NFL.com has their opinions about the Steelers first three picks, starting with of course first round pick Cam Heyward:
Pick Analysis: The Steelers opt to upgrade their defensive line instead of addressing their secondary with the selection of Heyward. He gives them another athletic five-technique to throw into the rotation, and his overall skill set is a perfect fit in their “30” scheme. This pick is another illustration of the Steelers stockpiling young players to groom for huge roles down the road.
Marcus Gilbert:
Pick Analysis: The Steelers pick up a quality pass protector in Gilbert. He is a big, physical blocker on the edge with the size, toughness and skill to protect Ben Roethlisberger in the pocket. Gilbert gives them another young player to groom for a big role along the offensive line.
Curtis Brown:
Pick Analysis: Brown gives Mike Tomlin an athletic corner with skills to throw into the cornerback rotation. He possesses a nice combination of size, speed and athleticism, and is a nice fit in the team’s zone-based scheme. He should compete for time as a nickel or dime corner during his first season.
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DrGeorge
April 30, 2011 at 2:15 pm
Three of the first four picks went to the defense, as I predicted before the draft. The surprise was using #3 and #4 on CBs with the same profile (tall and light). How these guys are any better than Keenan Lewis and Joe Burnett escapes me, but they may be insurance against resigning Ike Taylor and\or Wm Gay, both of whom are free agents. One of the two may be slotted for special team’s play.
This is one of the weakest draft classes in recent memory. The quality at NG and DE was badly depleted by Pick #31, and Brown and Allen may well have been the best of the rest among defensive players. If either is good enough to play CB or Nickel, even as a backup, then K. Lewis could be shifted to Safety, saving a draft pick.
Gilbert (Pick #2) is not the dominant OT we’ve all been clamoring for these past few years. I trust Sean Kugler to make him into a Steeeler. Again, most of the quality OTs were taken by the late second round, and he was the best of the rest. Gilbert like Starks and Colon is HUGE, but he has slow feet and is not suited to pass protection. However, he is well suited to the power running game. Hopefully, this is a signal that Tomlin and upper management are serious about improving that aspect of our offense.
Picks #5-7 will tell us more about the over all philosophy of this draft. This is where the personnel folks earn their keep. So far, Colbert has done a fine job, given our low draft number. As in prior years, expect some quality players to be added after the draft as well. Our scouts are very good at ferreting out obscure talent that fits our system. Watch for trends in selecting these late round complementary players and post-draft free agents (when that becomes a possibility).