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BBV Community Mock Draft 2011: With The 31st Pick, Pittsburgh Selects ...

Muhammad Wilkerson, DE, Temple.

Playing the role of Pittsburgh Steelers general manager for the second straight year is 'ross_stephen.' That begs the question -- hey, are you really a closet Steelers' fan? Regardless, here is his rationale for the selection of Wilkerson:

Picking for the Steelers 2 years in a row. Nice to build on what we did last year.
Getting to the Super Bowl, you'd think = no holes.
Not the case here.
1) I'd love to replace Dancing with the Stars Hines Ward, but the guy can still play
2) I'd hate to be forced to play an entire season without Troy Polamalu, and his style of play leaves the Steelers open in the secondary.
3) the Oline is a disaster and Big Ben is one major hit away from retirement
4) the Dline is in need of some youth.

Last year I wanted to get Oline, Dline (Hampton is not young, nor is Keisel), and CBs. The real version of the Steelers went interior Oline. So, I was correct on position, but missed on the player.

This year is no different, they still need OL, DL, and CBs.

So, looking at the draft, as it has unfolded.

  • Oline: Not much left. Watkins is too old in my mind. I was thinking Sherrod would fall to me, (even if he is a finesse pass blocker). No such luck.
  • DLine: I wanted a massive NT, but Phil Taylor was taken very early in this mock draft.
  • CBs: Harris and Williams are both good, but have their own issues, plus I've got my eye on a few good CB prospects for round 2.

So, the choice now comes down to BPA / value, in a position of need.

  • Heyward, a 290 DE? Sounds good for a 3-4 team with a 32 year old starter at DE
  • Wilkerson, a 310 DT/DE? Sounds good for a 3-4 team with a 33 year old starter at NT
  • Paea, a 305 DT with massive strength? Sounds good.... but too early for him.

The pick is Wilkerson.

I'm a huge believer that "When in doubt - go to the Trenches", especially if you are the Steelers and you make your living in the trenches.

While I don't think he'll play NT, he will team with Ziggy Hood to make their DLine a massive force. Allowing the LBs to roam free and destroy people for years to come.
A big part of me wanted to go Heyward, or reach for a NT. But the overall possibilities of Wilkerson that has him rushing up the draft board has enticed the Steelers into making him the pick. I know he's a "Small school prospect"... but he's going to be a beast in the NFL in the near term.

Ed profiled Wilkerson here:
http://www.bigblueview.com/2011/3/25/2066393/2011-nfl-draft-prospect-profile-muhammad-wilkerson-dl-temple

Where he made comments like:
"Wilkerson is an elite 3-4 defensive end prospect with idea size, excellent shedding ability and the athleticism to pursue from the backside and rush the passer."

My take: For the Steelers, a good pick. Most draft boards would have him as the top-rated 3-4 player among the currently available defensive ends or outside linebackers. This puts 'NYG28' on the clock with our final pick of the first round. That, of course, belongs to the Green Bay Packers.

Round 1

Pos Team Player Pos School Drafter
1 Carolina Cam Newton
QB
Auburn
Tito
2 Denver Nick Fairley
DT
Auburn
Mike Fiammetta
3 Buffalo Patrick Peterson
CB
LSU
Bigbluethruandthru
4 Cincinnati Blaine Gabbert
QB
Missouri
BitterEli
5 Arizona Von Miller
OLB
Texas A&M
gmen2thebowl
6 Cleveland Marcell Dareus
DL
Alabama
Bobely
7 San Francisco
A.J. Green
WR
Georgia
Pat19
8 Tennessee Da'Quan Bowers DE
Clemson
RealLT
9 Dallas
Prince Amukamara
CB
Nebraska
Simms-McConkey
10 Washington Julio Jones
WR
Alabama
jcalafiore
11 Houston
Robert Quinn
DE/OLB
North Carolina
daddyzander
12 Minnesota Tyron Smith
OT
USC
RolloT
13 Detroit Anthony Castonzo
OT
Boston College
Ed Valentine
14 St. Louis
Aldon Smith
DE
Missouri
GiantNomad
15 Miami
Mark Ingram
RB
Alabama
HenneGivenSunday
16 Jacksonville Cameron Jordan
DE
California
ct17
17 New England
Mike Pouncey
OG/C
Florida
Ryan Valentine
18 San Diego
J.J. Watt
DE
Wisconsin
Anthony P
19 N.Y. Giants Akeem Ayers
OLB
UCLA
Ed Valentine
20 Tampa Bay
Jimmy Smith
CB
Tampa Bay
willgfass
21 Kansas City
Phil Taylor
DT
Baylor
The Blood Of Eli
22 Indianapolis Gabe Carimi
OT
Wisconsin
dannymac56
23 Philadelphia Nate Solder
OT
Colorado
JimmyK
24 New Orleans
Ryan Kerrigan
DE
Purdue
Charles L.
25 Seattle Jake Locker
QB
Washington
Ejaay
26 Baltimore Justin Houston
OLB
Georgia
LarrySoprano
27 Atlanta Kyle Rudolph
TE
Notre Dame
pataroons
28 New England
Derek Sherrod
OT
Mississippi State
DManInBLUE
29 Chicago Corey Liuget
DT
Illinois You're my boy, Blue
30 New York Jets
Adrian Clayborn
DE
Iowa
PlaxicoBurress
31 Pittsburgh Muhammad Wilkerson
DE
Temple
stephen_ross
32 Green Bay



NYG28

Round 2

Pos Team Player Pos School Drafter
33 New England



Ryan Valentine?
34 Buffalo


Bigbluethruandthru
35 Cincinnati


BitterEli
36 Denver



Mike Fiammetta
37 Cleveland


Bobely
38 Arizona



gmen2thebowl
39 Tennessee


RealLT
40 Dallas


Simms-McConkey
41 Washington


jcalafiore
42 Houston


daddyzander
43 Minnesota


RolloT
44 Detroit


BigBlueIntervention
45 San Francisco



Pat19
46 Denver



Mike Fiammetta
47 St. Louis



GiantNomad
48 Oakland


G Fan In England
49 Jacksonville



ct17
50 San Diego



Anthony P
51 Tampa Bay



willgfass
52 N.Y. Giants


Ed Valentine
53 Indianapolis



dannymac56
54 Philadelphia


JImmyK
55 Kansas City



The Blood Of Eli
56 New Orleans



Charles L.
57 Seattle


Ejaay
58 Baltimore


LarrySoprano
59 Atlanta


pataroons
60 New England



Ryan Valentine?
61 San Diego



Anthony P
62 Chicago



You're my boy, Blue
63 Pittsburgh


stephen_ross
64 Green Bay



NYG28