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| ’par \par Site | ’par \par’par \par Date | ’par \par’par \par Steelers 1st Rd Pick | ’par \par’par \par Steelers 2nd Round Pick | ’par \par’par \par 3rd Round |
| ’par \par | ’par \par’par \par 2/2 | ’par \par’par \par Alex Mack, C, California | ’par \par’par \par N/A | ’par \par’par \par N/A |
| ’par \par Comments | ’par \par’par \par Congratulations to the Steelers. Winning the championship is nice, but now you have a target on your back. Last year’s draft should provide a big impact next year on offense with Limas Sweed gaining experience and Rashard Mendenhall coming back from a knee injury. The hole they haven’t filled is on the interior line, where Alan Faneca was a standout for years. Mack has the ability to play guard or center, and would bring the physical style to fit right in with the Steelers mentality. | ’par |||
| ’par \par | ’par \par’par \par 2/1 | ’par \par’par \par Alex Mack, C, California | ’par \par’par \par Jamon Meredith, OT, South Carolina | ’par \par’par \par N/A |
| ’par \par Comments | ’par \par’par \par If Alex Mack is available, he has to be the pick. In the Senior Bowl, he proved that he is the elite center in this draft and probably the best center prospect of the past 5 years. He is that good, but falls to #32 purely because he is a center. If Mack is gone, which is a high possibility, look for the Steelers to take Max Unger who has the versatility to play all the spots on the offensive line. Unger may be the most interesting prospect in the nation because he can play tackle, center, or guard. Ben Roethlisberger has been banged up a lot this year, and an improved line would certainly help. | ’par \par’par \par The Steelers need to continue investing in protecting Big Ben. In the first they got a center, now they get a tackle. | ||
| ’par \par | ’par \par’par \par 2/10 | ’par \par’par \par Alex Mack, C, California | ’par \par’par \par N/A | ’par \par’par \par N/A |
| ’par \par | ||||
| ’par \par | ’par \par’par \par 2/9 | ’par \par’par \par Alex Mack, C, California | ’par \par’par \par Mike Mickens, CB, Cincinnati | |
| ’par \par Comments | ’par \par’par \par Pittsburgh is thrilled that Mack has slid to them. Since Roethlisburger won’t get rid of the ball on time, they need guys to protect longer. | ’par \par’par \par A physical corner in press coverage, Mickens was a four year starter for Cincinnati. At roughly 6’0", 190 lbs, he has an excellent frame and should add weight. Injury concerns have caused his slide into the late second round. | ||
| ’par \par | ’par \par’par \par 2/9 | ’par \par’par \par William Beatty, OT, Connecticut | ’par ||
| ’par \par | ’par \par’par \par 2/9 | ’par \par’par \par Alex Mack, C, California | ’par \par’par \par Andy Kemp, G, Wisconsin | ’par \par’par \par Brian Robiskie, WR, Ohio State |
| ’par \par The Steelers get the versatile interior linemen they have been missing for the last couple of years. Alex Mack has recently shown at the senior bowl he is the top rated Center and maybe interior linemen in the 2009 NFL Draft and this 2009 NFL Mock Draft. | ’par \par’par \par The Steelers get another good interior linemen to groom over the next year or so. Look for the Steelers to improve their run game and their line at the same time | ’par \par’par \par The Steelers get a good fast WR from Ohio St. | ||
| ’par \par | ’par \par’par \par 2/4 | ’par \par’par \par Max Unger, C, Oregon | ’par \par’par \par Duke Robinson, G, Oklahoma | ’par \par’par \par Jarious Byrd, CB, Oregon |
| ’par \par There is some considerable debate in Draft circles of who is the best Center in this very talented Center class. The majority of draftnicks have Alex Mack as the best pivot, but I think I like Max Unger of Oregon. The reason I like Unger is because he offers far more versatility than Mack. At 6’5, 300 lbs Unger could conceivably play 4 spots on an Offensive Line (all except L OT) and has the size, frame, feet and smarts to hold down the Center position. It is because of that versatility that I have him going to Pittsburgh. The Steelers were decimated early by injuries to their interior O Line and Unger can step in and play both OG and Center. With Chris Kemoeatu being a free agent and 3 of their OT’s also open on the market, a player who can play multiple O Line spots should be attractive. Now at the end of the day I can see Pittsburgh addressing their Offensive Line woes at OT and OG prior to the Draft, but I still see a need for a Center. Justin Hartwig was semi-exposed throughout the year and namely in the Super Bowl where Darnell Dockett owned him for most of the game. Unger could step in and replace Hartwig and also provide the necessary insurance for the champs to have a capable body to fill in at OG. A wild card here is a WR like Kenny Britt. Limas Sweed has not come into his own yet and Nate Washington is set to hit the open market. Adding another big target for Big Ben may be a bit of luxury, but for the Steelers they could afford it if they were to lose a guy like Washington as their #3 WR. | ’par \par’par \par Duke Robinson stock has taken a lot of hits. Not too long ago he was considered the best Interior Lineman in this class, but now he may fall out of Day 1. The reason for this is that Robinson is very inconsistent. However, he is a nasty player who plays very physical. I am not giving up hope that he could be a starter come his first game and I think that if he is coached up he can be an imposing OG in the NFL. Pittsburgh has done well for themselves on their O Line but Chris Kemoeatu is a Free Agent and Kendall Simmons is coming of an injury plagued year. Grabbing another O Lineman with their second selection would not be a bad investment for a team that relies heavily on ball control. | ’par \par’par \par Bryant McFadden is a Free Agent and may bolt this off-season, meaning the Steelers will have depth needs at CB. Jarious Byrd is my best CB on the board. He is probably a year or two away from making a contribution, but CB could be attractive for the Steelers for the goal of future need as Ike Taylor, DeShea Townsend and William Gay are all nice CB’s right now. | ||
| ’par \par | ’par \par’par \par 2/2 | ’par \par’par \par Duke Robinson, G, Oklahoma | ’par ||
| ’par \par Despite their successs in 2008, the Steelers continued to give up too many sacks - 49 during the regular season, good for fourth worst in the league. The Steelers lost Alan Faneca prior to this season and have three offensive linemen as free agents in 2009. They could go a variety along the line here - but the best value seems to be in the interior line players - OG Duke Robinson, OG/C Max Unger, and C Alex Mack. Robinson is probably the best overall player of the group and could start immediately for the Steelers. He is a powerful, drive blocker, who is by far the top offensive guard in the draft. He may be able to play a right tackle spot, especially in an offense that wants to run the ball heavy. | ’par ||||
| ’par \par | ’par \par’par \par 1/21 | ’par \par’par \par Duke Robinson, G, Oklahoma | ’par \par’par \par | ’par \par’par \par QB Matt Stafford |
| ’par \par | ||||
| ’par \par | ’par \par’par \par Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU | ’par \par’par \par Herman Johnson, G, LSU | ’par \par’par \par Eric Wood, C, Louisville | |
| ’par \par With tons of talented offensive linemen off the board, the Steelers may choose to add the best available player to their defensive line. That would be Tyson Jackson, who will eventually take Aaron Smith’s spot in the lineup. Smith turns 33 in April. | ’par \par’par \par Going into the Super Bowl, Ben Roethlisberger was sacked more times against the Ravens (4) than Kurt Warner was sacked all postseason. The Steelers need all the help they can get up front. | ’par \par’par \par The Steelers need help up front more than anything. If they want to keep winning Super Bowls, they can’t afford to have Ben Roethlisberger running for his life and taking dozens of hits every week. Justin Hartwig gave up more sacks than any NFL center this season (6.5). | ||
| ’par \par | ’par \par’par \par Michael Johnson, DE, Georgia Tech | ’par \par’par \par Jamon Meredith, OT, South Carolina | ’par \par’par \par Chris Baker, DT, Hampton | |
| ’par \par The Steelers would’ve loved to have a guard like Duke Robinson, but he is taken. They will take the best available lineman left on the board and they will snatch Johnson before he drops into the 2nd round. | ’par ||||
| ’par \par | ’par \par’par \par Alex Mack, C, California | ’par \par’par \par Herman Johnson, OG, LSU | ||
| ’par \par The Steelers need to upgrade the interior of their offensive line, and Mack not only has the versatility to play center or either guard spot, he’s the type of tough, in-line blocker the Steelers crave. He should be able to come in and make an immediate impact somewhere inside. | ’par \par’par \par A massive in-line blocker who should create some big holes in the Steelers’ run game. | |||
| ’par \par | ’par \par’par \par Alex Mack, C, California | ’par |||
| ’par \par While the Steelers usually go for best available player, this is a need pick -- find the best offensive lineman on the board. The Steelers have glaring needs at tackle and guard and a long-term need at center. That doesn’t fit with the talent available, but Alex Mack can possibly play guard in the short-term, then replace Justin Hartwig in the long term. | ’par ||||
| ’par \par | ’par \par’par \par Alex Mack, C, California | ’par |||
| ’par \par Mack is the best center prospect and is as ’f1’ldblquote sure thing’rdblquote as the draft offers. Pittsburgh’s offensive line has struggled in recent years and Mack could be the beginning to rebuilding it. | ’par ||||
| ’par \par | ’par \par’par \par Duke Robinson, OG, Oklahoma | ’par \par’par \par William Beatty, OT, Connecticut | ||
| ’par \par The Steelers are still struggling to replace Al Faneca and they will lose some more linemen to free agency. No matter what happens in the rest of the draft, the Steelers will look for an offensive lineman in the first round. Luckily, George ’Duke’ Robinson is still on the board and the 6-4, 330 pound guard is easily the best guard in the draft. | ’par \par’par \par Pittsburgh has the luxury of picking up more help on the offensive line. | |||
| ’par \par | ’par \par’par \par D.J. Moore, CB, Vanderbilt | ’par |||
| ’par \par | ’par \par’par \par Alex Mack, C, California | ’par \par’par \par Mike Mickens, CB, Cincinnati | ||
| ’par \par | ’par \par’par \par Phil Loadholt, OT, Oklahoma | ’par |||
| ’par \par Loadholt is adequate in pass protection and a beast in the run game, he fits what the Steelers are trying to do | ’par ||||
| ’par \par | ’par \par’par \par Alex Mack, C, California | ’par |||
| ’par \par | ’par \par’par \par William Beatty, OT, Connecticut | ’par \par’par \par William Moore, S, Missouri | ||
| ’par \par | ’par \par’par \par Alphonso Smith, CB, Wake Forest | ’par |||
| ’par \par Big Ben has gotten beat up all season long, and despite his ability to elude defenders, was sacked far too often. That could make offensive line a priority, but with a need a corner as well Alphonso Smith will certainly draw some strong consideration. | ’par ||||
| ’par \par | ’par \par’par \par Alex Mack, C, California | ’par \par’par \par Ron Brace, DT, Boston College | ||
| ’par \par High effort, determined blocker. Nice burst off snap, often driving defender backwards. Has the quickness to get upfield on run plays. | ’par ||||
| ’par \par | ’par \par’par \par Tyson Jackson, DE, LSU | ’par |||
| ’par \par | ’par \par’par \par Alex Mack, C, California | ’par |||
| ’par \par Far and away the top center in this year’s class. | ’par ||||
| ’par \par | ’par \par’par \par Max Unger, C, Oregon | ’par |||
| ’par \par The Steelers have always been a tough and physical team that like to pound the ball on the ground. Max Unger would be an excellent addition to the offensive front line to pave the way for Willie Parker and Rashard Mendenhall who was injured for most of the 2008 season. | ’par ||||
| ’par \par | ’par \par’par \par Max Unger, C, Oregon | ’par |||
| ’par \par Unger doesn’t have the intimidating size that you expect out of a first round pick but he is very quick and is very fundamentally sound. He has plenty of frame to pack on another 15-20 lbs. of muscle and would really help the lack of depth that Pittsburgh has at offensive line. | ’par ||||
| ’par \par | ’par \par’par \par Alex Mack, C, California | ’par \par’par \par Herman Johnson, OG, LSU | ||
| ’par \par There may be no single team in the league that needs offensive line help as much as the Steelers. While their defense may be the best in the league, the offensive line might hold the team back from winning the Super Bowl this season. It is safe to say the Steelers will take the best offensive line prospect with their selection late in the first round. Mack is the best center prospect to come out in a long time. Look for his stock to rise as the draft becomes closer, especially if he could add to his versatility by proving to be able to play guard at the next level. | ’par \par’par \par 6-7 | 386 lbs. | Senior ’par \parOlla, LA | |||
| ’par \par | ’par \par’par \par Duke Robinson, OG, Oklahoma | ’par |||
| ’par \par At 6’5" 330, Robinson is a massive presence who has helped Oklahoma be so productive on offense this season. The Steelers lost OG Alan Faneca last off-season, and they would fill that lingering vacancy and help their overall offensive line by taking Robinson at this position. ’par ’par \parWhat’s more for the Steelers is that even at this lower position they will still have multiple offensive linemen from which they can choose, all of whom are worthy first round picks. | ’par ||||
| ’par \par | ’par \par’par \par Max Unger, C, Oregon | ’par |||
| ’par \par The Steelers need help all over the offensive line. During the Super Bowl it was mentioned a couple times how Big Ben was sacked an average of three times per game. Being a guy that has played all over the O-Line and has stud written all over him, Max Unger may be gone by this point but has not came off the board in this mock. This is the perfect spot to see some OL guys raise their stock to get into. ’par ’par \parPrevious Picks: ’par \parMock #3: William Beatty, OT, UConn ’par \parMock #2: Phil Loadholt, OT ’par \parMock #1: Max Unger, C | ’par ||||
| ’par \par | ’par \par’par \par Alex Mack, C, California | ’par |||
| ’par \par The Steelers need OL help, and it figures to come down to one of a few different interior linemen. Mack was a college center and eventually could shift back there but could also shift to guard. Duke Robinson, Eben Britton, William Beatty, and Max Unger all will factor in here as well. For now I stick with my pick from last time of Mack. ’par \parPrevious Pick: Alex Mack ’par \parAlternate Pick: Duke Robinson G Oklahoma | ’par ||||
| ’par \par | ’par \par’par \par Alex Mack, C, California | ’par |||
| ’par \par Unless they want their franchise quarterback Ben Roethlisberger to get his head cut off, than the Steelers are going to need to shore up their offensive line. Mack is arguably the top center in the entire draft so expect them to get some help for Big Ben. | ’par ||||
| ’par \par | ’par \par’par \par Eben Britton, OT, Arizona | ’par |||
| ’par \par | ’par \par’par \par Max Unger, C, Oregon | ’par |||
| ’par \par | ’par \par’par \par Max Unger, C, Oregon | ’par \par’par \par Jaron Gilbert, DE, San Jose State | ||
| ’par \par If nothing else Pittsburgh could always count on a dominating group of blockers up front but in 2008 they gave up a ton of sacks and ranked in the middle of the league in rushing. Last offseason the Steelers lost All-Pro Alan Faneca in free agency and with Marvel Smith, Max Starks and Chris Kemoeatu all due to hit the open market this year more drastic changes could be on the horizon. That’s why it would be hard to fault them for simply taking the best offensive lineman on the board. Max Unger certainly wouldn’t be a sexy pick but his ability to play all five positions along the offensive line has earned him the nickname "Mr. Versatility" and made him a legit first round possibility. ’par ’par \parThe Steelers might also be on the lookout for some help in the secondary, especially if cornerback Bryant McFadden leaves as a free agent. However, everything starts up front for the Steelers and they need to improve that offensive line if they hope to keep Ben Roethlisberger healthy and jumpstart the run game. Regardless of whether they ultimately play him at tackle, guard or center Max Unger will be a valuable addition to a Steelers offensive line that definitely needs help. | ’par \par’par \par Aaron Smith, Brett Keisel and Travis Kirschke will all be over 30-years-old in 2009. | |||
| ’par \par | ’par \par’par \par Alex Mack, C, California | ’par |||
| ’par \par Mack is the best center in the draft, by far, and Justin Hartwig is nothing that should stand in his way. If the Steelers hadn’t come back to win the Super Bowl, Pittsburgh fans would still be talking about his hold on third down in the end zone that cost the Steelers two points and a firs | ’par ||||
| ’par \par | ’par \par’par \par Alphonso Smith, CB, Wake Forest | ’par |||
| ’par \par Only ’ldblquote weakness’rdblquote on the defense. | ’par ||||
| ’par \par | \par’par \par Alphonso Smith, CB, Wake Forest | ’par |||
| ’par \par | ’par \par’par \par Duke Robinson, OG, Oklahoma | ’par \par’par \par Asher Allen, CB, Georgia | ’par \par’par \par Jason Watkins, OT, Florida | |
| ’par \par The Steelers really want an offensive tackle but they do the next best thing which is draft the best guard in the draft in Robinson |
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