I know that Lawrence Timmons was one of the best linebackers available in this draft class, but i think that our CB core is slowly deteriorating. I think that the linebackers could've withstood another season with a talented James Harrison coming off the bench for Joey Porter. I didn't expect Leon Hall to still be on the board when it was the steelers turn, but when the opporitunity came, i figured the club would've pounced on Leon Hall. Can some please explain to me why they didn't?
2007-05-11 10:30:09 · 11 answers · asked by Willie D 1 in Sports ➔ Football (American)
Leon Hall is a decent CB, but that's all he will ever be. He's good at everthing, great at nothing. He got beat like a drum when he faced top competition in college (Ted Ginn, Dwayne Jarrett). He wasn't quite worth the pick at #15. Darrelle Revis showed more promise to be a shutdown corner, but the Jets traded ahead of the Steelers to get him.
At CB, the Steelers still have solid talent in Townsend, Taylor, and McFadden. True, those guys had a down year last year, but there's reason to believe that they can still improve. In addition, McFadden is under contract until 2009, Townsend until 2010, and Taylor until 2011.
At LB, Porter was going to be a free agent next offseason & was cut. Haggans is going to be a free agent next offseason. Rian Wallace will be an RFA after next season. The team really needed an infusion at linebacker & they really accomplished that with Timmons and Woodley. With those players, they also added the versatility to throw in more 4-3 defensive fronts in the future.
I was concerned that they didn't draft a CB until the end of the 5th round, and the guy they chose (William Gay) was a nickel back at best & CBs like Michael Coe, Ryan Smith, Rashad Barksdale, Courtney Brown, C.J. Wilson and Anthony Arline were still on the board. But there may still be some out there who still think Ricardo Colclough can play CB & still others who think UDFAs from last year Anthony Madison and Jovon Johnson are the real deal. So the CB position might not be in dire straits after all.
Long story short, there was no reason for the Steelers to reach for Leon Hall simply because he was the "best CB in this draft" if he wasn't at the top of their board & if a LB they really wanted WAS there.
2007-05-11 11:04:39 · answer #1 · answered by Dave of the Hill People 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
With the release of Joey Porter, they felt the need for a LB was more than the need for a CB. You can tell from their first 2 picks, they wanted depth at LB. Plus, they've already got Ike Taylor, Deshea Townsend, Bryant McFadden, Mike Logan. They're secondary has depth, last year was rough on them because Big Ben wasn't 100% and couldn't manage the game like he did when they won Super Bowl XL. The defense was on the field twice as much as the offense last year so of course they're gonna get tired. Lawrence Timmons is a stud, even when he wasn't a starter his junior year in college( benched behind Ernie Sims), he was still ranked in the top 10 in LBs. He was an all-american last year and is gonna be defensive rookie of the year this year. Trust me, all the Steelers do is draft All-Pro LBs.
2007-05-11 11:29:09 · answer #2 · answered by Polamalu is God 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Filling the void in that team that Joey Porter left when they released him was more important than drafting some overrated Cornerback. Timmons is a stud. He has 4.6-4.5 speed and is probably the best LB in the draft. Hall on the other hand, got burned left and right by Ted Ginn and Dwayne Jarrett, and couldnt seem to keep up with any of the good receivers at the college level. Anytime he faced a Wideout with NFL potential, they beat him like a drum. Trust me, Lawrence Timmons was the right pick, the kid will be special someday.
2007-05-11 12:18:18 · answer #3 · answered by cold 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
He is going to be a player that plays WR, PR, and wherever else Airian's can find a spot to put a good athlete out there. I love the pick, and I especially love that we got him in the 5th round!!! He is 6'4" so him and Sweed would pose a really tough match up for any secondary along with Holmes and Ward. Steelers made some major moves this weekend and I like where Tomlin is taking the ship. If the O-Line can keep it together the Steelers are going to win the division again, and will be looking for a 6th Lombardi Trophy.
2016-05-20 23:37:36 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I guess the need for LB outdid the need to improve on corners.
The other thing to consider may have been the number of DB's in the draft....seems they were all over the board for both days.
They didn't even take a CB until 7th pick...musn't seem too pressing if they took 2 LB's 1st and 2nd...
2007-05-11 12:30:41 · answer #5 · answered by forrest7309 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Joey Porter was too big a hole to fill and if you got a linebacker to put pressure he wont have time to even look toward a wide reciever, taking pressure off the corner
2007-05-12 21:10:08 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because they felt that replacing Joey Porter was a bigger need and issue that needed to be addressed rather then cornerback.
2007-05-11 10:36:59 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
lawrence timmons will fit into the new defense better
2007-05-11 10:37:14 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
hall will be a bust ,but i still dont like how they drafted.de/outside lb 1st 2 rounds they need speed at wr,which they ignored
2007-05-11 22:22:24 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Whats to explain, i think they know more about football and their own team then either of us. They made the best pick for them, quit looking for answers to silly questions, if you knew more than them they would be in yahoo answers and you would be running the team.
2007-05-11 10:36:04 · answer #10 · answered by Four Horsemen AKA NinersFan 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋