With the 84th Pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers select Mike Wallace, WR, Mississippi

by Michael Bean on Apr 26, 2009 11:25 AM EDT

Well, it may not have been the WR with the first name of Mike that Steelers fans were hoping for or expecting, but Pittsburgh nevertheless has selected a speedster WR with their second of three picks in this year's 3rd round. Mike Wallace posted the 2nd best 40 yard dash time at this year's combine, clocking in at 4.33 seconds, second to only Darrius Heyward-Bey. Nate Washington, you have officially been forgotten. The Wallace selection should fill the need of a return guy additionally, as Wallace likely will find his niche on special teams in year one as he learns to be a bit more physical and run better routes at the next level.

If you think about our potential WR corps in 2010 it's downright scary. Hines, Santonio, Limas, and now Mike Wallace. WOW. More on Wallace later, but for now, a hearty welcome to the Ole Miss WR.

OL...check.

WR/KR...check.

So far, so good.

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Great Pick - A Rich Man's P Harvin

like I said on post late week – Harvin is hype, this guy is better return man and will get “vertical separation” – will add POP to the return game from Day One.

LOL – No more G Russell on kickoff returns …. 21 yards and cloud of dust.

by Watty4ever on Apr 26, 2009 11:32 AM EDT reply actions

3rd Round WR from the SEC

Think he’ll get enough mentoring? ;-)

by 86HOF on Apr 26, 2009 11:35 AM EDT reply actions

hehe, +1

by Michael Bean on Apr 26, 2009 11:36 AM EDT up reply actions

Excellent so far!

This kid is a flat out beast, I love the T pickup as well, I can’t wait to see who else they get..

by BlackandGoldSSgt on Apr 26, 2009 11:39 AM EDT reply actions

Mayock said

He’s one of the fastest receivers he’s ever seen

It's true what they say...Even the NFL's Big Wigs hate the Steelers. On the plus side, I can now tell my future grand kids about Hines Ward and how the NFL made rules because of him. Roger Goodell, you make me sick.

by Tim Mullhaupt (HSS) on Apr 26, 2009 11:40 AM EDT reply actions

Our Devin Hester?

I like this pick. The Steelers didn’t need a starting WR. They needed a fast (4.3 40) number 3/4 WR that returns kicks.

by SteelBuckeye on Apr 26, 2009 11:46 AM EDT reply actions

Great stuff

Wallace and Lewis are best friends.

by Tim Mullhaupt (HSS) on Apr 26, 2009 12:16 PM EDT reply actions

i was looking for mike thomas, but this guy

averages 20 yards a catch! i am suprised that pat turner, a projected 6th-7th round pick, got picked before mike or mike or deon butler. thomas is undersized, though. blitz, when is the press conf for these guys?

When we hit you, you don't get up. When you hit us, we get up laughing.

by air holmes on Apr 26, 2009 12:46 PM EDT reply actions

Wallace was a tick behind the #7 overall pick in the 40..

..but showed better explosiveness (40" vertical to 38" and 129" horizontal to 126"). Their production was similar as well, with Heward-Bey having 3 more catches while Wallace had more yards and a significantly better YPC. Both come with the rep of being long ballers who don’t have great technique. H.-B. picked up extra yards as a gadget rusher, Wallace as a kick returner. H.-B. has an inch and about 10 pounds on Wallace.

Not a lot to choose between the two, according to the metrics..

by robert ethan on Apr 26, 2009 3:15 PM EDT reply actions

not a big difference between the two WRs

but how much of a difference does this show between the Steelers and the Raiders?

by phxsteeler on Apr 26, 2009 10:27 PM EDT up reply actions

there goes Meredith

damn, there goes Maredith, a few picks before us to the Packers

by BlackandGoldSSgt on Apr 26, 2009 3:23 PM EDT reply actions

One of SBNation's Ole Miss Rebels here

I write for Red Cup Rebellion, SBNation’s Ole Miss community and, as such, it excites me to see this group of Steelers so excited with this pick. Mike Wallace was a great Rebel and contributed a lot to our program. As you’ve all read (and will soon see), the guy is an absolute blazer. What he lacks in lateral movement he more than makes up in b-line speed. Wallace will really be able to stretch the field for you because of Big Ben’s cannon arm.

Take a picture, trick.

by The Ghost of Jay Cutler on Apr 26, 2009 11:41 PM EDT reply actions

Red Cup Rebellion

Thank You for the encouragement and info about Mike Wallace. We don’t get to see many Mississippi Games up North

We have been looking for a great Kick/Punt returner since we drafted Willie Reid from Florida State, who got cut last season.

I’m tired of Drooling over Devin Hester of the Chi Bears, and wishing we had someone like him (lol)

by Steeler Y360 Nation on Apr 27, 2009 2:26 AM EDT up reply actions

I'm not sure that's what you've gotten

Wallace was a pretty good kick returner for us. He’s not amazing. He has incredible speed. He’s not all that shifty. He runs the fade better than most NFL receivers. Aside from that, you may be asking too much.

I do know that our team has a huge hole now that he’s gone.

by Juco All-American on Apr 28, 2009 1:09 PM EDT up reply actions