The NFLDraftguys staff is going simulate playing the GM of each of the 31 teams picking in the first round and justify their picks. You can look forward to a new pick every day leading up to April 28, when the staff will be in Radio City Music Hall to see if they took our advice.
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Follow the progress of the On The Clock Draft Board, where you can see exactly how the first round would play out if the NFLDraftguys staff were making the calls in the war room.
Sean Baca
With the 15th pick in the 2007 NFL Draft the Pittsburgh Steelers SHOULD take Ryan Kalil, C, USC
With the retirement of Jeff Hartings, the Steelers have a very crucial hole to fill a center. Many say he is like the second in command on a football field after the QB, but nothing and I do mean nothing will work if your center is sub-par.
Kalil is as tried and true as anyone could be after playing four years at USC. He is as strong a technician as you will find and will always be the leader of the o-line because he is willing to get dirty in order to get the job done. He is a very intelligent and well coached player and knows the center position inside and out. It's rare to find a player who can lock down a position for a decade and when you find one and are in need of a player in that position, done deal..
Marc Faletti
With the 15th pick in the 2007 NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers SHOULD select Lawrence Timmons, OLB, Florida State.
Timmons' 4.6 40 isn't bad, but his 1.50 in the first 10 yards suggests true burst for a player his size -- after all, WR Robert Meachem ran the same. That short-zone speed might explain how Timmons managed to accrue 18 tackles behind the line of scrimmage in 2006 despite a lack of technique. He flies all over the field to make plays, and while he can be bottled up by stronger players, his quickness in pass-rush situations will often be enough to beat all but the fastest OTs.
The Steelers have yet to find a replacement for Joey Porter, and Timmons fits the bill. He's the most likely player in this class to develop into the same kind of disruptive force off the edge. He needs to learn how to play with discipline and avoid overpursuit, and if he does, he'll be an every-down OLB whom offenses have to gameplan around.
Cecil Lammey
With the 15th pick in the 2007 NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers SHOULD take Adam Carriker, DE, Nebraska.
The winds of change are blowing in Pittsburgh. New head coach Mike Tomlin replaces "the Chin", Joey Porter has gone south to Miami, and Ken Whisenhunt and Russ Grim are both in Arizona. It will be the dawn of a new era in Steeler football indeed. But there is one thing that will remain the hallmark of the Pittsburgh Steelers - a kick ASS defense.
Dick LeBeau is still the defensive coach, and despite reports that Tomlin was going to implement the 4-3, it's still LeBeau's defense and he will bring the 3-4 Blitzburgh defense that everyone knows and loves (well, except for opposing offenses that is!). The defensive line is getting up there in years, and an influx of youth will help keep the teeth of this defense sharp..
Adam Carriker is the perfect fit for a DE in the 3-4. Carriker's job is to wreak havoc in the oppositions backfield, and it is something that he can do consistently. He has tremendous strength, and holds up well at the point of attack. A former high school QB - and track star - Adam can chase down ballcarriers from behind, or zip down the line of scrimmage to contain a play. He knows how to fight a double team, and will do a great job of opening up the play for the rest of the defense. He has a great work ethic and will fit in perfectly in Pittsburgh..
Sigmund Bloom
With the 15th pick in the 2007 NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers SHOULD take Adam Carriker, DL, Nebraska.
There are many justified directions the Steelers could go with this pick. They could help replace Joey Porter with a pass rush OLB like Lawrence Timmons or Jarvis Moss. They could bolster a sagging CB corps with someone like Leon Hall or the hometown hero, Darrelle Revis. They could also strengthen their D up the middle with a gritty LB like Paul Posluszny. I can't argue vigorously against any of these guys as the pick, but if it were up to me, I would take a guy that can free up the pass rushers, keep blockers off the ILBs, and allow the CBs to play more aggressively all in one swoop - Adam Carriker.
3-4 DE is a blue collar position, so it makes sense that the prototype wouldn't be as flashy as other prototypes in this draft such as Calvin Johnson or LaRon Landry - but make no mistake, Carriker has the makings of an elite 3-4 DE who will occupy two blockers and act as a run stuffer and pass rusher in the process. He's a legit 6'6" 300 with room to bulk up, with amazing athleticism for a such a behemoth. His motor never stops, and he left all of us shaking our heads at the Senior Bowl practices. It didn't matter what type of OL Carriker was facing in "the pit", he owned them all. Carriker is just a "Steelers guy" and he will keep the defense humming for years to come.
