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Steelers 2002 Draft Board
Draft Picks Fit The System
Usually the Steelers try to draft players that can fill holes, but this year they had the luxury of drafting players that can add depth. The Steelers are so good at finding the best players that fit their system, and I think that's what they did on the draft's first day. Everyone kept predicting we would draft a safety in the first round, but there really wasn't anyone there worth drafting by the time their #30 pick came up. So instead of a safety, they went for an offensive lineman - Kendall Simmons from Auburn. Simmons is a big (6-2, 311), physical lineman. He played tackle in college and held his own against the likes of Julius Peppers last year. He will play guard in the NFL, which works out perfectly for Pittsburgh. Rich Tylski is about to be cut, and Alan Faneca will be a free agent next year, so the Steelers could really use some depth at the guard position. In the second round, the Steelers went for a familiar position - a position in fact that they invented. That's right - they drafted another slash player. Indiana's Antwaan Randle El played QB, WR, and returned kicks in college. He will most likely not be playing QB for the Steelers, but he can do so many other things. I can just see Mike Mularkey frothing at the mouth! He may not be the ideal slot WR that the Steelers need to replace Bobby Shaw, but I'm sure the Steelers will make good use of him. Unfortunately for Randle El, he is going to have some undue pressure on him. That's because the next pick after him went to the Dallas Suckboys, and they drafted Pitt's Antonio Bryant, who we all loved watching. He fell real far (because he has zero maturity), but if he grows up and becomes a star receiver, the Steelers fans will all remember that we passed on him twice, and the second time it was for another WR. The Steelers finally got their safety in the third round - Florida State's Chris Hope. Once again, it seemed like another case of not the best player, but the player who best fit the Steelers system. Hope is described as a bit inconsistent in his tackling and cover ability, but as extremely physical. On the second day of the draft, the Steelers continued to add depth at various positions. They got a LB from Michigan named Larry Foote in the fourth round. You know that if you are a LB and the Steelers draft you, you must be doing something right. Foote is a quick LB who figures to play outside (even though he played inside in school). In the fifth round, the Steelers selected Verron Haynes, a power RB from Georgia (yet another player who seems to fit the system). The final three picks were WR Lee Mays, a track star from UTEP, Lavar Glover, a fast CB from Cincinnati, and Bret Keisel, a 6-5 d-lineman from BYU. The Steelers 2002 draft was described as "boring" by the morons in the local media, but I disagree. Yes, I admit that it was strange to see the Steelers not doing a whole lot of wheeling and dealing to try to make a steal here and there. But this team is so solid right now - all they needed was some depth and some potential role players, and that's exactly what they went out and got. Kudos to Kevin Colbert and company for what looks to be a very solid draft. However, as we all know, only time will tell how well the Steelers - or any other team for that matter - did in the draft this year. Related Stuff:
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