Second Guessing the Steelers Draft

April 28, 2004 by Steel Hammer

The other day I was looking through some old files and ran across my draft selections for the past several years (the guys I thought the Steelers should have drafted)

Since 1996� I�ve been second guessing the Steelers draft. Each year as the draft unfolds, I select a player who I believe would be the best pick for the Steelers at the spot the Steelers draft. Usually I pick wherever the Steelers actually pick; however, since 2003 I have given myself the option of not making a trade if it only involves draft picks. The only other rule is that if I don�t take a player the Steelers selected at the spot he was actually selected, I cannot select him later. Basically, here is who the Steelers should have drafted.

Who I think the Steelers should have picked & who I would have taken in the 2004 draft

1^st Round Pick #11

Ben Rothlisberger QB Miami, OH

2^nd Round Pick #44 (Forget the trade with IND that sent this pick and the 4^th rounder for #38.)

Jacob Rogers OT USC

3^rd Round Pick #75

Derrick Strait CB Oklahoma

4^th Round Pick #107

Will Allen FS Ohio State

5^th� Round Pick #145

Nathaniel Adibi OLB/DE Virginia Tech

6^th Round Pick #177

Bo Lacy OL Arkansas

6^th Round Pick #194

Tony Pape OL Michigan

6^th Round Pick #197

Drew Caylor LS/DE/C Stanford

7^th Round Pick #212

Eric Taylor� DT/DE Memphis

If you scroll down, you�ll find a roster of the players I�ve �drafted� since 1996. Keep in mind that I was drafting for the actual Steelers needs each year. Therefore, I have 5 FBs on the roster, etc. Another interesting aspect of this roster, is that it shows where I thought we have had a need for the past several years.� Obviously the D-line was one of those areas, since I drafted 12 players there, most of who would best be described as big run stuffers.� Obviously if I were drafting for this pretend team, my drafts would have changed some.� I realize the roster is a bit thin at spots (like no TEs), but that�s because I felt it wasn�t a big need for the Steelers or would be better addressed in free agency.� Obviously, I could have gone back and weeded out some of my busts (Staat, Howard, etc) and claimed to have know that Zach Thomas would be a stud, but what�s the point in that.� Let me know what you think.

OFFENSE

QB: �� Ben Rothlisberger QB Miami, OH

Chad Pennington QB Marshall

�� Dave Ragone QB Louisville

�� Joe Germaine QB OSU

WR: �� D�Wayne Bates WR Northwestern

Laveranues Coles WR FSU

E.G. Green WR FSU

Mike Adams WR Texas

Dietrich Jells� WR Pittsburgh

�� Michael Wiley WR/RB/KR OSU

RB:�� Jerome Bettis RB Notre Dame

�� Chris Fuamati-Ma�afala RB Utah

FB:�� Mike Alstott� FB Purdue

�� Jamar Martin FB OSU

�� Cecil Martin FB Wisconsin

�� Dan� Alexander� FB� Nebraska

�� Steve Lee FB Indiana

TE: �� None selected since 1996

LT: �� John Tait OT BYU

�� Mike Pearson OT Florida

Marvel Smith OT Arizona State

Brandon Winey� OT� LSU

RT:�� Jacob Rogers OT USC

Jason Fabini� RT Cincinnati

�� Jason Odom OT Florida

�� Ben Johnson RT Wisconsin

Jamie Nails� RT Florida A&M
G:�� Benji Olson� G� Washington

Bo Lacy OL Arkansas

Tony Pape OL Michigan

Joaquin Gonzalez G Miami

Victor Rogers G� Colorado

Darnell Alford OT/G Boston College

�� Scott Shaw� G Michigan State

C:�� Dusty Ziegler� C� Notre Dame

Mike Malano� C/G� San Diego State

�� Aaron Taylor C/G Nebraska

��

DEFENSE

CB:�� Andre Woolfork CB Oklahoma

Chad Scott CB Maryland

Derrick Strait CB Oklahoma

Derek Ross CB OSU

Deshea Townsend CB Alabama

Ivan Taylor CB Louisville- Lafayette

�� Carey Scott� CB Kentucky State

�� Michael Hawthorne CB Purdue

�� Ty Howard CB OSU

SS:�� Steve Smith� S Oregon

Ray Farmer� S� Duke

FS:�� Will Allen FS Ohio State

Julian Battle S Tennessee

�� Antwoine Sanders S Utah

Tony George� S Florida

OLB:�� Sam Cowart LB� FSU

�� Alex Brown OLB/DE Florida

�� Nathaniel Adibi OLB/DE Virginia Tech

�� Joe Odom LB Purdue

Carlos Emmons OLB Arkansas State

Gary Stills OLB West Virginia

�� Kory Minor LB Notre Dame

ILB: �� Earl Holmes LB Florida A&M

�� Kendrell Bell� LB Georgia

�� Brandon Short LB PSU

�� Carlos Polk� LB� Nebraska

�� Jashon Sykes LB Colorado

Chad Kelsay LB Nebraska

�� Matt Finkes LB/DE OSU

DL: �� Jason Ferguson DT Georgia

Casey Hampton DT Texas

Eric Taylor� DT/DE Memphis

Christian Peter� DT Nebraska

Brandon Mitchell� DE� Texas A&M

Jason Wiltz DT Nebraska

Steve Warren NT Nebraska

Ross Kolodjziej� DE� Wisconsin

Jeremy Staat DE� Arizona State

Antonio Dingle DT Virginia

Angel Rubio� DT� S.E. Missouri State

Kerry Hicks DL/LB� Colorado

K: �� Jeff Hall K Tennessee

P: �� None Selected since 1996

LS:�� Drew Caylor LS/DE/C Stanford

Here are the rest of the picks over the years:

Who I think the Steelers should have picked & who I would have taken in the 2003 draft

1^st Round Pick #27 (Forget the trade with K.C. that sent this pick and the 3^rd & 6^th for #16.)

Andre Woolfork CB Oklahoma

2^nd Round Pick #59

Dave Ragone QB Louisville

3^rd Round Pick #92

Julian Battle S Tennessee

4^th Round Pick #125

Ivan Taylor CB Louisville-Lafayette

5^th Round Pick #163

Joe Odom LB Purdue (Has played inside and outside and has great speed and good size)

6^th Round Pick #200

Ben Johnson RT Wisconsin (Starting LT for the Badgers.)

7^th Round Pick #242

Antwoine Sanders S Utah

Who I think the Steelers should have picked & who I would have taken in the 2002 draft

1^st Round Pick #30

Mike Pearson OT Florida

2nd Round Pick #62

Derek Ross CB Ohio State

3^rd Round Pick #94

Alex Brown OLB/DE Florida

�

4^th Round Pick #128

Jamar Martin FB Ohio State

5^th Round Pick #166

Joaquin Gonzalez G/T Miami

6^th Round Pick #202

Steve Smith� S Oregon

7^th Round Pick #212

Victor Rogers G� Colorado

7^th Round Pick #242

Jashon Sykes LB Colorado

Who I think the Steelers should have picked & who I would have taken in the 2001 draft

1^st round pick #19

Casey Hampton DT Texas (Looked hard at Drew Brees QB Purdue, but Hampton is perfect 3-4 NT)

2^nd round pick #39

Kendrell Bell� LB Georgia

4^th round pick #111

Carlos Polk� LB� Nebraska (Looked at Ben Hamilton C Minnesota, but Polk is just too solid)

5^th round pick #146

Brandon Winey� OT� LSU

6^th round pick #181

Carey Scott� CB Kentucky State

6^th round pick #182

Dan� Alexander� FB� Nebraska� (DT Mario Monds looked good, but Alexander allows us to cut Witman)

7^th round pick #218

Ross Kolodjziej� DE� Wisconsin

Who I think the Steelers should have picked & who I would have taken in the 2000 draft

1^st round pick #8

Chad Pennington QB Marshall

2^nd round pick #38

Marvel Smith OT Arizona State

3^rd round pick #72

Steve Warren NT Nebraska

3^rd round pick #77

Laveranues Coles WR FSU

4^th round pick #103

Brandon Short LB PSU

5^th round pick #137

Michael Wiley WR/RB/KR OSU

5^th round� pick #163

Michael Hawthorne CB Purdue

6^th round pick # 173

Darnell Alford OT/G Boston College

6^th round pick #204

Mike Malano� C/G� San Diego State

Who I think the Steelers should have picked & who I would have taken in the 1999 draft

1^st round pick #13

John Tait OT BYU

2nd round pick #59

D�Wayne Bates WR Northwestern

3rd round pick #73

Gary Stills OLB West Virginia

3rd round pick #74

Tony George� S Florida

3rd round pick #95

Joe Germaine QB OSU

4th round pick #109

Jason Wiltz DT Nebraska

5th round pick #136

Cecil Martin FB Wisconsin

5th round pick #166

Jeff Hall K Tennessee

7^th round pick #214

Antonio Dingle DT Virginia

7^th round pick #219

Chad Kelsay LB Nebraska

7^th round pick #228

Kory Minor LB Notre Dame

Who I think the Steelers should have picked & who I would have taken in the 1998 draft

1st round pick #26

Sam Cowart LB� FSU

2nd round pick #41

Jeremy Staat DE� Arizona State

3rd round pick #66

E.G. Green WR FSU

3rd round pick #92

Jason Fabini� RT Cincinnati

4^th round pick #117

Deshea Townsend CB Alabama

4^th round pick #123

Benji Olson� G� Washington

5^th round pick #137

Scott Shaw� G Michigan State

6^th round pick #178

Chris Fuamati-Ma�afala RB Utah

6^th round pick #186

Aaron Taylor C/G Nebraska

7^th round pick #221

Angel Rubio� DT� S.E. Missouri State

Who I think the Steelers should have picked & who I would have taken in the 1997 draft

1st round pick #24

Chad Scott CB Maryland

2nd round pick #53

Brandon Mitchell� DE� Texas A&M

3^rd round pick #82

Ty Howard CB OSU

3rd round pick #91

Jamie Nails� RT Florida A&M

5^th round pick #154

Steve Lee FB Indiana

6^th round pick #186

Matt Finkes DE/LB OSU

6^th round pick #199

Jason Ferguson DT Georgia

7^th round pick #223

Mike Adams WR Texas

Who I think the Steelers should have picked & who I would have taken in the 1996 draft

1st round pick #29

Mike Alstott� FB Purdue

2nd round pick #59

Traded to Rams for Jerome Bettis RB Notre Dame

3rd round pick #72

Jason Odom OT Florida

3rd round pick #92

Ray Farmer� S� Duke

4^th round pick #126

Earl Holmes LB Florida A&M

4^th round pick #132

Christian Peter� DT Nebraska

5^th round pick #163

Dietrich Jells� WR Pittsburgh

6^th round pick #202

Dusty Ziegler� C� Notre Dame

6^th round pick #203