Steelers 2000 Draft Board

Steelers To Throw the Ball High Next Year

Saturday was a great day for Pittsburgh sports fans. The Penguins won their playoff game against Washington in overtime, the Pirates shut out the Mets, and the Steelers finally did something right! With they're 8th overall draft pick, they selected 6-6 WR Plaxico Burress from Michigan State. This was the right move. Yes, Burress supposedly has some attitude problems and was a bit inconsistent in college, but it's not like he was a criminal or drug addict. Plus, he's 6-6! He's huge and he can make acrobatic catches. Bill Cowher made a good point, saying that he's going to have a good five or six inches on every conerback he faces. A Steelers offense which had no good receivers two years ago now has Troy Edwards as the deep threat, Burress as the possession receiver, and Hines Ward as the all-around guy. Throw in some developing wideouts like Bobby Shaw, and the Steelers should actually have a very well-balanced group of receivers. Marshall QB Chad Pennigton was still on the board when the Steelers drafted, but surprise, surprise - they passed him up. Last night, the local news stations in Pittsburgh were reporting that the Steelers had soured on Burress and were all set to draft Pennington. However, it was all a bluff (just like I said earlier this week), and I still don't think it fooled anyone because nobody traded up to grab Pennington. It would've been a mistake at this point to take him over Burress. If taking Pennington would've been the direction they originally wanted to go with their quarterback situation, then fine - I'm all for that. But why then did you anger all your fans by sticking your neck out for Kordell Stewart? Why did you sign Kent Grahm to a million dollar deal? Why did you sacrifice a roster spot last season just to keep Anthony Wright? It was obvious (at least to me) that the Steelers had no intention of taking Pennington.

The Steelers addressed another huge hole with their second round pick. They drafted OT Marvel Smith from ASU. He's 6-4, 320, and he never gave up a sack all last season. The Steelers have been trying to rebuild their line for a while now, but they've been failing miserably. This draft pick will give them a lot of depth at tackle.

In the third round, the Steelers finally addressed their sucky defense. They took a defensive tackle, which they desperately need. Kendrick Clancy from Ole Miss is kind of small for a lineman (6-1, 270), but should be a decent run-stopper. He may just end up replacing Joel Steed at that position. Then with their second pick in the third round, the Steelers made me a very happy man. They took CB Hank Poteat from the University of Pittsburgh! This guy was one of my all-time favorite players when he was at Pitt. He reminded me so much of Rod Woodson. He returned kicks and made big plays just like Woodson used to do. I can't believe he's a Steeler now. What a great day!

Day 2 of the draft saw the Steelers pick up yet another big receiver - Danny Farmer (6-3, 217) from UCLA. They also got two more defensive linemen in an attempt to add some depth to their weakest position. Lineman Clark Haggans from Colorado State was selected by the Steelers in the fifth round, while lineman Chris Combs from Duke went in the sixth round. The Steelers wound up with a total of three defensive linemen. All three are a bit undersized but still have more potential than any of the losers we have right now on the line. The Steelers used their last pick on a tight end, but by far the most interesting selection of the second day was QB Tee Martin in the fifth round. If that name sounds familiar, it's because he led Tennessee to the national championship in 1998, something his predecessor at Tennessee, Peyton Manning, never did. I'm still not sure why the Steelers felt they needed another QB, but if they wanted one, I'm much happier they went with this guy rather than Pennington. This draft was not strong on QB's like last year's draft was, and no one was a good guarantee. A fifth round pick doesn't cost the Steelers a whole lot like a first round QB pick would have. I really think Martin or any other QB in this draft has just as much chance of becoming a star as Pennington does. At least Martin knows how to win, something the Steelers have long since forgotten how to do.

So once again the Steelers made out fairly well in the draft, even without Tom Donahoe. Time will tell how well these players really contribute to the team's success, but for now the Steelers' future is looking a little less bleak than it did three days ago.

Arrington goes to Washington: Whew!! The Cleveland Browns took Courtney Brown (Penn State sucks) with their number one pick, and not Pittsburgh's LaVar Arrington (Penn State sucks). God answered my prayers that Cleveland not steal a great Pittsburgh athlete! Now the Steelers won't have to face him twice a year (altough they will have to face Brown and Peter Warrick twice a year). It's always rough when a Pittsburgh guy that we love comes back to destroy our beloved Steelers. Danny Marino did that in the 1984 playoffs. Curtis Martin did that in the 1996 playoffs. Tony Dorsett almost did that in Super Bowl XIII. Like Dorsett, Arrington would have gone to a hated rival, and that would have been unbearable.

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