draft. The Steelers know the importance of the position and the lack of quality NT's out there. Casey Hampton still has some time left, but now is the time to start looking for some depth and the future NT.

1. B.J. Raji, DT/NT, Boston College
2. Eugene Monroe, OT, Virginia
3. Michael Oher, OT/OG, Mississippi
4. Andre Smith, OT/OG, Alabama*
5. Jason Smith, OT, Baylor
6. Malcolm Jenkins, CB/S, Ohio State
7. Vontae Davis, CB, Illinois*
8. D.J. Moore, CB, Vanderbilt*
9. Alphonso Smith, CB, Wake Forest
10. Rashad Johnson, FS, Alabama
11. Tyson Jackson, DE/DT, Louisiana State
12. Derek Pegues, FS/CB, Mississippi State
13. Victor Harris, CB, Virginia Tech
14. Louis Delmas, FS/SS, Western Michigan
15. Sean Smith, CB/S, Utah*
16. Fili Moala, DT/DE, Southern California
17. Eben Britton, OT, Arizona*
18. Patrick Chung, SS, Oregon
19. Alex Mack, C/OG, California
20. William Beatty, OT, Connecticut
21. Duke Robinson, OG, Oklahoma
22. Asher Allen, CB, Georgia*
23. Eric Wood, C/OG, Louisville
24. Kyle Moore, DE, Southern California
25. Alex Magee, DT/DE, Purdue
26. William Moore, FS/SS, Missouri
27. Captain Munnerlyn, CB, South Carolina*
28. Fenuki Tupou, OT/OG, Oregon
29. Jarron Gilbert, DT/DE, San Jose State
30. Andy Levitre, OG, Oregon State
31. Darius Butler, CB, Connecticut
32. Trevor Canfield, OG, Cincinnati
33. Kevin Ellison, SS/FS, Southern California
34. Herman Johnson, OG/OT, Louisiana State
35. Otis Wiley, SS, Michigan State
36. Mike Mickens, CB, Cincinnati
37. Troy Kropog, OT, Tulane
38. Xavier Fulton, OT/OG, Illinois
39. Keenan Lewis, CB, Oregon State
40. Coye Francies, CB, San Jose State
41. Antoine Caldwell, C/OG, Alabama
42. Emanuel Cook, SS, South Carolina
43. Jairus Byrd, CB, Oregon*
44. Terrence Taylor, DT/NT, Michigan
45. Max Unger, C/OG, Oregon
46. Phil Loadholt, OT/OG, Oklahoma
47. Jamon Meredith, OT, South Carolina
48. Courtney Greene, S, Rutgers
49. Lydell Sargeant, CB, Penn State
50. Cornelius Lewis, OT, Tennessee State

[K Train]

raji is not number 1 on anyones board...give me al woods all day

i dont even know if hes coming out actually lol

[Thomas_43]

hmmm, from your big board this is how I see the picks coming out.

1. Alphonso Smith, CB, WF
2. Fili Moala, DT, USC
3. Eric Wood, C/OG, Louisville

[K Train]

**** alphonso smith.....i cant say it enough on how much i hate corners in the first. davis would be the only one i would consider and the pickings better be slim if we take him

[darnik44]

hmmm, from your big board this is how I see the picks coming out.

1. Alphonso Smith, CB, WF
2. Fili Moala, DT, USC
3. Eric Wood, C/OG, Louisville

That would be a great draft for sure, but there's very little chance Moala is available in the 2nd when the Steelers pick, and Wood probably won't be there in the 3rd. Wood could be the 2nd round pick but he could be gone there as well.

--- Added 1/28/2009 at 08:09 PM ---


raji is not number 1 on anyones board...give me al woods all day

i dont even know if hes coming out actually lol

Al Woods is still in school. At this point Woods is like a 5th rounder. Raji will be long gone by the 31st or 32nd pick, so there's not much reason to talk about him. I will say this though. If he was on the board I guarantee the Steelers would take him. Pro Bowl caliber NT prospects are so rare.

[K Train]

hes not a pro bowl caliber guy, i like him alot but he runs hot and cold. hes like a skinnier shaun rogers, more of an interior pass rusher that is good for 15 plays a game

[Thomas_43]

When I was saying what our draft was gonna look like, I wasn't going by my personal picks, but by who would be the best available left, when it was our pick.

[steelcityrockers]

I still don't understand why people are all over Raji's jock. He had one solid season that wasn't exactly infused with consistency. He missed a year I believe due to academic problems. I was liking him as a solid 2nd round guy.

Alphonso Smith is a pretty good corner. He is an absolute ball hawk that takes a lot of chances. Good cover guy too.

[K Train]

its cause raji is the one of the only true NT prospect this year, he will probably go top 15. his hype is from his ability to rush....which isnt exactly the best ability for a NT to have

[Thomas_43]

I'm just looking forward to the combine.

[darnik44]

By most accounts Raji isn't much of a pass rusher and is more of a blocker eater and run stuffer. That's what I've seen. He has the prototypical NT size ht. and wt., and his strengths are perfectly suited for a NT. Did any of you see him doing the lateral movement drills at the Senior Bowl? The guy had by far the quickest and most agile feet of any 300+ pound guy. The guy is really strong. Look for him to put on a show at the combine on the bench press. I also expect his 40 to be impressive for a guy in the 340 pound range.

Here's my scouting report on him.

http://www.nflspot.com/index.php/ncaa-nfl-draft/nfl-prospect-analysis/798-bj-raji-scouting-report.html

[K Train]

i just dont buy into it, i mean sure he would be good value at 32...but i wouldnt take him as high as hes going to go

[darnik44]

i just dont buy into it, i mean sure he would be good value at 32...but i wouldnt take him as high as hes going to go

Name the top 5 NT's in the league. You probably can't, because I don't think there are 5 good ones.

1. Casey Hampton (How many years does he have left?)
2. Kris Jenkins
3. Jamal Williams (nearing retirement)
4. Shaun Rogers (Look what the Browns gave up for him)
5.

[K Train]

theres a bunch of busts out of college thats why...how many NTs come in the NFL and just suck

i would say wilfork could be in that conversation for #5, and seymour can play nose in too so that kind of confuses the situation

[Silverback]

Even though I despise the cowboys, Ratliff might be up there.

[K Train]

ratliff is definitely one, he is a monster on that line, and he gets sacks too

[bleed black n gold]

Percy Harvin.,