Not totally sold on the corners

The way the Steelers' defense is set up, the corners must "tackle the catch."

Perhaps more than any other NFL defensive scheme, Dick Lebeau's defense usually has the corners playing off the line of scrimmage, not jamming receivers at the line.

Because the scheme will allow short, quick passes, the corners had damn well better tackle the catch; in other words be right there when the ball arrives and tackle the receiver before he breaks free for significant yards-after-catch (yac) mileage.

Unless it's Denver's Demaryius Thomas catching the ball on a short crossing pattern and going 75 yards on a short pass from Tim Tebow to win a playoff game. Sore spot.

Say what yinz will about Ike Taylor, but generally he's been a solid tackler throughout his 19-year 11-year career.

Joey Porter's Pit Bulls are not totally sold on any of the top corners in this year's draft. The Steelers would either be reaching in a show of faith or settling from somebody they know is solid but limited.

Justin Gilbert: "A Pile Watcher"?
From nearly all reports, Oklahoma State's Justin Gilbert, the top-rated corner in this year's NFL draft is not a solid tackler. He has speed and cover skills, but one NFL scout describer him as a "pile-watcher," and he is known to be a bit of a prima donna, somebody who trots up to the pile after the tackle is already made and strikes an aggressive stance like, "yeah, that's how it's done, punk."

Some people would say, "Deion Sanders didn't tackle either." But can anybody say with absolute conviction that Justin Gilbert is a shutdown/takeaway corner? One thing Gilbert has that the other top corners don't have is the ability to return kicks. But you can also get that from Odell Beckham, our top receiver likely to be available at No. 15.

If Gilbert is available and the Steelers draft him, they would do so knowing he doesn't have a history of tackling with the sort of stick-your-nose-in enthusiasm and skill they require.

Darqueze Dennard: A half-step slow?
Michigan State's Darqueze Dennard, by contrast, does all of that.  He tackles. No problem there.  Many draftniks have said he "looks" like a Steeler. He has swagger and confidence, which is what you want in a corner.

Our concern about Dennard is this: Is he a half-step (or a step) too slow? Does he have recover ability? Does his aggressiveness make him vulnerable to double-moves and mis-direction plays? Does he have enough long speed to keep up with NFL fly patterns and deep posts?  Does he have the quick-burst change-of-direction catch-up speed to close on turn-in routes and out patterns? Will he get burnt? Will his tendency to "grab-and-hold" receivers -- either because he can't run with them or because he's simply aggressive -- draw pass-interference penalties in the NFL?

Kyle Fuller:  Solid, but merely ordinary?
By some accounts, the other top-rated corner, Virginia Tech's Kyle Fuller, is fundamentally sound and has generally good technique. His speed in the short-shuttle and cone drills is better than Dennard's. He is said to be a willing tackler. His coverage skills, instincts and anticipation appear to be solid. The NFL Network's Mike Mayock rates him as the top corner in the draft.  Fuller appears to be solid. But: Is he special? Or, is he just ordinary?

If you're drafting somebody at No. 15 overall, he'd better be special; extraordinary.

He'd better not be Chad Scott.

Help Wanted
The Steelers need help at the cornerback position, that's for sure. With 46 passing plays of 20 yards or more in 2013, including 12 pass plays of 40 yards or more, there is no question drafting a sure-thing, can't miss corner in the draft would make sense.

If only a sure-thing, can't-miss corner were available. Then again, how often is such a player coming out of college ever available?  At No. 15, however, the Steelers can't afford to miss.

And it can take a while for even the best college corners to fine-tune their craft in the NFL. Fans expecting immediate impact at the cornerback position may be disappointed.

Right now, we feel better about Beckham than any of the corners or other receivers.

LSU Pro Day Report from The USA Today

Joey Porter's Pit Bulls are not the only ones bullish on LSU wide receiver Odell Beckham, Jr. 

The USA Today's Russ Lande was on hand for LSU's Pro Day and filed his report in an article titled, "LSU's Wide Receivers Stole the Show at Their Pro Day."

The article contains the following excerpt (bold-faced type added byJPPBs):

Things are looking up, for
LSU wide receivers
Odell Beckham, Jr. and Jarvis Landry.
Photo courtesy of
StreetArtUtopia.com

"While (quarterback Zack) Mettenberger was a big story, there were two others who stole the show. Receiver Odell Beckham did not do any of the combine testing drills, as he stood on his results from there, but during the positional drills he looked like a superstar and convinced me that he should be selected in the top 10 ahead of Texas A and M's Mike Evans. Exploding off the ball into his routes, Beckham never seemed to slow down, even getting in and out of his cuts. 

He changed directions remarkably fast and showed a burst out of his cuts that is rare amongst NFL receivers. 

Unlike many fast, explosive receivers, Beckham displayed outstanding body control, precise route-running and the ability to get his head and hands around quickly when coming out of his cuts. Not only did he catch every pass that was within his catching radius, but he made a number of highlight-reel catches on off-target passes, both high and low. After his display, there was a buzz going around that he is worthy of being a top-10 selection."

The Proverbial Best Player Available

With the 15th overall pick in this year's draft, there is no way the Steelers should "reach" for the player they select. There is absolutely no reason for the 15th overall player to be a "project" or one drafted based on indeterminable upside, long-term potential or the possibility of converting from one position to another to fill a need. Not for this team; not after consecutive 8-8 seasons.

There are only 22 position players. The Steelers pick 15th.  They shouldn't have to roll the dice on a player.

Some positions on the Steelers are at a stage of critical need. The debate is open as to what positions are most critical, but let's say for the sake of argument they include in no particular order (or maybe in approximately this order, more or less): wide receiver, cornerback, offensive tackle, defensive line, rush linebacker, safety, inside linebacker, tight end, speed running back, and developmental quarterback.

That's 10 position groups, and some of those could use more than one player. As of today, the Steelers have nine picks in the 2014 draft.  They'd better draft wisely and add some good undrafted free agents after the draft, too.

The two top-rated receivers, Sammy Watkins and Mike Evans, will be gone by No. 15.

There's a good chance the top two corners, Justin Gilbert and Darqueze Dennard, also will be gone.

If all four of those players at those two positions of critical need are gone, the Steelers will have some tough decisions. Do they reach for the third-best corner (Kyle Fuller)? Or a 20-year-old receiver with tremendous upside (Kelvin Benjamin) who has dodgy hands and has an unpolished game?

Personally, Joey Porter's Pit Bulls like LSU's Odell Beckham, Jr. better than Kelvin Benjamin, but Beckham may also get picked among the top 14, based on his college productivity, 2014 Combine performance and this week's LSU Pro Day workout. As Mike Tomlin would say, Beckham's arrow is pointing up -- and keep in mind, Tomlin, Todd Haley and Kevin Colbert reportedly had dinner with Beckham this week (just as they did with Benjamin when Florida State had its Pro Day).

Say three to five quarterbacks (Manziel, Bortles and Carr and/or Bridgewater) get drafted in the top 14, and three tackles (Greg Robinson, Jake Matthews and either Taylor Lewan or Zack Martin), and three pass rushers (Jadeveon Clowney, Khalil Mack and either Dee Ford or Anthony Barr; maybe even Kony Ealy).  Tight end Eric Ebron might also make the top 14.

Maybe both of the top two safeties (Ha-Ha Clinton Dix or Calvin Pryor) will be gone.  Maybe one of them is still available at No. 15, though. Would it make sense for the Steelers to take either Dix or Pryor? ... over a defensive lineman like Stephon Pruitt?

Will the Steelers bypass wide receiver in the first round because they figure it's a deep draft for receivers and they might be able to get a good one with Pick No. 46 overall, in the second round?

Tough decisions.

The Steelers should be able to draft the top-rated player at a position of need. And the Steelers have so many needs, they should be able to draft a player who will make an immediate impact and be a perennial Pro Bowl player for years to come. That's how it should work with the 15th overall pick.

There's about a month to go. For all intents and purposes, the Steelers are lacking a third-round pick (unless you count the compensatory pick at the end of the round), so it is absolutely imperative that they get the first-rounder right.

Watch this: Odell Beckham Jr. Highlights

Like anybody else who watched the NFL Combine, we came away impressed with two receivers who really stood out: Mike Evans and Odell Beckham, Jr. 

The only knock against Beckham was that he looked smallish.  Yeah, of course, Beckham (listed at 5'11", 198) looked smaller compared to Evans, who is 6'5", 231.

As a result, with so many outstanding and tantalizing big receivers in this draft (Evans, Kelvin Benjamin, Jordan Matthews, Donte Moncrief, Martavis Bryant, etc.), nobody until this week had projected Beckham to go as high as Pick No. 15 in the draft, which is where the Steelers pick.

So, when Mel Kiper Jr. predicted the Steelers would select Beckham with their first-round choice, we thought we'd take a closer look.

YouTube highlight reels of college football players can be misleading. We realize that.

Great Hands; a Polished Receiver
In the video above, however, Beckham, playing against top-flight SEC competition, showed the polish and everything else you want in a big-play wide receiver, with stellar kick-return abilities thrown in for good measure.  Great hands; explosiveness; breakaway speed; body control; fluidity; burst; separation; moves; yards after the catch; high-point leaping ability; shiftiness; sideline awareness; tenacity; the ability to catch contested balls; evasiveness; smooth, natural hands; and, it bears repeating, great hands.

Kiper's projection of Beckham to the Steelers at No. 15 was roundly lambasted in Steeler Nation -- check out the Reader Comments in this post at Behind the Steel Curtain and in this post at Steelers Depot -- but Joey Porter's Pit Bulls don't think Beckham would be a reach at No. 15. Not at all.

It seem like the Steelers favor the bigger but less refined and less sure-handed Kelvin Benjamin at this point, but to our amateur eyes, Odell Beckham looks like he has all the tools to succeed in the NFL. Beckham appears to be a play-maker and, frankly, he looks like he has more game, although Benjamin has "upside" and "potential."

If both top-rated corners (Gilbert and Dennard) are gone, and both top-rated receivers (Walker and Evans) are gone, Beckham could be a good choice at No. 15.

We're not saying he should be the choice; we just don't see what's not to like (aside from the bow tie).