Quote:Can we argue that?

 

DeCastro and Adams have been disappointments.  You could argue Alshon Jeffery was a better player than DeCastro.  You could also argue Mercilus was better than DeCastro, and Dewayne Allen, TJ Graham, Russell Wilson, and Nick Foles were better players than Adams.

 

In 2011, you could  argue Andy Dalton, Colin Kaepernick, and kyle Rudolph were better than Cameron Hayward.  In fact, those examples bolster the argument that the Steelers are not the pure BAP team you guys suggest.  Oklahomie has argued that QBs are more valuable than any other position, and that whenever you have the chance to take one, irrespective of need, you should do so.  There, even though the Steelers had Roethlisberger, you had two QBs on the board capable of leading teams to the playoffs when they took Cameron Heyward. 

 

Did the Steelers draft either of those QBs? 

 

No.

 

They took Heyward.  Heyward didn't become a starter until his 3rd year, and for his career, he has mustered 7.5 sacks.

 

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/pl...ywCa01.htm

 

Why would they take Heyward in bottom of the first round over two QBs who have subsequently proven able to win in the league?

 

For that matter, why would they take DeCastro AND Adams over Russell Wilson and Nick Foles?

 

I cna come up with one of two possible reasons:

 

1)  They didn't need to spend a first round (or second round pick) on a QB who would ride the pines behind a still in his prime Ben Roethlisberger who has QBed the Steelers to two Super Bowl championships and three Super Bowl appearances;

 

2)  They actually had Heyward rated as BAP on their board and allowed superior players at more important positions to go to competitors, which isn't supposed to happen according to BAP proponents.

 

In 2010, the Steelers took Emmanuel Sanders in the draft, over guys like Eric Decker, Navorro Bowman and Daniel Graham.

 

Can anyone honestly say Sanders is better than ANY of those guys?!?  Maybe you could argue he is Decker's equal as a receiver, but there is NO WAY anyone can argue Sanders is a better player than either Bowman or Graham.

 

So again, if the Steelers are a BAP team, and BAP precludes teams from taking inferior players and allowing superior players to go to the competetion, how does that happen?

 

In 2009, the Steelers took DT Ziggy Hood in the first round.  Superior players that came off the board after Hood include Jairus Byrd, James Laurinaitis, Max Unger and LeSean McCoy.  How did that happen? 

You have to also take into account projection at the time. Really we all know the draft is a crap shoot. The idea though is that the draft is about projected ability. Using hindsight is killing the argument. At the time those players most likely were rated higher than the players you named. For various reasons some players played better than others. Should Tom Brady have been the number 1 overall pick in 2000? Of course not because he was a horrible prospect but he had drive and determination which allowed he to develop. Coupled with a top defense and great coach he became one of the greatest qbs ever.

 

Hindsight cannot play a part of it because there are numerous guys, Jimmy Graham, Montana, Browner, Sherman, Asante Samuels etc... that have out played their respective draft selection or lack off. It still doesn't mean as prospects they were not selected where they should have been. You are going to miss in the draft period. To me though, BAP is what would at least cut down on missing the most. Their are obvious exceptions but over time BAP should yield the best team possible. 

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