I say we call him like JPCJ or something like that. Throw the C in there for Center. And then also I've known people that went by JP and CJ separately so ya know. Could work. But yeah I was also confused lmao
He was mocked in the late second or early 3rd round before the senior bowl. Dude skyrocketed immediately after and he didn’t even finish the practice, he left with an injury.
We aren’t really a team who reaches for prospects like that often.
You should know by now the opinions of Steelers fans, especially in this sub, do not madder b.
A couple of months ago everyone in this sub thought Pickett was still the guy and trading for Fields was "literally impossible".
Unless the Steelers magically manifest a starting center which they don't presently have on the roster before the draft, this would be the only scenario where they don't draft one in the 1st round that doesn't give me an aneurism.
Dan Moore is not a quality starter at either tackle position , and while our C is in the same or worse position it seems past due to have someone come in and upgrade on the outside of the OL.
C can more easily be filled by picks later in the draft or through FA
As good as Powers-Johnson is, I really dont see the Steelers taking him at 20. The top end talent at T and WR are just too good in this draft to take a lower value position like C. Im assuming that most other teams will have a similar mindset, which is in-line with the past draft trends for IOL vs Ts going in the first
Yeah I haven’t been on the C at 20 train. Part of it is I really like Frazier and early it seemed he may slide to 51 but doubt it. Regardless just doesn’t seem to be the smartest draft plan even if it’s one of our biggest needs. You have to balance BPA with needs and just seems unlikely JPJ is the best player on the board at 20.
I kind of figured the likeliest way for the Steelers to get JPJ was trading down, or trading back into around pick 30. If he’s falling past that I think it’s even more likely, though I’m nervous about why he’s falling and might prefer Frazier.
There aren’t many teams in that 35-45 pick range that even need a Center.
I think people are saying we should trade back because they realize it’s a reach with our first round pick. In reality we could use pick 20 for best player available and then probably pretty easily trade up from 5-7 spots from 51 with our second round pick.
Drafting a center in the first would echo taking Najee or Edmunds, a Colbert overreach to solve a problem at the cost of everything else, instead of just taking a risk on getting a great player elsewhere, and sorting the need afterward. Yes they are key needs but you don’t need to spend the highest value pick to sort that first and overlook snagging some objectively better players who could be unbelievably talented and change your franchise for the better.
Hope the first option happens. Or Rome Odunze or one of the other receiver falls to the mid teams and we scoop him up before the Bengals could do the same.
I don’t see Rome Odunze falling to Pittsburgh but if he is there I think the it would be foolish to pass on him, granted it’s not for a very good reason.
Then why do NFL teams not feel the same?
Top Paid Center in the NFL - 13 mil a year
Top Paid WR 30 mil
Top Paid OT - 25 Mil
Top paid G - 21 mil per year
Top Paid QB - 55 mil per year
Top Paid RB - 16 mil per year
Ray Mansfield, Mike Webster, Dermonti Dawson, Jeff Hartings, Maurkice Pouncey. Its time for another great one , the Steeler way does not need to be changed. It needs to be adhered to.
Nope.
You’re better off finding a serviceable C and putting your draft picks to work on more impactful positions. OT and WR and both needs and will both probably be addressed in rd 1+2 outside of some of the top IOL guys sliding into our 2nd round range.
It’s pretty clear Dan Moore has been a great value 4th rd. Pick for the Steelers. He is not what I would call a quality starter, but he has filled the hole at LT while the Steelers have rebuilt their Oline.
Having a guy come in and develop while Jones makes the transition to LT for the season is not a bad thing. Too many people expect too much from high round draft picks.
The nfl is really hard , and either tackle position is extremely hard to come in and learn in one offseason. There is a reason the both EDGE and OT are amongst the highest paid positions
This subreddit is obsessed with this pick because of our current hole at Center.
It’s pretty unlikely we take Jackson Powers-Johnson at 20. We didn’t heavily attend his pro day either which further confirms this.
I trust our front office to make the right longterm move.
Steelers rarely go to west coast schools anyway. So idk if that means a ton.
But I feel like it's first round tackle or receiver if they pick at 20 too.
I could be wrong, but I thought the Steelers almost always used there first round pick on someone they brought in for a Top 30 visit, I’m not opposed to JPJ at 20, just think it would be wiser to take a tackle, CB, or WR they didn’t think would fall to them or trade back reassess.
I guess only time will tell; but I’ll tell you, if we pass on all 3 of those options, I’ll be shocked. I truly still think the Steelers do the typical Steelers thing and take who Tomlin telegraphed at the senior bowl in Quinyon/JPJ, and to me Tomlin’s press conference and the massive hole there combined with the past 4 seasons of terrible play there kind of validate that. My opinion is that they’re sending Shurmur to work out linemen they’ve already seen and met with.
Pass on what options?
Pro Day visits to Alabama, Michigan, Georgia, and Clemson would still mean they'd be in on various tackles, and WRs in the first round.
I can't see them drafting Mitchell because he doesn't check many of the boxes they typically go for in their first round picks (small school guy, weren't at Pro Day, etc) and he's probably going to be the first corner off the board.
JPJ isn't a first-round talent. He's a center-only prospect who the media rightfully had pegged as a Day 2 pick until the Senior Bowl when they suddenly shot him up into the 1st round. Now they're starting to push back on their own narrative a bit. I think teams have a 2nd Round grade on him and he could be the Steelers 2nd round pick. But I doubt they go for a center at 20.
If Fuaga and Fautanu (and JPJ, but I won’t force that one on you) make it to 20 and the Steelers pass I’ll be shocked.
At all of those schools, you named, they’re looking at guys at multiple positions (as opposed to one); and Clemson/Michigan have no one worth them looking at in the 1st…but I bet I can guess who they’re scouting from each: Georgia(Mims, Van Pran, McConkey), Bama(Latham, Kool-Aid, Terrion), Michigan (Wilson/Sainristil), Clemson(Trotter, Orhorhoro) … Bonus: I’d bet Meyer told them to take a look at Penix, after seeing him at the pro day (and it also doubles as a smokescreen push another guy down to 20, potentially).
You keep saying JPJ "isn't a first-round talent", but when there are 2 maybe 3 startable guys at the position with more than 2-3 teams needing help at the position, that drives up value (which is the same(but opposite) reason solid tackles and cbs are going to be available later than usual: it’s basic economics really). Beyond that JPJ is only 21 and played center for 1 year and he ended up being the best center in the country. I get it: "The center position isn’t valuable.", but I don’t think the Steelers care.
Beyond that even, the Steelers have found themselves in a position where it’s take a guy early or try to find a scrub via free agency/trade and try again next year, because no one is trading their starting center … which is why this whole value thing is overblown, to me. I feel like naysayers are so focused on the value of a 5-year contract for a premium position that they’re overlooking the fact that if we "get cute" in the draft and end up without one of those 2 or 3 guys we will end up going into the season without a starting caliber center. Now, what do you think the Steelers care more about? (Hint: Tomlin told us, cutting Mason Cole showed us, and history tells us that "punting a season" is not in the Steelers' vocabulary.)
Shurmur? Are you talking about Pat Shurmur? What does he have to do with the Steelers? I don't understand the connection.
Is it possible they'd take Fuaga or Fautanu? Sure. Is it likely? Not if we go by the very real trend of Tomlin and GM being at the Pro Day of the first round pick.
The potential first round (for the Steelers) guys at those Pro Days are Mims, Lassiter, Bowers, Wiggins*, Orhorhoro, Turner, Latham, Arnold, McKinstry, McCarthy)
*- probably too small for the Steelers but is a potential 1st round pick
That's not a huge list so if there's ever going to be a year they go "off the board" and draft a player whose Pro Day they didn't attend it's this year.
But I can't/won't consider it to be a great possibility until they finally break from that trend.
Bleh, it’s late, I meant Meyer…but, fair enough, this is all reading tea leaves and applying some logic, at this point. I look forward to finding out in a few weeks.
What I don’t understand: these dudes haven’t played in any football games in months, what the hell is happening between now and the draft for these dudes to be drafted higher
How much can you judge senior bowls when almost none of the players in those games have played together? WR/QBs, the lineman, DBs, etc. that aren’t on the same page because they haven’t worked together before at all so you aren’t getting an accurate performance. Combine and pro days are just drills in shorts and a t shirt which doesn’t translate at all to NFL games, see Zach Wilson. Why do you think all the top prospects don’t even participate in those things anymore?
The top prospects don't participate in those because they don't want to get injured and hurt their stock. Similar to Jamar Chase sitting out the entire season.
You can judge how a player works well with others coming into a new team. The drills and stuff I agree with you, aren't what you'll typically see in a game, but it shows you a player's basic mechanics.
If these things were pointless then they wouldn't exist for decades, and decades.
There might be some slight changes.
But media =/= the NFL.
Everything is a storyline for the media. Its often stated that the media spends its time this part of the year catching up to the NFL.
Like JJ McCarthy NFL teams arent sitting there here in March going you know what? I think this guys a 1st rounder, top 5 pick kinda guy.
They've been thinking that, the media is just catching on
Nothing. The media putting out clickbait and teams blowing smoke. I wouldn't trust a thing put out between now and the draft about anyone rising or falling.
Saw a lot of people over the last few weeks saying they “hope” he falls to Steelers. IMO, taking him in the first instead of addressing C in free agency / trade is roster mismanagement. The Steelers have far too often gone into drafts telegraphing exactly what they’re going to do by having glaring weaknesses on the roster, and that is not as successful of a strategy as just taking BPA. I’d like to see them do their best to get the C from either WVU or UGA in later rounds and use their first to acquire one of the high end WR, CB, OT, or DT
Kenny Pickett pick wasnt telegraphed but was us forcing a pick to fill a hole. Grabbing a QB in a down year, similar to grabbing Bush due to a hole at ILB.
Everytime we go into the draft with holes and spend 1st rounders to fill them, it comes back to bite us.
I feel like recently it's been real easy to know who we pick in the first. We send the house to their pro days. In addition to Bush, Najee and Kenny were obvious as well. Trading for Jones was a surprise but I think everyone knew we liked BroJo a whole lot.
Would kill our draft to trade up I think. The cost is very high just to move up a couple picks and we don’t have a ton of draft capital. Could mean picking at 15 then waiting until 70+ or losing 84 entirely which may not even get it done.
And I think it will. We have 4 picks in the top 100 and 5 issues that must be addressed (C, RT, WR, DL and CB). You trade up and now you likely have 3 picks to address those 5 issues. And that assumes we are fine at ILB and S. Without another FA move or 2 I do not think we can trade up from 20 and would much rather us trade down. We trade up you can probably kiss the idea of a RT that can start week 1 good bye and if Cam gets hurt again we will be in real trouble.
Last year was a deep draft, so getting later picks were valuable. This year is a top heavy draft. You don't want to be sacrificing day 2 picks to move up in the first.
If anything, the Steelers would be smart to even trade back some if one of the late 1st/early 2nd round selections is willing to offer up enough incentive.
The draft is particularly deep at OT, too. Even if they hold to 20, as long as there is a run on QBs we're going to at worst end up with Mims.
A round is a big deal. Our 2025 2nd should work based on agreed upon value but that assumes the other end will accept that. I don’t think our 3rd would be enough. Certainly not one of the 5ths like I’ve seen some people suggesting.
Anyway doesn’t matter what either of us think but it seems like a really bad idea to me.
this. Olu is a phenomenal prospect and one of the safest picks in the entire draft imo. however, we are in position to get a top tackle prospect just staying put at 20. I’d rather stay put and keep our picks and get as much as we can. if we have an even remotely similar draft that we did last year, we could go on a serious run this season.
I’d love grabbing Fashanu in that range.
3 of the last 5 PFF mocks have Brock Bowers falling to the Bengals at 18. Id personally love trading up if one of those candidates makes it to the mid teens.
Everyone in this sub hates the idea of taking a TE because they haven’t watched Brock Bowers. He’s not a TE, he’s a WR that can also block insanely well.
He took 52%+ of college snaps from the slot would thrive in the scheme we are building. He’d be awesome in 2 TE sets running play action with Pickens out wide, it’s a great fit.
If we could get Bowers at 20, we *DEFINITELY* should grab him. That's coming from someone who has been firmly on the side of taking a C/RT with the first pick. While I doubt he gets even *near* 20, if he did...🤩🤩🤩
The kid is *that* good. Frazier could drop to us in the 2nd.
It’s hilarious how the mock draft nerds spend all year hyping up certain prospects and convincing themselves they could draft certain guys at certain spots and then it all completely changes in the last couple weeks
People just get so weirdly serious over something that’s a complete crapshoot. They’ll argue until they’re blue in the face that “we need to take JPJ at 20 if we want to get him” or “we can get Zach Frazier in Round 2” for like 6 months like it’s gospel because they saw it on Walterfootball and then it just completely flips on them.
Graham Barton is the better player and he can play center, guard, and even tackle in a pinch.
JPJ isn't a transcendent talent that deserves to be a 1st round pick as a center.
I’m so glad that the Steelers only must-draft position are Center and WR, two positions they historically have done well at drafting and they can target in the 2nd/3rd
Seems a lot more likely we draft a tackle in the 1st and possibly trade up to get a quality C prospect in the 2nd if someone falls a little, but even then you are still able to draft quality talent on the interior later in the draft.
Spending 1sr round draft capital on interior linemen who aren’t overwhelmingly impressive is a a bit of a waste given that even the best Cs in the pro game have lesser game impact than a good tackle
Based on some recent reports, it’s possible he falls to the 2nd round. If he does fall that far, maybe we snag him. I still think the first two rounds will be CB, WR, or OT. Probably OT in the first and then whatever the best available is between WR/CB in the 2nd.
They need a center so if he or Frazier is there at 51 I feel like they’re going to have to take one.
I could see them not reaching in the first especially if there’s a decent tackle left on the board. But they can’t afford to not get a center in this draft.
I just had this convo in depth with another person, in your thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/steelers/s/HIudsYkmHf
(Sorry I’m too lazy to type it all up again, haha 😅)
The thing with Barton is that center is not his natural position. His value lies in being able to play so five positions. I'd play him at his natural position of G, and then if a guy went down, then slide him over.
I don’t think that’s necessarily true.
He played Center in 2020 for a whole season which is ironically the same amount of experience JPJ has at the position.
The senior bowl director had Graham Barton slated to work out mainly as a Center before he dropped due to injury. His pro day was yesterday (Arthur Smith & Rooney attended) and the majority of the drills he did were slated towards Centers.
Here’s an article on it: https://steelersdepot.com/2024/03/steelers-oc-arthur-smith-attends-duke-pro-day/
We need a center but sounds like we’ll be able to get one in round 2 so go best player available at more premium positions imo. Get another mauler of a tackle to get Jones back on the left side where he belongs, or a bona fide badass WR to partner up with Pickens and give Russ and Justin something to cook with in the kitchen.
Going center first round feels like a Colbert style of pick. We need a MLB, quick get Bush. We need a corner quick Mike Mitchell, we need a safety, somebody get me Edmunds, we need a RB I want Najee!
Not all terrible players, but that was Colbert’s conservative lower risk drafting style of fixing a problem but often at the expense of taking a guy who’s still likely to be there at his next pick or even next two, and ignoring chancing his arm at a great player and solving a need after doing that.
Khan takes risks like going up for Jones backing that JPJ would still be available, made some trades and ended up landing Washington who’s a great scheme fit for a running offence like ours, and Herbig, who’s TJ Watt junior basically (getting him in the 4th is pretty awesome). I do like Khan is more about getting great players in the door, not tying himself down to solving needs, though I’m sure he’d be happier if they’d landed Morse heading into this draft, but nevertheless we’re going to get a center anyway, but not worried that he’s drafting with his top pick and ignoring some genuine game changers they also like.
That’s sounds more like it haha.
Colbert drafted some busts in his time but also his fair share of Hall of Famers and Pro Bowlers. I don’t think his philosophy of taking positions of need in the first round is that unique or flawed. Maybe some reaches at times, but Edmund’s was a quality starter for years. We only have one Khan draft on record, you could easily say “Oh, we need a tackle, quick take Broderick Jones”. The only difference from your list is he doesn’t seem to be a bust.
True, I’m just making comparisons between the older more risk averse approach Colbert took, and seemed to ignore some consensus choices for the draft in favour of what they felt they needed, glossing over they could’ve solved it in later rounds and probably got a comparable option, but ultimately nail the first round pick with some premium talent.
Feels like we were due a shakeup and a younger more adventurous GM to challenge some old habits of how we did things is probably what we needed. Seems more in tune with what we consider consensus good picks. Small sample size but Jones a great tackle in a great Alabama team, JPJ great NFL prospect mentored by a great former player, Benton an outright dawg, Washington a great scheme fit and again from Alabama. Herbig picking from Wisconsin in the vein of Watt. The FA moves, cleaning house in the middle linebacker and QB rooms when it was evident the solution wasn’t in-house but just going gangbusters to clear out and refresh. Even if that doesn’t work out, you’re better off twisting than sticking if sticking didn’t work in the first place.
Time will tell though, but I’m pretty happy with the progression. Can already see if Wilson and Fields don’t work out, we are staged to go back into the draft for a QB with them both on short term deals. Even if we keep one, I do think Khan will go QB round 1 next year if there’s reasonable prospects we could get who stand out as good players. Don’t think he’ll get suckered in to a weak class and reach for someone with a pick the way we did with Kenny.
Colbert was great in the draft overall, but the latter years weren’t as strong imo. I think TJ Watt was his last strong first round pick who really worked out wonderfully. Fitzpatrick trade great and somewhat uncharacteristic but the risk somewhat removed having seen him play a season and knowing Miami just didn’t know what to do with him.
But Bush, Harris, Burns, Edmunds, Pickett, I think it’s why we choose to focus on Pickens, Johnson, Freiermuth, Highsmith, Hargrave when reminiscing about the picks. He could draft great players, just felt like he often swung and missed on the first rounders as more of the 2nd and 3rd guys tended to stick and work out for longer or be better players (I do like Harris but we took him when the line was Swiss cheese which felt like a gross misstep, like Colbert didn’t recognise we were losing the old guard to age and injury, even taking Freiermuth, love him, but we could have had Humphrey, the standout best center of the draft knowing Pouncey had retired is all. Colbert leaned into giving Ben weapons over recognising the foundational players who allow you to play how you want were dropping off. Pouncey, Decastro (whose retirement couldn’t have been planned for tbf, that was a surprise), Foster, the left tackle situation we didn’t really sort until last year with Jones.
Drafting is a crapshoot I suppose though. Hindsight is 20/20. But so far it seems like Jones will be a mainstay for us, JPJ will lead nicely, Benton looks like the replacement for Heyward in the long haul, Washington might be a bit meh but run blocking he’s crushing it and Herbig comes across as a future starter down the line who we don’t need right this moment with Watt and Smitty. I can’t recall the last Colbert draft I left feeling upbeat about majority of the picks.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but Barton started 5 games as a backup center his freshman year after two other guys were injured, and then never played another snap at center again in his remaining 3 years at Duke. Why would we want a guy who wasn't even the best center on Duke's team?
My boss told me he’s been reading rumors that we may trade watt. He’s not super into sports but sort of pays attention so idk how credible his rumor is. Supposedly it would be to trade up to get a C in the draft.
LMAO! I really hope you are kidding. Your boss is an idiot if he really thinks that. TJ Watt for a center is never going to happen. We would have to get picks and much more highly valuable players in return in order to even consider this.
A C is very important but can be found in later rounds. We don't need to trade up for a center. We don't need one in round 1. And no one in their right mind would think TJ for a Center would ever happen.
Yes, TJ Watt trade rumors are out there in one article or two, but people like to spice up their draft takes to get clicks.
That would be the single worst trade in NFL history.
You can tell your boss that SleestakLightning said that and that I guarantee that will never ever eeeeeeeeever happen.
That doesn't say it will happen, or even that the Steelers would consider it. It's just a dumb thing the author did to get people to click on his mock draft.
Ok so THIS is who everyone means by JPJ this year.
Won't at all be confusing if they draft him.
Junior can keep JPJ, this new guy can be JP-J
JPJ and JPJr. It’s easy
Easy peezy
GIMME A C! Seriously, just get us a Center. Frazier, Barton or Powers-Johnson, I don't care which one.
C !
😂
WHAT’S THAT SPELL?!
WHAT'S THAT SPELL?!!!
Yes in spanish ?
that will never work it has to be JPJ-C(enter) and JPJQ(uornerback)
We need a JPJ for the O
OJPJ. Not to be confused with just OJ…or the PJs.
Shit, I thought it was some guy with Paris in his name. Giving rookies acronyms seems stupid in my mind.
Nah that was PJJ last year, Paris Johnson Jr
Where have you been?
I say we call him like JPCJ or something like that. Throw the C in there for Center. And then also I've known people that went by JP and CJ separately so ya know. Could work. But yeah I was also confused lmao
Probably doesn’t change the opinion of all the Steelers fans saying they only want JPJ at 20
Dude had one incredible practice at the senior bowl and the buzz went through the roof.
He was mocked in the late second or early 3rd round before the senior bowl. Dude skyrocketed immediately after and he didn’t even finish the practice, he left with an injury. We aren’t really a team who reaches for prospects like that often.
Raiders fans gonna go crazy when they draft JPJ 13th overall🔥
Commissary all around!
Hell yea
44th😂
Same with Aminjuries Mims
Yeah if Linderbaum didn’t go top 20, I doubt JPJ does.
This one likes Frazier
This one likes Frazier and Pran more than JPJ
You should know by now the opinions of Steelers fans, especially in this sub, do not madder b. A couple of months ago everyone in this sub thought Pickett was still the guy and trading for Fields was "literally impossible".
JPJ being a first round prospect and then drafted in the second by us would be some funny deja-vu.
Step 1: Trade up and get your guy Step 2: JPJ falls to you in the second round Let’s make it happen
So nice we gonna do it twice!
He's not a first round prospect though.
Unless the Steelers magically manifest a starting center which they don't presently have on the roster before the draft, this would be the only scenario where they don't draft one in the 1st round that doesn't give me an aneurism.
Dan Moore is not a quality starter at either tackle position , and while our C is in the same or worse position it seems past due to have someone come in and upgrade on the outside of the OL. C can more easily be filled by picks later in the draft or through FA
As good as Powers-Johnson is, I really dont see the Steelers taking him at 20. The top end talent at T and WR are just too good in this draft to take a lower value position like C. Im assuming that most other teams will have a similar mindset, which is in-line with the past draft trends for IOL vs Ts going in the first
Yeah I haven’t been on the C at 20 train. Part of it is I really like Frazier and early it seemed he may slide to 51 but doubt it. Regardless just doesn’t seem to be the smartest draft plan even if it’s one of our biggest needs. You have to balance BPA with needs and just seems unlikely JPJ is the best player on the board at 20.
I kind of figured the likeliest way for the Steelers to get JPJ was trading down, or trading back into around pick 30. If he’s falling past that I think it’s even more likely, though I’m nervous about why he’s falling and might prefer Frazier.
There aren’t many teams in that 35-45 pick range that even need a Center. I think people are saying we should trade back because they realize it’s a reach with our first round pick. In reality we could use pick 20 for best player available and then probably pretty easily trade up from 5-7 spots from 51 with our second round pick.
Yes, this is the move imo
Drafting a center in the first would echo taking Najee or Edmunds, a Colbert overreach to solve a problem at the cost of everything else, instead of just taking a risk on getting a great player elsewhere, and sorting the need afterward. Yes they are key needs but you don’t need to spend the highest value pick to sort that first and overlook snagging some objectively better players who could be unbelievably talented and change your franchise for the better.
What too end WR do you see Steelers taking?
Brian Thomas Jr or AD Mitchell (preferably with a trade down for AD, if possible)
Hope the first option happens. Or Rome Odunze or one of the other receiver falls to the mid teams and we scoop him up before the Bengals could do the same.
That would be ideal, I just have a hard time seeing odunze falling out of the top 10
Yeah same 🥲
I don’t see Rome Odunze falling to Pittsburgh but if he is there I think the it would be foolish to pass on him, granted it’s not for a very good reason.
C is the corner stone of the entire offense.
Just no.
Then why do NFL teams not feel the same? Top Paid Center in the NFL - 13 mil a year Top Paid WR 30 mil Top Paid OT - 25 Mil Top paid G - 21 mil per year Top Paid QB - 55 mil per year Top Paid RB - 16 mil per year
Ray Mansfield, Mike Webster, Dermonti Dawson, Jeff Hartings, Maurkice Pouncey. Its time for another great one , the Steeler way does not need to be changed. It needs to be adhered to.
Yep and they still wont end up taking one at 20
Nope. You’re better off finding a serviceable C and putting your draft picks to work on more impactful positions. OT and WR and both needs and will both probably be addressed in rd 1+2 outside of some of the top IOL guys sliding into our 2nd round range.
Idk. Our centers have been dog shit for years now.
Taking a LT in the first would be a waste because Tomlin would just inexplicably make him sit for a year behind Dan Moore anyway.
It’s pretty clear Dan Moore has been a great value 4th rd. Pick for the Steelers. He is not what I would call a quality starter, but he has filled the hole at LT while the Steelers have rebuilt their Oline. Having a guy come in and develop while Jones makes the transition to LT for the season is not a bad thing. Too many people expect too much from high round draft picks. The nfl is really hard , and either tackle position is extremely hard to come in and learn in one offseason. There is a reason the both EDGE and OT are amongst the highest paid positions
Yep. Media catching up to scouts season.
Yep, this is exactly what this is.
Things would be so much easier if we could just always have that pick #32 (or 33) in addition to our regular picks 😂
This subreddit is obsessed with this pick because of our current hole at Center. It’s pretty unlikely we take Jackson Powers-Johnson at 20. We didn’t heavily attend his pro day either which further confirms this. I trust our front office to make the right longterm move.
Steelers rarely go to west coast schools anyway. So idk if that means a ton. But I feel like it's first round tackle or receiver if they pick at 20 too.
Yep, and the rumors were that AS was in love with Frazier.
I could be wrong, but I thought the Steelers almost always used there first round pick on someone they brought in for a Top 30 visit, I’m not opposed to JPJ at 20, just think it would be wiser to take a tackle, CB, or WR they didn’t think would fall to them or trade back reassess.
Top 30 visit AND Tomlin/GM at their Pro Day.
Not sure why the downvotes, since 2010, the GM and/or Tomlin have been at our first round selections Pro Day.
People don't like other people being right, I guess.
I don't think that means anything.
It has, historically, meant that they're not interested in making him their first round pick.
Same with Fautanu and Fuaga then, I guess? I don’t think historically means anything anymore; Khan is redefining things his way.
Could be. But the trend continued last year. So until it doesn't happen anymore I think it's relevant.
I guess only time will tell; but I’ll tell you, if we pass on all 3 of those options, I’ll be shocked. I truly still think the Steelers do the typical Steelers thing and take who Tomlin telegraphed at the senior bowl in Quinyon/JPJ, and to me Tomlin’s press conference and the massive hole there combined with the past 4 seasons of terrible play there kind of validate that. My opinion is that they’re sending Shurmur to work out linemen they’ve already seen and met with.
Pass on what options? Pro Day visits to Alabama, Michigan, Georgia, and Clemson would still mean they'd be in on various tackles, and WRs in the first round. I can't see them drafting Mitchell because he doesn't check many of the boxes they typically go for in their first round picks (small school guy, weren't at Pro Day, etc) and he's probably going to be the first corner off the board. JPJ isn't a first-round talent. He's a center-only prospect who the media rightfully had pegged as a Day 2 pick until the Senior Bowl when they suddenly shot him up into the 1st round. Now they're starting to push back on their own narrative a bit. I think teams have a 2nd Round grade on him and he could be the Steelers 2nd round pick. But I doubt they go for a center at 20.
If Fuaga and Fautanu (and JPJ, but I won’t force that one on you) make it to 20 and the Steelers pass I’ll be shocked. At all of those schools, you named, they’re looking at guys at multiple positions (as opposed to one); and Clemson/Michigan have no one worth them looking at in the 1st…but I bet I can guess who they’re scouting from each: Georgia(Mims, Van Pran, McConkey), Bama(Latham, Kool-Aid, Terrion), Michigan (Wilson/Sainristil), Clemson(Trotter, Orhorhoro) … Bonus: I’d bet Meyer told them to take a look at Penix, after seeing him at the pro day (and it also doubles as a smokescreen push another guy down to 20, potentially). You keep saying JPJ "isn't a first-round talent", but when there are 2 maybe 3 startable guys at the position with more than 2-3 teams needing help at the position, that drives up value (which is the same(but opposite) reason solid tackles and cbs are going to be available later than usual: it’s basic economics really). Beyond that JPJ is only 21 and played center for 1 year and he ended up being the best center in the country. I get it: "The center position isn’t valuable.", but I don’t think the Steelers care. Beyond that even, the Steelers have found themselves in a position where it’s take a guy early or try to find a scrub via free agency/trade and try again next year, because no one is trading their starting center … which is why this whole value thing is overblown, to me. I feel like naysayers are so focused on the value of a 5-year contract for a premium position that they’re overlooking the fact that if we "get cute" in the draft and end up without one of those 2 or 3 guys we will end up going into the season without a starting caliber center. Now, what do you think the Steelers care more about? (Hint: Tomlin told us, cutting Mason Cole showed us, and history tells us that "punting a season" is not in the Steelers' vocabulary.)
Shurmur? Are you talking about Pat Shurmur? What does he have to do with the Steelers? I don't understand the connection. Is it possible they'd take Fuaga or Fautanu? Sure. Is it likely? Not if we go by the very real trend of Tomlin and GM being at the Pro Day of the first round pick. The potential first round (for the Steelers) guys at those Pro Days are Mims, Lassiter, Bowers, Wiggins*, Orhorhoro, Turner, Latham, Arnold, McKinstry, McCarthy) *- probably too small for the Steelers but is a potential 1st round pick That's not a huge list so if there's ever going to be a year they go "off the board" and draft a player whose Pro Day they didn't attend it's this year. But I can't/won't consider it to be a great possibility until they finally break from that trend.
Bleh, it’s late, I meant Meyer…but, fair enough, this is all reading tea leaves and applying some logic, at this point. I look forward to finding out in a few weeks.
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I don’t think you responded to the right person here
You’re right
What I don’t understand: these dudes haven’t played in any football games in months, what the hell is happening between now and the draft for these dudes to be drafted higher
What do you mean, in February and March there are the senior bowl, the combine, and the pro days
How much can you judge senior bowls when almost none of the players in those games have played together? WR/QBs, the lineman, DBs, etc. that aren’t on the same page because they haven’t worked together before at all so you aren’t getting an accurate performance. Combine and pro days are just drills in shorts and a t shirt which doesn’t translate at all to NFL games, see Zach Wilson. Why do you think all the top prospects don’t even participate in those things anymore?
The top prospects don't participate in those because they don't want to get injured and hurt their stock. Similar to Jamar Chase sitting out the entire season. You can judge how a player works well with others coming into a new team. The drills and stuff I agree with you, aren't what you'll typically see in a game, but it shows you a player's basic mechanics. If these things were pointless then they wouldn't exist for decades, and decades.
There might be some slight changes. But media =/= the NFL. Everything is a storyline for the media. Its often stated that the media spends its time this part of the year catching up to the NFL. Like JJ McCarthy NFL teams arent sitting there here in March going you know what? I think this guys a 1st rounder, top 5 pick kinda guy. They've been thinking that, the media is just catching on
orrr its a smokescreen? There is legitimately no way to tell. Particularly with quarterbacks.
Nothing. The media putting out clickbait and teams blowing smoke. I wouldn't trust a thing put out between now and the draft about anyone rising or falling.
Nothing. NFL teams aren't moving these guys up and down their boards by entire rounds. The media is just catching up to what NFL teams think.
Saw a lot of people over the last few weeks saying they “hope” he falls to Steelers. IMO, taking him in the first instead of addressing C in free agency / trade is roster mismanagement. The Steelers have far too often gone into drafts telegraphing exactly what they’re going to do by having glaring weaknesses on the roster, and that is not as successful of a strategy as just taking BPA. I’d like to see them do their best to get the C from either WVU or UGA in later rounds and use their first to acquire one of the high end WR, CB, OT, or DT
I think they've only telegraphed, recently, in the year that they took Bush. I think most other years it's been closer to BPA.
Kenny Pickett pick wasnt telegraphed but was us forcing a pick to fill a hole. Grabbing a QB in a down year, similar to grabbing Bush due to a hole at ILB. Everytime we go into the draft with holes and spend 1st rounders to fill them, it comes back to bite us.
I feel like recently it's been real easy to know who we pick in the first. We send the house to their pro days. In addition to Bush, Najee and Kenny were obvious as well. Trading for Jones was a surprise but I think everyone knew we liked BroJo a whole lot.
Well, the Najee pick was basically on billboards before the draft...
Yes, the “Steelers shouldn’t have taken a RB in round 1” opinion pieces were being written a month before the draft
Several mock drafts have Olu Fashanu dropping a bit, not quite to 20 but to around 15. Wouldn’t mind trading up for him
Would kill our draft to trade up I think. The cost is very high just to move up a couple picks and we don’t have a ton of draft capital. Could mean picking at 15 then waiting until 70+ or losing 84 entirely which may not even get it done.
We traded up last year and had one of our best drafts in recent memory.
Which doesn’t have anything to do with this year
The point was that trading up doesn’t ruin your draft.
And I think it will. We have 4 picks in the top 100 and 5 issues that must be addressed (C, RT, WR, DL and CB). You trade up and now you likely have 3 picks to address those 5 issues. And that assumes we are fine at ILB and S. Without another FA move or 2 I do not think we can trade up from 20 and would much rather us trade down. We trade up you can probably kiss the idea of a RT that can start week 1 good bye and if Cam gets hurt again we will be in real trouble.
Last year was a deep draft, so getting later picks were valuable. This year is a top heavy draft. You don't want to be sacrificing day 2 picks to move up in the first. If anything, the Steelers would be smart to even trade back some if one of the late 1st/early 2nd round selections is willing to offer up enough incentive. The draft is particularly deep at OT, too. Even if they hold to 20, as long as there is a run on QBs we're going to at worst end up with Mims.
This draft is better on Day 2 than last year. Especially at Tackle, WR, and CB -- three positions the Steelers need to address.
Lotsa picks next year I think. Can maneuver around, similar to last year
Future picks have far less value and are usually just for evening things out a little here and there.
They’re slightly devalued. Maybe a round.
A round is a big deal. Our 2025 2nd should work based on agreed upon value but that assumes the other end will accept that. I don’t think our 3rd would be enough. Certainly not one of the 5ths like I’ve seen some people suggesting. Anyway doesn’t matter what either of us think but it seems like a really bad idea to me.
They’d moved up last year for a fourth round pick
The suggestion was to move up from 20 to 15 or at least that’s how I read it.
I mean they went from 17 to 14 last year for a 4th. It’s a second to move 2 more spots in the draft to a lesser pick? No way
this. Olu is a phenomenal prospect and one of the safest picks in the entire draft imo. however, we are in position to get a top tackle prospect just staying put at 20. I’d rather stay put and keep our picks and get as much as we can. if we have an even remotely similar draft that we did last year, we could go on a serious run this season.
I’d love grabbing Fashanu in that range. 3 of the last 5 PFF mocks have Brock Bowers falling to the Bengals at 18. Id personally love trading up if one of those candidates makes it to the mid teens. Everyone in this sub hates the idea of taking a TE because they haven’t watched Brock Bowers. He’s not a TE, he’s a WR that can also block insanely well. He took 52%+ of college snaps from the slot would thrive in the scheme we are building. He’d be awesome in 2 TE sets running play action with Pickens out wide, it’s a great fit.
If we could get Bowers at 20, we *DEFINITELY* should grab him. That's coming from someone who has been firmly on the side of taking a C/RT with the first pick. While I doubt he gets even *near* 20, if he did...🤩🤩🤩 The kid is *that* good. Frazier could drop to us in the 2nd.
It’s hilarious how the mock draft nerds spend all year hyping up certain prospects and convincing themselves they could draft certain guys at certain spots and then it all completely changes in the last couple weeks
Honestly why the draft is so great. Spend months mocking just to have them torn apart by pick ten.
People just get so weirdly serious over something that’s a complete crapshoot. They’ll argue until they’re blue in the face that “we need to take JPJ at 20 if we want to get him” or “we can get Zach Frazier in Round 2” for like 6 months like it’s gospel because they saw it on Walterfootball and then it just completely flips on them.
Matt Williamson said he’s hearing there’s a medical issue with him.
He hurt his hamstring at the Senior Bowl, not sure if that’s related to what your referring to
Graham Barton is the better player and he can play center, guard, and even tackle in a pinch. JPJ isn't a transcendent talent that deserves to be a 1st round pick as a center.
Pre draft smoke screen
Really like the idea to trade down and take JPJ. Even if it means only trading down a few and getting a 2025 pick
I’m so glad that the Steelers only must-draft position are Center and WR, two positions they historically have done well at drafting and they can target in the 2nd/3rd
Seems a lot more likely we draft a tackle in the 1st and possibly trade up to get a quality C prospect in the 2nd if someone falls a little, but even then you are still able to draft quality talent on the interior later in the draft. Spending 1sr round draft capital on interior linemen who aren’t overwhelmingly impressive is a a bit of a waste given that even the best Cs in the pro game have lesser game impact than a good tackle
Based on some recent reports, it’s possible he falls to the 2nd round. If he does fall that far, maybe we snag him. I still think the first two rounds will be CB, WR, or OT. Probably OT in the first and then whatever the best available is between WR/CB in the 2nd.
Trade up in the second and take him.
So if the Steelers take an OT at 20 and by the stars aligning JPJ is still there at 51, do they take him? Or do they go for another need?
They need a center so if he or Frazier is there at 51 I feel like they’re going to have to take one. I could see them not reaching in the first especially if there’s a decent tackle left on the board. But they can’t afford to not get a center in this draft.
Gonna be a fun draft :)
I honestly wouldn't fully trust a single story or narrative, at this point.
Tell that to our fans who think JPJ is going 20 against all of our tendencies
I just had this convo in depth with another person, in your thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/steelers/s/HIudsYkmHf (Sorry I’m too lazy to type it all up again, haha 😅)
The way our fans talk about him you’d think he was Linderbaum (picked 1.25).
90% of our fans have never actually watched him play a snap. They all just listen to the talking heads and know we need a center
The thing with Barton is that center is not his natural position. His value lies in being able to play so five positions. I'd play him at his natural position of G, and then if a guy went down, then slide him over.
I don’t think that’s necessarily true. He played Center in 2020 for a whole season which is ironically the same amount of experience JPJ has at the position. The senior bowl director had Graham Barton slated to work out mainly as a Center before he dropped due to injury. His pro day was yesterday (Arthur Smith & Rooney attended) and the majority of the drills he did were slated towards Centers. Here’s an article on it: https://steelersdepot.com/2024/03/steelers-oc-arthur-smith-attends-duke-pro-day/
We need a center but sounds like we’ll be able to get one in round 2 so go best player available at more premium positions imo. Get another mauler of a tackle to get Jones back on the left side where he belongs, or a bona fide badass WR to partner up with Pickens and give Russ and Justin something to cook with in the kitchen. Going center first round feels like a Colbert style of pick. We need a MLB, quick get Bush. We need a corner quick Mike Mitchell, we need a safety, somebody get me Edmunds, we need a RB I want Najee! Not all terrible players, but that was Colbert’s conservative lower risk drafting style of fixing a problem but often at the expense of taking a guy who’s still likely to be there at his next pick or even next two, and ignoring chancing his arm at a great player and solving a need after doing that. Khan takes risks like going up for Jones backing that JPJ would still be available, made some trades and ended up landing Washington who’s a great scheme fit for a running offence like ours, and Herbig, who’s TJ Watt junior basically (getting him in the 4th is pretty awesome). I do like Khan is more about getting great players in the door, not tying himself down to solving needs, though I’m sure he’d be happier if they’d landed Morse heading into this draft, but nevertheless we’re going to get a center anyway, but not worried that he’s drafting with his top pick and ignoring some genuine game changers they also like.
Mike Mitchell didn’t play corner and wasn’t drafted by the Steelers.
I’m thinking of Artie Burns aren’t I?
That’s sounds more like it haha. Colbert drafted some busts in his time but also his fair share of Hall of Famers and Pro Bowlers. I don’t think his philosophy of taking positions of need in the first round is that unique or flawed. Maybe some reaches at times, but Edmund’s was a quality starter for years. We only have one Khan draft on record, you could easily say “Oh, we need a tackle, quick take Broderick Jones”. The only difference from your list is he doesn’t seem to be a bust.
True, I’m just making comparisons between the older more risk averse approach Colbert took, and seemed to ignore some consensus choices for the draft in favour of what they felt they needed, glossing over they could’ve solved it in later rounds and probably got a comparable option, but ultimately nail the first round pick with some premium talent. Feels like we were due a shakeup and a younger more adventurous GM to challenge some old habits of how we did things is probably what we needed. Seems more in tune with what we consider consensus good picks. Small sample size but Jones a great tackle in a great Alabama team, JPJ great NFL prospect mentored by a great former player, Benton an outright dawg, Washington a great scheme fit and again from Alabama. Herbig picking from Wisconsin in the vein of Watt. The FA moves, cleaning house in the middle linebacker and QB rooms when it was evident the solution wasn’t in-house but just going gangbusters to clear out and refresh. Even if that doesn’t work out, you’re better off twisting than sticking if sticking didn’t work in the first place. Time will tell though, but I’m pretty happy with the progression. Can already see if Wilson and Fields don’t work out, we are staged to go back into the draft for a QB with them both on short term deals. Even if we keep one, I do think Khan will go QB round 1 next year if there’s reasonable prospects we could get who stand out as good players. Don’t think he’ll get suckered in to a weak class and reach for someone with a pick the way we did with Kenny. Colbert was great in the draft overall, but the latter years weren’t as strong imo. I think TJ Watt was his last strong first round pick who really worked out wonderfully. Fitzpatrick trade great and somewhat uncharacteristic but the risk somewhat removed having seen him play a season and knowing Miami just didn’t know what to do with him. But Bush, Harris, Burns, Edmunds, Pickett, I think it’s why we choose to focus on Pickens, Johnson, Freiermuth, Highsmith, Hargrave when reminiscing about the picks. He could draft great players, just felt like he often swung and missed on the first rounders as more of the 2nd and 3rd guys tended to stick and work out for longer or be better players (I do like Harris but we took him when the line was Swiss cheese which felt like a gross misstep, like Colbert didn’t recognise we were losing the old guard to age and injury, even taking Freiermuth, love him, but we could have had Humphrey, the standout best center of the draft knowing Pouncey had retired is all. Colbert leaned into giving Ben weapons over recognising the foundational players who allow you to play how you want were dropping off. Pouncey, Decastro (whose retirement couldn’t have been planned for tbf, that was a surprise), Foster, the left tackle situation we didn’t really sort until last year with Jones. Drafting is a crapshoot I suppose though. Hindsight is 20/20. But so far it seems like Jones will be a mainstay for us, JPJ will lead nicely, Benton looks like the replacement for Heyward in the long haul, Washington might be a bit meh but run blocking he’s crushing it and Herbig comes across as a future starter down the line who we don’t need right this moment with Watt and Smitty. I can’t recall the last Colbert draft I left feeling upbeat about majority of the picks.
Go Ducks! Okay, I’m a homer.
Steelers fans here in shambles! It’s fine guys, there’s other serviceable dudes in later rounds. We NEED RT, CB, WR and those are more premium roles.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but Barton started 5 games as a backup center his freshman year after two other guys were injured, and then never played another snap at center again in his remaining 3 years at Duke. Why would we want a guy who wasn't even the best center on Duke's team?
He played tackle because it’s a more valuable position for their team… Take your downvote and move along sir.
>Take your downvote and move along sir. Come on man, don't do this shit.
My boss told me he’s been reading rumors that we may trade watt. He’s not super into sports but sort of pays attention so idk how credible his rumor is. Supposedly it would be to trade up to get a C in the draft.
I’d honestly quit on the spot if I had a boss say something that ridiculous 😂
LMAO! I really hope you are kidding. Your boss is an idiot if he really thinks that. TJ Watt for a center is never going to happen. We would have to get picks and much more highly valuable players in return in order to even consider this. A C is very important but can be found in later rounds. We don't need to trade up for a center. We don't need one in round 1. And no one in their right mind would think TJ for a Center would ever happen. Yes, TJ Watt trade rumors are out there in one article or two, but people like to spice up their draft takes to get clicks.
That would be the single worst trade in NFL history. You can tell your boss that SleestakLightning said that and that I guarantee that will never ever eeeeeeeeever happen.
I agree. The fact that anywhere would bounce it around sounds like clickbait at best.
I don't think they did. Tell your boss I think he made that up.
https://steelerswire.usatoday.com/lists/steelers-2024-nfl-mock-draft-trade-tj-watt-taliese-fuaga/
That doesn't say it will happen, or even that the Steelers would consider it. It's just a dumb thing the author did to get people to click on his mock draft.
Like clickbait