As the 2018 NFL Draft gets closer, more and more people are accepting the idea that Derrius Guice could be the pick at No. 28.
It’s easy to fall for the excitement of the media when it comes to the first-round of the NFL Draft. Everyone wants their team to pick the big name and have the new flashy offensive player on their roster.
Then, you add a situation like Le’Veon Bell’s. Fans don’t want to deal with a negative attitude in the headlines. Bell doesn’t bring the family atmosphere the Steelers are used to, and because of it, fans go blind of his dominance from February to August.
It’s all understandable. People should be upset with how the offseason has gone between Bell and the Steelers. No one wants a player making headlines for all the wrong reasons, and Bell has done nothing but.
So, maybe the Steelers are really considering a replacement. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, consideration of Guice at the 28th pick is regarded as “genuine.” That may be so, but as draft approaches, the illusion of a new running back could be blinding realistic expectations with the 28th pick.
People are accepting change and that’s making them bring in the welcome parade for a player who isn’t here, yet. In the Still Curtain Podcast Ep. 4, even I sounded like someone who’s already bought my Guice jersey.
Keeping a level head is key, though. There are still a strong chance Pittsburgh uses their first-round pick on an inside linebacker like Rashaan Evans or Leighton Vander Esch. And until Mason Rudolph and Lamar Jackson are off the board, you have to believe a quarterback is an option.
The 28th pick is wide open. This team isn’t going to know anything until the clock starts, and neither are we. The Patriots, Saints, top 10 picks, literally everyone is going to impact the decision at No. 28. Because if someone slips, or trades are made, Pittsburgh has no idea what’s going to be in front of them.
People always want a surprising draft pick. The anxiety waiting to know your team’s pick is something fans chase every offseason. Pittsburgh fans get to experience that right up until Roger Goodell walks to the podium.
We’re entering the month of blind excitement. The draft is almost upon us, and everyone wants to see the next superstar come to Pittsburgh. But until the pick is made, no one knows the difference between fantasy and reality. Something we’ll all have to wait to decipher on April 26.