Welcome to the terrible take, a daily segment telling Steeler Nation what's on our minds.

I'm Melanie Freelander. This will be my last terrible take before the 2024 NFL draft kicks off this

Thursday.

It seems like a year ago that I was on the sidelines at the Shrine Bowl practices in January,

getting my first live look at some of the players who might eventually land on the Steelers

roster. After endless hours of reviewing scouting reports and college games,

plus more mock-draft simulations than some of us would like to admit,

we will soon get to see the real event

and finally have answers to the questions we have been asking since last season ended.

The Steelers don't play it too close to the vest when it comes to roster needs and the players they like.

Was anyone even a little surprised when they took Nodgy Harris in the first round?

But then again, the draft is fluid.

Trades are made altering the expected picks.

Suddenly, the team selecting ahead of the Steelers needs a tackle, not a linebacker.

Players can be taken higher than anyone anticipated, or drop to a lower round for reasons we don't even understand.

A run on a certain position can change the entire board.

And let's face it. Predicting a player's projected rank is one part analysis and one part luck.

Because it doesn't matter how much the media or the draft analysts like a player.

It all comes down to the team's evaluation, their needs, and whether that player fits in their

scheme.

The best player available may not be the best option for the team on the clock.

If you're like me, you've run the gamut of draft simulations, from NFL to ESPN and PFF, P&T and the NFL Mock Draft database.

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