2015 NFL Draft: Pittsbugh Steelers Play-Along Big Board

Leonard Williams, DE, USC

NY JETS at #6

Vic Beasley, OLB, Clemson (Interviewed)

ATLANTA at #8

Dante Fowler Jr., OLB, Florida

JACKSONVILLE at #3

Randy Gregory, OLB, Nebraska (Interview & Visit)

DALLAS at 2:60

Trae Waynes, CB, Michigan St. (Interviewed)

MINNESOTA at #11

#22

Alvin "Bud" Dupree, OLB, Kentucky (Interviewed)

PITTSBURGH AT #22. Wahooooooo!

Owamagbe Odighizuwa, OLB, UCLA (Interviewed)

NY GIANTS at 3:74

Kevin Johnson, CB, Wake Forest (Interviewed & Dinner)

HOUSTON at #16

Brandon Scherff, G/OT, Iowa

WASHINGTON at #5

Danny Shelton, NT, Washington

CLEVELAND at #12

Shane Ray, OLB, Missouri (Interview & Visit)

DENVER at #23

Amari Cooper, WR, Alabama

OAKLAND at #4

DeVante Parker, WR, Louisville (Interviewed, Private Workout, Visit)

MIAMI at #14

Kevin White, WR, West Virginia

CHICAGO at #7

Landon Collins, S, Alabama (Visit)

NY GIANTS at 2:33

Marcus Peters, CB, Washington (Interviewed & Visit)

KANSAS CITY at #18

1:20

La'el Collins, G/OT, LSU (Interviewed) (*LEGAL QUESTION)

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Byron Jones, CB/S, Connecticut

DALLAS at #27

T.J. Clemmings, OT/G Pitt (Interviewed) (*FOOT INJURY)

INDIANAPOLIS at 4:110

Eli Harold, OLB, Virginia (Interviewed & Visit)

SAN FRANCISCO at 3:79

Nate Orchard, OLB, Utah (Visit)

CLEVELAND at 2:51

Jalen Collins, CB, LSU (Interviewed & dined with Tomlin)

ATLANTA at 2:42

Ronald Darby, CB, Florida St.

BUFFALO at 2:50

Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, CB, Oregon (MEDICAL QUESTION)

CLEVELAND at 7:241

Quinten Rollins, CB/S, Miami (Ohio) (Interviewed)

GREEN BAY at 2:62

Maxx Williams, TE, Minnesota (Interviewed)

BALTIMORE at 2:55

Arik Armstead, DE, Oregon

SAN FRANCISCO at #17

Malcom Brown, NT/DE, Texas

NEW ENGLAND at #32

Eddie Goldman, NT/DE, Florida St.

CHICAGO at 2:39

Alex Carter, CB/S, Stanford (Visit)

DETROIT at 3:80

Eric Rowe, CB/S, Utah (Interviewed & Visit)

PHILADELPHIA at 2:47

P.J. Williams, CB, Florida St.

NEW ORLEANS at 3:78

Cameron Erving, G/C/OT, Florida St.

CLEVELAND at #19

Carl Davis, NT/DE, Iowa

BALTIMORE at 3:90

Ameer Abdullah, RB, Nebraska

DETROIT at 2:54

Jay Ajayi, RB, Boise St. (MEDICAL QUESTIONS)

MIAMI at 5:149

Tevin Coleman, RB, Indiana (Interviewed)

ATLANTA at 3:73

Duke Johnson, RB, Miami (Interviewed)

CLEVELAND at 3:77

Danielle Hunter, OLB, LSU (Interviewed & dined with Tomlin)

MINNESOTA at 3:88

Hauoli Kikaha, OLB, Washington (Interviewed)

NEW ORLEANS at #44

Shaq Thompson, SS, Washington

CAROLINA at #25

Jake Fisher, OT, Oregon

CINCINNATI at 2:53

D.J. Humphries, OT, Florida

ARIZONA at #24

Cedric Ogbuehi ("Ah-BOO-hee"), OT, Texas A&M

CINCINNATI at #21

Henry Anderson, DE, Stanford

INDIANAPOLIS at 3:93

Jordan Phillips, NT, Oklahoma

MIAMI at #52

David Cobb, RB, Minnesota (Interviewed)

MINNESOTA at 5:138

Mike Davis, RB, South Carolina

SAN FRANCISCO at 4:126

David Johnson, RB, Northern Iowa (Interviewed)

ARIZONA AT 3:86

Trey Flowers, OLB/DE, Arkansas (Interviewed)

NEW ENGLAND at 4:101

Markus Golden, OLB, Missouri (Interviewed Over Dinner)

ARIZONA at 2:58

Lorenzo Mauldin, OLB, Louisville (Interviewed & Dinner with Tomlin)

NY JETS at 3:82

Preston Smith, OLB/DE, Mississippi St. (Interviewed & Visit)

WASHINGTON at 2:38

Za'Darius Smith, OLB, Kentucky

BALTIMORE at 1:22

Davis Tull, OLB, Tennessee-Chattanooga (Interview & Visit)

NEW ORLEANS at 5:148

3:01 (65)

Cody Prewitt, S, Ole Miss (Interviewed)

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Damarious Randall, S/CB, Arizona St.

GREEN BAY at #30

Jaquiski Tartt, S, Samford

SAN FRANCISCO at #46

Charles Gaines, CB, Louisville (Interviewed & Dinner with Tomlin)

CLEVELAND at 6:189

2:56

Senquez Golson, CB, Ole Miss (Interviewed & Visit)

YOUR PITTSBURGH STEELERS at 2:56

4:121

Doran Grant, CB/S, Ohio St. (Visit)

PITTSBURGH STEELERS at 4:121

Steven Nelson, CB, Oregon St. (Visit)

KANSAS CITY at 3:98

D'Joun Smith, CB, Florida Atlantic

INDIANAPOLIS at 3:65

3:01 (65)

Kevin White, CB, TCU (Interviewed)

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A.J. Cann, G, South Carolina

JACKSONVILLE at 3:67

Tre' Jackson, G, Florida St.

NEW ENGLAND at 4:111

Donovan Smith, OT/G, Penn St. (Interviewed)

TAMPA BAY at #2:2

Laken Tomlinson, G/C, Duke

DETROIT at #28

Jeff Heuerman, TE, Ohio St. (Interviewed & Visit)

DENVER AT 3:92

Clive Walford, TE, Miami (Interviewed & Meeting)

OAKLAND at 3:68

Jeremy Langford, RB, Michigan St. (Interviewed)

CHICAGO at 4:106

T.J. Yeldon, RB, Alabama (Interviewed)

JACKSONVILLE at #36

3:12 (76)

Anthony Harris, S/CB, Virginia

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3:12 (76)

Jacoby Glenn, CB, UCF

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Mario Edwards, DE Florida St.

OAKLAND at 2:35

Grady Jarrett, NT/DE, Clemson (Interviewed)

ATLANTA at 5:137

Javorius "Buck" Allen, RB, USC

BALTIMORE at 4:125

Geneo Grissom, OLB, Oklahoma

NEW ENGLAND at 3:97

Max Valles, OLB, Virginia (Visit)

OAKLAND at 6:179

Jordan Richards, SS, Stanford

NEW ENGLAND at 2:64

Derron Smith, S, Fresno St.

CINCINNATI at 6:197

Quandre Diggs, CB, Texas (Interviewed)

DETROIT at 6:200

3:24 (88)

Ladarius Gunter, CB, Miami (Fla.)

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JaCorey Shepherd, CB, Kansas

PHILADELPHIA at 6:191

Mitch Morse, G/C, Missouri

KANSAS CITY at 2:49

Jeremiah Poutasi, G/OT, Utah

TENNESSEE at 3:66

Ty Sambrailo, OT, Colorado St.

DENVER at 2:59

Daryl Williams, OT/G, Oklahoma

CAROLINA at 4:102

5:160

Jesse James, TE, Penn St. (Combine Visit)

PITTSBURGH STEELERS at 5:160

Tyler Kroft, TE, Rutgers

CINCINNATI at 3:85

Cameron Artis-Payne, RB, Auburn

CAROLINA at 5:174

Chris Conley, WR, Georgia

KANSAS CITY at 3:76

6:212

Anthony Chickillo, OLB, Miami (Fla.)

PITTSBURGH STEELERS at 6:212

4:01 (100)

Lynden Trail, OLB, Norfolk St. (transfer from Florida)

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4:01 (100)

Tony Washington, OLB, Oregon

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Adrian Amos, FS, Penn St.

CHICAGO at 5:42

4:01 (100)

Erick Dargan, S, Oregon

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4:01 (100)

Kurtis Drummond, SS, Michigan St.

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4:01 (100)

Deshazor Everett, FS/CB, Texas A&M

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7:239

Gerod Holliman, FS, Louisville (Dined with Tomlin)

PITTSBURGH STEELERS at 7:239

4:01 (100)

Justin Coleman, CB, Tennessee

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Lorenzo Doss, CB, Tulane

DENVER at 5:164

Craig Mager, CB, Texas St.

SAN DIEGO at 3:83

4:01 (100)

Cody Riggs, CB, Notre Dame

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Damian Swann, CB, Georgia

NEW ORLEANS at 5:167

Jarvis Harrison, G, Texas A&M

NY JETS at 5:153

Arie Kouandjio, G, Alabama

WASHINGTON at 4:112

Ali Marpet, G/C, Hobart (Private Workout)

TAMPA BAY at 2:61

Tyrus Thompson, OT/G, Oklahoma

MINNESOTA at 6:185

Ben Koyack, TE, Notre Dame (Interviewed)

JACKSONVILLE at 7:229

4:16 (115)

Bobby Richardson, DE, Indiana

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4:16 (115)

Malcolm Brown, RB, Texas

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Josh Robinson, RB, Mississippi St.

INDIANAPOLIS at 6:205

Stefon Diggs, WR, Maryland

MINNESOTA at 5:146

Justin Hardy, WR, Eastern Carolina

ATLANTA at 4:109

Tre McBride, WR, William & Mary (Interviewed)

Tennessee at 7:245

4:16 (115)

Zack Hodges, OLB, Harvard

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4:16 (115)

Durrell Eskridge, S, Syracuse (Interest Shown)

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Josh Shaw, S/CB, USC

CINCINNATI at 4:120

Bobby McCain, CB, Memphis

MIAMI at 5:145

Rob Havenstein, OT, Wisconsin

ST. LOUIS at 2:57

4:16 (115)

Josue Matias, G/C, Florida St.

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Nick O'Leary, TE, Florida St. (Interviewed)

BUFFALO at 6:194

MyCole Pruitt, TE, Southern Illinois

MINNESOTA at 5:143

Christian Covington, DE, Rice

HOUSTON AT 6:216

Tyeler Davison, NT, Fresno St.

NEW ORLEANS at 5:154

5:01 (137)

Joey Mbu, NT/DE, Houston

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5:01 (137)

Travis Raciti, DE/NT, San Jose St.

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5:01 (137)

John Crockett, RB, North Dakota St.

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5:01 (137)

Braylon Heard, RB, Kentucky

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Matt Jones, RB, Florida (Dinner Interview and Visit)

WASHINGTON AT 3:95

Tony Lippett, WR/CB, Michigan St.

MIAMI at 5:156

Kenny Bell, WR, Nebraska

TAMPA BAY at 5:161

5:01 (137)

Rannell Hall, WR, UCF

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5:01 (137)

Austin Hill, WR, Arizona

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Ty Montgomery, WR, Stanford

GREEN BAY at 3:94

Darren Waller, WR, Georgia Tech

BALTIMORE at 6:204

Frank Clark, OLB, Michigan

SEATTLE at 2:63

5:01 (137)

Corey Crawford, OLB, Clemson

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Kyle Emmanuel, OLB, North Dakota St. (Visit)

CHARGERS at 5:153

5:01 (137)

Justin Cox, FS/CB Mississippi St. (Interviewed)

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5:01 (137)

Anthony "A.J." Jefferson, SS, UCLA

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5:01 (137)

Imoan Claiborne, CB, Northwestern St. (La.)

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5:01 (137)

Nick Marshall, CB/S/QB, Auburn

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5:01 (137)

Julian Wilson, CB/S, Oklahoma

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Andrew Donnal, OT/G, Iowa

ST. LOUIS at 4:119

Jamil Douglas, G, Arizona St.

MIAMI at 4:114

Max Garcia, C/G, Florida

DENVER at 4:133

Mark Glowinsky, G/OT, West Virginia

SEATTLE at 4:134

5:01 (137)

Sean Hickey, OT, Syracuse (Interviewed)

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John Miller, C/G, Louisville

BUFFALO at 3:81

Robert Myers, G, Tennessee St.

BALTIMORE at 5:176

Blake Bell, TE, Oklahoma (Interviewed)

SAN FRANCISCO at 4:117

Bryce Petty, QB, Baylor

NY JETS at 4:103

5:16 (152)

James Castleman, DE/NT, Oklahoma St.

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5:16 (152)

Xavier Williams, NT, Northern Iowa

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5:16 (152)

Dominique Brown, RB, Louisville

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5:16 (152)

Antwan Goodley, WR, Baylor

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Xzavier Dickson, OLB, Alabama

NEW ENGLAND at 7:253

Shaquille Riddick, OLB, West Virginia

ST. LOUIS at 5:158

5:16 (152)

Zach Wagenmann, OLB, Montana (Recent injury should probably lower his grade)

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Clayton Geathers, SS, UCF

INDIANAPOLIS at 4:109

5:16 (152)

Chris Hackett, FS, TCU

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James Sample, SS, Louisville

JACKSONVILLE at 4:105

5:16 (152)

Cam Thomas, S/CB, Western Kentucky

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5:16 (152)

Bernard Blake, CB, Colorado St.

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5:16 (152)

Bryce Callahan, CB, Rice (Visit)

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5:16 (152)

Troy Hill, CB, Oregon

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5:16 (152)

B.J. Finney, G/C, Kansas St.

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Austin Shepherd, OT, Alabama

Minnesota at 7:228

5:16 (152)

E.J. Bibbs, TE, Iowa St.

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Nick Boyle, TE, Delaware

BALTIMORE at 5:170

5:16 (152)

Wes Saxton, TE, South Alabama (Visit)

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C.J. Uzomah, TE, Auburn (Visit)

CINCINNATI at 5:157

5:16 (152)

Brandon Bridge, QB, South Alabama

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Sean Mannion, QB, Oregon St.

ST. LOUIS AT 3:88

6:01 (177)

Derrick Lott, DE/NT, Tennessee-Chattanooga

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6:01 (177)

Ellis McCarthy, NT, UCLA

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6:01 (177)

Cedric Reed, DE, Texas

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6:199

Leterrius "L.T." Walton, DE, Central Michigan

PITTSBURGH STEELERS at 6:199

6:01 (177)

Zach Zenner, RB, S. Dakota St.

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6:01 (177)

Titus Davis, WR, Central Michigan

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6:01 (177)

Devin Gardner, WR, Michigan (Visit)

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Dezmin Lewis, WR, Central Arkansas

BUFFALO at 7:234

DeAndre Smelter, WR, Georgia Tech

SAN FRANCISCO at 4:132

6:01 (177)

Chandler "Cam" Worthy, WR, Eastern Carolina

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6:01 (177)

Deion Barnes, OLB, Penn St.

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6:01 (177)

Jermauria Rasco, OLB, LSU

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6:01 (177)

James Vaughters, OLB, Stanford

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6:01 (177)

Sam Carter, SS, TCU

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6:01 (177)

Taveze Calhoun, CB, Mississippi St.

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Jamon Brown, OT/G, Louisville

ARIZONA at 3:72

Laurence Gibson, OT, Virginia Tech

DALLAS at 7:243

6:01 (177)

Greg Mancz, G/C, Toledo

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6:01 (177)

Quinton Spain, G, West Virginia (Visit)

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A.J. Derby, TE, Arkansas (Interviewed)

NEW ENGLAND at 6:202

6:16 (192)

Da'Ron Brown, WR, Northern Illinois

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6:16 (192)

Josh Harper, WR, Fresno St.

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Obum Gwachum, OLB, Oregon St.

SEATTLE at 6:209

6:16 (192)

Marcus Rush, OLB, Michigan State

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6:16 (192)

Cariel Brooks, CB, Adams St.

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6:16 (192)

Travis Lee, CB, Miles College (Visit)

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6:16 (192)

Darryl Roberts, CB, Marshall (Visit)

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6:16 (192)

Rob Crisp, OT, North Carolina St.

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6:16 (192)

Terry Poole, OT/G, San Diego St.

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6:16 (192)

Cameron Clear, TE, Texas A&M (Visit & Workout)

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Darius Kilgo, NT, Maryland

DENVER at 6:203

7:01 (218)

Brian Mihalik, DE, Boston College

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7:01 (218)

Jake Kumerow, WR, Wisconsin-Whitewater

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Vince Mayle, WR, Washington St.

CLEVELAND  at 4:123

7:01 (218)

Ross Scheurman, WR, Lafayette

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7:01 (218)

Jeff Luc, OLB/ILB, Cincinnati

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7:01 (218)

Ryan Mueller, OLB, Kansas St.

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Cedric Thompson, FS, Minnesota

MIAMI at 5:150

Trenton Brown, OT, Florida

SAN FRANCISCO at 7:244

7:01 (218)

Adam Snead, G, Oklahoma

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James O'Shaughnessy, TE, Illinois St.

KANSAS CITY at 5:173

7:01 (218)

Tyler Murphy, QB, Boston College (Visit)

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7:16 (233)

Donatella Luckett, WR, Harding

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7:16 (233)

Jean Sifrin, TE, U. Mass.

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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. Dupree 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 our own 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. And the pass rushing stats are actually deflated in many ways because Dupree was asked to drop back in coverage on about 45% of his snaps - a skill that most OLB prospects have never even been exposed to. But - the big "but" - when he was asked to rush the passer Dupree simply didn't dominate in the way you'd like to see from a college player with those natural assets, and there are very real technical and football-IQ  issues that seem to explain it. For more detail see Neal Coolong's BTSC scouting report, which emphasizes how often Dupree seems to suffer from paralysis-by-analysis due to what appears to be a pattern of slow play-reading, and Neal's late process scouting report at SteelersWire. You should then supplement Neal's work with this scouting report from Stephen White, a retired NFL D-lineman who writes just about the most entertaining and informative reviews you can find. After pointing out that Dupree has the tools and the technique White, like Coolong, emphasizes that Dupree is also maddeningly inconsistent. His worry is less about play-reading, however, than his personal and coaching experience to the effect that consistency in effort and technique can be terribly hard to teach because some people just don't work that way. He concludes with this: "So put me down as someone who likes Dupree a lot and is very impressed with his physical ability, but a little underwhelmed by his tape. I would rather take him in the second round if possible, because I think he is somewhat of a risk."

After much debate there seems to be a consensus forming: (a) Dupree is the sort of prospect who is likely to have a slower-than-you'd-like development at OLB because of learning-curve issues rather than the more familiar issues with dropping back into coverage; and as a result he is likely to (b) contribute almost nothing in Year 1, (c) suffer the wrath of Steeler Nation throughout a struggling Year 2, (d) finally "get it" in Year 3, and then (e) make everyone eat crow as he matures toward being a star. Since he's reported to be a high-character, hard working, college team captain with plenty of brains (an honor student) and all kinds of other character pluses there is little chance that he will bust out completely, but it is possible that the breakthrough might be delayed until Year 4 instead of Year 3, which would infuriate all of us for salary cap reasons. So... is that summary "worthy" of a pick at #22 overall? I say "of course it is," but you can judge for yourself.

For other sources I recommend starting with this BTSC scouting overview, a nice one-stop-shop because it lists the positives and negatives as identified by CBS, Walter Football, and NFL.com. This goes to a very thorough, gif-supported scouting report at Draft Breakdown that's well worth a read as well (shout out to poster Porunga for finding it). If you want to know why people are so high on Dupree, take one more look at his absurd Combine results 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 at about the same level, and here is a longer and more thorough scouting report from back in November. Poster furthur56 found this excellent video scouting report on Dupree at YouTube. This scouting report comes from a Cowboys blogger who seems to do nice work, and gives an enthusiastic thumbs-up in this particular case with the notation that Dupree's tape occasionally shows that "extra gear" you only see in the really great ones. This dual scouting report for Bud Dupree and Davis Tull, from retired NFL scout Greg Gabriel, uses the phrase "a better athlete than football player" and concludes with a Round 2 grade for his film and a Round 1 grade for his upside. This is a fun and gif-heavy scouting report by Matt Waldman that compares Kentucky's two pass rushers, Bud Dupree (a "freak of nature" 3-4 OLB) and Za'Darius Smith ("a football player's football player: who will be a 4-3 DE). There is a nice scouting profile tucked away in Brett Kollman's April article on favorite edge rushers for the Texans' needs (Hint: Double-O ties with Dupree for the top spot). This is an April scouting profile from Sports Quotient. Here is a scouting profile from Matt Miller at Bleacher Report. This article on overrated prospects from retired scout Greg Gabriel sums up the criticisms nicely [paraphrasing as much as quoting]: "Dupree lacks top instincts, is more of a ‘read and react' type than an instinctively reacting player, and his Combine stats are a bit misleading when you consider the pro day drills (20 yard shuttle time of 4.47 and 3-cone time of 7.48), which would both rank in the lower half of the linebacker group at Indy and translate more to the slower of his two 40 times."

NOTE: the Steelers sent their entire defensive brain trust to attend Dupree's pro day - Mike Tomlin, Keith Butler and Joey Porter, with Todd Haley there too - so (a) we know Dupree is on the radar, and (b) we can be sure they've examined the developmental questions in excruciating detail.

POST-PICK NOTE: Mike Tomlin provided a quote after the pick that answers about 90% of the questions described above:

We had a chance to take him to dinner the night before his pro day,'' Tomlin said. "We had a good conversation with him. You could classify him as a football junkie and football historian. ... He had a lot of questions about James Harrison, not only the player but the professional. He asked a lot of questions about his workout regimen and things like that.

OLB