kid on telethon - Conner plug

[Slick Manager of Champs]

I was flipping through the channels a few minutes ago and saw some the the Children's hospital telethon. At any rate, they had a patient on and were also interviewing Art Rooney. The kid says to Rooney he hopes the Steelers draft James Conner. Rooney just kind of chuckled.

thought that was interesting

 

[JokePa]

If there is ever a player I want the steelers to draft it's James

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

I really hope the Steelers draft him. They dont need a RB but I'm not sure what round they would see value in drafting a backup RB. From a financial (jersey sales) and goodwill standpoint (community service James would do), they will never have a more financially valuable (in off the field terms) middle round pick opportunity.

 

[UPitt '89]

I really hope the Steelers draft him. They dont need a RB but I'm not sure what round they would see value in drafting a backup RB. From a financial (jersey sales) and goodwill standpoint (community service James would do), they will never have a more financially valuable (in off the field terms) middle round pick opportunity.

the Steelers most definitely do need a back up running back.

DeAngelo Williams is 100 years old, and always hurt.

Toussant is mediocre at best.

The Steelers have a definite need for someone to play behind Bell.

James Conner in the third or fourth round would be perfect for them.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

the Steelers most definitely do need a back up running back.

DeAngelo Williams is 100 years old, and always hurt.

Toussant is mediocre at best.

The Steelers have a definite need for someone to play behind Bell.

James Conner in the third or fourth round would be perfect for them.

I hope you're right. I dont follow the NFL at all but I thought starting RBs usually go 2nd round a lot of times. So to draft a backup in the 3rd (or even 4th) seems a little high. But as I said I dont follow it at all. Is it common practice to draft a backup to a 24 year old RB in the 3rd or 4th?

 

[UPitt '89]

I hope you're right. I dont follow the NFL at all but I thought starting RBs usually go 2nd round a lot of times. So to draft a backup in the 3rd (or even 4th) seems a little high. But as I said I dont follow it at all. Is it common practice to draft a backup to a 24 year old RB in the 3rd or 4th?

Most NFL teams have "two-headed monsters" now... where the starter gets 18-20 carries and the backup gets 8-10 carries. The Steelers are an anomaly right now, in that Bell is getting 95% of the carries. Most of the rest of the league splits time about 2/3 to 1/3.

If DeAngelo Williams wasn't hurt.... Bell would be getting 20-ish carries per game instead of 30-ish.

So yes.... backup running backs are often taken in the 4th-ish round... and they play a lot.

Lastly, James Conner isn't even 22 years old yet. His 22nd birthday isn't until May of 2017 - after the draft. He'll be a 22-year old RB in his first NFL season, not 24.

 

[wbrpanther]

I really hope the Steelers draft him. They dont need a RB but I'm not sure what round they would see value in drafting a backup RB. From a financial (jersey sales) and goodwill standpoint (community service James would do), they will never have a more financially valuable (in off the field terms) middle round pick opportunity.

They do need a running back. Leveon Bell is the best but teams definitely need more than one RB and D'angelo williams is an old man as far as pro RBs go.

James would be a dynamite #2 to Bell.

 

[UPitt '89]

Currently, ESPN insiders rank James Conner as the 8th best back coming out in the 2017 draft.

That puts him solidly as a late 3rd or early 4th round pick.

Perfect spot... if he falls to them.... for the Steelers to draft LeVeon Bell's backup. And Bell NEEDS a backup. He had 38 carries against Buffalo this past Sunday. That's not sustainable.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

Most NFL teams have "two-headed monsters" now... where the starter gets 18-20 carries and the backup gets 8-10 carries. The Steelers are an anomaly right now, in that Bell is getting 95% of the carries. Most of the rest of the league splits time about 2/3 to 1/3.

If DeAngelo Williams wasn't hurt.... Bell would be getting 20-ish carries per game instead of 30-ish.

So yes.... backup running backs are often taken in the 4th-ish round... and they play a lot.

Lastly, James Conner isn't even 22 years old yet. His 22nd birthday isn't until May of 2017 - after the draft. He'll be a 22-year old RB in his first NFL season, not 24.

Bell is 24, not Conner so he has a lot of tread left. He was a true junior when he came out. I really really hope the Steelers draft him but I would wonder that since they have such a young RB already, if they would rather spend a 3rd or 4th round pick on a potential starter somewhere else.