Retired_Member_001
04-28-2008, 07:49 AM
Pittsburgh's shocker could work out
With the 23rd Overall pick of the 2008 NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers select Running Back Rashard Mendenhall. Those words are words no NFL Fan could predict if they were watching the 2008 NFL Draft on Saturday. In fact many thought that Mendenhall would be taken in the early teens. However, this was not to be the case.
Questions have risen ever since the pick of Mendenhall. The Steelers had a painful need for an offensive lineman and a big need for a defensive lineman in the Draft. Many Steelers fans wanted their team to trade up at all costs to take a good offensive lineman. Last season the Steelers gave up 47 sacks, during the off-season they lost their best offensive lineman, Alan Faneca, this leaves the Steelers offensive line dangerously (danger a word Ben Roethlisberger will relate to) thin and weak. To add to this, their defensive line is very old and defensive lineman in the first round would be very welcome.
So with needs this big, it would make sense for the Steelers to go with a lineman in the first round. But wait a minute, remember the team in discussion right now, the Steelers aren’t your average team. The Steelers are a team that live life running the football, they like physical play. At 209lbs, is Willie Parker the kind of guy you think could live up to this kind of offense? That was a rhetorical question, but the answer would most definitely be no. To be fair, Willie Parker was leading the league in rushing before he got injured. But there’s the point, he got injured. You see, all you have to do is watch Willie Parker play to realize he is a finesse, speed, no contact kind of guy. Bulldozing over people with no mercy is not his game to say the least. On the other, Mendenhall is your tough inside runner who also has speed and can catch the ball.
The Steelers won their last Super Bowl by using a good speed, physical running back combo. In fact, the dual running back system is becoming a must in the NFL today. No team can be called a good running team unless they have two guys who can get 1,000 yards. In Parker and Mendenhall, the Steelers have two guys who can get 1,500 yards (although not in the same season). At this rate Parker can be getting his big flashy long runs more often as he won’t be as worn out.
"He's an exciting running back," said director of football operations Kevin Colbert, who oversees the draft. "He runs with power, he runs with moves, he can catch."
"Most successful teams have two productive running backs that they can count on. This one's a little bit bigger than Willie, so there may be some things that he can do to complement Willie, and that's only going to help us." Said Colbert.
Of course the argument will come up as to why they didn’t pick an offensive lineman or a defensive lineman. I will come out and honestly say, I think they will fail this season because their offensive line will get Big Ben killed. But to be fair, who did you want them to take? All the guys were taken, teams went hard for an offensive tackle this Draft and teams were reaching for guys so hard their arms fell off. Sure the Steelers could trade up, but then what? They would lose most probably a 2nd or 3rd round pick, picks that were eventually spent on a future WR and a future DE, both big needs for the Steelers. At the end of the day, the Steelers did what was best for the future of the team. They couldn’t even reach for another offensive lineman and the defensive lineman that were available (K.Balmer and L.Jackson) are not exactly 3-4 DE’s.
As said previously, the Steelers did what was best for the Franchise. Parker and Mendenhall, providing the Steelers draft a good offensive lineman next draft, could turn out to be the best running back duo the League will have.
With the 23rd Overall pick of the 2008 NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers select Running Back Rashard Mendenhall. Those words are words no NFL Fan could predict if they were watching the 2008 NFL Draft on Saturday. In fact many thought that Mendenhall would be taken in the early teens. However, this was not to be the case.
Questions have risen ever since the pick of Mendenhall. The Steelers had a painful need for an offensive lineman and a big need for a defensive lineman in the Draft. Many Steelers fans wanted their team to trade up at all costs to take a good offensive lineman. Last season the Steelers gave up 47 sacks, during the off-season they lost their best offensive lineman, Alan Faneca, this leaves the Steelers offensive line dangerously (danger a word Ben Roethlisberger will relate to) thin and weak. To add to this, their defensive line is very old and defensive lineman in the first round would be very welcome.
So with needs this big, it would make sense for the Steelers to go with a lineman in the first round. But wait a minute, remember the team in discussion right now, the Steelers aren’t your average team. The Steelers are a team that live life running the football, they like physical play. At 209lbs, is Willie Parker the kind of guy you think could live up to this kind of offense? That was a rhetorical question, but the answer would most definitely be no. To be fair, Willie Parker was leading the league in rushing before he got injured. But there’s the point, he got injured. You see, all you have to do is watch Willie Parker play to realize he is a finesse, speed, no contact kind of guy. Bulldozing over people with no mercy is not his game to say the least. On the other, Mendenhall is your tough inside runner who also has speed and can catch the ball.
The Steelers won their last Super Bowl by using a good speed, physical running back combo. In fact, the dual running back system is becoming a must in the NFL today. No team can be called a good running team unless they have two guys who can get 1,000 yards. In Parker and Mendenhall, the Steelers have two guys who can get 1,500 yards (although not in the same season). At this rate Parker can be getting his big flashy long runs more often as he won’t be as worn out.
"He's an exciting running back," said director of football operations Kevin Colbert, who oversees the draft. "He runs with power, he runs with moves, he can catch."
"Most successful teams have two productive running backs that they can count on. This one's a little bit bigger than Willie, so there may be some things that he can do to complement Willie, and that's only going to help us." Said Colbert.
Of course the argument will come up as to why they didn’t pick an offensive lineman or a defensive lineman. I will come out and honestly say, I think they will fail this season because their offensive line will get Big Ben killed. But to be fair, who did you want them to take? All the guys were taken, teams went hard for an offensive tackle this Draft and teams were reaching for guys so hard their arms fell off. Sure the Steelers could trade up, but then what? They would lose most probably a 2nd or 3rd round pick, picks that were eventually spent on a future WR and a future DE, both big needs for the Steelers. At the end of the day, the Steelers did what was best for the future of the team. They couldn’t even reach for another offensive lineman and the defensive lineman that were available (K.Balmer and L.Jackson) are not exactly 3-4 DE’s.
As said previously, the Steelers did what was best for the Franchise. Parker and Mendenhall, providing the Steelers draft a good offensive lineman next draft, could turn out to be the best running back duo the League will have.