datruth Weighs in on Steelers Undrafted Free Agent Rookies

Add a lower case “L” to the end and you’re good.

B,
Nate is on this team regardless (unless he pulls a C. Wilson and J. Harrison episode at the same time) and could play a very important role this year. You always need your 3rd WR to be able to start in a pinch, and no one else on our roster can do that. However, remember the Steelers kept 5 WRs this past year plus had a spot on the roster for a returner (A. Rossum).

So, our top 4 are Hines, Santonio, Nate, Sweed. The fifth spot will be a battle between Rucker, Baker, Reid, Trannon (whoever is 5th won’t be active on game day unless as an injury substitute). The RS specialist role I think will be between Bloom and Bryant, unless Willie Reid suddenly has an epiphany and reverts to his FSU days when he was actually a dangerous punt returner who could catch a punt. M. Moore will be the primary punt returner, but you always need a backup for that in case someone goes down or he develops a case of the “Willie Reids”.

Whoever can crack some heads on special teams will probably get that fifth WR spot. Rucker sounds like someone who could definitely surprise. He’s bigger and faster than Sweed. I don’t know if he is as good a player, but if he’s close, keep them both.

In case you guys didn’t know, our $100M man could have this type of size to throw to next year in the red zone – H. Miller at 6’5’’, M. Spaeth at 6’7”, C. Boyd at 6’8”, L. Sweed at 6’4”, and M. Rucker at 6’5’’.

Hey B, now just figure out a way to have Colon starting in Kendall Simmon’s spot with Starks at RT when the season opens, and for the Steelers to add 2 impact DL to this roster (preferably a healthy Booger McFarland and either one of the free agents, McBean or a late cutdown). Nick Eason needs to begin his life after football.

I do agree with K. Colbert. You can’t get everything in one draft.

Holla back, SN!

I agree with your thinking about Booger M. The only reason I could conjure for them being so unconcerned about DLs in the draft. I think Tomlin and company are subtly building a monster. By the time the world at large, particularly some Steeler fans figure it out the pillagin’ and rapin’ will have already commenced.

and 2 tall guys to have when in the red zone ...and 3 guys that are quick and fast usually they are under 6 feet tall..I think Bloom will be a really good slot receiver he has good hands ,as quick as anybody and fearless with a great team approach. I figure they carry 6 receivers one or two of which can return punts and kicks too so 4 guys that are strictly receivers and 2 guys that are multitalented. I can’t wait to see this Sweed guy play in a regular season game… I think the steelers will win the superbowl this yr! Johninnewportbeach

I think you are right. I was a bit upset/confused why we didn’t grab at least a project defensive line in the draft. Then after reading some of the after draft reviews of players, I was glad we didn’t reach, and I remembered Booger. I have a feeling he will be on the team by seasons start.

Maybe we should temper the enthusiasm for Rucker, here, scout Tom Marino ranked Rucker the 170th wide receiver. From his pre-draft rankings on Rucker:

“Big and very slow. No quickness. Long strider who can’t get in and out of a break. Good but not exceptional hands. Has just an outside chance to go to camp as a free agent”

Blitz, congrats on the grad school acceptance. If you handle your business there like you handle it here, you will graduate summa cum laude. DaTruth finished his graduate degree in May 2006, and the only book he’s wanted to crack since has been The Sporting News. (By the way, Datruth didn’t graduate summa cum laude, he graduated just plain old “thank you Lordy”.

I’ll take Rucker’s measurables, attitude and game tape over what a scout by the name of Tom Marino says. The Steelers scouts are the best in the business and have proven time and time again that they can find a diamond in the rough. It just so happens that this diamond is 6’ 5’’, 217, runs a 4.47 and thew up 225 lbs. 20 times, the same as some offensive lineman in this draft, and is coming in with a MAJOR chip on his shoulders. We’ll see.

I also like the the numbers on Clement and feel that the Steelers will give him and the other 3 free agents a legitimate shot to make the team. I do believe a reason why they didn’t reach on lineman in the draft is that I think Booger will be signed when healthy. If he can get back to the form, he could have more impact on this team’s defense than almost any lineman they would have selected in the draft. He’d be a good fit with our sub package defenses, being able to rush the passer from the DT position.

I think this team will be more in the image of Tomlin this year than it was this past year. I really believe he’s going to be looking for his type of player on special teams. And I also believe there is no way the team will pay Max Starks almost more than $7M this year to sit the bench. He will be starting at RT, hopefully with Willie Colon moving to RG. I am officially down on K. Simmons.

Take care, SN.

Guys, I checked out the Steelers mini-camp today on the NFL Network. They had Brian Baldinger on the scene and he interviewed Hines Ward and Rashard Meandenhall. However, the sight that caught my attention was when Rucker and Limas Sweed were standing next to each other preparing to run routes.

Rucker is A LOT Bigger than Sweed, in size and arm length. He looked like he had Sweed by a good 2 inches. He also looked like he was more muscular than Sweed. And you guys can kick the Dorien Bryant talk to the curb. He failed his physical today and the Steelers cut him. Oh, well. It’s back on between Willie Reid and Jeremy Bloom for top returner.

Take care.