Thoughts and Notes on the Rookies

The most interesting players to me are detemetrius Taylor and emmanuel sanders. I read the same thing as you did about Taylor being a nt. Sounds like were getting back to good old steeler football with a behomouth fullback. I really hope this guy works out for us. As for sanders, I hear nothing but good things about this guy from his attitude to his playmaking ability. If anything he should push Sweed and add competition in camp. One more thing, correct me if I’m wrong but didn’t we add lsu ol Ciron Black.

I’m excited about Dwyer as well, although I don’t think he’s in Mendenhall’s class as an RB. Mendy can run, catch, is a devestating blocker. Plus he runs with excellent vision (which is why he’s so successful on the goal line, despite the fact he’s not exactly a power runner). Dwyer has a chance to be a good NFL back, but he’s a real project at the next level. Maybe I’m higher on Mendy than most around, I dunno.

I really don’t understand why people give Mendenhall a hard time about running out of bounds, avoiding contact when possible, etc. Franco Harris made a living running out of bounds to avoid contact throughout his career (something Jim Brown hated when it looked like Franco might elipse his rushing record). It lengthened Franco’s career – and made him fresher and more viable in the post-season – and it’ll do the same for Mendy.

People love the way AP runs over defenders, but when he’s all used up from the numerous hits he’s taken and drops below a 4.0 per carry average in three years, he’ll wish he had been more selective about when to run over somebody and when to take himself out of the play.

  I can’t wait till pre-season to see who stacks up and who doesn’t.. I hoped for Center Pouncey all along. Even if he only plays guard some this year.It should help our O.L .preform better with each game.

He’s a Virginia Tech guy which means he is well schooled in special teams. This is where he’ll probably make his immediate impact. The second priority would be insurance against the possibility that we can’t re-sign Woodley next year.

In general I like the picks, especially considering our peculiar circumstances. We have about 20 guys on roster with two SB rings, another 25 with one. To expect anyone to step right in and contribute significantly might be unrealistic. Yet Pouncey and Dwyer may be able to do just that. The O line will improve, how dramatically and quickly remains to be seen, plus we have a new position coach and plenty of reason for optimism.

I don’t share the concerns about the defensive backfield. Tomlin broke into the league and earned his first SB ring as a defensive backfield coach. LeBeau was a great DB himself. Maybe they suffer from overconfidence but I think they are not going to leave that part of the equation hanging. Bringing back McFadden was inspired. And players such as Lewis, Burnett and Mundy are still learning the system. Old man Townsend can still be re-signed if necessary.

Don’t drink the Kool-aid that says that this is ‘just’ a 9 – 7 team. The issue isn’t necessarily talent, but possibly a locker room that was more troubled than anyone could imagine. This is going to be a hard team for all but a few to make.

Forgot to mention that you did a great job on the post.

I watched that video and was totally unimpressed. All I saw was an average athlete running past less talented athletes to make a bunch of high hits and arm tackles that won’t cut it in the NFL. The talent level is so much higher in the NFL than it is in college (no matter the conf.) that it can make great college players look average. Hopefully he’ll surprise me, but I’m just not sold on this pick…

we choose those positions because we need depth there, not because they’re more important.
NT: we have Hampton signed to a 3 year contract that there is no way the steelers can get out of in the next 2 years. plus we have a solid backup with hoke for 1 more year. hampton’s our starter for 2 years and the steelers want premeium talent to replace him. BUT they aren’t going to use a 1st/2nd rd talent on that spot to have the player sit for 2 years before using him. expect to see a pick used there in the next 2 years.

DE: we have a starters in A. smith & keisel. keisel also just signed a contract extension in which he will be paid like a starter the for at least the next 2 years. we just spent a 1st rd draft pick on Hood & he looks really good. hood can replace smith next year will be a solid backup in the meantime. steelers didnt need to spend a high pick on this position this year. expect them to spend another high draft pick on DE in the next 2 years if sunny harris doesnt become a solid player. A. smith could also be re-signed to work to provide solid depth at the position.

ILB: i was one of the ppl clamoring for a ILB because in a year or 2, we’re going to need a young body. but as of right now, we have 4 solid/adequate ILB’s on the roster. dale lolley also wrote on his blog that there was a debate in the steelers war room on who to take with the 2nd rd pick: Worilds or Sean Lee. Worilds won because of the lack of depth behind harrison. expect to see a high pick used on ILB in next year’s draft.

OLB: we had no one backing up Harrison and Woodley. Woodley will be a UFA next year and we’ll be able to at least tag him for one year. harrison’s also getting up there in age and although he’s penciled in the starter for at least 3 more years, he could easily get injured. we needed a solid backup.

CB: before we got mcfadden, we had no CB that was #2 caliber. and we drafted all these CB’s in hopes 2 or so pan out.

i really like the rest of your write-up

http://www.nfldraftbible.com/NFL-Insider-Insider-info/draft-diamond-damon-cromartie-smith-utep.html

The article says this dude LOVES to hit and ran a 4.46 at 6’2, 206 pounds. If he can play both safety positions and is a better special teams player than S Ryan Mundy, he could make this squad.

Dale Lolley said he believes 8 of the 10 Steelers draft picks have a good chance of making this year’s squad (He thinks CB Butler & DE Worthington will be on the practice squad). I can’t wait to see Demetrius Taylor, our 275-lb FB, that played DT in college but was a running back in high school. Apparently, he ran a 4.78 40 during his pro day and benched 225 pounds 35 times, or about 13 more times than Mount Cody did.

He sure as hell ain’t a NFL-caliber starting corner.

I am a big Dwyer fan, being from Atlanta, and Dwyer can turn an off-tackle play into 30 yards. BUt he can’t juke and accelerate like Mendy. If Dwyer can be taught to block, the 2 could be an interesting tandem in our few running formations.

Sylvester doesn’t stand up blockers, but his agility to shed the block and move to the runner could be very useful. That is what Troy does- although 10 times as well.

….. I really believe that in addition to Dwyer probably being destined to give Mendenhall absolute fits for the starting job sooner than most people think, ( I mean really, how many of you out there start screaming at the TV when he starts that spin move crap and destroys his own momentum before even being tackled? When I was a kid I used to watch Chuck Forman from the Vikings do that sort of stuff and cringe when Donnie Shell or Jack Ham would light him up!), oh, Dwyer has good hands for pass catching and can return kicks.* See some of his highschool stuff on YOUTUBE, to continue, and speaking of YOUTUBE, check out Stevenson there; about 8 – 10 minutes of why HE MIGHT BE THE SLEEPER in this draft as either a SS or a backer on third down. In fact from day 1 of camp I’d move him to safety or create a hybrid position for him in a trick defense and watch him bring havoc to passing offenses, something like 2 down lineman, 3 linebackers, and 6 db’s, ( him disguised as one of them), play coverage games, and freakin blitz like no tomorrow. Stevenson is an odd kind of prospect that Dick L. could do wild things with.

1. Pouncey- Should just go ahead & give him Dermontti Dawsons’ number since we all know Websters’ is OFF LIMITS!!!

2. Worilds- Shades of Gildon, not saying he is, but better than Clark Haggins ever was for us eventually. And Clark was a good player. Given #97; Nuff said!

3. Sanders- Uber productive in college. Product of the system? Heard that about Crabtree last year, & Bryant this year. Shades of Santonio? Quite possible. Remember, Tone didn’t blow us away ’till his 2nd year. Showed flashes though. I like Sanders.

4. Gibson- Steal of our draft. Baby Joey Porter, just stronger & w/out the lip! Copy & paste this to throw it in my face later if you believe I’m one of those,“Legalise weed!”, people & have been smokin’!!! THAT’S how certain I am about this kid.

5. Butler- TOTALLY threw me off on that one. But so did Ike years ago. Kid is a great athlete, just behind alot of other DB’s. We’ll see. “In Kevin I Trust!”(And I’m too lazy to re-type it, Butler should be the 6th one I typed about after Scott. My bad!)

6. Scott- Lot of people don’t like this pick, not one of ‘em! I remember Montario Hardesty runnin’ over the SEC this year, mostly behind Scott on the Left side, check the film. He will be a RT or G though. Guard 1st, then,“Buy, buy!”, Colon next year.(Can’t keep him & Woodley, & I think #56 ain’t going NOWHERE!!!) Scott bumps Urbik, or Essex off roster.

7. Stevenson- Played BIG against big teams & in big games. Will it translate? Usually does, & “In Kevin I Trust!” I’m a game tape guy. Combine numbers are cool to a point, but I love watchin’ if the kid competes, and Stevenson does just that!

8. Dwyer- Did I say Gibson was the steal of this draft?(LOL!) I’m sticking to that! BUT, alot of folks are going to regret passing on this kid. Talk of his system from college is a bunch of BS to me! If he can hit the hole that good from that close, what will he be able to do with that kind of decisiveness from a 5-7 yard deep running start able to read his hole? Just sayin’….Dwyer is a Thoroughbred!!!!!

9. Brown- Made Dan LeFevour famous! Great production, & we will hear about the system,but the kid can play. Sweed is toast, and something tells me we won’t miss Tone as much as folks outside our Nation believe!

10. Worthington- VERY interesting pick. Ohio St. was a top 5 defense last year, & if I remember correctly, Cameron Heyward was the 2nd D-lineman to get in the backfield alot behind Worthington. He is more athletic than he tested at combine.(Bench reps worried me till I found out it was a shoulder injury) And he did have a DUI at Columbus. Bears watching. Overall, I like the kid. Our D-Line isn’t getting any younger!

I grade our draft a B+.

http://www.hokiesports.com/football/players/taylor_demetrius.html

I think this is a good class, but I’m curious to see our free agent FB. He’s currently 6’0, 275, but played RB in high school and benched 415 pounds as a sophomore. He played all 3 special teams units during his 4 years at Virginia Tech, so that at least counts for something. Just curious. Wake me up when it’s late August.

He (Demetrius Taylor) would definitely be a “wedge buster”. Someone to flush out the Josh Cribbs and Percy Harvins of the world and expose them to our new found group of “headhunters” and fast pursuit midgets. Virginia Tech was infamous for it’s great ST’s. We have 3 of them in camp.