Clemons is an intriguing player.

Visited Steelers. Solid 6'2 210. Ran a 4.36 at his pro day

We may look back differently but as of right now I think this has been a great draft.

Clemons is a player the Steelers thought might be a sleeper. Good combination of size, build and speed. Not on a great college team so hard to measure his production.

Steelers pick David Paulson, TE, Oregon

Practice squad candidate

Steelers 2012 draft class

1 - David DeCastro, G, Stanford
2 - Mike Adams, T, Ohio State
3 - Sean Spence, LB, Miami
4 - Alameda Ta'amu, DT, Washington
5 - Chris Rainey, RB, Florida
7 - Toney Clemons, WR, Colorado
7 - David Paulson, TE, Oregon
7 - Terrence Frederick, CB, Texas A&M
7 - Kelvin Beachum, G, SMU

B+/A grade IMO

killer_ewok;1156522 wrote:B+/A grade IMO

Sounds about right.

The one blemish is they weren't able to get a cornerback higher.

They have basically Ike Taylor, Keenan Lewis, Cortez Allen and Curtis Brown. They could use another reliable player there.

Major upgrade to the offensive line. Protecting Ben is the most important priority moving forward and they addressed.

Added a solid nose tackle prospect.

Added a couple of offensive weapons in Rainey and Clemons.

Steelers UDFA

Ryan Lee G Furman

Brandon Lindsey LB Pittsburgh

Ikponmwosa Igbinosun DT Southern Connecticut State

Robert Golden CB Arizona

Jake Stoller DL Yale

Adrian Robinson Jr. OLB Temple

Desmond Stapleton G Rutgers

Marquis Maze WR Alabama

Terry Carter CB La. Tech

Connor Dixon WR Duquesne

Grant Ressel K Missouri

Drew Butler P Georgia

Roster Breakdown


QBs
Ben Roethlisberger (1)
Byron Leftwich (2)
-------------------------------
Charlie Batch
Troy Smith
Jerrod Johnson
Alex Tanney

Batch figures to be the third quarterback but there is a chance that someone like Troy Smith takes that spot.


RBs
Rashard Mendenhall (3)
Isaac Redman (4)
Baron Batch (5)
Chris Rainey (6)
Jonathan Dwyer (7)
-----------------------------
John Clay
Chad Spann
Will Johnson (FB)

Even though Baron Batch missed his entire rookie season due to injury, it's probably correct to assume that the Steelers like his potential as a third-down back, considering they have not re-signed Mewelde Moore. Dwyer and Clay might have a roster battle for the last spot.


WRs
Mike Wallace (8)
Antonio Brown (9)
Emmanuel Sanders (10)
Jerricho Cotchery (11)
---------------------------------
Toney Clemons
Wes Lyons
David Gilreath
Derrick Williams
Marquis Maze
Tyler Beiler
Juamorris Stewart
Jimmy Young

Top four receivers are set. The fifth spot is seventh round pick Toney Clemons to lose.


TEs
Heath Miller (12)
David Johnson (FB/H-back) (13)
---------------------------------------
Weslye Saunders
Leonard Pope
David Paulson
Jamie McCoy

Saunders is suspended for the first four games of the season. There's a chance he could be cut altogether depending on what they get from Pope. Paulson sounds like a developmental player who will be on the practice squad next year.


OL
Maurkice Pouncey (14)
David DeCastro (15)
Ramon Foster (16)
Willie Colon (17)
Marcus Gilbert (18)
Mike Adams (19)
Doug Legursky (20)
----------------------------
Trai Essex
Chris Scott
Jonathan Scott
Kelvin Beachum
Trevis Turner
John Malecki
Ryan Lee
Desmond Stapleton

If you're a Steelers offensive lineman and your last name is Scott, the draft wasn't real good for you. Both Chris and Jonathan should be history. I think Essex sticks around because of his position flexibility. Of the players who will be on the roster this will be the best group the Steelers have had in awhile.


DL
Brett Keisel (21)
Casey Hampton (22)
Ziggy Hood (23)
Cameron Heyward (24)
Steve McClendon (25)
Alameda Ta'amu (26)
---------------------------
Corbin Bryant
Al Woods
Ike Iginosun
Jake Stoller
Kade Weston
Mike Blance

Hood and Heyward will battle for the starting spot at defensive end. Hampton's future is a question mark now after the Steelers drafted Ta'amu. Don't count out McClendon who could very well push for the starting NT spot.


LBs
James Harrison (27)
LaMarr Woodley (28)
Lawrence Timmons (29)
Larry Foote (30)
Stevenson Sylvester (31)
Jason Worilds (32)
Sean Spence (33)
-----------------------------
Chris Carter
Mortty Ivy
Brandon Lindsey
Marshall McFadden
Brandon Hicks

The Steelers appear to be a little thin at outside linebacker. If Carter doesn't make a significant leap forward in the offseason workouts and training camp, they may be checking around for a young developmental player.


CBs
Ike Taylor (34)
Keenan Lewis (35)
Cortez Allen (36)
Curtis Brown (37)
----------------------------
Terrence Frederick
Walter McFadden
Terry Carter
Antonio Smith
Robert Golden

This will easily be the biggest concern area going into 2012. Not much depth. They'll be relying heavily on second year players Cortez Allen and Curtis Brown.


S
Troy Polamalu (38)
Ryan Clark (39)
Ryan Mundy (40)
-------------------------
Will Allen
Da'Mon Cromartie-Smith
Myron Rolle

They could keep Allen and Cromartie-Smith, two solid special teams players, but it depends on other positions how many reserve safeties they keep.


LS
Greg Warren (41)


K
Shaun Suisham (42)
----------------------------
Grant Ressel


P
Jeremy Kapinos (43)
-----------------------------
Drew Butler



The final 10 spots:
- 3rd QB...Batch or Smith (44)
- 5th WR...probably Clemons (45)
- 3rd and 4th TE...probably Saunders and Pope (46, 47)
- one more lineman...probably Essex (48)
- another linebacker...probably Carter (49)
- 5th CB...wide open but probably Frederick at this point (50)
- at least one more safety...probably Allen (51)

last two spots could be extra OL, LB or DB...such as Ivy, Cromartie-Smith, Chris Scott, Kelvin Beachum, etc.

Good breakdown. Have to imagine that's how things are gonna look when the smoke clears in September.

Ike Igbinosun has pretty good hops...38 inch vertical

[video=youtube;7dO_BTf_RF0][/video]

Alex Tanney, QB the Steelers picked up from Monmouth.


[video=youtube;SxDJb03a0yo][/video]

i was hoping they would pick up vontaze burfict...he went undrafted and the bengals scooped him. also did we sign cotchery yet? i saw that we signed batch but i would much rather have troy smith imo. what happened to K. Fox? i thought he was going to challenge to get on the field more this year

Gblock;1158581 wrote:i was hoping they would pick up vontaze burfict...he went undrafted and the bengals scooped him. also did we sign cotchery yet? i saw that we signed batch but i would much rather have troy smith imo. what happened to K. Fox? i thought he was going to challenge to get on the field more this year

They signed Cotchery to I believe a 1-year deal a while back. Batch and Leftwich are both signed. Not really sure about Keyaron.

Never been huge into knowing the player in college and rating them and such. I go into each draft season with an idea of what positions I would like to see upgraded and that is about it.

I dont know much about the actual guys the steelers got, but if I had to put what positions I would draft in order of importance I would have pretty much had the same order that they drafted.
As far as how talented those guys actually are? That will remain to be seen, but the powers that be definantly went for the positions they needed to upgrade.

Gblock;1158581 wrote:what happened to K. Fox? i thought he was going to challenge to get on the field more this year

Fox signed with the Redskins last offseason. He wasn't with the Steelers in 2011.

The player that may push Larry Foote is Stevenson Sylvester "Sly"...He has been a good special teams player the past two years.

Non;1158931 wrote:Fox signed with the Redskins last offseason. He wasn't with the Steelers in 2011.

The player that may push Larry Foote is Stevenson Sylvester "Sly"...He has been a good special teams player the past two years.

Big opportunity coming up for Sly. Larry Foote is solid enough to hold it down inside with Timmons but would be nice to someone like Sly step up and make a splash there.

LB Brandon Johnson and K Dave Rayner visiting the Steelers today.

Ex-Browns, Dolphins, Jaguars LB Matt Roth in for a visit as well.

Not trying to troll, but this brought some lulz

30th May, 2012 - 4:21 pmNFL.com - Former Steelers quarterback Kordell Stewart retired on Wednesday, seven years after last stepping on an NFL field.

Stewart, 39, said he needed closure in his life.

He plans to signed a one-day contract with the Steelers before "officially" stepping away from the game
Read more: http://football.realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/27448/20120530/kordell_stewart_retires_seven_years_after_last_game/#ixzz1wOaeSVja

Commander of Awesome;1185043 wrote:Not trying to troll, but this brought some lulz

30th May, 2012 - 4:21 pmNFL.com - Former Steelers quarterback Kordell Stewart retired on Wednesday, seven years after last stepping on an NFL field.

Stewart, 39, said he needed closure in his life.

He plans to signed a one-day contract with the Steelers before "officially" stepping away from the game
Read more: http://football.realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/27448/20120530/kordell_stewart_retires_seven_years_after_last_game/#ixzz1wOaeSVja

He probably just realized that he had to do that in order to start his pension and healthcare :laugh:

I was a bit surprised he was able to retire a steeler, but after going back and looking at his career he was actually much better career as a Steeler than I remembered.

I loved when he was "Slash", then as a full time starter he would just build you up and let you down.

He did have a great season the year Brady got his first championship. I remember the following season we opened with NE. I believe 2 of his first 3 passes were picks and everyone was giving up on him....then the Tommy Maddox show started a few weeks later.

That 70 yard bomb to beat Michigan is still one of my favorite highlights ever.

Commander of Awesome;1185723 wrote:I was a bit surprised he was able to retire a steeler, but after going back and looking at his career he was actually much better career as a Steeler than I remembered.

Yeah, Slash had his moments. But when the wheels came off...things went downhill fast. He didn't always handle adversity well either. Vented to the media and liked to point the finger elsewhere.

Slash filled an important role for the Steelers, he bridged the gap between some pretty shitty teams with a new level of excitement in Pittsburgh. Glad to see he was or is able to retire a Steeler. I think he was owed that.

Here is my best Slash story, our oldest son Jared (R.I.P.) recieved a brand new Kordell Stewart jersey one year for Christmas, he was so proud of that thing, he was probably 6-7 years old. So one Sunday afternoon we are watching the game together with him sporting the new jersey. Kordell throws another interception or fumbles again I don't remember, but I made my son take his jersey off. I didn't allow him to wear it again until the Steelers won. Looking back now I was kind of being a dick, but in the heat of the moment I couldn't stand to see that #10 on my kid.

Que the cool story bro gifs.

THE4RINGZ;1185767 wrote:Slash filled an important role for the Steelers, he bridged the gap between some pretty shitty teams with a new level of excitement in Pittsburgh. Glad to see he was or is able to retire a Steeler. I think he was owed that.

Yeah. I mean, I liked him and I do think he infused some life into the offense and consequently the team. And to be fair, he didn't have the luxury of stability when it came to offensive coordinators as he played for quite a few during his time in the 'Burgh. I think he was at his best with Chan Gailey calling the plays. When things kept changing and he struggled...the fans let him hear it and I think his confidence was shot. That was the beginning of the big problems for him. His issues were from the neck up IMO.

But anyways, I remember an amazing TD run he had vs. the Panthers (if I remember correctly) his first year as starter but I also remember him following Cowher around on the sideline bitching at him during a game vs. Tampa Bay (again, if my memory serves me well). Then you had all of the gay rumors about Kordell too.

Overall, there was more good than bad when he was here in Pittsburgh but I think it was a bit of a roller coaster ride throughout.