What Would Make This the Second Best Draft Class Since 1974

[smithessmokin]

this may sound bold, but this draft class would give us excellent starters.

R1- Branden Albert OG/LT?
this guy is the definition of a probowl OG. and, you never know what he could give you at LT.

R2- Dre Moore DL
this guy has the ability to play both DT and DE. has terrific speed, great strength, and great upside.

R3- Kendall Langford DL
look at dre moore. kiesel could be replaced by these guys in 2009. and aaron smith is going to need a replacement, and you never know when you are going to need that replacement.

R4- Jeremy Zuttah OT/OG/OC
this guy has the versitility to play all the positions on the OL. obvious that he is a guy added for depth, but you never know what the OL could be given the current state.

R5- YOU PICK A PLAYER


R6- Adrain Arrington WR
this kid could have been a #1 pick if he would have had stayed at michigan another year. however, since he is outsahdowed by many other WRs, he is available here. he is also the TALL/BIG WR that ben has been supposedly wants, so give him a guy who has playmaking potential.

[Supersteeler]

A miracle?

[smithessmokin]

A miracle?

well, that too. who do you think could fill the void in the fifth round??

[Hollywood Bags]

Ben makes the 2004 class the best since 1974

[smithessmokin]

Ben makes the 2004 class the best since 1974

i definitely think everyone can agree on that. without big ben, we would suck.

but seriously, what do you think of the mock and the fifth round pick??

[Hollywood Bags]

I do not follow the draft, the draftees so I have no opinion.

[Southern Steeler]

A miracle?

I hope I'm alive for another draft that is even in the same hemisphere as 1974. Not holding my breath, though.

At this point I'd just be thrilled with a stud OLineman

[Tres Rios]

If Zuttah is there for late Round 4 I'll eat my old Bettis jersey. We need to hope he's still there for late Round 3.

[Mud Dog]

It would be tremendous if the Steelers' draft went down like this. I am so wanting the FO to put new talent on the two lines. But after last years draft when they wasted 3 and 4 round picks on a TE and punter I am not getting my hopes up.

[Sluzilla]

Williams LT
Avril OLB
Godfrey CB
Langford DE
Bowman WR
Hester FB/RB

would be the best draft possible IMO...

[pete]

Williams LT
Avril OLB
Godfrey CB
Langford DE
Bowman WR
Hester FB/RB

would be the best draft possible IMO...

I'll take it, I guess.

[BLITZ 43]

I think Bowman is a good pick for us in the 5th but I am sure he won't last that long.

http://insider.espn.go.com/nfldraft/draft/tracker/player?id=11948

[FlaStGrad]

Bowman is about as fast as Heinz ketchup going up hill in the winter time. The report you cited also says he needs to improve his routes. And how exactly will he gain separation from any DB in the NFL? If we are taking a WR, it should be on day 1.

[kev4heels]

I'll go with:

1st: Williams (Vandy)
2nd: Tracy Porter (Indiana) or Branden Flowers (V Tech)
3rd: Kendall Langford (Hampton)
4th: Adarius Bowman (Oky State)
5th: Kirk Barton (Ohio State)
6th: Dexter Jackson (return guy from App State)

[Hines57]

I'm partial to the 98' Draft.

Faneca, Ward and Townsend

[Sluzilla]

Bowman is about as fast as Heinz ketchup going up hill in the winter time. The report you cited also says he needs to improve his routes. And how exactly will he gain separation from any DB in the NFL? If we are taking a WR, it should be on day 1.

bowman runs good routes...he also is good at going for the ball...his game speed is fine...

the problem is his hands at times...

that and his combine times will make him drop...just not sure how far...

btw...i've been watching him since he got to OK State...he performs in clutch time...

[SteelerFan448]

I'm partial to the 98' Draft.

Faneca, Ward and Townsend

That was a very good draft. I also liked the 2002 draft. No one spectacular, but a lot of solid starters and contributors: Simmons, Randle El, Hope, Foote, Haynes, Keisel...and everybody's favorite, Lee Mays.

[TMC]

I would rather have Marcus Monk than Bowman.

And, what would make me happy about that draft?

If it were someone else's draft.

[Sluzilla]

If it were someone else's draft.

mine?.....

[TMC]

mine?.....

No, more like the Ravens.

[K from Cal]

Ben makes the 2004 class the best since 1974


Some people forget we did draft a dog in the 1974 class. Even the string of HOF'ers picked that year had potential to be better. Who knows who the dog we drafted was that year? and what round? (it was before Webster was picked)

[Steeltime]

Some people forget we did draft a dog in the 1974 class. Even the string of HOF'ers picked that year had potential to be better. Who knows who the dog we drafted was that year? and what round? (it was before Webster was picked)

Four of the first five selections by the Steelers in the 1974 draft all made the Hall of Fame:

1. Swann, WR
2. Lambert, LB
3. Traded to Oakland for Tom Keating
4. Stallworth, WR
4. Allen, CB
5. Webster, C

There will never be a draft this good again - ever. Particularly when the Steelers were selecting 21st.

What is also amazing about that draft is how badly the Steelers drafted in 1973 and 1975. The 1973 draft:

1 24 J.T. Thomas DB Florida State
2 50 Ken Phares -- Mississippi State
3 76 Roger Bernhardt G Kansas
4 102 Gail Clark LB Michigan State
5 106 Dave Reavis T Arkansas
5 128 Larry Clark -- Northern Illinois
6 140 Ron Bell -- Illinois State
6 154 Glenn Scolnik WR Indiana

One good player, taken in the first round. Otherwise, nothing in the first 6 rounds.

The 1975 draft:

1 26 Dave Brown DB Michigan
2 51 Bob Barber DE Grambling State
3 78 Walter White TE Maryland
4 104 Harold Evans -- Houston
5 130 Brent Sexton DB Elon
6 156 Marvin Crenshaw -- Nebraska
7 182 Wayne Mattingly -- Colorado
8 190 Tom Kropp -- Nebraska-Kearney

One decent defensive back, who played more for the expansion Seahawks than he did for the Steelers.

[BlastFurnace]

How about this draft from 1992:

1992 Draft
1 (11, 11) - Leon Searcy, Miami (FL), T
2 (10, 38) - Levon Kirkland, Clemson, LB
3 (11, 67) - Joel Steed, Colorado, DT
4 (10, 94) - Charles Davenport, North Carolina State, WR
5 (11, 123) - Alan Haller, Michigan State, DB
7 (11, 179) - Russ Campbell, Kansas State, TE
7 (20, 188) - Scottie Graham, Ohio State, RB
8 (7, 203) - Darren Perry, Penn State, DB
8 (10, 206) - Hesham Ismail, Florida, G
8 (19, 215) - Nate Williams, Mississippi State, DT
9 (11, 235) - Elnardo Webster, Rutgers, LB
10 (10, 262) - Mike Saunders, Iowa, RB
11 (11, 291) - Kendall Gammon, Pittsburg State (KS), G
12 (10, 318) - Cornelius Benton, Connecticut, QB

1, 2, 3, 8 were significant contributors for a long time.

[Sluzilla]

as was Gammon...but more so with KC...

[Steeltime]

How about this draft from 1992:

1, 2, 3, 8 were significant contributors for a long time.

That draft went a long way towards making the Steelers a very good team in the 1990's and insuring Cowher's success.

A series of poor drafts can kill a team. One great draft, like 1992, goes a long way.

[1st & 10]

The 74 Steelers draft was great and there will never be another
one like it. The Cowboys of the late 80's and early 90's drafted
really well and built a multi Super Bowl winner.

89- Troy Aikman, Steve Wisniewski, D. Johnson,
Mark Stepnoski, Tony Tolbert. 5 of their first 6 picks
were good players. Stepnoski and Wisniewski
came from Pitt and PSU. Wisniewski was traded to the Raiders in 89.

[Secret Santa]

What we really need is to grab a good Undrafted Free Agent Cameraman. You can build a multi Lwob Repus winner with one of those.

[K from Cal]

Four of the first five selections by the Steelers in the 1974 draft all made the Hall of Fame:

1. Swann, WR
2. Lambert, LB
3. Traded to Oakland for Tom Keating
4. Stallworth, WR
4. Allen, CB
5. Webster, C

There will never be a draft this good again - ever. Particularly when the Steelers were selecting 21st.

What is also amazing about that draft is how badly the Steelers drafted in 1973 and 1975. The 1973 draft:

1 24 J.T. Thomas DB Florida State
2 50 Ken Phares -- Mississippi State
3 76 Roger Bernhardt G Kansas
4 102 Gail Clark LB Michigan State
5 106 Dave Reavis T Arkansas
5 128 Larry Clark -- Northern Illinois
6 140 Ron Bell -- Illinois State
6 154 Glenn Scolnik WR Indiana

One good player, taken in the first round. Otherwise, nothing in the first 6 rounds.

The 1975 draft:

1 26 Dave Brown DB Michigan
2 51 Bob Barber DE Grambling State
3 78 Walter White TE Maryland
4 104 Harold Evans -- Houston
5 130 Brent Sexton DB Elon
6 156 Marvin Crenshaw -- Nebraska
7 182 Wayne Mattingly -- Colorado
8 190 Tom Kropp -- Nebraska-Kearney

One decent defensive back, who played more for the expansion Seahawks than he did for the Steelers.

and Swann and Stallworth didn't even start their first year

[blitz]

1974 best draft of all time- never will be matched but what about 1987? woodson lloyd, hoge, nckerson hard hitting everett. that was a pretty good draft as well.

1987 - Pittsburgh Steelers
Rd Sel # Player Position School
1 10 Rod Woodson DB Purdue
2 38 Delton Hall DB Clemson
3 66 Charles Lockett WR Long Beach State
4 94 Thomas Everett DB Baylor
5 122 Hardy Nickerson LB California
6 141 Tim Johnson DE Penn State
6 150 Greg Lloyd LB Fort Valley State
7 178 Chris Kelley TE Akron
8 205 Charles Buchanan DE Tennessee State
9 233 Joey Clinkscales WR Tennessee
10 261 Merril Hoge RB Idaho State
11 289 Paul Oswald C Kansas
12 317 Theo Young TE Arkansas