When I woke up Wednesday morning my Twitter feed was buzzing with rumors the Steelers were in the market to trade up in the draft to select Florida center Mike Pouncey.
I could not stop salivating over the idea of having two Pouncey brothers anchoring the offensive line, and protecting Big Ben for the next ten years. My excitement grew even further, as ESPN draft guru Todd McShay reported on Wednesday’s Sports Center that he too felt the Steelers may make a move to draft the other Pouncey brother.
While day-dreaming of Pouncey family reunions in Honolulu come pro bowl time, and unlimited protection for Roethlisberger to throw the football, I came back to reality for a minute to ask myself; would it even be possible for the Steelers to move up far enough in the draft to select Pouncey, and would that be the best move for the Steelers at this time?
Looking through the draft order, there are three teams picking before the Steelers that could potentially draft Pouncey.
One thing working against the Steelers, and it is not a bad thing, is how well Maurkice Pouncey played this past season. As a rookie in the pro bowl, Maurkice turned heads of general managers all around the league. I do not think many GMs are prepared to let another Pouncey slip through their grasps.
Starting at No. 15, the Miami Dolphins pose the biggest threat to the Steelers hopes of drafting Mike. The Dolphins use an advanced rushing attack with running backs Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown splitting carries for the team. The Dolphins were also the first team to use the wildcat offense, and have perfected that style of play. With a subpar season in which the Dolphins ranked 16th in the league in rushing, offensive line is definitely a hole the fins will be looking to fill.
After drafting Jake Long with the No. 1 overall pick in 2008, the Dolphins could use another anchor on its offensive line. The fins have already expressed interest in Pouncey, which makes it hard for me to believe they would be willing to allow the Steelers to swipe their pick.
If the Dolphins do not draft Pouncey with the No. 15 pick, the New York Giants will be licking their chops with the No. 19 pick. The giants two headed rushing attack in Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw could be boosted with the addition of Mike Pouncey. Most mock drafts have the Giants drafting an offensive lineman, the question is which one. If Pouncey is still on the board at this time, I do not think New York will hesitate to scoop him up.
The dark horse to select Pouncey in this draft is the Detroit Lions at No. 13. While I think that may be a little high for Pouncey to be selected, the Lions have a large need for offensive line help. The Lions franchise quarterback Mathew Stafford is constantly under assault, and coming off a serious off-season shoulder surgery, the Lions may be looking for someone to protect Stafford with more consistency.
I don’t think the Steelers have enough to offer a team with a pick higher than 13 for a trade. To make a deal like that would mean giving up most of the Steelers later round picks, and while the league continues to deal with labor strife and free agents can’t speak with teams, I think the Steelers need to keep as many picks as possible.
So if the Steelers do not have the ability to trade up and select Pouncey, where do they go from there?
For starters, I think the Steelers have more pressing needs than the offensive line. With Willie Colon and Max Starks coming back this season, I think the offensive line will be more dominant than it has been in quite some time.
The Steelers can, and should stay right where they are in this draft. With the 31st pick I believe Miami cornerback Brandon Harris will be available, and would be a perfect fit for Dick Lebeau’s defense.
Throughout his time at Miami, Harris showed he is a hard hitting corner with fantastic blitzing ability and a knack for playing the football. At 5-10 and 190 pounds, Harris presents decent size as a corner, but his athletic ability is what separates him from others. Harris ran track for Miami his freshman year, and was what coach Randy Shannon called an ultimate team player.
Defensive back play is obviously a key issue for the Steelers and drafting Harris, who may be ready to start immediately, would be a big help this coming season.
As the draft gets under way tonight, we will wait anxiously to see who the Steelers select. Who knows, they could be the future star of our team.