Before the Draft: Left Guard
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Draft Potential:
- Day 1: EXTREMELY HIGH
- Day 2: HIGH
Let’s get this out of the way first: Alan Faneca is the starter at left guard for as long as he wants the job. As of this weekend he will have participated in five straight Pro Bowls and has been a team captain for the last two years. He’s started just about every game since being placed in the lineup during the 1998 season. Alan was drafted in the first round (#26) and has exceeded all expectations placed on him from Day One. To put it simply: Faneca is the starting left guard.
That’s where it gets interesting. The Steelers don’t have a backup left guard on the roster, and only have a single backup at right guard (Chris Kemoeatu, drafted #204 overall in 2005). No other spot on the roster is as thin for Pittsburgh as the two guard positions.
That said, it’s a pretty sure bet that at least two offensive linemen will be drafted or picked up in free agency this year, and left guard is sure to be the first position on the list. Unfortunately, the early word is that quality guards will be hard to come by in free agency, so it looks like the draft is the only real option here. The unfortunate part is that there are other pressing needs on the depth chart too, including cornerback. Most scouts and draft watchers see Pittsburgh going after a corner or a defensive end in the first round, but don’t be surprised to see them trade up — with diminished production in 2006, Joey Porter could make excellent trade bait now that best-friend-forever Bill Cowher is gone — to go after OT Levi Brown of Penn State and convert him to a guard, or to wait and see if Texas guard Justin Blalock is still available at pick #14.
The only other option at this point is a trade, but don’t expect to see this happen for a backup. The Rooneys are the NFL’s most conservative family, which means they are unlikely to trade away talent for anyone who isn’t guaranteed to jump right into the starting lineup and make a big splash.
Expect more of the same, though. This team often makes excellent use of strong, undersized offensive linemen, using their lack of weight to their advantage for outside runs, bootlegs and screens. They like guys who can bulldoze defensive linement but still get downfield in time to make blocks in the second and third levels.
A day-one draft at this position is almost a foregone conclusion in my book.
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February 9th, 2007 at 2:20 pm
I still don’t agree with you. What you explained in your post is a west-coast style. Using the pass to setup the run which also has high % of check downs. Look at the teams that had Sanders, would you call them smashmouthed? No you wouldn’t because they use Sanders in the same scheme that you discribed above. Smashmouthed football is designed to break the D and control the clock while the style above is more of a score often and fast enough so you don’t have to control anything. I don’t want a Colt’s O in the ‘burgh. Last i checked true smashmouth has made the steelers what they are, why leave that? Plus i fear putting the ball into Ben’s hands without the run setting up the pass.