ricardisimo
02-22-2012, 02:25 AM
Indianapolis today-Feb. 28
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
By Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
INDIANAPOLIS -- The Steelers have spent the past three years using their No. 1 draft choice to rebuild and strengthen their lines of scrimmage.
Could this be No. 4?
Is this the year they find the heir apparent to Casey Hampton, 11 years after they drafted their five-time Pro Bowl nose tackle in the first round?
Do they draft a pulling left guard to line up between young stars Maurkice Pouncey and Marcus Gilbert and upgrade an offensive line that has been a problem spot the past two seasons?
Looking ahead
What: NFL draft.
When: April 26-28.
Steelers: Select 24th in the first round.
Or is it time to find a replacement for defensive captain and inside linebacker James Farrior, who turned 37 last month?
The Steelers will begin to seek answers to those questions when the NFL Scouting Combine -- the market district of college talent -- begins today at Lucas Oil Stadium.
And it might be a good time to find Hampton's eventual replacement because there is good depth at the defensive tackle position, especially nose tackle. At least, that is the opinion of NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock, who thinks there is good value in the interior of the defensive line through the first three rounds.
"I think the nose tackle position is important for that defense, always has been," said Mayock, who was drafted in the 10th round by the Steelers in 1981 but never played for them.
"At defensive tackle, you can go two or three rounds deep and get a really good football player. So, whether you get them at [No.] 24 [in the first round] or get them further down, I think you can get a good football player."
Mayock, though, believes the Steelers top priority is offensive line -- "They've got to continue to get younger and more athletic" -- and finding players who can protect quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.
Here is a look at five of the top needs for the Steelers as they enter the 2012 season.
Nose tackle
The Steelers have long considered nose tackle to be one of the two most important positions in the 3-4 defense, and nobody has done it better than Hampton.But Hampton is 34 and will be coming off a second ACL surgery on his left knee. Complicating matters is that the surgery was performed in mid-January, making it unlikely he will be ready for the start of the regular season.
With veteran Chris Hoke's retirement, Steve McLendon, a former rookie free agent, is the only nose tackle on the roster.
The best available nose tackle in the draft is Dontari Poe of Memphis (6-5, 350), who is thick, stout and tough to move. But the Steelers might have to move up from No. 24 to get him.
"He's got a physical skill set that reminds me of Haloti Ngata," Mayock said. "I don't think he's Haloti Ngata, he's that big and he's got those kind of movement skills. But he's so raw, it's scary. He might not make a tackle year one. You know what I mean? He's one of those guys."
[B] Inside linebacker
If the team keeps Farrior, their longtime defensive captain, it is unlikely they will retain his top backup, veteran Larry Foote, because of salary-cap reasons. And, even if Farrior does come back, he cannot play every down any more.
The best inside prospect could be Boston College's Luke Kuechly, but Dont'a Hightower of Alabama and Vontaze Burfict of Arizona State are projected as possible first-round picks, too. Kuechly, though, will be gone before the Steelers select.
"I think Kuechly is a special player ... he's going to get everybody lined up in the right place," Mayock said. "I think a guy like Dont'a Hightower could be available in the first round, but there are positives and negatives about him. But he's a big, strong, downhill inside linebacker."
Guard
The Steelers are set at tackle and center and the combination of Doug Legursky and Ramon Foster gives them options at right guard.
But the team needs to find a left guard who can pull and lead their counter plays -- something they thought they had with Chris Kemoeatu. But Kemoeatu was benched last season because of poor performance and mental mistakes, and their bread-and-butter counter plays suffered.
Among the guards, there is a big dropoff after the top two -- Stanford's David DeCastro and Georgia's Cordy Glenn. Kevin Zeitler of Wisconsin is a late first-round to mid-second-round pick and Ben Jones of Georgia could last until late in the second round.
"I think, depending on how it plays out, I think there is a lot of flexibility with interior offensive linemen in the draft," Mayock said. "I think for the first three rounds, you can get a lot of quality at center or either guard."
Defensive end
The Steelers have used their No. 1 pick on a defensive end in two of the past three drafts, so they will not do so again.
But, faced with the possibility that longtime end Aaron Smith might not be back, the Steelers could continue to build their depth with young players.
It is unlikely the Steelers would address this position until the middle rounds, where players such as Jared Crick of Nebraska and Kheeston Randall of Texas have the lean body-type they desire.
It is not a good year for defensive ends in a 4-3 defense, but, in the 3-4 defense, tackles play more like an end. "It's the deepest position in this year's draft," Mayock said.
Tight end
It remains to be seen how much new offensive coordinator Todd Haley likes to use multiple tight ends, but the Steelers likely could afford one in the draft. Especially because No. 3 tight end Weslye Saunders has been suspended for the first four games of the '12 season and could be released.
Clemson's Dwayne Allen (6-5, 255) might be the best combo tight end because he can run, catch and block. Coby Fleener of Stanford (6-6, 248) is a former basketball player who can catch, and Georgia's Orson Charles (6-3, 242) is like a big wide receiver. Fleener will not participate in the combine because of an ankle injury.
"The problem with all three of them is, none of them are in-line blockers," Mayock said.
Gerry Dulac: gdulac@post-gazette.com and Twitter @gerrydulac.
Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/12053/1211755-66.stm#ixzz1n65TMOYo
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
By Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
INDIANAPOLIS -- The Steelers have spent the past three years using their No. 1 draft choice to rebuild and strengthen their lines of scrimmage.
Could this be No. 4?
Is this the year they find the heir apparent to Casey Hampton, 11 years after they drafted their five-time Pro Bowl nose tackle in the first round?
Do they draft a pulling left guard to line up between young stars Maurkice Pouncey and Marcus Gilbert and upgrade an offensive line that has been a problem spot the past two seasons?
Looking ahead
What: NFL draft.
When: April 26-28.
Steelers: Select 24th in the first round.
Or is it time to find a replacement for defensive captain and inside linebacker James Farrior, who turned 37 last month?
The Steelers will begin to seek answers to those questions when the NFL Scouting Combine -- the market district of college talent -- begins today at Lucas Oil Stadium.
And it might be a good time to find Hampton's eventual replacement because there is good depth at the defensive tackle position, especially nose tackle. At least, that is the opinion of NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock, who thinks there is good value in the interior of the defensive line through the first three rounds.
"I think the nose tackle position is important for that defense, always has been," said Mayock, who was drafted in the 10th round by the Steelers in 1981 but never played for them.
"At defensive tackle, you can go two or three rounds deep and get a really good football player. So, whether you get them at [No.] 24 [in the first round] or get them further down, I think you can get a good football player."
Mayock, though, believes the Steelers top priority is offensive line -- "They've got to continue to get younger and more athletic" -- and finding players who can protect quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.
Here is a look at five of the top needs for the Steelers as they enter the 2012 season.
Nose tackle
The Steelers have long considered nose tackle to be one of the two most important positions in the 3-4 defense, and nobody has done it better than Hampton.But Hampton is 34 and will be coming off a second ACL surgery on his left knee. Complicating matters is that the surgery was performed in mid-January, making it unlikely he will be ready for the start of the regular season.
With veteran Chris Hoke's retirement, Steve McLendon, a former rookie free agent, is the only nose tackle on the roster.
The best available nose tackle in the draft is Dontari Poe of Memphis (6-5, 350), who is thick, stout and tough to move. But the Steelers might have to move up from No. 24 to get him.
"He's got a physical skill set that reminds me of Haloti Ngata," Mayock said. "I don't think he's Haloti Ngata, he's that big and he's got those kind of movement skills. But he's so raw, it's scary. He might not make a tackle year one. You know what I mean? He's one of those guys."
[B] Inside linebacker
If the team keeps Farrior, their longtime defensive captain, it is unlikely they will retain his top backup, veteran Larry Foote, because of salary-cap reasons. And, even if Farrior does come back, he cannot play every down any more.
The best inside prospect could be Boston College's Luke Kuechly, but Dont'a Hightower of Alabama and Vontaze Burfict of Arizona State are projected as possible first-round picks, too. Kuechly, though, will be gone before the Steelers select.
"I think Kuechly is a special player ... he's going to get everybody lined up in the right place," Mayock said. "I think a guy like Dont'a Hightower could be available in the first round, but there are positives and negatives about him. But he's a big, strong, downhill inside linebacker."
Guard
The Steelers are set at tackle and center and the combination of Doug Legursky and Ramon Foster gives them options at right guard.
But the team needs to find a left guard who can pull and lead their counter plays -- something they thought they had with Chris Kemoeatu. But Kemoeatu was benched last season because of poor performance and mental mistakes, and their bread-and-butter counter plays suffered.
Among the guards, there is a big dropoff after the top two -- Stanford's David DeCastro and Georgia's Cordy Glenn. Kevin Zeitler of Wisconsin is a late first-round to mid-second-round pick and Ben Jones of Georgia could last until late in the second round.
"I think, depending on how it plays out, I think there is a lot of flexibility with interior offensive linemen in the draft," Mayock said. "I think for the first three rounds, you can get a lot of quality at center or either guard."
Defensive end
The Steelers have used their No. 1 pick on a defensive end in two of the past three drafts, so they will not do so again.
But, faced with the possibility that longtime end Aaron Smith might not be back, the Steelers could continue to build their depth with young players.
It is unlikely the Steelers would address this position until the middle rounds, where players such as Jared Crick of Nebraska and Kheeston Randall of Texas have the lean body-type they desire.
It is not a good year for defensive ends in a 4-3 defense, but, in the 3-4 defense, tackles play more like an end. "It's the deepest position in this year's draft," Mayock said.
Tight end
It remains to be seen how much new offensive coordinator Todd Haley likes to use multiple tight ends, but the Steelers likely could afford one in the draft. Especially because No. 3 tight end Weslye Saunders has been suspended for the first four games of the '12 season and could be released.
Clemson's Dwayne Allen (6-5, 255) might be the best combo tight end because he can run, catch and block. Coby Fleener of Stanford (6-6, 248) is a former basketball player who can catch, and Georgia's Orson Charles (6-3, 242) is like a big wide receiver. Fleener will not participate in the combine because of an ankle injury.
"The problem with all three of them is, none of them are in-line blockers," Mayock said.
Gerry Dulac: gdulac@post-gazette.com and Twitter @gerrydulac.
Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/12053/1211755-66.stm#ixzz1n65TMOYo