Pittsburgh Steelers Will NOT Select Brandin Cooks

Oct 26, 2013; Corvallis, OR, USA; Oregon State Beavers wide receiver Brandin Cooks (7) catches a pass while being covered by Stanford Cardinal cornerback Wayne Lyons (2) during the 2nd half at Reser Stadium. Stanford defeated Oregon State 20-12. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

Well that seems like a no brainer of a statement doesn’t it?  Yet there’s at least one advocate out there for the Pittsburgh Steelers in selecting Oregon State wideout Brandin Cooks.

Scott Brown, the Trib to ESPN convert, wrote a piece earlier on Thursday stating a case that the Steelers have Brandin Cooks on their radar.  Using his zippy 4.33 40 yard dash in Indy, Brown believes that the Steelers could be making a mistake by focusing too much of their efforts on getting the tall receiver they so desperately need.

Now I’m all for rational debates and arguments, but even this one has me saying, “Scott.  Dude.  Lay off the cochinita pibil tacos late at night, buddy.”  After signing Lance Moore (and his step stool) to a two year contract, why in the world would the Steelers select another short receiver?  One of the most glaring issues with the Steelers offense was their Red Zone efficiency during 2013.  One of the quickest and most effective upgrades they can make to the offense and subsequently the Red Zone offense is to acquire a tall receiver.  That’s not happening in free agency, so we all know the Steelers will be targeting one of the taller guys out there.

If Cooks were 6’1″ (or heck even 6’0″) I would not think Brown has jumped off the deep end.  Then again, if Cooks were that tall, he wouldn’t be ranked the 3rd best receiver in this draft by Mel Kiper, Jr.  He’d be #1.  He has the speed, the skills, and the hearty work ethic.  All positives and things the Steelers could use…. but in a tall receiver.  Look, the problem isn’t that the Steelers can’t move the ball or won’t be able to with the guys they have.  The offense can and will move the ball.  It’s what happens down inside the 20 that kills them every time.

Cooks speed is amazing.  But, that doesn’t automatically translate into big playmaker.  There was another wide out the Steelers selected who was very fast.  In fact, he ran the same 40 time.  Mike Wallace.  The Steelers need someone who can go up and get the ball.  Because, let’s be honest, as much as I and most of Steeler Nation loves Ben Roethlisberger as our QB, he’s not always the most accurate.  He tends to let the ball sail.  Height, my friends.  It’s where it’s at, and it’s where the Steelers need to concentrate their efforts in this year’s draft.

Kiper has Cooks going to the Ravens as the 17th overall.  Could the Steelers pick Cooks to keep him out of Baltimore?  Now that I would believe more than anything you would tell me about why the Steelers should go after Cooks.  Jacoby Jones, Steve Smith, Torrey Smith, and then maybe Cooks?  Joe ‘Bushy Brow’ Flacco may love to throw picks, but even I could put up all pro numbers with a receiving core like that.

Despite that possibility in Kiper’s scenario, I still think the Steelers go after Kelvin Benjamin or even Eric Ebron or even trade up for Mike Evans in the first round… or they could even go corner.  Let’s all send Scotty B a little love, maybe some pepto and tell him to lay off the spice late at night to quell those crazy draft dreams.