Does This Spell the End of the Fullback Position in Pittsburgh?

Does this spell the end of the fullback position in Pittsburgh?
Does the addition of Sweed mean the Steelers will use more 3 wide receiver sets?

If Limas can beat out Nate Washington as the #3 wide receiver, and the Steelers use more three wide receiver sets it means that (a hot topic or sore topic on OFTOT) fullback will play an even less predominate role. Even though Owen Schmitt was continually brought up as the next lead blocker, he is currently a Seahawk, and the Steelers did not address the fullback position at all in this year's draft. This means that Carey Davis remains the only fullback on the roster.

Personally, I love seeing the Steelers line up in strong formations with a nasty fullback that provides the key block that springs the running back into the second level of the opponent's defense (ala Dan Kreider).

Is Carey Davis the man?
Will Limas Sweed beat out Nate Washington?
Is Cotter the next Johnnie Cochran?

Meeting People Mendenhall Is Easy...

To quote the wise and 100% mentally stable Britney Spears, "Every action has an equal and opposite reaction."

With the addition of Rashard Mendenhall, Limas Sweed and what we will affectionately call "the rest" for now, the Steelers will have a brand new look offensively in 2008. And since Mewelde Moore was added to the roster as a back up for Willie Parker as well as a kick/punt returner, this looks like it might spell the end for Najeh "chocolate softserve in the closet" Davenport. Although the good news is that this would free him up to collaborate with R Kelly on that new single he's been working on. But that's another topic for another time...

Anyways, let's just focus on Mendenhall for a minute. The Steelers' short yardage offense suffered last year due to Davenport's inability to understand that he is not a scat back. However, Mendenhall's ability to run between the tackles and break through the defense allows us more consistency moving the chains AND more options in the red zone. Why did Ben break Terry Bradshaw's single season touchdown record last year? Well, as most Willie Parker fantasy owners will tell you, he had loads of yards, but only reached pay dirt twice. Having a pounder like Mendenhall will create a short yardage threat in the red zone, while opening up plenty of play action opportunities...Red zone running game.......secured! Championship!

So what will Mendenhall's role be in the Steelers' offense in '08? Well, depending on his blocking prowess, he could definitely fit and excel as a 3rd down back. But personally, I'm hoping for much more. Like an intimate encounter over a candlelit dinner with violins and roses and...uh, wait, nevermind...all heterosexual here, thanks. No, in all seriousness, hopefully he will be used similar to Maurice Jones-Drew in Jacksonville, as a sort of a "slash" in his own regard. Jones-Drew can convert shortyardage, play every down, and bust one on you if you give him a lane....I see the same attributes in Mendenhall.

Now that you've heard my take -- How do you guys see Rashard Mendenhall being used? How did you react when he was selected? Where would you draft Mendenhall in fantasy?

And where the hell is Cotter? What is his problem? This blogging business is cake...I don't know what he's crying about all the time. What a vag.

Well, That Went Alright I Guess...

"It broke pretty well for us...We didn't feel like we reached for any positions."

- Kevin Colbert

Six rounds, seven picks, and I missed all but about three of them. Nonetheless, from what I've heard and read after the fact, Kevin Colbert took it to the bank, and we picked up a rather noteworthy stable of picks.

Unfortunately, our draft day discussion thread was pretty much an epic fail, despite what I thought was a pretty slick photoshop job (reused here) and some solid pre-draft rhymes. So I guess I'll just have to hear what you all think about this year's class this morning.

What do I think? Well, based on what little I know, I'd say it's fair to give the Steelers a B to B- for their performance. Outside of Mendenhall, Sweed, Dixon and Mundy, I'm pretty clueless as to these other dudes. So maybe they're studs, but I honestly couldn't tell you.

Hence, I only have a couple of things to comment on today, then I'll be more than happy to hear what you guys think...

The first two picks I couldn't have been happier with. Rashard Mendenhall is a solid between the tackles runner that will certainly give our offense a boost next season, as he'll presumably share the load with FWP (something I believe the Fast one will welcome). To get him at 23 was just unbelievable.

In kind, Limas Sweed was another guy that I am amazed we were able to steal at 53. Big Ben ought to be pretty psyched about getting a 6'4", 212 pound monster to throw to. Can't really go wrong there. If he lives up to the Plaxico Burress-esque playmaking abilities (without the attitude), this could prove to be an even bigger steal than anyone thought.

Dennis Dixon was clearly a head scratcher in the 5th round. While I personally like Dixon, it just doesn't make a ton of sense what with the Steelers signing Jared Zabransky this offseason and Chuck Batch still in relatively good health (for the relatively old man that he is). Plus we really could have gone D-Line here...

Ryan Mundy was a good call. Who knows if he'll amount to anything on the Steelers roster but I like to see that homegrown talent come back to the 'Burgh. If the analysis of his abilities is correct, and he's more of a centerfielder than an explosive tackler, maybe that won't be such a bad thing. With Polamalu all over the place, it would be nice if we had a guy that could capably handle the deep zone. Still, there's a reason why he wasn't picked until late in the 6th round. So let's not get ahead of ourselves.

And really that's all I got. I'll bet you're thinking - "man, that's three minutes I'll never have back...awesome."

I know less than nothing about Bruce Davis, Tony Hills, and Mike Humpal. So if you've got thoughts/assessment, I'm all ears.

Now, on a completely unrelated and unfortunate note -- due to my neurosis about finals, and strange, unexplainable desire to get good grades, I'll be taking my bellyaching offline for the next two weeks. IE - no blogging, just studying. But never you fear. I have solicited a replacement...err...well, Domski. Whatever you want to call him. So while I'm off trying to figure out why it was so important for me to read 50 friggin cases about Depraved Indifference Reckless Murder, the Dominator will do his best to keep you all entertained with the latest Steeler news. My head may surface here and there in the comments. But predominantly I'll be imposing radio silence until May 13 or 14, depending on how many days it takes me to recover from the traumatic events of May 5 (Criminal Law), May 8 (Civil Procedure), and May 12 (Lawyering).

So wish me luck, I'm off to enjoy self-imposed isolation. Keep it real, gangstas.

REFERENCE MATERIAL:
Rashard Mendenhall
Limas Sweed
Bruce Davis
Tony Hills
Dennis Dixon
Mike Humpal
Ryan Mundy

Who's It Gonna Be At Number 23?...

Could be a Lineman
Could be a D-back
Could be a Safety
Am I on the right track

Whoever it is
We fans will do as we must
And embrace he who is worthy
In Kevin Colbert we trust

Alright friends. It's 3 PM, do you know who your team will be drafting?

Domski has already proposed that we execute a blockbuster trade sending Big Ben and Troy Polamalu to Cleveland in exchange for Brady Quinn. So on that note - let's commence draft day discussion...

Pass The Valium Please...

Unfortunately, one of the most exciting times for NFL fans is alas, one of the worst times for Cotter. Today marks exactly 12 days from when I have my second final of the Spring semester in hell at law school. While you all delight in speculating and subsequently watching who gets picked and when, I'll be delighting in the joys of Supplemental Jurisdiction and the affirmative defense of Extreme Emotional Disturbance (perhaps an Eagles fan could shed some light on the latter...). So as usual, I plan to do my best to keep OFTOT so fresh and so clean. But I have some serious forces of nature working against me here. So I make no guarantees.

That aside, what else can one say about Saturday's big event? Let's see...here's a list of things I've been thinking, in no particular order:

(1) ~ I pity the teams who NEED to draft a QB this year. Matt Ryan? Chad Henne? Brian Brohm? I look at these guys and I don't see a one that I could justify taking in the Top 20(!) I guess that means we should be thankful we don't have to worry about that sort of thing for approximately the next decade, right? Big Ben Godsend.

(2) ~ I question whether it's a good idea to sign the #1 overall pick before draft day. Why would you do such a thing when you don't have to? You never know what can happen between Tuesday and Saturday...someone may make you an offer you can't refuse. Who knows?

(3) ~ Who will be this year's Brady Quinn? And will we be as pleased to watch him squirm? From what I've seen, the men who will occupy the green room when this whole shindig begins on Saturday are: Darren McFadden, Jake Long, Chris Long, Glenn Dorsey, and Sedrick Ellis (although I imagine they'll ask Matt Ryan because what's a green room without a QB?). Unless, as noted in the parenthetical, the NFL invites Matt Ryan to join the party, I don't really see any of these guys slipping.

(4) ~ Who will get traded on draft day? There's going to be at least one trade made in the 1st round. I'm convinced (although usually when I make claims like this I end up being way wrong...irish luck). Could it be Ocho Cinco? Anquan Boldin? Lito Sheppard? Roy Williams? Marion Barber? There's too many names hanging out there as possibilities for something not to go down.

(5) ~ How many beers will I drink in my mind while waiting the agonizing 10 minutes between picks? I mean, it's way better than the traditional 15 (which was one giant migraine last year...trust me, I was there). But that's still a lot of time to be filled with Mel Kiper and his amazing hair tricks trusty draft board. I guess this leaves me no choice but to delve deeply into the wild and wonderful world of Subject Matter Jurisdiction. And believe me, that's a party and a half. You should all be very jealous...

Anyways, what about you guys? Anything you'd like to discuss? Do you have any answers to my questions? Was this post way too serious? I mean, I don't even think I said "dick" once...weird...

Time To Put Your Anthony Smith Hat On...

Well, since you guys seem quite keen on talking about the looming bane of my existence draft, and not real news like Tim Worley getting tasered, Haikus or Exotic Smashmouth, I once again cave under pressure.

Ok, let's talk about the draft.

So far this week I've read that:
(1) ~ The Steelers might trade down, but not up
(2) ~ The Steelers are leaning towards Kentwan Balmer, DT from UNC
(3) ~ The Steelers will take Kentwan Balmer, DT from UNC
(4) ~ Santonio Holmes will unleash his manhood upon the world...uh, wait, nevermind...and perhaps most insightfully...
(5) ~ Never trust what a GM or Coach says about the draft

Here's the deal as I see it:
(1) ~ The Steelers might trade down, but why? They don't necessarily need a first ballot hall of famer (couldn't hurt though). But they do need round 1 talent in plenty of areas. Yes, this is a deep draft. But unless there's a really enticing offer (read: trading the pick for Tom Brady's tears), they will probably stay put at 23.

(2) and (3) ~ Kentwan Balmer? Sure, why not. 6'4", 308 DT. With Big Snack and Chris Hoke still keeping it real, drafting a DT this season would allow us the luxury of grooming a prospect rather than rushing him along (not that we really do that frequently anyhow). I mean, hey, at 23, unless we're planning on drafting a RB or WR, they're probably not going to be a starter next year anyhow...

(4) ~ ............swordfight!

(5) ~ You know who else's word you can't trust? If you accept Blog 'n Gold's logic (as I do) - the main stream media. Oh they've got plenty of information alright. But they get it all from the axis of distrust - NFL GMs and Coaches (shhh, pretend scouts and college coaches don't exist). That, my friends, is poetic. Um, not really though.

Et tu, yinzers?

PS - much like we did for games during the season, OFTOT is going to host a Draft day discussion thread. Come join the fun, circa 3 PM Saturday afternoon. Laugh with us. Cry with us. Watch Eagles fans boo their pick with us. I'll bring the beer bong. It's gonna be sickening.

REFERENCE MATERIAL:
Steelers Consider Trading Team's 1st Round Draft Pick [Trib]
Reading the Tea Leaves [Joey Porter's Pit Bulls]
KDKA-TV's 2008 Mock Draft [KDKA]
Santonio Holmes is Naked [Pittsburgh Sports And Mini Ponies]
The (Kevin) Colbert Report [Blog 'n Gold]

The 2007 NFL Draft Ruined My Life...

For the record, I hate draft speculation. I like reading about it. But I hate doing it myself. Mainly because I rarely get a chance to do anything I'd qualify as "scouting" potential picks. Plus, in case you hadn't noticed I generally don't know what I'm talking about when it comes to everything else. Why would it be any different when it comes to the draft? So my opinion is largely based on what I hear from friends and what tidbits of information I pick up from The Pompadour ESPN draft "expert," Mel Kiper Jr.

Nevertheless, I recognize that it is a hot topic for us Steeler fans so I'm officially lifting the "draft talk" embargo here at OFTOT.

I figured the natural place to start is Branden Albert and Gosder Cherilus, since they're the guys who seem to keep popping up on the "experts" draft boards. I'm not really going to say a lot about each. Just enough to spark a conversation. So you guys are going to have to weigh in here...please...maybe...help a brotha out?

Anyways, keep in mind - I'm not kidding when I say I haven't spent much time "scouting." 'Cause, you know, I pretty much only have time to read about fun stuff like Subject Matter Jurisdiction or Collateral Estoppel. Basically if it's not written in a large, hardbound volume that rivals the Bible in girth, I haven't seen it.

Here goes...

Branden Albert ~ At 6'6", 309 lbs., he seems to fit the bill quite nicely. What's more, I dig his record on sacks allowed - only 6.5 in 773 snaps (last 25 games). With Alan Faneca gone, Chris Kemoeatu having played only a limited number of snaps and Kendall Simmons just kind of hanging around, we could certainly use the depth if nothing else. Although apparently, "he is a bit inconsistent when it comes to hitting the moving target as a second level run blocker..." Don't know about you but I'm less worried about his second level run blocking than I am about his first level protecting of the Steelers $102 million dollar investment. Nahmeen?

Gosder Cherilus ~ 2 out of 3 mock drafts surveyed said the Steelers pick will be Gosder ICantPronounceThisLastNameToSaveMyLife-us. I'm not terribly discouraged by that. I mean I'm not sold on Willie Colon playing out of position at RT any longer than he has to, and if Cherilus were good enough to come in and start, that'd free up a fourth Guard. He's basically the same size as Albert, but slightly slower. What's more, the "experts" do think he "can get to the second level." So we'd have that going for us.

This said, I actually have a feeling the Steelers are looking at either a Running Back or Wide Receiver in the first round. Call me crazy, but I don't think the fact that they brought in Jonathan Stewart, Chris Johnson, Malcolm Kelly and James Hardy last week was a coincidence.

Of course, they could always go Tight End. I mean, it's like Brady Quinn says - "there's no such thing as too many tight ends..."

What are your thoughts on these two? Who do you guys like?

REFERENCE MATERIAL:
Steelers #1 Concern Is Their Offensive Line [ESPN.com]
Mock Draft 4.0 [NFL.com]
2008 NFL Mock Draft [NFLDraftCountdown.com]