Steelers 2015 NFL Draft Big Board: Post-Combine prospects by ranking

HV 1:01

Leonard Williams, DE, USC - 6'5", 302 lbs. with 34-5/8" arms. Is Cam Heyward a great player? Yes. Is Stephon Tuitt a great prospect? Yes. Would that stop the Steelers from racing to draft Leonard Williams if he miraculously fell all the way down to their pick? Hell no. Genius makes its own rules. If you insist on pursuing hopeless dreams, this scouting report will give you a good start on evaluating Mr. Williams.

HV 1:01

Dante Fowler Jr., OLB, Florida - 6'2-5/8", 261 lbs. with 33-3/4" arms. Yet another player the Steelers will look at long and hard. He has a genuinely Steelers-ish tint to his game that's revealed in both the good and the bad. On the plus side, he's a fluid and ferocious athlete from a big program that has used his versatility to play both DE spots, OLB, ILB, and even DT. That hints at a really good football IQ as well as athletic ability. Even when he's not making plays, he's causing someone on the offense a lot of trouble. On the downside, he's the sort of guy who will consistently overrun plays, will try to do too much, and who needs coaching across the board to improve everything from his physical strength to his play recognition. The Steelers have those coaches, however, which will make Dante Fowler a serious Pittsburgh target come draft day, and probably the highest rated OLB prospect at which the Steelers have a quasi-realistic shot. This is a lightweight scouting report from a Cowboys fan site, but okay as an overview. This scouting report is also good as an overview.

HV 1:01

Randy Gregory, OLB, Nebraska - 6'4-7/8", 238 lbs. (a pre-training, walk-around weight of 218), and 34" arms. Here's the bottom line: Randy Gregory may win the Jadeveon Clowney Award for "highest rumor rate about a non-QB" but the talent is so clear that he'll be long gone before the Steelers get to pick. If you feel like torturing yourself with dreams that can never come true, start with this scouting report from retired player Stephen White (who always does great work), then move on to this scouting report from Football Insiders, and this scouting report from Walter Football. This is a neat video conversation between Randy Gregory and Shawn Merriman.

HV 1:01

Shane Ray, OLB, Missouri (Interviewed) - 6'2-5/8", 245 lbs. with 33-1/8" arms. A ridiculous athlete with everything you could ask for in a Steelers OLB. Back in the good old days when no one else played a 3-4 the Steelers could have fantasized about a player like Ray falling far enough to grab, but not any more. Sigh, alas, boo-hoo, and all of that. At least it's better than having a record bad enough to earn a legitimate shot at a player with this much potential. At least one opposing SEC coach compares Shane Ray's prospects to Terrell Suggs with more explosive talent than recent Missouri starts like Kony Ely, Michael Sam, and Markus Golden. This goes to a pessimistic and slightly odd scouting report if that's more your style.

HV 1:05

Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan State - 6'0-1/8", 186 lbs. with 31" arms. A player who flat-out fits the mold in every way. Unfortunately, running a 4.31 at the Combine effectively moved him out of any realistic scenario for Pittsburgh. You can find Neal Coolong's BTSC scouting report here. Make sure to read the Comments too for added depth.

HV 1:10

Vic Beasley, OLB, Clemson - 6'3", 246 lbs. with 32-1/2" arms. With the possible exception of the super-human numbers put up by CB Byron Jones, no one made a bigger splash at the Combine than Vic Beas(t)ley. It started at the moment he stepped on the scale a full 20 pounds bigger than the 225 many had predicted, and continued through his best-of-class bench press, best-of-class 40 time, and extraordinary performance in the drills. If you could win Best In Show at the Combine, Beasley would have done it - certainly for the pass rushers, and arguably overall. Every report you look up will compare Beasley to Bruce Irvin and it seems like a very fair comparison. He really is that explosive, the 4-3 Leo pass rusher is pretty much what he played at Clemson, and all the issues center on his lack of size (again like Irvin, who weighed 245 pounds at the Combine and compares to Beasley in almost every way except an extra inch of arm length). It comes to this: Vic Beasley is (for now) a one trick pony. It's a hell of a good trick - a freakish, all-pro first step that makes him extremely hard to block - but the debate continues on whether that alone is enough to earn him a pick at 1:22 when he also has serious questions about his ability to play on anything more than pass-rush downs. And don't forget - the Combine can never replace what a player puts on film, and Beasley has had a lot of trouble setting the edge even against college players. Neal Coolong did this January BTSC scouting report which, with comments such as this detailed addition, is where I recommend you start. This is another decent scouting report that considers the problems raised by being "a horrible run defender" while also noting that Beasley projects to be an able player in coverage. This scouting report makes a similar set of points, while this scouting report offers a more positive outlook by responding that high character and a great motor are usually more important for a prospect than nitpicking about the holes in his college game or physique. This is a glowing, gif-supported scouting report from the Falcons SB Nation site.

HV 1:15

Alvin "Bud" Dupree, OLB, Kentucky (Interviewed) - 6'4", 269 lbs. with 32-5/8" arms. A former Tight End that Kentucky moved to defense, where he's played as both a 3-4 OLB and a 4-3 DE. Absolutely destroyed the Combine, with ridiculous, cartoon-like numbers such as a 4.56 dash (1.60 10-yard split), a 42" vertical jump, and 11'6" broad jump. As Neal Coolong wrote (and Neal has been critical of Dupree's film): "Holy effin' balls...It's like combining Shazier and Clowney." So the athleticism and size are top-10. The downside is that Dupree simply hasn't dominated in the way you'd like to see from a college player with those natural assets, and there are very real technical issues, discussed by Neal Coolong in this BTSC scouting report. After much debate there seems to be a consensus forming: Dupree is the sort of prospect who is likely to have a slower-than-you'd-like learning curve at OLB (a more complicated spot than 4-3 DE), and who would accordingly contribute almost nothing in Year 1, would suffer the wrath of Steeler Nation throughout a struggling Year 2, and who would finally "get it" in Year 3 just in time to make everyone eat a healthy portion of crow. After those lengthy growing pains, however, there's almost no limit on where he might top out. Is that "worthy" of a pick at #22 overall? I say "yes," but you can judge for yourself.

If you want to know why people are so high on Dupree, look at his absurd Combine results (a 42" vertical leap and 11'6" broad jump?!), and then go read this long and extremely complimentary scouting report from our sister site for the 4-3 based N.Y. Giants (by an author who is usually less enthusiastic). The scouting report from NFL.com makes very interesting reading too, because if you read between the lines it sort of agrees with the BTSC consensus described above. Here is a nice little scouting report for a bit more depth, here is a second scouting report, and here is a longer and more thorough scouting report from back in November.

HV 1:20

Landon Collins, SS, Alabama - 6'0", 228 lbs. with 31-1/2" arms. I like everything I've heard about Shamarko Thomas but there's no doubt he's had trouble staying healthy. And across from Thomas is Mike Mitchell, who had a lousy, if perhaps excusable, year. Landon Collins is plenty fast (4.53) and plays faster; he loves to hit (enough to play dime linebacker according to Mike Mayock); he plays smart football; he has experience against the very elite of college opponents; he is an extraordinary talent on special teams; and he has no red flags. He won't last until pick 22, but if he Landon Collins' ability to be a force in both run support and coverage should make him irresistible. Mitchell and Headache will have to battle for the remaining spot, because "Heir to the Hair" will be taken. (Collins would be HV 1:05 if I wasn't discounting for position. Love, love, love what this kid offers). Neal Coolong's BTSC scouting report is by far the best place to start. The Walter Football scouting report is good too; it describes him as "a bigger version of Matt Elam or D.J. Swearinger," who shares their leaning toward run support as opposed to pass coverage.

HV 1:20

Jalen Collins, CB, LSU - 6'1-1/2", 203 lbs. with 32-1/8" arms. This is a kid with the kind of rare physical tools that the Steelers look for in their 1st round picks. How many men are that tall but still have the quickness of a guy who's four inches shorter? He seems to have the mental tools as well, such as a well respected work ethic. There's just one real question that needs to be answered: With that kind of talent, how is it possible that he only started 10 games in his entire college career? If there's a good answer to that question, Jalen Collins may be the single most likely name for Pittsburgh to be calling at pick 22. This is a very encouraging scouting report from a reliable Seahawks draft site. Here is a pre-2014 scouting report.

HV 1:20

Kevin Johnson, CB, Wake Forest (Interviewed) - 6'0-1/4", 188 lbs. with 31" arms. Often mocked to the Steelers, Kevin Johnson has several years of solid tape showing everything but the heft that teams are looking for in a 1st-Round pick (he was very thin ere he added almost 15 pounds for the Combine). Reports laud the overall length, nimble feet and hips that let him cover shiftier guys, and his willingness to make tackles. As Mike Mayock put it: "He can flat out play." Add in the lack of any drama in his background and you have a player with a very high floor as well as a top-notch ceiling. He and Jalen Collins are running neck-and-neck as the Steelers most likely target at Corner. This adoring November review comes from the normally reliable Rob Rang at CBS, but should be balanced by this more critical scouting report from the NFL site. This scouting report from a Bills site is less authoritative but just as nice because it includes some footage clips and discussion.

HV 1:20

Marcus Peters, CB, Washington (Interviewed) - 5'11-1/2", 197 lbs. with 31-1/2" arms. Neal Coolong's BTSC scouting report only confirms that Marcus Peters probably has the best film of all the cover corners, and without red flags he'd be a clear top-10 pick. Unfortunately for Mr. Peters the red flags abound. Peters played most of his college career for the Washington Huskies but was dismissed from the team as a Junior after repeated battles with the new coaching staff. The question is "why"? Give this USA Today article a read and then ask yourself if those issues haven't been overblown. I wouldn't venture an actual opinion without meeting the young man in person, but there are a lot of collateral facts that tend to favor the more-smoke-than-fire point of view. For example: U.W. agreed to continue paying his scholarship at whatever school(s) he went to; the supposedly-injured coaches, when asked about the most inflammatory stories, unanimously called those reports "bull***t"; his continued contact and friendship with his former Washington teammates; and the invitation by U.W.'s coaching staff to participate in the school's pro day. Perhaps the simple answer is the best one for our purposes - he's either too good to be available at 1:22, or too big a risk for the Steelers to even consider. I'll hope for the former, since that way he will at least force another great candidate down toward our waiting grasp. Here is a brief pre-Combine article from the Post-Gazette.

HV 1:22

STEELERS PICK AT #22 OVERALL

HV 1:25

Danny Shelton, NT, Washington - 6'2", 339 lbs. with 32" arms. A pure Nose Tackle, and a good one who Mike Mayock suggested as a possible top-10 pick. Aside from everything else, Shelton is athletic enough to create real pressure up the middle on passing downs and thus might be that elusive 3-down plug for the middle of the field. If so, the Steelers will give him a long, hard look. McLendon's contract expires after the 2015 season and Big Dan McCullers has shown enough to foreshadow a long term contributor, but not necessarily a starter. The biggest issues on Shelton seem to be clubhouse things. If the reports really do show a "selfish" attitude, he won't be a Steeler. OTOH, can it really be a coincidence that Washington's two biggest defensive starts, Shelton and Marcus Peters, both had ongoing run-ins with the coaching staff that replaced the guys who recruited them?

HV 1:25

Owamagbe Odighizuwa, OLB, UCLA (Interviewed) - 6'3", 267 lbs. with long 33-3/4" arms. He's been described as a bigger, just as strong, but not quite as bendy James Harrison, which (a) doesn't suck, and (b) sounds a lot like Lamarr Woodley if you think about it. High praise indeed! The place to start your research is Steel34D's BTSC Scouting Report. That report lauds Odighizuwa's strength, relentless motor, and ability to dominate the line in the running game; notes that he's also played some 3-4 OLB in UCLA's hybrid system; and basically confirms that he's one of those player's with a moderate sack count who positively excelled on the scale of "dominant and annoying disruption to the offense." The issues that drop Double-O downward are equally clear. First, there are medical questions dating back to two hip surgeries in 2013. Those could be enough to remove him from the Steelers' board completely, but could theoretically add some value too by suggesting that lingering effects from the surgery are what kept the sack numbers down in 2014. Second, there are some lingering concerns about the ability of any man this big to play in space. And third, he is not a polished pass rusher and will therefore require at least a year or two before he could make an impact in that department. The CBS summary scouting report questions whether Odighizuwa would fit better as a 4-3 DE or a 3-4 OLB. This typically excellent scouting report from Football Insiders presents the same issue - he's a great prospect, but is he an OLB? This scouting report sees him as a 3- or 5-technique lineman and doesn't even consider standing him up as a linebacker. The NFL.com scouting report (like the BTSC version) emphasizes that Owam... err ... Odigh... the fine young man with the hard-to-pronounce name should excel at run stopping from opening day. Note that O.O. had an exceptional week at the Senior Bowl practices, which answered many questions while raising new ones about whether he could possibly fall at the way to 2:24 if the Steelers go elsewhere in the 1st - and even whether he might rise to be a legitimate, non-reaching option at 1:22.

HV 1:25

P.J. Williams, CB, Florida State - 6'0", 194 lbs. with 31" arms. You could argue that he's underperformed this year but if he'd lived up to the pre-season hype we'd be looking at a top-10 player. A very real prospect for Pittsburgh's 1st-round pick because he's still got exactly the skillset that the Steelers like: athletic, tough, good in run support, and willing to both work and learn. The downside is that he's likely to get burned early and often if he gets on the field in year 1, but that's true for pretty much every corner in this year's class with the possible exception of IEO. I've heard him described as a classic press corner, but there seems to be no doubt he can play zone and off coverage too. This scouting report from the NFL site is a good place to start. This scouting report from our sister site for the Jets is less complimentary than most, but supports that view with some very clear critiques that are plenty enough to merit a double-check. This nice little scouting report is also well balanced and useful to get a rounded opinion.

HV 2:01

Eddie Goldman, NT/DE, Florida State - 6'4", 336 lbs. with 33-1/8" arms. Another Nose Tackle with unexpected athleticism that might be enough to make him a three-down player, and should be enough to be a crossover to back up at DE too. This scouting report from the reliable seahawksdraftblog.com is doubly useful because it doubles as a comparison to Malcom Brown.

HV 2:01

Eli Harold, OLB, Virginia (Interviewed) - 6'3-1/8", 247 lbs. with 33" arms. Eli Harold one of those players whose potential you will absolutely love, but who comes with serous questions about his ability to get big and strong enough to be a 3-down player in the Steelers system. The school listed him at 250 pounds but that was the worst kind of false advertising. According to this truly excellent scouting report from a Seahawks site, an absolute must-read IMHO, the 6'4" Harold has such a slim build that his natural walking-around weight would probably be in the 210's and he's had trouble keeping his weight higher than 225. He ramped up for the Combine, however, where Harold weighed a full 247 pounds - which is almost identical to Beasley (246), Bruce Irvin (245), and Shane Ray (245). Also like Beasley, if you ignore the size issues than Eli Harold flashes all the speed, explosion, balance, and other athletic talents you could ask for, and has even a track record of increasing success over his college career. He's just a lot less accomplished from the skills point of view. So that's the bottom line: Eli Harold has an off the charts ceiling, but it's paired with a pass-rush-specialist floor if he can't get strong enough to handle the heavy lifting part of the job. This nice little scouting report has similar things to say: ideal natural talents, a number of coachable issues (hand fighting skills and leverage), and serious concerns about his size. This 2012 article from the Washington Post covers Harold's inspiring background. This brief scouting report from CBS is another place to get a flavor for what Harold brings to the table as a football player, as is Daniel Jeremiah's brief summary at NFL.com ("an ideal fit as a 3-4 OLB").

HV 2:01

Danielle ("da-NEEL") Hunter, OLB, LSU - 6'5-1/8", 252 lbs. with 34-1/4" arms. Another quick-footed and tall young man who blew up the Combine. He does need to add some bulk as he matures into his grown-man strength as a pro, though there seems to be little doubt that Hunter has the frame to get as big as you'd want. Aside from weight, the question marks all go to a first step that's sometimes awesome but has been totally negated by 1st-Round talents like Cedric Ogbuehi. Do the problems arise from physical reaction time, a lack of recognition, or something else? At least one scout has compared him to Barkevious Mingo, which implies that recognition may be the real issue. Expect Hunter's stock to keep rising as the draft process moves forward. His quick feet, nonstop motor, and excellent balance are obvious on film, and his build and tape leave little doubt he could handle all three aspects of an OLB's job - pass rush, run support, and coverage. The big questions are (a) how long it will take him to reach that level, and (b) how close to his enormous ceiling will he be at the end of the road? NOTE: Hunter looks so perfect on the measurables that there are bound to be a flurry of post-Combine scouting reports arrives. Expect this grade to change as we get a better feel for why that level of athletic genius produced so little in the way of results.

HV 2:01

Nate Orchard, OLB, Utah - 6'3", 250 lbs. 33-3/4" arms. Orchard had a breakout 2014 that will make him a serious candidate for someone's 1st- or 2nd-round pick, and it might just be the Steelers if they believe he can carry his pass rush on to the next level while learning to drop back in coverage. He didn't run particularly well at the Combine, but looked adequate in the LB drills and was lauded for having "exceptionally heavy and powerful hands." As always, it's best to start with this BTSC scouting report by Neal Coolong. Next, I suggest you check out this excellent and well-balanced scouting report Bucky Brooks of the NFL Network. This scouting report boasts some gifs in support of its more critical conclusion that Orchard shouldn't be picked until Day 3. This equally thorough scouting report from the normally reliable seahawksdraftblog.com also comes with a mid-round grade, albeit one based on the Seahawks' strong preference for particular athletic traits in their pass rushers. This brief scouting report is less useful for analysis, but makes the point that Orchard has been capable of taking over games on his own. This article provides good background going back to High School, as does this pre-season 2014 scouting report and interview from CBS. This brief and admiring scouting report from our sister site for the Giants compares Orchard to Justin Houston, while this more thorough scouting report from Walter Football chooses Connor Barwin as the comp. Orchard looked very good at the Senior Bowl practices, with numerous observers commenting on his ability to convert speed into power, excellent hand fighting technique, and ability to dip around the corner. For a more sobering viewpoint, see this scouting report which ends with a Day 3 grade based on ‘one year wonder' concerns and a bad habit of taking a break when running plays go in the opposite direction.

HV 2:01

Alex Carter, CB/S, Stanford - 6'0-1/8", 196 lbs. with long (32-1/8") arms. A smart, physical, athletic corner we should really keep an eye on. His skillset and personality seem to really fit what the Steelers like to do. According to Mike Mayock, he's also "being looked at as both a Corner and a Safety." FWIW, his father Tom was a 1st-round pick back in 1993, who went on to an 8-year journeyman's career.

HV 2:01

La'el Collins, G/OT, LSU (Interviewed) - 6'4-1/2", 305 lbs. with 33-1/4" arms. Here is Steel34D's BTSC scouting report, which agrees with a fairly common view that Collins has enough athleticism to be a potential Tackle, but projects even better as a Guard. Flashed some very good athleticism at the Combine.

HV 2:01

Brandon Scherff, OT, Iowa - 6'4-1/2", 319 lbs. with 33-3/8" arms. Like La'el Collins, Scherff has enough athleticism to manage at Right Tackle, but is expected to move inside instead and become a dominant Guard.

HV 2:01

Maxx Williams, TE, Minnesota (Interviewed) - 6'3-7/8", 249 lbs. with 33-1/2" arms. Despite what his defender-leaping touchdown run in the Citrus Bowl might make you think, Williams has seen more time as a blocker than a receiver. Which is a good thing in most ways, since the comments you see tend to emphasize his natural athleticism, uber-reliable hands, and other assets that bring Jason Witten to mind. Most people expect the Steelers to go defense-defense in the first two rounds. Maxx Williams at 2:24 is one of the few quasi-reasonable scenarios that would force a change. Neal Coolong's BTSC scouting report is, of course, the place to start your research. I will only add that you need to remember Williams is very young (barely 20) and has a good bit of growing to do before finds his grown-man strength; he's going to get better. This solid if Seahawks-oriented scouting report should help as well, as will the NFL.com scouting report and this less rosy profile from our sister site for the Bills.

HV 2:12

Malcom Brown, NT/DE, Texas - 6'2", 319 lbs. with 32-1/2" arms. Big Jay sent him to Pittsburgh as a 2nd-round pick in one of his mock drafts, writing as follows: "Malcom Brown is a well built 6-foot-4, 320 pounds. He has tree trunks for thighs, and has surprising quickness to go along with a powerful bull rush. He is also a high character family man, and ESPN recently had a great article profiling him as such." This is one of the high-quality scouting reports you find at Football Insiders. This scouting report comes from the also-reliable seahawksdraftblog.com.

HV 2:12

Benardrick McKinney, OLB/ILB, Mississippi State - 6'4-1/8", 246 lbs. with 33" arms. McKinney is an odd case because he is regularly described as one of the top prospects in the country to be an inside linebacker, but the Steelers would be more interested in his ability to convert to the outside. At OLB that same athletic genius would make him excellent in coverage, the size and attitude would make him excellent at setting the edge, and his pass-rush skills... Aye, there's the rub. McKinney has all the physical tools to be a fine pass rusher and has displayed them when asked to, but he's never been asked to make pass rushing the focus of his game. I'm not the only one who sees McKinney as a potential 3-4 OLB, by the way. This scouting profile from our sister site for the Jets makes a point of noting that McKinney has the tools to potentially be even better 3-4 at that position than as a 4-3 MLB, and adds that he played the position with some success as a freshman. This goes to an October scouting report, and this to a more thorough scouting report from a Bears POV. This fun and pseudoscientific scouting report manages to be informative too, even though it rates McKinney as a straightforward middle linebacker who deserves a Day 2 grade. This informal scouting report reaches a similar conclusion.

HV 2:12

Trey Flowers, OLB, Arkansas (Interviewed) - 6'2-1/8", 266 lbs. with immense 34-1/4" arms. Trey Flowers is a player who will grow on you, especially if you favor the idea of a so-called "elephant OLB" for run-downs. He's an easy 2nd-round pick as a 4-3 DE, but for Pittsburgh it will all come down to whether a guy that big can expand his role to include all the things expected of an OLB. He didn't look natural at the Combine linebacker drills, but neither did he look hopeless. Trey Flowers' film shows some genuine athleticism and a good motor, though the explosion isn't as obvious as you'd expect for a man who can do a 55" box jump (!). The nfl.com scouting report projects him as more of a 5-technique than an OLB, which is a little surprising given what other people have to say. This hard-to-load scouting report will get you going if your system will handle it. Flowers flashed some genuine pass rushing ability at the Senior Bowl with what Mayock and his peers called a "smooth inside swim move," as well as extremely solid ability at stopping the run. His floor is "solid run stuffer"; his ceiling is pre-injury Lamarr Woodley.

HV 2:12

Markus Golden, OLB, Missouri - 6'2-3/8", 260 lbs. with short 31-1/8" arms that will only give the measurements-geeks more ammunition. Playing across from Shane Ray could (should) get you overshadowed, but Golden was too good for that to happen. You still have to wonder, though: would Golden's relatively modest numbers be even that good with a normal human as a rushing partner? Or was it Ray who benefited from teams being force to guard the other side? Golden's assets include a very good bull rush, a solid first step, excellent size, nice hands, a good football IQ, and a top notch motor. The first place to look is in the quoted material buried in this article. Markus Golden is one of those guys who's whole is much more than the sum of his measurable parts, and that does a good job of explaining it. So the intangibles are off the charts. The questions, as neatly summarized in the nfl.com scouting report, boil down to whether he has the pure, measurable athleticism to play as well in the pros as he did in college. This newspaper article is good for a bit of background. These scouting notes from the Citrus Bowl (from a Seahawks site) are helpful too, from a purely football point of view.

HV 2:12

Hauoli Kikaha, OLB, Washington (Interviewed) - 6'2", 253 lbs. with 32-1/2" arms. Kikaha's name was tied to the Steelers in a lot of early speculation and it's easy to see why. The descriptions always seem to use words like "tenacious," "hard-working," "fiery," "high motor" and the like, which are traits our Steelers really value. The questions go to Kikaha's level of native athletic talent, size, and a potentially serious medical flag dating back to two ACL tears on the same knee in 2011.  Neal Coolong's BTSC scouting report makes special note of both Kikaha's background as a judo and wrestling champion, and his highly advanced skill set compared to other pass rushers. Here is a good scouting report from Football Insiders. This is a profile from our sister site for the Eagles. The NFL.com scouting report is another place to go for an overview. Kikaha's stock fell during the Senior Bowl week (and in the game) because he had real trouble playing in open space and seemed to lose something on his pass rush from the standing position.

HV 2:12

Preston Smith, OLB/DE, Mississippi State - 6'4-7/8", 271 lbs. with 34" arms. An excellent 4-3 DE prospect who had a great week at the Senior Bowl. For the Steelers he'd be a classic "elephant" OLB prospect - a guaranteed success at run stuffing who might be limited to that role, or might grow into the next Lamarr Woodley. He looked pretty mobile at the Combine, which bumped him into the same ranking as Trey Flowers. During the Senior Bowl telecast Mike Mayock referred to him as "a working man, not flashy, who'd make a solid 2nd-Round pick." Here is a nice little scouting report for more detail.

HV 2:12

Shaq Thompson, S, Washington - 6'0-1/8", 228 lbs. with 33" arms. Thompson is extremely hard to grade as a prospect for the Pittsburgh Steelers. First and foremost, he is described as such an extraordinary and versatile athlete that he could deserve to qualify as one of Kevin Colbert's famous "specials." How can one guy excel as a running back, a pass rusher, a play-making tackler, and a safety? It's amazing. But where and how does he fit into what the Steelers do and need? The consensus view appears to be as an in-the-box Safety, even though Thompson has expressed a preference to stay at linebacker. Lest you think I'm exaggerating the possibilities, have a look at this scouting report from nfl.com and this scouting report from Big Blue View, our sister site for the Giants. This October scouting report from Football Outsiders goes into a bit more depth about how he was used at Washington. He will probably go in the top-20 to a team that has clearer ways to use his talents, and this grade reflects a discount for the lack of fit with the Steelers in particular. Ran a "just okay" 4.64 at the Combine, but excelled in other drills.

HV 2:12

Ronald Darby, CB, Florida State - 5'10-1/2", 193 lbs. with 31-3/8" arms. Flashed tremendous speed at the Combine but looked a little stiff in the hips. It's interesting that Darby and P.J. Williams both played at Florida State and are coming out together. The "word" is that Darby actually has better physical gifts, but Williams is better above-the-neck. That means the interviews will be key for Darby (and of course unknown to us). If Ronald Darby has the intelligence, discipline and maturity to truly study his craft and to be a true professional, he's a 1st round talent. If not, he's a long-term project who will tease us for years with his "potential" and could end up as anything from a bust to the next Willie Gay. Net result: a clear 2nd-day prospect who will cause some team's fans a lot of cramps from all the finger-crossing. This write-up/scouting report was produced in November after a middling game against Miami.

HV 2:12

Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, CB, Oregon - 5'9", 192 lbs. with 30-7/8" arms. Remember Jason Verrett last year? That's IEO this year. Speed, quicks, hands, head ... he's got it all except height. Translating to draftese, IEO is a ‘safe' pick because he has such a high floor that it's hard to see him being less than a really good slot corner. But how high in the 1st does that get you when a true #1 has to cover the Calvin Johnsons of the world as well as the Antonio Browns? NOTE: IEO started the process with a 1st-round grade. The current ranking reflects a downgrade for what is being described as a "serious knee injury" that occurred on December 17 and kept him out of the college playoffs. Last year a projected 1st round corner (Aaron Colvin) fell to the 4th because of an ACL tear. If IEO has suffered a similar injury, a similar drop could be in the cards.

HV 2:12

Byron Jones, CB/S, Connecticut - 6'1", 199 lbs. with 32" arms. A safety who converted to cornerback in 2014 and played well enough to be on Daniel Jeremiah's top-50 list... before he blew up the Combine with numbers that would make Roger Rabbit blush. Just look at this! And listen to this. Note that shoulder surgery ended his 2014 season, so there may be a medical red flag.

HV 2:12

Quinten Rollins, CB, Miami (Ohio) (Interviewed) - 5'11-1/8", 195 lbs. with 30-1/4" arms. This is one of my favorites for the Steelers' pick in Round 2. Check out this college article on his background. Rollins is a basketball player who turned to football in his final year of eligibility, and then excelled because of his genuine athletic edge. He'll be badly out of his depth as a rookie, but sounds like exactly the sort of player who could make a huge sophomore leap with a second one to follow the year after. The need to wait that long for a return on investment is likely to make him available in the 2nd or 3rd rounds. Here is an interview he did with CBS. This is a brief scouting report from a Patriots site, this is a slightly better scouting report from edraft.com, and this is a pretty good scouting report from our sister site for the Jets. The NFL site's scouting report makes a point of noting his "rare start-stop-start suddeness" and "ability to change gears instantly." Rollins was one of the biggest stars at the Senior Bowl, where he made a spectacular interception. His 4.57 time at the Combine is the main reason he's likely to be available at #56 overall.

HV 2:12

T.J. Clemmings, OT, Pitt - 6'4-1/2", 309 lbs. with arms like vines (35-1/8" at the Combine). Clemmings is a local product who has all the physical tool and upside you could ask for, but who's still new to the position (only 2 years in) and is raw enough that he got used and abused at the Senior Bowl while less talented kids had greater success. The Steelers would probably have to redshirt him for at least a year before all the disparate parts started working together in proper coordination. Here is a scouting report from the Lions SB Nation site.

HV 2:12

Cameron Erving, G/C/OT, Florida State - 6'5-1/2", 313 lbs. with 34-1/8" arms. Erving is a remarkable athlete who started on the defensive side of the ball, moved to the offensive line, and has played both Tackle and Center at a high level. No one doubts that he'd excel at Guard as well, especially after he put up 30 reps on the Combine bench press. And therein lies his peculiar value to the Steelers. Cam Erving would singlehandedly cement the team's depth at every position along the line, especially with Mike Adams as an alternate tackle, and would push Ramon Foster for the starting job. Pittsburgh would be able to dress only seven offensive linemen per game, which is good value above and beyond anything he does on the field directly. But as they say in the infomercials, that's not all! Erving could drop a bit because of various technical flaws in his game. They're all fixable, but they'll have a definite impact on how quickly he can make it onto the field. Once fixed, however... This is another young man with a truly sky-high ceiling. My personal prediction is that he'll propel himself into the 1st round for a team that's willing to bet on potential, but if he falls to 2:24 he might be hard for Pittsburgh to resist as a pure BPA. You can find a summary scouting report here, and a very good scouting report from our sister site for the Chargers here.

HV 2:12

D.J. Humphries, OT, Florida - 6'5", 307 lbs. with 33-5/8" arms. Humphries is a prospect with amazingly light feet for an offensive lineman - among the best in the class - but who's missed some of the proverbial ‘sand in the pants' for dealing with pure power rushers. A prospect who may be even higher on the Steelers' radar than other teams because Coach Munchak loves athletic toys to train with.

HV 2:24

STEELERS PICK AT #24 OF THE SECOND ROUND (#56 OVERALL)

HV 2:24

Carl Davis, NT/DE, Iowa - 6'5", 320 lbs. Really long, 34-5/8" arms. A solid run-stuffer who dominated at the Senior Bowl, which resulted in this article/scouting report that's worth a read.. He will probably go to a 4-3 team by the end of the 2^nd, but could be a real candidate for the Steelers if he's available at 3:23. He looks like the sort who of swing player who could step in at either DE or NT. In many ways he reminds you of a Steve McLendon with slightly more natural talent - which isn't to say he'll be a better player since Big Steve, like AB, is one of those guys who gets closer to his full potential than almost any other player on the field.

HV 2:24

Mario Edwards, DE/OLB, Florida State - 6'3", 279 lbs. with 33-3/4" arms and absurdly big 10-7/8" hands. Edwards is a heck of a player who should go to a base 4-3 team in the first two rounds. For the Steelers... Not so much. He'd probably go on the "Ain't Gonna Happen List" if Coach Butler hadn't said that the Steelers will be using 4-3 concepts in sub-packages. Mario Edwards would be ideal if viewed as a 4-3 DE with an ability to play in space rather than an oversized 3-4 OLB. One thing's for sure - if he does get picked by the Pittsburgh Steelers, it will herald some genuine evolution in the team's overall strategy on defense. Here is a very brief introduction and overview.

HV 2:24

Jordan Phillips, NT, Oklahoma - 6'5", 329 lbs. with 34-3/4" arms. An enormous man who played Nose Tackle in a college 3-4. He'd deserve a higher grade if the Steelers had more need at the position.

HV 2:24

Lorenzo Mauldin, OLB, Louisville (Interviewed) - 6'3-1/2", 259 lbs. with 33" arms. Mauldin is very strong and will have no problem setting the edge, but can he learn to dip around it and defeat NFL tackles? Or to cover running backs in space? Those are the questions that Colbert & Co. will have to answer. This is a fine article for background material on Mauldin's life - once you know his story (16 different foster homes?!) you can't help but root for him. This November scouting report from a Bills fan site gives an introduction to his skills as a player, with some nice gifs for fun viewing. The NFL.com scouting report is another must-read, with good information on both strengths and weaknesses. Mauldin did make one nice play during the Senior Bowl when he dropped into coverage, which is encouraging, but he's also earned criticism for coachable flaws like playing too upright and giving offensive linemen easy access to his chest.

HV 2:24

Derron Smith, S, Fresno State - 5'10", 200 lbs. with short, 29-3/4" arms. A solid ballhawk who could probably play either Safety position. As the nfl.com scouting report concludes, Smith "lacks ideal size for the position but checks off just about every other box teams will be looking for." This link goes to another nice little scouting report.

HV 2:24

Charles Gaines, CB, Louisville (Interviewed) - 5'9-7/8", 180 lbs. with 31-3/8" arms. A former wide receiver who never played defense until 2014. He presumably has okay hands, but needs more than just a year of practice before he'll really be able to view the game from a defensive point of view. Tackling, in particular, is something he needs to keep working on. That and his thin frame will tend to push him down many Boards. Flashed great long speed at the Combine (4.34) and put enough on tape to earn a compliment from Mike Mayock: "He's a good corner."

HV 2:24

Eric Rowe, CB/S, Utah (Interviewed) - 6'0-3/4", 205 lbs. with 31-1/2" arms. Eric Rowe is a converted safety with the height, length, and speed (4.45 at the Combine) to make him an object of greed. His biggest test was against Michigan WR Devin Funchess, and Rowe pretty much dominated him all day. OTOH, he's still very raw as a corner. Here is an upbeat scouting profile from our sister site for the Jets. This article from Football Insiders, which is paired with a brief video interview, is even more positive and suggests an interesting idea: Rowe is a solid corner, but he has experience as a cover safety too and in that capacity might be the #2 guy overall behind only Landon Collins. That versatility is enough to bumps him up the BTSC Board from where he'd be as a corner alone.

HV 2:24

Cedric Ogbuehi, OT/G, Texas A&M - 6'5", 306 lbs. with arms like a gibbon (35-7/8"). A clear 1st Round talent with experience at both Guard and Tackle, but who may tumble down to where the Steelers might pick him due to a torn ACL suffered during his final Bowl game. Talk about bad luck! I genuinely sympathize. But his loss might be the Steelers gain. As you can see from the NFL.com scouting report, Ogbuehi ("Ah-BOO-hee") is (was?) a very mobile and light-footed player for someone with that much size, and thus perfect for the kind of athletic system that Mike Munchak has preferred over the years. This scouting report gushes a bit, but gives a fair description of his upside. NOTE: This grade assumes Ogbuehi will clear the medical checks, spend 2015 rehabbing the knee, and be ready to compete in his second year.

HV 2:24

Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford - 6'6-7/8", 313 lbs. with long 34-3/8" arms. Perhaps the best Left Tackle prospect of the draft, but possessed of enough flaws that he still has a solid bust potential and would take at least a year or two of professional strength and technique training before he'd have a chance to beat out the more limited, but already accomplished Kelvin Beachum. Downgraded here because he's probably not Guard capable (upper body strength being an issue).

HV 3:01

Ellis McCarthy, NT, UCLA - 6'5", 338 lbs. with 34-1/8" arms. A pure Nose Tackle with solid athletic talent to support his size. Played Nose Tackle successfully in a college 3-4, but seemed to have some endurance issues.

HV 3:01

Za'Darius Smith, OLB, Kentucky - 6'4-1/2", 270 lbs. with 32-5/8" arms. A young man who's been tagged with that awful kind of "damnation through faint praise" description... at least until he flat out dominated the line at the East West Shrine Game. The truth is that he has a lot of potential but is still very, very raw and there are questions about whether he would fit at OLB. This scouting report from the SB Nation Giants site projects him more as a 5-technique! IMHO he looks like a great developmental prospect so long as we don't expect anything in the first year or two.

HV 3:01

Cody Prewitt, S, Mississippi (Interviewed) - 6'2", 208 lbs. with 32-5/8" arms. A big, powerful safety with good but not great range, and who seems to be willing but not eager to stick his nose in on tackles. Combined with some issues with coverage that's enough to drop him a bit, and even this ranking depends on whether the Steelers are happy with what they already have. Matt Bowen (retired NFL safety) commented on a "good range" toward the end of this article on a Senior Bowl practice. This scouting profile comes from our sister site for the Giants says he'd be hard for that team to pass him over in the 2nd.

HV 3:01

Damarious Randall, S, Arizona State - 5'10-7/8", 196 lbs. with 30-1/4" arms. As Mike Mayock put it, "[Randall has] Corner skills in a Safety's frame." He's also got very acceptable speed for a Safety (4.47) and, according to Steel34D who watched him a lot in college, has a genuine knack for being around the play. This is a nice article for some light background.

HV 3:01

Jaquiski Tartt, S, Samford - 6'1-3/8", 221 lbs. with 32-3/8" arms. A small school prospect who reportedly ran a 4.4 forty (4.54 at the Combine) but has shown more ability in run support than in coverage. He looked good at the initial Senior Bowl practice and may turn out to be "that small school kid" for this year's draft. The nfl.com scouting report is a good place to start.

HV 3:01

Senquez Golson, CB, Ole Miss (Interviewed) - 5'8-1/2", 178 lbs. with short, 29-3/4" arms. Weakness: size, both in height and overall mass. He'd be yet another mighty mite in the Steelers secondary. Strengths: pretty much everything else. Golson is athletic enough that the Red Sox spent a draft pick on him too, and Mike Mayock lauded both his "rare ball skills" and his genuine football IQ. This scouting report from the NFL site is more positive than some but is a good place to start. Golson's skill set really impressed former NFL strong safety Matt Bowen at the Senior Bowl, along with most other observers.

HV 3:01

Doran Grant, CB/S, Ohio State - 5'10-1/4", 200 lbs. with 30-1/4" arms. He's got decent hands and, coming from Ohio State, a respectable foundation. The questions go to his overall athleticism. The scouting report at NFL.com suggests he might excel in a scheme like Pittsburgh tends to use, but also contains hints that Grant's success in college might be partly due to solid technique that let him feast on weaker opponents. Mike Mayock called him, "A solid football player... with nice feet."

HV 3:01

Steven Nelson, CB, Oregon State - 5'10-1/8", 197 lbs. with 30-5/8" arms. Before the Senior Bowl his tape made most of the analysts say things like "promising slot corner." Retired Strong Safety Matt Bowen agreed after a Senior Bowl practice. Then came the Senior Bowl itself where "Mighty Mouse" emerged as one of the stars, flashing excellent speed, a quick change of direction, and a willingness to challenge the catch. For a more sobering point of view, see this critical scouting report at NFL.com which all but suggests that Nelson might be better suited to be a Safety than a Corner.

HV 3:01

D'Joun Smith, CB, Florida Atlantic - 5'10", 187 lbs. with 30-3/8" arms. His name is pronounced like the mustard: ‘Dijon'. He's given a higher-end grade on this Board because the Steelers seem to prefer excellent overall athleticism to almost any other trait. Yes, he may prove to be more of a William Gay "other corner" than a true #1 like Ike used to be, but Gay would be looking like a fine 2nd-rounder in hindsight. Here is a November scouting report from the CBS "Meet The Prospect" series. This scouting report at the NFL site grades Smith out as a backup more than a starter but leaves room for a lot of change, especially after Smith showed good long speed at the Combine (4.45) even if he was a bit stiff in the movement drills.

HV 3:01

Kevin White, CB, TCU (Interviewed) - 5'9-1/8", 183 lbs. with 30-1/8" arms. Kevin White of TCU had a good game against 1st Round WR prospect Kevin White of West Virginia, which raised his stock while no doubt causing the announcers constant fits of heartburn. OTOH, the NFL.com scouting report suggests that despite his moderate size White is the sort who would have more difficulty handling a jitterbug receiver than a really big one. You've got to love this summary: "[A] cornerback with mismatched parts. Has temperament and play of an outside corner, but lacks size and deep speed. Has size of a slot corner but lacks foot quickness and twitch to consistently cover speed in space." LOL. The impression he made at the Senior Bowl was much better, however. Both Mike Mayock and Charles Davis lauded him as "an easy pick with quick feet ... competitive ... and similar to Jason Verrett." The big difference may be long speed. Verrett ran a blistering 4.38 at the Combine, while White offered a very pedestrian 4.64. Here's hoping he turns that around at his pro day. Jason Verrett aside, the lack of length is a concern too: isn't "Jason Verrett lite" a fairly accurate description of both Brice McCain and Antwon Blake?

HV 3:01

Jake Fisher, OT/G, Oregon - 6'6-1/8", 306 lbs. with 33-3/4" arms. Fisher was pressed into service when the designated starter (Tyler Johnstone) tore an ACL in August, and performed well beyond any expectations despite having the difficult job of protecting a Heisman-candidate QB (Marcus Mariota) that opposing defenses targeted for destruction on every play. More than that, when Fisher himself was injured during the season the Ducks suffered in a noticeable way, so it was his play that made the difference even more than Mariota's mobility. Showed great movement skills at the Combine. This is one of those players I'd love the Steelers to get in a middle round where he'd come at an affordable price. Unfortunately, Fisher had the bad taste to excel at the Combine and ruin my little plan for world domination. Sigh. Here is a nice little scouting report.

HV 3:01

Tre' Jackson, G, Florida State - 6'3-7/8", 330 lbs. with 32-5/8" arms. He's had trouble against really quick tackles and has trouble recovering once he starts to lose in pass protection, but those are flaws that good coaching can fix. The upside is that he's a more physically gifted athlete than most of his peers, especially this year, and might be able to do well the things at Guard that Ramon Foster can't always manage to do. It takes a lot of projection, but after Cam Erving Tre' Jackson would be my highest rated Guard for what the Steelers want. Early Round 3-4 value to Pittsburgh, but deserves to be gone well before that to a team with bigger needs.

HV 3:01

Laken Tomlinson, G, Duke - 6'3-1/4", 323 lbs. with 33-5/8" arms. Full disclosure: I really like this kid. A native of Jamaica who wants to play Guard in the NFL and then go back to become a neurosurgeon? How cool is that! Tomlinson is a four year starter who check every box when it comes to brains coachability, and the like. There were questions about his athleticism until he excelled at the Senior Bowl and practices. He's only played at RG, which may say something, but I'm not sure what. Tomlinson is fireplug for sure, but if he can move in space he might be worth a Day 3 flier - and might even higher if Guard was a bigger need. Here is a scouting report from our sister site for the Giants that ends with a 3rd Round grade. This full Walter Football scouting report notes some issues with speed rushers but lauds his power in the running game.

HV 3:01

Clive Walford, TE, Miami (Interviewed) - 6'4", 254 lbs. with 34" arms. A great week of practice at the Senior Bowl pushed Walford up toward the #2 spot of this fairly weak class, and a good performance (except for one bad drop) cemented him there. FWIW, that combination of very good hands with indefensible concentration drops has plagued him throughout college. Still, he's proven to be a good blocker, and he runs good routes that made Senior Bowl safeties and linebackers both look ineffectual. This scouting report from NFL.com is a decent place to start if you want to know more. This link goes to an admiring if summary scouting profile from our sister site for the Bills, and this link to a similar profile from our sister site for the Giants.

HV 3:01

Ameer Abdullah, RB, Nebraska - 5'9", 205 lbs. He's short but not small, runs hard between the tackles as well as outside, and imho will have a great career if he's allowed to share carries with another good back such as, oh, that Leveon Bell guy in Pittsburgh. Like every other one you'll find, this scouting report projects Abdullah as a 3-down workhorse for whatever team is lucky enough to get him. The CBS scouting report compares him to "a better version of Andre Ellington [with] the skill-set to have a Warrick Dunn-type career," and notes that he's an exceptional human being on top of everything else. This scouting report adds that he's return-capable. The only drawback is that he's a total unknown at blocking and lacks the ideal size to excel in that capacity. On the other hand, he's definitely the sort of player who will devote himself to learning that part of job as well as everything else he'll need to be a complete pro. Warrick may be an apt analogy for Ameer when all is said and Dunn. This nice, thorough, gif-supported scouting report produced by our sister site for the Chargers concludes that Ameer is worthy of a pick as high as the early 2nd round. Here is the full Walter Football scouting report, which projects Abdullah more as a 3rd down back who can step in where needed than a workhorse, 300 carry per year guy.

HV 3:01

Jay Ajayi, RB, Boise State - 5'11-3/4", 221 lbs. As described by the folks at CBS, Jay Ajayi offers nimble feet, tricky moves, excellent speed and acceleration, and surprising power; in short, everything you want in a running back except a reputation for fumbleitis as inopportune moments. But it's also clear that he has some flaws in his running style (like getting ahead of blockers) that can be fixed with good coaching, and his ball security issues may be solvable in the same way. I seem to remember Adrian Peterson getting hit with that criticism, and developing his famous hand strength as a response, and Ajayi does have huge 10" hands. This typically excellent scouting report from Football Insiders is the place to start your research. This scouting report comes from a Patriots website may also help. This NFL article is less a scouting report than a summary news piece, but is notable because it mentions several things the Steelers would love such as "between the tackles running, paired with "outstanding vision, pitter-pat, [] toughness ... [and] home-run speed and acceleration."

HV 3:01

Tevin Coleman, RB, Indiana (Interviewed) - 5'11", 206 lbs. Want a summary description you'd like to have attached to your name? The CBS scouting report describes Tevin Coleman as "a mix of Darren McFadden and Demarco Murray." I'm sold. In a sane world he'd be off the Board before the Steelers pick a running back, but with this class and this CBA who can say anymore? Here is a typically high-quality Football Insiders scouting report if you want more detail.

HV 3:01

Mike Davis, RB, South Carolina - 5'9", 217 lbs. Mike Davis is a one-cut, downhill runner with great acceleration, a bowling ball body to match, and enough of that lofty character to ease South Carolina fans out of mourning for their tragically injured hero Marcus Lattimore. Davis needs to work on his blocking a bit, though with that size he should be more than capable of doing so, but has a variety of good, shifty moves to go with his size-and-speed combo, and comes with the bonus of fantastic hands out of the backfield. Comparisons range from "a gigantic Darren Sproles" to "Carlos Hyde or Frank Gore." Here is a scouting report from our sister site for the Giants. This smaller scouting report is less rosy but still full of compliments.

HV 3:01

Duke Johnson, RB, Miami (Interviewed) - 5'9-1/8", 207 lbs. A little smaller than you'd put down in a job listing, but plenty big and waaaaay shifty enough to avoid the big hits. Honest and mainstream experts like Rob Rang at CBS Sports have compared him to LeSean McCoy. The Walter Football scouting report went with Giovani Bernard instead.

HV 3:12

Geneo Grissom, OLB, Oklahoma - 6'3-3/8", 262 lbs. with 33-3/8" arms. Has the advantage of playing the 3-4 OLB in college, where he performed quite well if not spectacularly. If Jason Worilds signs on to a longer deal, Grissom is the exact kind of player who the Steelers might snag in the 3rd and count their blessings for such a useful find. Supposed to have a very good motor, a powerful bull rush but not much else in the way of a pass rush, and some stiffness when he tries to cover RB's in the flat.

HV 3:12

Anthony Harris, S/CB, Virginia - 6'1", 183 lbs. with 31" arms. Anthony Harris is a ballhawk with good hands and decent range, but he lacks so much of the physical oomph you'd expect from a Safety that many people think he might move to safety if the Combine shows sufficient foot speed. It doesn't help that he's more of a body-checker and a grabber than a serious hitter or wrap-‘em-up tackler. This scouting report projects him as a 4th rounder, which is a round or so lower than his average grade. This nice little scouting profile from our sister site for the Eagles sees him as a late-2nd or 3rd rounder. This scouting report puts him in the 3-4 range, which is typical.

HV 3:12

Gerod Holliman, FS, Louisville - 6'0", 218 lbs. with 32" arms. A long, fast and rangy ballhawk. I'd be surprised if the Steelers abandoned their experiment with Mike Mitchell after a single year, but if they do then Holliman could be a substitute to put in his place... assuming they believe he can learn to tackle. Holliman's college years raised some serious questions about that. Comparisons have been raised to Deion Sanders (for tackling, not talent) and that's not a good thing when you're supposed to be a Safety! Here is a scouting report from Football Insiders. Holliman has also been hit with some bad publicity about his "lazy" off-field work habits, which may have substance beyond a disgruntled coach. This is a brief but fun scouting profile from our sister site for the Giants.

HV 3:12

Lorenzo Doss, CB, Tulane - 5'10-3/8", 182 lbs. with short (29-3/4") arms. A good but not great cover corner with one major flaw - he's tackling-averse. On the plus side, Doss has excellent hands that have snagged an awful lot of balls. True, most of those interceptions came on throws that were far more off-target than he'll see from any NFL quarterback, but there's something to be said for making the most of your opponent's mistakes.

HV 3:12

Jacoby Glenn, CB, UCF - 6'0", 179 lbs. with 31-1/4" arms. He has the height, speed and athleticism you look for but also two real problems that are probably related to being a redshirt sophomore: he is very light for his size (and it shows), and he has issues with fundamental techniques like his backpedal. Those are both solvable concerns if the young Mr. Glenn has his head screwed on straight, which makes him a legitimate mid-round developmental target. At the Combine Mike Mayock lauded his "tremendous ball skills" but also noted that he mostly played in off coverage and looked "real tight" in one of the drills.

HV 3:12

Arie Kouandjio, G, Alabama - 6'4-7/8", 310 lbs. with long, 34-1/8" arms. A solid prospect from a very good training ground. He's had some knee problems, which raises one red flag, and he's the older brother of Buffalo's Cyrus Kouandjio, who was drafted in 2014's 2nd Round and was a disappointment in his rookie year. That's another. Kouandjio seems to be "okay" at everything but good at nothing in particular, which is nevertheless enough to make him one of the top Guards of the year. One encouraging note: according to Mike Mayock, Kouandjio took to coaching at the Senior Bowl like a fish to water, and got noticeably better as the week went on. Mayock even went out on a limb to project him as a "solid starter" during the Senior Bowl broadcast, where he had a great game against Danny Shelton. This link will take you to the full Walter Football scouting report.

HV 3:12

Ty Sambrailo, OT, Colorado State - 6'5-3/4", 311 lbs. with shortish 33" arms. Once touted as a fringe 1st-rounder, Sambrailo was exposed a bit at both the Senior Bowl and the Combine. He's got all the tools... it's just that they don't seem to work together very well all at the same time.

HV 3:12

Jeff Heuerman, TE, Ohio State (Interviewed) - 6'5", 254 lbs. with 33-1/4" arms. Heuerman is one of the best in a weak class for tight ends. He isn't a miracle, basketball-star-turned-receiver athlete, but he is a well-balanced, multi-skilled player at one of the few offensive positions where the Steelers could do some upgrading. Or at least some future-grading, since Spaeth is nearing the end of his contract and Heath is approaching the end of his all-star career. The nfl.com scouting report is less complimentary than others you'll see.

HV 3:12

Jesse James, TE, Penn State (Interviewed) - 6'7", 261 lbs. with 33" arms. According to this ESPN article "Jesse James is a freak of nature." Height, speed, strength: he's got it all. What he hasn't got is developed skill as either a blocker or a receiver. On the other hand, Heath Miller probably has another good year in his historic career. If the coaches think a year or two of professional work can turn James' pure potential into actual reality, this local Pittsburgh boy could really be the next hometown hero. This is another fine article focused more on his background. This January Post-Gazette article examines his decision to leave early, while this February article examines his pre-Combine prospects. This brief scouting profile comes from our sister site for the Giants. This nice, detailed scouting report was put up as a BTSC Fanpost. (We do good work around here. Kudos to TheSixRingSting).

HV 3:12

David Cobb, RB, Minnesota (Interviewed) - 5'11", 229 lbs. A big, strong, reliable, and productive downhill back who would be ranked much higher if he had top end speed. He may well be better than his already-admirable numbers suggest, however, because it would take a generous man to describe Minnesota's offensive line as merely "below the line "during Cobb's career. Cobb looked terrific at the Senior Bowl, flashing a really nice jump cut and other nifty moves that he supposedly lacked during his college career. This scouting report sums up the popular (pre- Senior Bowl) opinion, and this thorough (but pre- Senior Bowl) scouting report from our sister site for the Jets gives a Day 3 grade after saying that Cobb "compares favorably to Leveon Bell."

HV 3:12

David Johnson, RB, Northern Iowa (Interviewed) - 6'1", 224 lbs. As you can see in this Fanpost by our own PsychoKuz (read the Comments too), the young Mr. Johnson blew up the Senior Bowl and jump-cut himself into serious consideration for the Steelers' 3rd or 4th Round pick. He demonstrated a really nifty move or three in the whole, good eyes on an outside zone touchdown run, and even some nice kick returns. Pretty much everyone agrees he looks, run, catches, and blokes like a poor man's version of Leveon Bell. Or maybe a middle-class version. This nice little scouting report compares Johnson to Steven Jackson, but I think he's a little niftier than Jackson and runs with less oomph... which is what I'd say about Lev Bell as well. David Johnson does have a tendency to run tall (a coachable issue) and may lack some top-end speed, but there's little doubt that the main thing that's likely to keep him out of Day 2 is the ridiculous depth of the running back class as a whole. Here is a pre-Senior Bowl scouting report from our sister site for the Giants. This is an interview with our sister site for the Eagles.

HV 3:12

Jeremy Langford, RB, Michigan State (Interviewed) - 6'0", 208 lbs. The successor to Leveon Bell at Michigan State, Langford has a similar skill set that's just a notch below the man he was following. He's a big, strong bruiser who can run people over when he wants to but also has enough wiggle to make people miss and great hands out of the backfield. The knock on him was a lack of top end speed, but that disappeared on February 21, 2015 when he ran the fastest 40 time of all the running backs at the Combine (4.43).

HV 3:12

T.J. Yeldon, RB, Alabama (Interviewed) - 6'1-1/4", 226 lbs. Yeldon is the kid you probably know already from all the Alabama games on TV. Talent just bursts off him. You can't teach 6'2" with that kind of speed and shiftiness. If I knew more about his internals I would compare him to Leveon Bell without any irony. There are some flaws - pundits talk about running too high, and he's shown signs of suffering from the famous Alabama Syndrome of losing tread off the tires in college - but the picture of what might be is indelible: Leveon Bell and TJ Yeldon lined up behind Big Ben and a defense trying to wonder who might get the run, which direction the swing pass will go, or whether both will just stay back in max-protection or act as the outlet... It's enough to make a Steelers fan giggle with glee.

HV 3:23

STEELERS PICK AT #23 OF THE THIRD ROUND (#87 OVERALL)

HV 3:24

Henry Anderson, DE, Stanford - 6'6", 294 lbs. but with 33-1/2" arms (that somehow measured 32-3/4" at the Senior Bowl, causing upset). Stanford plays a base 3-4 and Anderson has spent time at both NT and DE. Last year the Steelers got Josh Mauro out of Stanford and were very happy with the find until he got poached off the practice squad. Anderson is a better prospect than Mauro was. If the team believes that Big Dan McCullers can be a true backup for Steve McLendon, a guy like Henry Anderson could be the ideal way to set the complete defensive line of the future. He looked really good at the Senior Bowl despite playing out of position (mandatory 4-3 sets), which is encouraging. The nfl.com scouting report will give you an idea of why a guy who would fit so well might fall to the Steelers well into Day 3 - basically, his tape is so-so and there are legitimate questions about his final ceiling.

HV 3:24

Max Valles, OLB, Virginia - 6'5", 251 lbs. with 32-5/8" arms. There's a certain kind of prospect who appeals to coaches even more than fans. He's young, smart, has every measurable, is insanely athletic, and is so totally raw that you can mold him into the exact player you want him to be. In 2015 his name is Max Valles, a 19 year old athletic marvel who surprised everyone by declaring for the draft as a true Sophomore. This excellent scouting report from Football Insiders will give you a solid feel for both the potential and the perils, and this brief article from NFL.com will fill in some background. If Kevin Colbert really does draft for what a player will look like three years from now, Valles will be a very serious target for the Pittsburgh Steelers organization.

HV 3:24

Jordan Richards, SS, Stanford - 5'10-3/4", 211 lbs. with 32-1/2" arms. A smart, hard-hitting Strong Safety with sound fundamentals but limited athleticism that looks like he should be a nice contributor but probably not a special one. The Steelers' need for a Safety is hotly debated because it depends on your view of two largely unproven players in Mike Mitchell and Shamarko Thomas. Richards would be brought in to compete with Headache (still one of my all-time favorite nicknames). FWIW, Richards earned one of my favorite Mayock compliments during the Combine telecast: "[Richards] runs the show wherever he goes. He's that smart." There's a lot to be said for a player who will always be in the right place at the right time, and will help others to get there too.

HV 3:24

Quandre Diggs, CB, Texas (Interviewed) - 5'9-1/8", 196 lbs. with shorter (29-5/8") arms. A four year starter from a school that produces good DB's, Diggs manages to look like a good player on the field, but not a special athlete. At the Combine he flashed very quick feet, natural hands, and looked good in the movement drills, but was also repeatedly typecast as a slot corner rather than an outside guy on the boundary. The NFL.com scouting report hints at a player who will need to develop exceptional technique to counter the physical limitations that leave him exposed to genuine giants and significant speedsters. Finally, he's supposed to be a smart young man, a student of the game who improved every year, and thus a prospect who can absorb what Carnell Lake has to teach. Had a nice pick in the Senior Bowl that prompted the commenting crew to say, "Need a nickel corner? This is your guy." Diggs is also the baby brother (13 years difference) of Quinten Jammer, the longtime Chargers CB.

HV 3:24

Ladarius Gunter, CB, Miami (Fla.) - 6'1-1/2", 202 lbs. with 31-1/2" arms. Performed well enough at the Senior Bowl practices to be called "the most impressive outside cornerback" there. Gunter looks perfect on paper, but didn't play like a star on the field - which may say more about his Miami coaches than him because the same could be said of teammates Clive Walford (TE) and Philip Dorsett (WR), who were the best at their positions during the Senior Bowl practices, and Anthony Chickillo (4-3 DE) who split that honor at the Shrine Game. OTOH, his measurables at the Combine were a bit lacking too, where he ran a shockingly slow dash (4.69) and looked a bit "off" in the movement drills. This scouting report from way back in October gives a good flavor, concluding that Gunter "is a smooth but nonexplosive athlete," and "a bit of an in between Corner prospect; a long, lean player without quick twitch ability or notable physicality." This write-up/scouting report after the Florida State game in November makes interesting reading too. My takeaway is that tackling can be taught, and a tall enough, long enough, and fast enough boundary corner might be a very useful addition to the Steelers squad, but explosiveness seems to be a trait that both Colbert and Tomlin value very highly. The supposed lack of "quick twitch ability" will be a major focus for the Pittsburgh scouts. His play at the Senior Bowl was a bit mixed. He earned one, clear P. I. penalty for failing to turn his head on a deep pass, but he looked impressive on run support and passes that went in front of him. This scouting profile from Bleeding Green Nation, our sister site for the Eagles, projects Gunter as a 3rd rounder who might even rise into the 2nd.

HV 3:24

JaCorey Shepherd, CB, Kansas - 5'11", 199 lbs. with 30-5/8" arms. Kudos to Matt Miller at Bleacher Report who created the initial scouting report for the young Mr. Shepherd. Sounds like a kid who could rise as the process moves forward.

HV 3:24

A.J. Cann, G, South Carolina - 6'3", 313 lbs. with shorter 32-5/8" arms. A smart, four-year starter who seems to have a better grasp of the pass protection fundamentals than most of his peers, even if he's sometimes vulnerable to real quickness on the inside. Who isn't? Cann is also quite strong, and has proven adept at moving unwilling men to where he wants them to go in a power blocking scheme. The reports say he's not as mobile as you'd like, however, and might be a less than great fit if asked to run the outside zone. Sounds a lot like Ramon Foster in many ways when you come right down to it. This link will take you to the nfl.com scouting report, and this one to a profile from our sister site for the Giants.

HV 3:24

Jeremiah Poutasi, G, Utah - 6'5-1/8", 335 lbs. with 33-7/8" arms. Has the potential to be a solid Guard in the league if he can put it all together.

HV 3:24

Donovan Smith, OT/G, Penn State (Interviewed) - 6'5-3/4", 338 lbs. with 34-3/8" arms to match. As discussed in this January Post-Gazette article, the general opinion was that Smith should have stayed in college for another year to hone his skills. He was an outright star at the Senior Bowl, however, which with those measurables is enough to propel him into serious consideration for a Day 3 pick. Mike Mayock and Charles Davis went so far as to use words like "dominating," "terrific," and "he's winning on almost every snap" during that broadcast.

HV 3:24

Daryl Williams, OT/G, Oklahoma - 6'5-1/4", 327 lbs. with long 35" arms. Williams is the Right Tackle bookend to Oklahoma's other big prospect, Tyrus Thompson, and as indicated by this article and this article, his very dear friend. Williams is the quiet, over-achieving, hard-working technician to Thompson's brash and brilliant athleticism. He won't wow as much at the Combine and probably lacks the feet to play on the blindside, but he's the sort of guy with a very high floor on the right side and probably at Guard.

HV 3:24

Tyler Kroft, TE, Rutgers - 6'6", 246 lbs. with 33" arms. From the little I've read so far I like this kid. He's tall enough, has good hands with the occasional drop, has very good straight-line speed, and has been described as a "feisty" blocker who lacks the physical mass to excel in that aspect of the game. His 2014 was less impressive than the year before, but that could easily be due to very poor QB play. One can't help but think that a year or two of professional strength training would fix that, leaving a prototypical, multipurpose player in its wake. This scouting report dates back to October but is worth reading if you can tolerate the self-congratulatory introduction. Here is a nice little scouting report from January, and there is a November scouting report buried in here as well.

HV 3:24

Javorius "Buck" Allen, RB, USC - 6'0", 221 lbs. I rarely link to CBS because I use it so often that basically every player would require the reference. In this case, however, there is a video scouting report that's kind of fun. Others have complained that he goes down after first contact a bit too easily, which is a trait that does not endear itself to Steeler Nation. His back story will, however. Look it up. Allen and Jay Ajayi are very hard to distinguish on paper due to overlaps in size, accomplishments, receiving skills, and other areas. This October scouting report/article is notable because it compares Allen to Bishop Sankey based on a quote from Allen's position coach - who happened to be Sankey's teacher last year.

HV 3:24

Tony Lippett, WR/CB, Michigan State - 6'2-1/2", 192 lbs. with long (32-3/4") arms. A two-way player at Michigan State who intrigues everyone that's looking for the next Richard Sherman. He'd be an intriguing pick for the Steelers in particular because Pittsburgh is one of the few teams that might actually use him in a two-way capacity, though we would probably hope that he'd change his mind and put Corner as the higher priority. The biggest knock is so-so long speed (4.61), but he did top the ratings in the 60-yard shuttle. Also known as a fine young man and a hard worker who was the team MVP.

HV 4:01

Deion Barnes, OLB, Penn State - 6'3-7/8", 260 lbs. Young and raw, Barnes will require at least one and probably two years of seasoning before he's ready to contribute, but he has the size, speed and power to be a good one he can learn how to use them correctly. This November article from the Pittsburgh Post Gazette is a nice place to start, as is this January article on his decision to leave early. There's also a brief write-up in this article.

HV 4:01

Anthony Chickillo, OLB, Miami (Fla.) - 6'3-1/8", 267 lbs. with 33-1/2" arms. A big, strong kid who seems to be best suited to be a run-stuffing 4-3 DE, but looked okay in the linebacker drills at the Combine. If he can really move to the outside, he'll make a fine mid-draft pick. He dominated at the Shrine Game after looking great all week in the practices too.

HV 4:01

Kyler Fackrell, OLB, Utah State - 6'5", 245 lbs. His performance earned a higher grade but a season-ending ACL tear pushes that down. If the Steelers double up on pass rushers, Fackrell might be a very good investment to build depth in the pipeline.

HV 4:01

Jermauria Rasco, OLB, LSU - 6'3", 247 lbs. If you want to impress this author with your potential, a good way to start is having the nfl.com scouting report begin by lauding your "upper echelon football intelligence". Okay, I get that Rasco is a little smaller and has fewer physical tools than you'd prefer, but an exceptionally smart and solidly tough player has as better chance than most to figure out and excel in a complicated defense like the Steelers'. Looked good at the East West Shrine Game too.

HV 4:01

Lynden Trail, OLB, Norfolk State (transfer from Florida) - 6'6-1/2", 269 lbs. with crazy-long, 34-7/8" arms. A long, athletic, highly recruited prospect who was recruited to Florida by Urban Meyer and left at the same time his coach did. He's played very well, if not dominantly, at his new FCS school. With all that length Trail looks more like a 4-3 DE but Norfolk State actually plays a 3-4, giving him plenty of reviewable experience as a stand-up OLB. Trail also impressed throughout the Senior Bowl practice week, but may have lost some ground when he posted very pedestrian numbers at the Combine in both the speed drills (40 and 10-yard split) and the explosion tests (bad vertical and horizontal jumps). Here is a nice scouting report and interview from Dane Brugler at CBS, and a similar, equally complimentary scouting report from nfl.com.

HV 4:01

Tony Washington, OLB, Oregon - 6'3-1/2", 247 lbs. with 33" arms. You'd think a leading pass rusher on an elite college team would get more press, and the press was willing to oblige back in the spring. But during the actual season Washington was just a constant "okay." The big question will be "why".

HV 4:01

Erick Dargan, S, Oregon - 5'11", 210 lbs. One of my favorite picks if he somehow falls to the 4th or 5th Round, which is hard to believe in this is a very weak class for safeties. Dargan has excellent range, formidable coverage skills, good hands, and a genuine desire to lay the wood on both running backs and receivers who dare to enter his zone. So why is he a Day 3 pick on this Board? He has all those assets but not enough of any in particular to make him stand out. I like him because he seems like a bigger Shamarko Thomas; i.e., an old-fashioned baller who will somehow find a way to help his team no matter where he fits on the depth chart. A good Combine could rocket him up the Board. This is a very summary scouting report to get you started.

HV 4:01

Kurtis Drummond, SS, Michigan State - 6'0-1/2", 208 lbs. with 32-1/4" arms. A solid, well-rounded player who has contributed for several years to an elite college defense. He's a Day 2 guy because he lacks elite speed and needs to add some bulk in order to thump at the level required for a Steelers Safety. This is a nice October 1st scouting report and interview from Dane Brugler of CBS Sports. This is the full Walter Football scouting report.

HV 4:01

Justin Coleman, CB, Tennessee - 5'11", 201 lbs. with 31-1/4" arms. Read this scouting report at NFL.com and then answer a question: Doesn't it sound like the Pittsburgh Steelers would be an ideal system for Justin Coleman to thrive in? He stood out at the East West Shrine Game and practices, impressing both the pundits (Mike Mayock, Daniel Jeremiah, and Charles Davis) and reputedly a few of the wide receivers too. Flashed very quick feet at the Combine too.

HV 4:01

Craig Mager, CB, Texas State - 5'11-1/2", 201 lbs. with shorter (29-3/4") arms. A good, aggressive, run-supporting corner with a reputation for being just a step too slow to really rise up the board. A 4.44 and other good numbers at the Combine (other than arm length) helped his stock a good bit. The NFL.com scouting report is a nice place to start.

HV 4:01

Eric Murray, CB, Minnesota - 6'0", 195 lbs. Described as a "tough and gritty man corner", the numbers will say whether he's a Day 3 pick, or has that special athletic genius that shows glimmers of a higher than expected ceiling.

HV 4:01

Cody Riggs, CB, Notre Dame - 5'9", 190 lbs. Someone needs to write a song called the Draft Pick Blues. The chorus, which Riggs would have mastered by now, would go something like this: "They say he's a baller but the lad has been cursed / If he was four inches taller he could dream of the first..." The NFL site's scouting report lauds the young man's intelligence, instincts and toughness but makes no bones about adding a verse or two for the Blues.

HV 4:01

Damian Swann, CB, Georgia - 6'0", 189 lbs. with 31" arms. He's an explosive athlete who had a good 2013, but in 2014 he was very up-and-down. Some weeks he looked like a future NFL starter, and others like a wide receiver's plaything. At this point he averages out to "just another mid-round guy", but those are exactly the types that can make a significant rise as the process moves on. Professional coaching will undoubtedly bring out the true Damian Swann. It's just very hard to tell whether that will be a Dr. Jekyll or a Mr. Hyde. The NFL.com scouting report suggests that his style of play might be better suited to more of a man-system than the Steelers' traditional reliance on zone and off-man coverage, but that's a pretty narrow distinction to begin with and Swann was able to impress Mike Mayock with his physicality at the Shrine Game practices. This excellent scouting report from a Seahawks site is a must-read for a balanced point of view, including the likelihood that many of Swann's woes can be traced to coaching issues and turnover.

HV 4:01

Jarvis Harrison, G, Texas A&M - 6'4-1/8", 330 lbs. with 33-1/2" arms An excellent mover in space for a man that size, and as powerful as a Guard is supposed to be. Needs to work on the fundamentals for pass protection but if he didn't have flaws like that he wouldn't be available as a mid-round pick. Has an injury history to his shoulder and calf and showed some toughness playing through it. Based on the descriptions this is a kid worth more attention than most of his peers. It seems like good coaching could find a whole new level of performance that he's only show glimpses of in college.

HV 4:01

Ali Marpet, G/C, Hobart - 6'3-3/4", 307 lbs. with 33-3/8" arms. Well, well, well! Perennial D-III lacrosse powerhouse Hobart has produced a football player, and according to the vast amount of buzz coming out of the Senior Bowl and the Combine he's got the potential to be a good one. Reports and results show top notch quickness and mobility, and it should be noted that he was also one of the few players (along with Laken Tomlinson) who anchored well enough to give the 343-pound 1st Round NT prospect Danny Shelton a genuine run for his money. Mike Mayock opined that Marpet "Has the ability to be a starting Center in this league." Pittsburgh would want him more as a utility player who could back up at Guard too, and compete with Ramon Foster for a starting spot.

HV 4:01

Tyrus Thompson, OT/G, Oklahoma - 6'4-7/8", 324 lbs. with 34-7/8" arms. Tyrus Thompson is big and athletic enough to play tackle, but not so tall or lanky that Guard is out of the question, and he can move well enough to play in either a "power" or a "zone" running scheme. That makes him a very flexible asset, which Mike Tomlin always loves. Thompson seems to be a mature and fairly charismatic young man, as indicated by this article and this article, both of which focus on his enduring friendship with Oklahoma's other Tackle Daryl Williams. But he still has some "nasty," as shown by a flash-in-the-pan 2012 scandal where he through a punch. Perhaps best of all, Thompson may drop a bit because this is a strong class and he has a number of technical flaws that will require skilled coaching to fix. It would be hard to design a better toy for Coach Munchak to play with. This scouting report from our sister site for the Giants compares him to Cordy Glenn, which sounds about right to me if you add "poor man's" to the front.

HV 4:01

Ben Koyack, TE, Notre Dame (Interviewed) - 6'5", 255 lbs. with 32-5/8" arms. Another multifaceted tight end who will rise in the draft because he's among the best of a weaker class. As you can see from the nfl.com scouting report, Koyack offers a lot of as-yet untapped potential that makes him a more intriguing pick than most. A poor week of practice at the Senior Bowl dropped him down the Board a little.

HV 4:01

Cameron Artis-Payne, RB, Auburn - 5'10", 212 lbs. A back who is solid in all phases of the game but spectacular in none. His productivity would normally call for a pick somewhere toward the 3rd Round, but given this class and the Steelers' roster he probably won't go to Pittsburgh until Day 3. You can find the nfl.com scouting report here.

HV 4:01

Chris Conley, WR, Georgia - 6'1-7/8", 213 lbs. with 33-3/4" arms. Blew up the Combine in every which way, showing off superb athletic skills to pair with a sterling character. We're only including wide receivers who (a) might fall to Day 3, and (b) offer a set of special characteristics that would mesh them in well as the #4. Conley checks "a" all the way, but we can only hope for "b".

HV 4:16

Tyeler Davidson, NT, Fresno State - 6'2", 316 lbs. with 34" arms. Right now he's projected as a 4-3 defensive tackle by most reviewers. I haven't discounted as much in this case because the numbers suggest that he might be able to bulk up and play the Nose, especially with those long arms. We'll know more as the process plays out.

HV 4:16

Grady Jarrett, DE, Clemson (Interviewed) - 6'1", 304 lbs. with 32-3/8" arms. Too short to be a Steelers DE, and too small to be a Steelers NT. Grade dropped by a full round or two because he's really only a fit for the 4-3 teams, which is a shame because he looked almost dominant in some of the Senior Bowl practices. On the plus side, the Steelers must see something in his prospects because he booked one the team's precious interview slots at the Combine.

HV 4:16

Travis Raciti, DE/NT, San Jose State - 6'5", 290 lbs. He has the look of a Steelers DE, but didn't play well in college when given the chance to try out 5-technique snaps. There may also be questions about whether he's physically maxed out because he actually started school as a tight end.

HV 4:16

Adrian Amos, FS, Penn State - 6'0-1/2", 218 lbs. with 32-1/4" arms. Amos played a lot of Corner in his first few years before moving to Safety in 2014, is a willing enough hitter, and has all the physical tools to be a standout player. The problem is that he never seems to put all that talent together and no one seems to know why. This scouting report from the NFL site gives a nice summary. Mayock called him "a sneaky good player."

HV 4:16

Durrell Eskridge, S, Syracuse - 6'3", 208 lbs. with 32-3/8" arms. A tall, rangy hitter in the middle of the field. He hails from Headache Thomas' alma mater and might go at around the same time in the draft, but the two could not be more different in body type.

HV 4:16

Deshazor Everett, S/CB, Texas A&M - 5'11", 188 lbs. A tough and physical player with a lot of potential that has never quite gelled at the cornerback position. It's one of those cases where the coverage tools are there but there's always "something" that seems to go wrong. If the coaches see a fixable pattern, however, Everett would be a fine mid-round CB option. If the coverage issues look more entrenched he would be a find mid-round option at safety. FWIW, he seems to be an aggressive personality who enjoys hitting more than tackling, has gotten a fair number of penalties for things like targeting, and (last year) got suspended for being in a bar fight. Everett's scouting report at NFL.com may win most quotable line of the year with this gem: "Loves to hit and eats glass out on the field." ROFL!

HV 4:16

Josh Shaw, S/CB, USC - 6'0-1/2", 201 lbs. with 30-3/4" arms. Disclaimer: There's something about Josh Shaw that reminds me way too much of Taylor Mays: a phenomenal straight line athlete who "disappointed" by turning into a solid, multi-year journeyman. That comparison is probably a better explanation for this grade than any of what follows, though I flatter myself that they aren't really inconsistent. The first thing to know as you dig deeper is that Josh Shaw is the kid who told the Big Lie about how he sprained his knees. The initial story had him leaping from a balcony to save his little nephew from drowning. Huge news and feel good story! That turned out not to be true. He just "fell" off the balcony. Reading between the lines, you'd normally think that hints at an altered state of mind but it appears there may be some kind of domestic violence issue lurking in the shadows. I found this scouting report at NFL.com particularly useful because it emphasizes a few physical limitations (top speed and less flexible hips) while also noting that Shaw was limited by a series of very coachable flaws in his technique. FWIW, Shaw made a good showing at the East West Shrine Game, where Mike Mayock and Charles Davis agreed that he was "a little stiff" and would probably fit best as a corner in a press man system. He played much less well at the Senior Bowl, where he seemed to have serious trouble getting his head around and looked like he'd be a free first down for any professional QB in search of a pass interference call. OTOH, he seems to be a notable presence on special teams, which doesn't hurt. He started on this Board as a CB with Safety as his alternative, but got switched after the Senior Bowl. Ran a nice 4.44 at the Combine.

HV 4:16

Cam Thomas, S/CB, Western Kentucky - 6'1", 190 lbs. Get past the name Steeler Fan, and look at the player! If the Steelers wait until Round 3 or 4 to target a corner, Thomas will be very high on the list. He's got the height, he's a willing tackler, he's played some Safety, and the criticisms seem to center on fixable issues of technique and on-field discipline. This December interview makes for interesting if less-than-informative reading. During the East West Shrine Game telecast Mike Mayock and Charles Davis agreed that he was probably a better candidate to play Free Safety in the NFL than Corner, but kept the options open. He was snubbed from the Combine so we'll have to look forward to his pro day for more data.

HV 4:16

Bernard Blake, CB, Colorado State - 6'0", 185 lbs. A player from a smaller program with enough technical flaws to both drop him down and offer hope that good coaching could develop him into a much better player than he was in college. The NFL.com scouting report suggests that the basic tools are there for Coach Lake to unearth and work on.

HV 4:16

Bobby McCain, CB, Memphis - 5'9-1/2", 195 lbs. with 30-1/2" arms. Read this scouting report at NFL.com and tell me: Doesn't this sound like a player who could absorb could coaching and develop into something far better than his college results would suggest? Mike Mayock referred to him as "an ideal nickel candidate" with "great feet" after watching him at the East West Game practices.

HV 4:16

Rob Havenstein, OT, Wisconsin - 6'7-3/8", 321 lbs. with 33-3/4" arms. Havenstein's a perfect demonstration of how different eyes can see different things even when they all belong to reliable experts. The common thread is that he possesses excellent strength and extraordinary length, but doesn't move as well as you'd like (though he did look okay at the Combine) and can have height-related problems playing low enough. He's downgraded here because the Steelers already have size XXL backup Tackles in both Mike Adams and the 6'9" Alejandro Villanueva.

HV 4:16

Josue Matias, G/C, Florida State - 6'5", 309 lbs. with 33-1/8" arms. A solid Guard prospect with good technique other than a few coachable holes. Ranked a little lower here than on other boards because of questions about his ability to move in space. Why pick a Guard who would have the same issues as the already-proven Ramon Foster?

HV 4:16

Blake Bell, TE, Oklahoma (Interviewed) - 6'6", 252 lbs. with 33-1/8" arms. Following in the footsteps of both a father and an uncle who in the NFL, Blake Bell was an almost-good-enough running back at Oklahoma who asked his coaches to move him to tight end for his senior year. The results were mixed. He has ideal size and showed both understanding of and a willingness to attempt every facet of the job. And he showed a moderate amount of talent for all of them. It's just that he's really raw - as in "only played the position for one year" raw - which requires a lot of projection. Note that the Steelers interviewed both Blake Bell and A.J. Derby of Arkansas at the Combine, which is interesting because they present almost identical backgrounds.

HV 4:16

E.J. Bibbs, TE, Iowa State - 6'2", 258 lbs. with 31-1/2" arms. The "standard" resources such as CBS and Walter Football give Bibbs a consistent 3rd-4th round grade, but there are some who would grade him lower. This miniature scouting report is more in line with the general consensus.

HV 4:16

A.J. Derby, TE, Arkansas (Interviewed) - 6'4", 255 lbs. with short 30-1/2" arms and smallish 9-1/2" hands. Following in the footsteps of both a father and an uncle who in the NFL, A.J. Derby played both quarterback and linebacker at Arkansas before moving to tight end as a Senior. He flashed good speed and hands, with a willingness to block but a bit less success at it. The real issue, however, is that he's as raw as you can be with only one year of experience at the position, which requires a major amount of projection for the pros. Note that the Steelers interviewed both A.J. Derby and Blake Bell of Oklahoma at the Combine, which is interesting because they present almost identical backgrounds.

HV 4:16

Nick O'Leary, TE, Florida State (Interviewed) - 6'3", 252 lbs. with T-Rex arms (29-3/4"). A good H-back prospect who can dream of growing into a Dallas Clark type. I've applied a downgrade here because the Steelers have more use for a true Tight End than another versatile weapon. I was tempted to give him the ‘bloodlines' bonus but refrained. It must mean something when you're the grandson of Jack Nicklaus, but I'm not sure what - except for the guarantee Tony Romo (a scratch golfer) is sure to be a fan of versatility throughout the early Winter. Still, the headlines would be fun. "A Nicklaus invades the land of Arnie's Army!" This November scouting report from Football Outsiders provides a fairly rosy viewpoint.

HV 4:16

Wes Saxton, TE, South Alabama - 6'3", 248 lbs. with 32" arms. There isn't much information floating around on Saxton but expect that to change as the process moves forward. The nfl.com scouting report is cursory but still better than anything else I've found, and is consistent with all the little snippets. He seems to be an excellent athlete who flashes the potential to be a very good receiver, but is very raw in all phases of the game. It's just... looking at the numbers it's hard to see a true tight end instead of a huge and good-blocking possession receiver.

HV 4:16

Josh Robinson, RB, Mississippi State - 5'8", 217 lbs. As summarized by our own Steel34D: "He is small in stature and doesn't have great long speed but he has really nice feet. There is an old saying ‘It is not the size of the dog in the fight but the size of the fight in the dog.' Man does this dog have some fight. He consistently can not be brought down by the first contact. He runs behind his pad. He is very fun to watch." All I'll add is that the combination of width and attitude suggest he'll be able to block as well, and he has a reputation for being sneaky good as an outlet receiver.

HV 4:22

STEELERS PICK AT #22 OF THE FOURTH ROUND (#___ OVERALL)

HV 5:01

Christian Covington, DE, Rice - 6'2", 289 lbs. with 33-1/4" arms. A very solid tweener prospect who appears to be a better fit as a 4-3 DT than a 3-4 DE/NT swing guy. The question will be whether there's room for him to add some bulk and become a utility lineman. If so, he deserves a solid Day 3 grade from our point of view. If not, there are greener pastures.

HV 5:01

Gabe Wright, DE, Auburn - 6'3", 300 lbs. with 32-5/8" arms. Another 4-3 defensive tackle who gets discounted here by a full round or two because the Steelers play a 3-4. Probably ought to be on the "Ain't Gonna Happen List" instead. This is a decent scouting report to give you an overall flavor of his prospects.

HV 5:01

Corey Crawford, OLB, Clemson - 6'5-1/4", 283 lbs. with long 34-1/2" arms. Crawford's a bit tough to evaluate for the Steelers. He seems to have the balance and the overall athleticism to play in space despite his size, has shown real talent in run support, has excellent length in both height and wingspan, and even flashes some decent bend and funkiness in his pass rush. That's promising stuff. But a 283-pound outside linebacker? Really? The other downside is that Crawford plays more of a power game and lacks the explosive burst that all the Steelers' best OLB's have had in their back pocket. How far can he progress in this system without that asset? If I had to come up with a player comparison (based on written descriptions rather than film study), I'd say Crawford sounds like a poor man's Paul Kruger. Kruger wins with a high motor, above-average but not-special physical assets, and a weird ability to make blockers confused about where he's going to go. If everything goes right, that's what this young man will grow up to be.

HV 5:01

Xzavier Dickson, OLB, Montana - 6'3-1/2", 260 lbs. with 33-1/2" arms. He's probably higher on the Ravens' board than ours, since Ozzie loves players from his alma mater.

HV 5:01

Kyle Emmanuel, OLB, North Dakota St. - 6'3", 255 lbs. with shorter, 31" arms that may limit him to playing on the inside as a pro. A small school prospect with enough raw talent to be a very promising developmental prospect. As discussed in the NFL.com scouting report, Emmanuel has a non-stop, high-energy approach to the game that reminds you of a very raw Clay Matthews... or the sort of prospect that drowns when he hits the oceanic depths of the NFL after excelling in a much smaller pond.

HV 5:01

Shaquille Riddick, OLB, West Virginia - 6'5", 242 lbs. An entry from our own PsychoKuz, who has Riddick rated much higher than the internet pundits. Here's his description [cleaned up]. "A transfer from Gardner-Webb who won Big 12 defensive player of the week in WVU's upset over Baylor. When I watched the film on him, I got the same impression that Dane Brugler did: quick off the snap with an on-field motor that is never idle; balanced, with a flexible lower body and natural bend; and possessing long arms and active hands to swat blockers hands away. The big concern is his functional strength which is probably in the Jarvis territory (i.e. needs to live in the weight room in the offseason). He reminds of a more polished version of Larry Webster (who went in the 4th last year)."

HV 5:01

Davis Tull, OLB, Tennessee-Chattanooga - 6'2", 246 lbs. with 31-1/4" arms. Showed extraordinary explosiveness at the Combine with a 42‑1/2" vertical jump and an 11'0" broad jump, both of which were best-in-show for the linebackers and done with a twinged hamstring that kept him from running or doing the drills. That put him on the Board, but those short arms may keep him limited in the pros to being on the inside.

HV 5:01

James Vaughters, OLB, Stanford - 6'2", 258 lbs. A tough, smart player who lacks measurables and needs to learn some pass rush moves. But coming out of Stanford ... if what he needs to know can be learned, it will be. The Combine will be huge.

HV 5:01

Zach Wagenmann, OLB, Montana - 6'3", 247 lbs. with 33-1/2" arms. A favorite sleeper candidate over at Bleacher Report, Wagenmann is described as an "all-out effort all the time... pass rush maniac" who "is everything that fans wanted last year's sixth-round pick Jordan Zumwalt to be and so much more." If that's even remotely true he deserves to be a favorite.

HV 5:01

Anthony "A.J." Jefferson, SS, UCLA - 6'0-7/8", 198 lbs. with 31-1/2" arms. Impressed former NFL Safety Matt Bowen at the Senior Bowl with his footwork, movement skills, flexibility, and speed coming downhill. Nice size on him too, though he ran a disappointing 4.72 at the Combine.

HV 5:01

Imoan Claiborne, CB, Northwestern State (La.) - 5'11", 187 lbs. As described in the NFL.com scouting report, Claiborne looks like a classic Steelers mid-round Corner prospect. He has the underlying physical tools such as fluid hips and the ability to mirror a receiver, a series of coachable flaws, and some overblown questions about his size that might cause him to drop into bargain territory. The Combine could make a real difference in this case since long speed is one of the concerns.

HV 5:01

Nick Marshall, CB/S/QB, Auburn - 6'1-1/2", 207 lbs. with long (32-1/2") arms. An almost-successful-enough quarterback at Auburn, Marshall surprised everyone by changing his position to corner at the Senior Bowl. Given his size you'd have to guess that Safety is a possibility too, and he was a good enough QB to serve as an emergency #3 in that capacity too. With all that versatility to offer I think it's fair to say that Marshall would be a fantastic catch as a Day 3 developmental prospect, but the need for at least one and probably two years of training before getting on the field is enough to keep him from rising into serious consideration for Day 2. This article will give you some background. Marshall obviously has an intimate familiarity with route trees and the like from the other side of the ball, but really has to be considered nothing more than high quality clay as a corner despite some experience dating back to High School. The word out of the Senior Bowl can be summed up as "fluid, fast, willing to hit (he nailed RB Ameer Abdullah), and offering very intriguing potential." This NFL.com article from November contains additional background and deserves extra credit for ‘calling the shot' before anyone else. Ran well enough but not great at the Combine (4.54 in the 40).

HV 5:01

Julian Wilson, CB/S, Oklahoma - 6'2", 205 lbs. with long (32-3/8") arms. A solid height/weight/speed candidate for Day 3, with a reputation for being exceptionally smart as well.

HV 5:01

Andrew Donnal, OT, Iowa - 6'5-7/8", 313 lbs. with 33-1/2" arms. A sound player with enough flaws to knock him down the Board a bit, but enough upside for Mike Mayock to opine that he "could be a starting right tackle."

HV 5:01

Jamil Douglas, G, Arizona State - 6'4", 304 lbs. with 33-3/8" arms and big 10-3/4" hands. A mobile and technically advanced Guard who needs to add some strength. Has played Tackle too, but speed rushers apparently gave him enough trouble that it's not a viable option in the pro game. Per Mike Mayock: "He has starting Left Guard traits in the NFL."

HV 5:01

Sean Hickey, OT, Syracuse (Interviewed) - 6'5", 309 lbs. with 32-3/4" arms. A local boy who's developed into a solid technician with good feet, and who might take a serious step up by (a) building strength in a professional program, and (b) sucking up knowledge from a certain Hall of Fame coach. (NOTE: And from a certain former all-pro named Tunch Ilkin, who was working with him in preparation for the upcoming draft). If the FO believes it's time to grab a mid- to late-round developmental tackle, Hickey may well be the guy. He'd be a perfect fit and a bargain at that price - and it would please all three generations of the Steeler season ticket holders in his family. (If we don't get you Sean, may you have a long and successful career wherever you end up!)

HV 5:01

John Miller, G, Louisville - 6'2-1/2", 303 lbs. with 33-1/4" arms. The nfl.com scouting report is sort of damning, but Mike Mayock made a point of praising him for great balance and potential at the East West Shrine Game. "He's a lot better than people think..." So it's probably fair to compromise and call him a solid, if Day 3, Guard prospect. He stood out at the Combine, but the big question is still whether he has the pure athleticism to serve as an upgrade compared to Ramon Foster.

HV 5:01

Robert Myers, G, Tennessee State - 6'4-3/4", 326 lbs. with 33-3/4" arms. A technically proficient and reasonably athletic player who flashes really good power here and there, but who is so inconsistent that it will take good coaching at least a year of very hard work to fix it. He's not better than Ramon Foster, but he has a chance to be. That's enough to earn him a Day 3 spot on the Board.

HV 5:01

Brandon Bridge, QB, South Alabama - 6'4", 229 lbs. This one is based on the CBS Sports scouting report and interview, which intrigues me. What it describes is a tremendous athlete with a great arm, somewhat erratic mechanics, good accuracy (when the mechanics are on), and virtually no experience at the position (10 games in a minor conference). If the Steelers draft a quarterback it will be with the intention of training him behind the scenes for at least three years in the hope that he'll mature into a gem that can step in when Ben gets old enough to start missing more games. Brandon Bridge looks perfect for that role.

HV 5:01

Bryce Petty, QB, Baylor - 6'2-7/8", 230 lbs. Showed off tremendous arm talent at the Combine, and has been a winner throughout his college career.

HV 5:01

Malcolm Brown, RB, Texas - 5'11", 224 lbs. First things first. I have to fess up. Mr. Brown has got me peeved for a totally stupid reason: his Day 1-2 teammate is a Nose Tackle candidate named Malcom (without the second "L") Brown, and you can't look one up without banging into information about the other. I waste enough time on this stuff already Mal, couldn't you be more considerate? [LOL]. Substance-wise, the Texas RB is basically a straight-ahead power back with one good, sharp cut in him on any given run. His big asset is a very low pad level that makes him hard to stop on short yardage downs. If he proves to have decent hands, Malcolm-with-the-second-L Brown might make a nice Day 3 pick as a backup to Leveon Bell.

HV 5:01

John Crockett, RB, North Dakota St. - 6'0", 217 lbs. A solid runner who gets faint praise because he's good at many things but excels at none. Big, but that that big; explosive but not overly powerful; shifty and elusive, but not in a way that pops your eyeballs; willing to block but not great at it; etc.

HV 5:01

Braylon Heard, RB, Kentucky - 5'10", 198 lbs. Repeat after me: "S-C-A-T-B-A-C-K". What does that spell? Braylon Heard. Might be appealing as a change of pace back, and maybe even a punt returner.

HV 5:01

Matt Jones, RB, Florida - 6'2", 231 lbs. A one-cut-and-downhill runner who sounds like he'd excel in an outside zone scheme if his field vision was a little better, and who also has enough size to run between the tackles. Injury problems (clearing medical checks on his knees will be an important step) and a poor offensive line have limited his productivity in college. This article on his decision to go pro will provide a little background. Here is a nice little scouting report.

HV 5:16

James Castleman, DE/NT, Oklahoma State - 6'2", 300 lbs. Sort of like Steve McLendon, Castleman is a highly athletic tweener who is a little smaller than you'd want for a NT and a little shorter than you'd want for a DE. OTOH, he has long arms to make up for the length, and a combination of athleticism, quickness and work ethic to make up for the size. There's not a lot of flab in those 300 pounds. Give him a year in the weight room to add more pure muscle and you might well have that solid, across-the-line backup Pittsburgh is looking for.

HV 5:16

Clayton Geathers, SS, UCF - 6'1-1/2", 218 lbs. with 31-5/8" arms. Reports describe him as a kid who loves to hit, but often fails to make the actual tackle because wrapping up is much less fun. Has some genuine upside but it will take at least a year or two of good coaching to see if there's a way to bring it out.

HV 5:16

Chris Hackett, FS, TCU - 6'0", 195 lbs. with 31-1/2" arms. Reports describe him as a willing but not great hitter with excellent range and solid coverage ability; i.e., a classic Free Safety centerfielder. Had a truly awful Combine, where he looked both slow in the dash (4.81) and "tall and tight" in the movement drills. That dropped his grade by a full two rounds on this Board. Let's hope he can fix all that at his pro day.

HV 5:16

James Sample, SS, Louisville - 6'2-1/8", 209 lbs. with 32" arms. Called a ‘sleeper' by Mike Mayock at the Combine, this article will give you some nice background. The actual scouting reports seem to agree that he's an in-the-box thumper with decent but not great speed (4.56), and who's suffered from a lack of playing time due to the transfer from Washington. Has some real potential that might be revealed with proper coaching... or not.

HV 5:16

Bryce Callahan, CB, Rice - 5'10", 185 lbs. Callahan rose a bit by impressing Mike Mayock with his quickness at the Shrine Game practices, and again in the actual game. Here is the scouting report from NFL.com, which I would translate as "really worth sticking on a practice squad in the hope of finding something special after a year of proper coaching."

HV 5:16

Troy Hill, CB, Oregon - 5'10-1/2", 182 lbs. with short (29-1/2") arms. Hill played well in college despite being a constant target because he was across the field from Ifo Ekpre-Olomu. Other than his generally small stature and measurements, the issues all involve off-field stuff. He was suspended from the 2013 Bowl game for the ever-popular ‘violation of team rules,' and was charged in a domestic violence case that got plead down on condition that he take anger management classes (which he did, and completed).

HV 5:16

B.J. Finney, G/C, Kansas State - 6'3-3/4", 318 lbs. with short 32" arms. A walk-on turned starter, Finney's considered an exceptionally strong Center, and thus someone we can project to being a mobile Guard as well. K-State runs a zone blocking scheme, so that is a well-trained strength. Needs to work on his fundamentals in pass protection, however, and lacks both the explosion and the road-grading size to be great in the power game or on the goal line. Should go higher to a team that needs a Center.

HV 5:16

Mark Glowinsky, G/OT, West Virginia - 6'4-3/8", 307 lbs. with 33-1/8" arms. Here are the nfl.com scouting report and a brief article mentioning how much buzz Glowinsky created at the Shrine Game practices. The references to specific, coachable problems combined with a great attitude and superior mobility present a very interesting picture. The main knock on Ramon Foster is exactly that - lack of mobility - so a developmental prospect who might add that into the Steelers repertoire sounds appealing.

HV 5:16

Sean Mannion, QB, Oregon State - 6'6", 229 lbs. There are very few QB's on this year's Board because the Steelers have a very specific need: a late-round bargain who might mature into something special and save the team from having disaster strike when Ben finally reaches the end of his career. Sean Mannion makes that list because the elevator-pitch scouting report reminds me of someone: ‘Plenty tall enough but so rail-thin that you have to worry. Limited mobility but has the arm to make every throw look easy, if not enough of an arm to stand out. Pinpoint accurate except when he's not (footwork and lower body mechanics - learnable things - are lacking), intelligent, a coach's son, and able to read defenses, but work on the basics could make all that even better.' The guy I'm reminded of went to the Patriots in the 6th to back up a 30 year-old star named Drew Bledsoe. I will not complain if the Steelers do almost as well with a backup for the almost-33 Ben Roethlisberger. Most sites project Mannion to go in the 3rd or 4th Round but it's hard to see the Steelers spending a pick that high on anyone who would be a pure, 3rd-string backup. This is a decent, if summary scouting report from our sister site for the Jets. This pocket scouting report for the pocket passer actually suggests the Steelers as an appropriate landing spot.

HV 5:16

Dominique Brown, RB, Louisville - 6'2", 234 lbs. A one-cut-and-downhill runner who sounds like he'd excel in an outside zone scheme. His flaw is a lack of breakaway speed, and a general unwillingness to smash things in despite his size. His assets include descriptions that Pittsburgh has come to value, like "patience", "vision," and shiftiness through the hole. A fine Day 3 prospect as a backup running back.

HV 5:16

Stephon Diggs, WR, Maryland - 6'0", 195 lbs. with longer (31-1/4") arms and big 10" hands. Diggs has tremendous, home run speed and decent quickness but may fall to the Steelers' range because of several concerns, including some very raw route running, the depth of this year's receiver class, and durability concerns that include a broken shin bone (fibula) that will limit his rookie year. Here is a quick scouting report.

HV 5:16

Rannell Hall, WR, UCF - 6'0", 198 lbs. On the Board for flashing a set of brilliant hands at the Senior Bowl; so good that the broadcasters had to go through a series of three or four film clips to find the particular one that made them go "Ooooh!" the most.

HV 5:16

Josh Harper, WR, Fresno State - 6'1", 191 lbs. Harper is fast enough to get by but makes his living off being exceptionally quick - sort of like a taller and skinnier Antonio Brown. He even has the hands to pair with it (albeit small ones at 8-3/4"). Size, strength, long speed, raw route running, and the exceptional depth of this year's class are what might drop him into the Steelers' grasp on Day 3. Here is a nice little scouting report uses Golden Tate as a comparable talent, which sounds fair.

HV 5:16

Tre McBride, WR, William & Mary (Interviewed) - 6'0", 210 lbs. with long 32-1/8" arms. A really solid prospect from Mike Tomlin's alma mater who would be a serious value pick from the 5th round on. Good height and really nice hands, combined with a top notch week at the East West Shrine Game and (reputedly) great long speed, combine to make this small school prospect worth a serious look. Here is the scouting report from nfl.com, another scouting report from our sister site for the Jets, and a fairly good scouting report from a Seahawks point of view.

HV 5:24

STEELERS PICK AT #24 OF THE FIFTH ROUND (#___ OVERALL)

HV 6:00

Zach Zenner, RB, S. Dakota St. - 5'11", 223 lbs. The kid who celebrated on upside-down alphabet day is a pure one-cut, downhill runner with decent speed but only one good move per play. In this year's class he'd be a consolation prize, but maybe one that's good enough to take over the backup job.

HV 6:01

Darius Kilgo, NT, Maryland - 6'2", 310 lbs. An entry suggested by poster Pittsblitz56.

HV 6:01

Joey Mbu, NT/DE, Houston - 6'3", 313 lbs. with ape-like 35" arms. Supposed to have tremendous character (as a person and a football player) and was a locker room leader. What he hasn't done is establish either the level of power you'd want from a NT or the athleticism you'd want from a 3-4 DE. But he has been sort of in between the two and a versatile backup has to be up there on the Steelers list of "wants..." Mbu might make a nice Day 3 pick on the idea that professional training could help him to become an Al Woods-ish utility backup.

HV 6:01

Cedric Reed, DE, Texas - 6'5", 269 lbs. with 33-3/8" arms. He'd need to grow into the position a bit, but he has the long arms to play 5-technique. Coming into the Combine a little lighter and showing an ability to move in space might even make him a candidate for OLB. Who knows? At this point he's a late day flier for the Steelers. Reed had a great 2013, but disappointed in 2014 - though post-season news indicates that might be due to a nagging injury.

HV 6:01

Leterrius "L.T." Walton, DE, Central Michigan - 6'5", 319 lbs. with 32-1/4" arms. Initially went on the Board because he caught Mike Mayock's at the Shrine game practices, but is likely to stay there because sources like the nfl.com scouting report suggest that he might offer real value as a late round pick.

HV 6:01

Sam Carter, SS, TCU - 6'1", 215 lbs. Supposed to be a jack-of-all-trades type who will stick in the league for several years by finding a niche that combines nickel DB, in-the-box safety, special teams ace, and locker room gold. The Combine could matter for Sam Carter because he seems to come with enough concerns about his foot speed to counterbalance his supposedly excellent instincts.

HV 6:01

Taveze Calhoun, CB, Mississippi State - 6'0", 170 lbs.

HV 6:01

Jamon Brown, OT/G, Louisville - 6'4", 323 lbs., with long 34-3/8" arms. On the Board because he impressed a number of people at the Shrine Game practices, including Mike Mayock. He has a number of notable technique flaws that are touched on by the NFL.com scouting report but they all sound like things a good coach could fix, and the Steelers have the best.

HV 6:01

Max Garcia, C/G, Florida - 6'4", 309 lbs. with 33-1/8" arms. On the Board after showing an ability to handle the monstrous Danny Shelton one-on-one at the Senior Bowl. Garcia would make a nice Day 3 option if the team believes he has the versatility to back up at both Guard and Center.

HV 6.01

Greg Mancz, G/C, Toledo - 6'4", 300 lbs. Here is the nfl.com scouting report, which was confirmed to some extent by the Shrine Game practices. Mancz flashed good fundamentals and footspeed but reportedly had some serious problems handling the higher level of power and strength than he routinely saw at Toledo. A year in the weight room is essential. But if he can add that power (and it is an "if"), the Steelers could use a versatile lineman who might be able to back up both the Center and Guard positions.

HV 6:01

Jean Sifrin, TE, U. Mass. - 6'5", 245 lbs. with 33-3/8" arms. A name thrown into the ring by BTSC member bradshaw2ben. According to this article Sifrin was very productive at U. Mass. (42 catches in 11 games with 6 TD's) and has that much desired basketball background, but he's also 27 years old (time off before college to take care of a son) which limits the upside a good bit. Here is another article from when Sifrin was announced as a semi-finalist for the Mackey (best college tight end) award.

HV 6:01

Titus Davis, WR, Central Michigan - 6'1", 196 lbs., with small arms (29-5/8") and hands (8-1/4"). An excellent route runner from Antonio Brown's alma mater, who holds many more school records than the aforementioned Mr. Brown, has better height than the aforementioned Mr. Brown, and is known to have pretty good hands. Which doesn't remotely mean that he's going to be anything close to the aforementioned Mr. Brown as a pro, just that he's a better prospect for draft day. And isn't that enough of a recommendation to jump on him as a prospect for the #4 wideout? Here is nice little scouting report #1, and here is scouting report #2.

HV 6:01

Devin Gardner, WR, Michigan - 6'4", 217 lbs. The Steelers may have the best core of WR's in team history next year. If Martavis Bryant and Markus Wheaton grow into their true potential it may become a unit in the discussion for GOAT. So why include any wide receiver on this year's Board? Simply because Gardner is so intriguing that he should be considered if he somehow falls to the later rounds. Gardner was a moderately successful QB at Michigan who has only begun to move into his new position. He's sneaky but not blazingly fast but he is a terrific (and tall) overall athlete who seems to have good hands and definitely has a good football IQ. He caught the eye of both Daniel Jeremiah and Charles Davis at the Shrine Game practices and performed well in the actual game. Wasn't invited to the Combine, so we'll have to wait for his pro day to get more data.

HV 6:16

Obum Gwachum, OLB, Oregon State - 6'5-3/8", 246 lbs. with long 34-3/8" arms. A late round flier with a really interesting background. He is a track and field champion in the high jump (7 feet!), long jump, and triple jump who played receiver for most of his college career. He only transitioned to the defensive side for a single season, but also earns points for having a sterling character as both human being and football player. The NFL.com profile sums things up perfectly: "Gwacham lacks the functional strength to play the run and he's still in the infant stages of learning how to rush the passer. His desire and character combined with his superb physical traits could make him a late-round project [for] teams with patience." For the Steelers I would peg him as a 7th-round flier or (more likely) a top-priority UDFA who could join the likes of Howard Jones and Roosevelt Nix as cosmic-level boom or bust projects on the practice squad. Any one of those guys could mature into something truly special.

HV 6:16

Zach Hodges, OLB, Harvard - 6'2-1/2", 250 lbs. with really long arms (34-1/4"). You face some serious level-of-competition questions when you're a pass rusher coming out of Harvard. Princeton, Yale and Brown aren't exactly known for their dominant offensive lines. Still, this scouting report from nfl.com indicates a pretty good amount of potential and you have to believe professional strength and technique training would yield more benefits to Hodges than to prospects who come from premier programs. Not a bad prospect at all for a Day 3 flier.

HV 6:16

Cariel Brooks, CB, Adams State - 5'9", 190 lbs. Grade based on this scouting report at NFL.com, which to my eye suggests a small-school player who ought to excel on Special Teams and could develop into a decent nickel back. Sort of a Ross Ventrone type but edging more toward Corner than Safety. That would be solid value in Round 6 or 7.

HV 6:16

Rob Crisp, OT, North Carolina St. - 6'6-5/8", 301 lbs. with 34-1/2" arms. Athletic enough and possessing quick feet, but lacking when it comes to power and showed some tightness at the Combine. Give him a year of training, however, and there might well be something there to be discovered. He's a Day 3 pick for the Steelers, but might prove to be a good one.

HV 6:16

Terry Poole, OT/G, San Diego State - 6'4-3/4", 307 lbs. with 33-1/4" arms. On the Board because he caught the eye of Mike Mayock at the Shrine Game practices. According to the nfl.com scouting report he's the sort of technician that could grow into a genuine player under the tutelage of Coach Munchak.

HV 6:23

STEELERS PICK AT #23 OF THE SIXTH ROUND (#___ OVERALL)

HV 6:33

STEELERS EXPECTED TO HAVE A COMPENSATORY PICK IN ROUND 6

HV 7:00

Ross Scheurman, RB, Lafayette - 5'11-7/8", 204 lbs. A late Day 3 pick from a tiny school who flashes exceptional hands as a receiver. The big flaws are a serious need to add some oomph to his too-thin frame, and a failure to dominate the lower level of competition as completely as you might have preferred. Flashed great quickness at the Combine shuttle runs, which is what got him on the Board.

HV 7:01

Brian Mihalik, DE, Boston College - 6'9", 288 lbs. Described as a "slow twitch" player who has no pass-rushing ability, Mihalik's upside is in his tremendous length and a lot of room to add more muscle. Not a bad prospect you're willing to bet that a year or two in the weight room could build enough strength to let him use that physique effectively.

HV 7:01

Ryan Mueller, OLB, Kansas State - 6'2", 245 lbs. A late round flier suggested by Fear94 based on this really interesting article.

HV 7:01

Trenton Brown, OT, Florida - 6'8-1/2", 355 lbs., with absurd 36" arms. Described as a kid with an immense ceiling (look at the size and length!) but also a very deep floor. Primarily a power player, which makes him less desirable for a team like the Steelers that likes more athletic linemen.

HV 7:01

Adam Snead, G, Oklahoma - 6'3-5/8", 338 lbs. with 33-3/4" arms. Long arms and good hands help in pass protection, but more of a power-scheme guy in the run. Has trouble finding and hitting defenders in space.

HV 7:01

Vince Mayle, WR, Washington State - 6'2", 224 lbs. A former basketball player with all the athleticism he needs to become a good wide receiver, but few of the skills. The number of drops are particularly disturbing, but his technique is so raw that all of the issues may prove to be something a good coach can solve. Given the top-notch raw materials, that's enough to make him a legitimate target late on Day 3 for a team with no real needs at the position.

HV 7:22

STEELERS PICK AT #22 OF THE SEVENTH ROUND (#___ OVERALL)

HV 7:33

STEELERS EXPECTED TO HAVE 1-3 COMPENSATORY PICKS IN ROUND 7

Matt Conrath, DE, Futures Contract - 6'7", 306 lbs. A potential 5-technique.

Ethan Hemer, DE, Reserve Contract - 6'6", 282 lbs. A potential 5-technique.

Joe Kruger, DE, Futures Contract - 6'6", 287 lbs. A potential 5-technique.

Howard Jones, OLB, Futures Contract - 6'4", 238 lbs. The Division II uber-athlete UDFA from 2014

Shawn Lemon, OLB, Futures Contract - 6'2", 250 lbs. The "developed" CFL pass rusher signed in January.

Roosevelt Nix, OLB, Futures Contract - 5'11", 260 lbs. Baby Deebo. Short, big & immensely strong. But can he move in space and around edges?

Jordan Dangerfield, S, Reserve Contract - 5'11", 200 lbs. A fan-favorite UDFA who made a splash last year but couldn't make the team.

Alden Darby, S, Futures Contract - 5'10", 192 lbs. Another special teams demon trying to be a safety. Fantastic locker room guy too.

Isaiah Lewis, S, Futures Contract - 5'10", 211 lbs. A thumping, in the box strong safety candidate. Will probably excel on special teams coverage duties.

Kevin Fogg, CB, Futures Contract - 5'11", 185 lbs. Decent sized small school prospect. Did he develop in his redshirt year?

Mitchell Van Dyk, OT, Futures Contract - 6'7", 299 lbs. The army ranger without a position. Offensive lineman or super-big tight end?

Alejandro Villanueva, OT, Futures Contract - 6'9", 277 lbs. The army ranger without a position. Offensive lineman or super-big tight end?

Rob Blanchflower, TE, Futures Contract - 6'4", 256 lbs. A multi-purpose tight end. Maybe. Rumors say the coaches like him.

Michael Egnew, TE, Futures Contract - 6'5", 260 lbs. A good receiver who's never figured out the blocking part of his job description.

Tim Benford, WR, Reserve Contract - 5'11", 198 lbs. A 2012 Cowboys UDFA who's supposed to be a good route runner and okay at everything else. Has been fighting knee issues since he came to the league.

Brelan Chancellor, WR/KR, Futures Contract - 5'8", 188 lbs. A short but not small, very elusive receiver who will try to challenge for kick return duties.

C.J. Goodwin, WR, Futures Contract - 6'3", 190 lbs. Mel Blount's receiver donation from last year. Extraordinary leaping ability and decent hands. An early favorite for the #5 receiver spot, especially if he learns from Heyward-Bey's willingness to play special teams.

L'Damian Washington, WR, Futures Contract - 6'4", 200 lbs. A skinny, high-leaping speed merchant; i.e., Martavis Bryant lite.

Arik Armstead, DE, Oregon - 6'7", 296 lbs. Pure, athletic potential in a quasi-human form. If the Steelers hadn't taken Stephon Tuitt in last year's draft I would be on top of the table kicking and screaming for Armstead even though I firmly believe he'll go in the top 10-15 picks. I'd probably be urging the team to trade up, for that matter. But with Tuitt on board... Ain't Gonna Happen.

Michael Bennett, 4-3 DT, Ohio State - 6'2", 288 lbs. Great player who needs to be a 3-technique tackle on a 4-3 team, but who isn't quite great enough to trigger the Aaron Donald ‘who cares about position?!' reflex.

INSIDE LINEBACKERS

Ereck Flowers, OT, Miami - 6'6-1/4", 329 lbs. with long, 34-1/2" arms. A prototypical Right Tackle who will almost certainly go in the 1st round, and thus a player who can't be seriously considered on a Steelers-oriented Board.

Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon - 6'4", 215 lbs. Too good a prospect to fall to the Third. As described above, that's the cutoff point this year.

Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State - 6'4", 232 lbs. Too good a prospect to fall to the Third. As described above, that's the cutoff point this year.

Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin - 6'1", 207 lbs. Gordon's expected to be the guy who will break the 1st-Round drought on RB's. This scouting report from Sports Illustrated compares him to Jamaal Charles, and this November scouting report from Bucky Brooks at the NFL Network to a more complete and uninjured Darren McFadden. Melvin Gordon is the one guy I feel safe in saying cannot fall all the way to 3:23.

Todd Gurley, RB, Georgia - 6'0-1/2", 222 lbs. Gurley was considered the best running back in the country, even better than Melvin Gordon, until he tore an ACL in November and the tobacco in that pipe took on a different flavor. He's sort of like a Leveon Bell with 4.30, Olympic-caliber speed: a big, strong, and yet surprisingly shifty runner with good hands out of the backfield and the size to be an excellent protector in the pocket. This is a nice scouting report if you want more detail, and this is an October video scouting report from Bucky Brooks at the NFL Network will give you the basic story. Before the knee injury Gurley would have been in the running for "best athlete in the entire draft." Now he's going to fall. The only question is, how far? Knowing our luck, the answer will be the Ratbirds at #26.

Thomas Rawls, RB, Central Michigan 5'9", 215 lbs. Decent talent, but too many off-field issues to take the risk.

Karlos Williams, RB, Florida State - 6'1", 230 lbs. There are too many good running backs to use a slot on someone with all sorts of character and underperformance red flags. Here is a scouting report if you want to know more.

WIDE RECEIVERS BEFORE DAY 3