Draft Day Blues

Every year I get so excited for the draft. I read everything I can get my hands on, stalk Mel Kiper, obsess over team needs and make guesses about every pick. During and after the draft I am the most optimistic Steelers’ fan in the world. In my mind Omar Jacobs was just like Vince Young except he played at a smaller school and Fred Gibson was the answer to Plaxico leaving. The draft is such a day of optimism (assuming you aren’t a Browns fan, look at from 1999 on, just brutal) as well as the only real football news between the Super Bowl and the opening of mini-camps. I usually look at the Friday before the draft like Christmas Eve. Just get it over with and get to the next day so I can open my presents!

But this year has been different. I have had trouble getting too excited about it. I still read every mock draft that I can get my hands on and scrutinize every player Todd McShay says the Steelers might take, but I haven’t been nearly as obsessive about it. Maybe I’m too busy at work, but I think it has more to do with the weakness of the draft this year. At the Steelers' pick there is nobody I am really excited about. Last year we were predicted to draft a receiver from my favorite college team which was exciting and when we actually moved up to draft Santonio I was thrilled. It is so much fun to follow a player from his freshman year through the college years and into the league. Well, at least until he starts dropping punts and fumbling the ball every time… No, no. I’m staying positive.

I seriously doubt Pittsburgh is going to be calling Teddy Ginn or any other Buckeye on the first day. It looks like its cornerback, an O/D lineman or a hybrid player who can play outside linebacker until we make the switch from the 3-4 to the 4-3 where the player will be an end. I trust Kevin Colbert and staff greatly. I imagine Tomlin will step aside his first year and trust his more experienced front office. I am confident that the Steelers will produce a solid draft and I hope we will get value out of the middle rounds. It's just that when you look back to 1997 and every year except maybe Kendall Simmons year I was so excited about our first round pick:

2006 Santonio Holmes WR Ohio State
2005 Heath Miller TE Virginia
2004 Ben Roethlisberger QB Miami (OH)
2003 Troy Polomalu S USC
2002 Kendall Simmons OL Auburn
2001 Casey Hampton DT Texas
2000 Plaxico Burress WR Michigan St.
1999 Troy Edwards WR LA Tech
1998 Alan Faneca G LSU
1997 Chad Scott DB Maryland

Some worked and some didn’t but I thought they all were going to be superstars. I really don’t feel that way this year but I hope I’m wrong.

In the end I hope with the number 15 pick in the 2007 Draft the Pittsburgh Steelers select Darrelle Revis from Pittsburgh, just for Mario. It is fun to get watch a player develop from college and the Steelers can use the cornerback help. If you can grab one of the two best cornerbacks in the draft at a position of need you have to do it, right?

Sorry Ike (possibly my favorite web site ever)!