1st round assuming the Steelers have anywhere from pick 25 or greater some of these may not work. We'll have some fun anyway.

1st Jason Smith OT Baylor, Converted TE who is athletic with a good work ethic who'll solve the left side for years to come.

2nd Max Unger, OG-C, Oregon, Big quick OL who will give offensive flexibility and help solve the leaky line.

3rd Boo Robinson DT, Wake Forest- With some of the OL needs addressed the Steelers have to address the DL and a NT to groom is a good place to start.

4th Jason Chery WR/KR Louisiana Lafayette- The Steelers go to the home of Ike Taylor to find another small school gem who has 4.34 speed and can immediately contribute on special teams covering and returning kicks.

I like it alot, through in Zach Potter in the 5th and i'm going drinkin! Love the picks but i'm worried about the right side of the OL, we dont seem to run as well to the right at all. If we could put Starks at RT again and slide Colon in that would be awesome but the FO seems to think Colon is better than he shows. What do you think we do in FA?

IDK about FA at this time. I don't think we'll resign Starks. We obviously need to address the O line. I like Stapleton over Simmons though. Colon I've seen enough that I don't think he'll ever get it done. He's one of the few people who get the label, "Human false start!"

I think the positions that could be addressed in FA and the draft are as follows in order:

OL, DL, S, CB, KR

totally agree colon is absolutely horrible. false starts galore and overextends all the time in the passing game. which ot's this draft do you think would be upgrades over him I would sat boone, who i think had a bad year, would be better and could probably be had end of round two. man colon drives me crazy, but i agree 100%.

Part of the problem has been the switch from the scheme Grimm used to what Zeirlein is doing. The OL was a better fit for the Grimm, assignment power instead of more zone which Z is using.
RT could probably be found in FA. Any of those top T would be an upgrade, but the Steelers are going to pick late and most of them may be gone. I'm just starting to get a handle on the other conferences that aren't my assigned conferences so I'll get back to you with specific players later.

I agree, but when the Steelers pick: Oher, Monroe, Smith, Robinson, on the O-Line as well as Jerry and Moala, are off the board by #25. So if Derrick Williams [Hines Ward but faster], or Darius Butler [DeShea Towshend, but better], is there I would not be shocked or sad to get either go in the 1st Unger might fall the bottom of the 1st with a poor combine.
If not: B.J Raji is another possibility, Jamon Meredith or Jason Watkins in the 2nd, Trevor Canfield or Augustus Parrish in the 3rd, Vance Walker or Ron Brace in the 4th, Cody Brown or Stryker Sulak in the 5th, Cecil Newton or Louis Ellis in the 6th and William Beatty, Cedric Hill or Cornelius Ingram in the 7th. I think each of those guys would fill a need and could help as at least depth immediately.

Let's give this another shot pre Combine style:

1 William Beatty UCONN OT Kinda of a Marvel Smith style OT whose been on the rise.

2 Jarron Gilbert DE SJSU Led the nation in TFL and can bore through blockers and anchor. May not make it past NE at 47.

3 Kraig Urbik OG Wisconsin An outstanding pure guard would fit nicely into the lack of talent the Steelers have on the O line.

4 DeAndre Wright CB New Mexico If he clears medically would be a steal at this point in the draft.

What would you say Pitt's most pressing need is on the offensive line?

Depending on who they sign it could change. At this moment I say:

LOT, LG, RT, RG, C

They could go for a C though. It's still very fluid. Hartwig is signed for 2009 only.

Wow I didn't realize there were that many holes on the line. You think there is any way they go corner instead of OL in round 1?

I don't think they'd go corner in Rd 1. If they don't draft an OL player the next possibility would be DL with a 3-4 DE being more of a priority than NT.

Let me explain the holes in the OL post.

OT Max Starks, Marvel Smith, and reserve Trai Essex are all UFAs.
G Chris Kemoeatu is also an UFA.
OT Willie Colon is a RFA.
OG Kendall Simmons is coming off an achilles tendon tear.
The only starters from 2008 who are under contract for 2009 are Hartwig and OG Darnell Stapleton.

With Starks franchised the interior of the offensive line becomes the biggest need. Personally, I would like to see Michael Oher fall to us but that is just wishful thinking and unrealistic. Corner also becomes a need with the probable loss of Bryant McFadden. In my opinion some possible targets may be:

1st round: Eben Britton/ Duke Robinson/ William Beatty
2nd round: Fila Moala/ Max Unger/ Rashad Johnson
3rd round: Asher Allen/ Sebastian Vullmer/ Fenuki Tupou

As of right now, I think the Steelers are set on the offensive line unless they take Center Alex Mack and let him set a year and then let him take over in 2010 for Hartwig.
Max Starks is the starter at LT and Willie Colon as bad as I hate to say it " is the starter at RT for now anyways. I think the Steelers need to upgrade at RG for sure and I just hope that Chris K can play Alot better in '09 or Ben may not make it through the upcoming season, little less that 10 year contract that he just signed last season.
I think the Steelers must be thinking Defensive Line in the 1st round as well, so it wouldnt suprise me either way.

Im thinking they go with a guy like Ziggy Hood, Fili Moala, Senderrick Marks, Ricky Jean Francois or Terril Byrd to get a 5 technique... They don't need to go with someone in the 1st.. I think they'll go BPA, whether that be a WR, OL, DL, LB or DB.

put out a new mock bwalker check it out. im hoping the steelers draft jarron gilbert at 32. i think he will be a real beast.

32 is a pretty serious reach for Gilbert, who has potential, bloodlines and a very popular YouTube clip, but he has some pretty serious question marks: he has been maddeningly inconsistent, he has allowed players he should dominate to get into his chest and rock him back and he struggles if his 1st move fails to work. He scares me.

I wouldn't be worried about him too much. At 32 there is some risk involved. He's improved every year and he will only see limited action for the Steelers his first year anyway. They need some clay to mold on the DL and DL Coach Johnny Mitchell is one of the best.