POSTED 5:15 p.m. EDT, June 28, 2006
WHAT ABOUT CHAD?
As more and more folks are expressing concern regarding the decision of the Pittsburgh Steelers to draft, via a trade up from No. 32 to No. 25, receiver Santurdio in round one of the 2006 draft, more and more folks are asking why the Steelers didn't sit tight and take Florida receiver Chad Jackson.
Instead, Jackson went to the Patriots (who traded up with the Packers) at No. 36.
If the Steelers had stayed at No. 32 (and assuming that the Pats wouldn't have traded into the bottom of round one to get Jackson), the Steelers could have had Jackon instead of Santurdio -- and kept the third-round and fourth-round picks that were sent to the Giants for the ability to move up by seven spots.
At first blush, the reason for picking Holmes over Jackson is simple: Holmes has superior punt-return and kick-return credentials, and the Steelers needed a replacement for Antwaan Randle El. But the fact that the Steelers took return specialist Willie Reid in round three suggests that Holmes was selected primarily for his potential contributions to the passing game.
Though Jackson wasn't regarded as a choir boy, the Pats obviously concluded that he'll respond well to strong on-field and off-field leadership from guys like quarterback Tom Brady and coach Bill Belichick. Jackson has proven himself worthy of the team's trust so far, in light of his strong performances during the helmets-and-underwear practices of May and June.
And perhaps the real difference between Jackson and Santurdio is that, because Jackson didn't attend a school that finishes its classes in June, he was able to join his NFL team early enough for said strong leadership to slap him upside the head, if necessary. For Santurdio, isolation from the team through early June due to the stoopid rule aimed at placating college coaches might have contributed to his Memorial Day weekend arrest, which in turn might have contributed to the overall stress that resulted in him allegedly roughing up one of his baby mamas.
But shouldn't the Steelers, who apparently were aware of potential concerns regarding Santurdio, have considered the fact that he'd be off limits (but for one weekend minicamp) well into June? Our guess is that some members of the organization took that into account, and that others either chose to ignore it -- or to disregard it.
In the end, the best play for the Steelers might have been to address another position at No. 32, or to trade out of the spot. It's not as if the Steelers in the Cowher era have found high-quality, high-character receivers in round one (see Troy Edwards, Plaxico Burress).
At this point, any strategy other than the one on which the team embarked would have been a better one, especially in a town that has low tolerance for turds.