My Question to Hobson

[*ochocincos*]

(10-26-2017, 01:23 PM)shanebo Wrote: This.  I personally wanted DeCastro over Zeitler, and I think DeCastro's grown into the better player while Zeitler kind of plateaued in Yrs. 2-3 (although I don't claim to be any sort of expert on grading O-linemen).  I always thought we preferred Zeitler because management figured he would be easier to sign and retain.  Regardless, I would have been fine with the Zeitler pick if we had figured out some way to keep him.  

It's this compounding of errors that frustrates me so much -- five years after the draft, the Steelers have an all pro OG and we have nothing.  Not how championship teams are built.

FN - We had pick 21 in the 2012 draft, but we traded back with NE for the 27th and 93rd picks.  NE took Pro Bowler Chandler Jones at 21 (and pro bowler Dont'a Hightower at 26), Steelers took DeCastro at 25.  We took Zeitler at 27, who fled to the green pastures of Cleveland this year.  Our 93rd pick was Brandon Thompson, whom we released this year.

Freakin' depressing ...

I also wanted DeCastro, but I was fine with the Zeitler selection. What I think has separated them has been the coaching. The Steelers OL plays aggressive and mean, the Bengals OL plays passive and just tries to hold ground. I don't think it's a coincidence that the Steelers have turned an undrafted, older OT in Villanueva who was cut from Philadelphia in their preseason and turned him into a very good LT. Ramon Foster was also an UDFA that the Steelers have groomed into a good LG. Marcus Gilbert was a second rounder that has been a solid RT. Pouncey and DeCastro were can't-miss prospects. All five of their starting OL are solid at minimum.
Meanwhile, the Bengals have only one reliable OL starter in Boling. This is the fault of Paul Alexander.