Realistic Steelers mock drafts

[pete74]

i made the comment about Hightower being a 2 down lb'er a few weeks ago and agree with him. he would be awesome at stuffing the run but is a liability against the pass

[Dalarin]

Originally Posted by pete74

i made the comment about Hightower being a 2 down lb'er a few weeks ago and agree with him. he would be awesome at stuffing the run but is a liability against the pass

We like to keep our base defense in on 3rd and long though. I could see him being very useful in our 5 linebacker set but you can count how many times we use that per game on 1 hand. A 1st round pick should be able to contribute all the time. Would you use a 1st on a fullback or a nickel corner?

[bac151rum]

Want to throw this out there, because its the first time I saw it about Hightower, and I think it makes a big difference. A huge difference, actually.
The common thread that runs through all the Hightower threads is that "he's only a two down linebacker." But there was an addition today. After he's only a two down linebacker..." came "...in a 4-3 defense." Which is a huge difference, since we don't run a 4-3. If he's an everydown linebacker in a 3-4, then he fits our needs as well as anyone we could draft (cept DeCastro)

[Kingmagyar]

Hightower could always be sent on the blitz on 3rd downs as often done by Farrior on downs when he is on the field with 4 linebackers.

[Dalarin]

Originally Posted by Kingmagyar

Hightower could always be sent on the blitz on 3rd downs as often done by Farrior on downs when he is on the field with 4 linebackers.

Farrior was a great cover linebacker until around 07-08 when he lost a step. Farrior is faster now than Hightower is and that is disheartening.

[Fire Arians]

Originally Posted by Dalarin

Farrior was a great cover linebacker until around 07-08 when he lost a step. Farrior is faster now than Hightower is and that is disheartening.

if this is the case then no to hightower. if we don't get someone faster than farrior, that will mean we will continue to get abused by ray rice for the next 5 years or so

[Dalarin]

Originally Posted by Fire Arians

if this is the case then no to hightower. if we don't get someone faster than farrior, that will mean we will continue to get abused by ray rice for the next 5 years or so

Rice might get his payday somewhere else. Hightower could scare rice to the outside where our OLB's and safeties can clean up. I'm not too afraid of hightower when opposing teams run. It's the passing game that hurts his stock in my books

[Bayz101]

Hightower is a similar size and build to Woodley. Farrior seems much skinnier and smaller than Woodley. Is Woodley really faster than Farrior?

[Dalarin]

Originally Posted by Bayz101

Hightower is a similar size and build to Woodley. Farrior seems much skinnier and smaller than Woodley. Is Woodley really faster than Farrior?

I don't see where this matters but farrior played faster and ran a faster 40 than woodley and still had the ability to change direction which hightower does not and woodley is not as adept at. Woodley also runs his 40 faster than hightower. It almost seems to me like youre suggesting we draft him as a weakside linebacker... On top of that wood covers mostly in the flat. ILB's in this defense drop in coverage a lot. The 3-4 zone blitz is all about being unpredictable, not knowing what linebackers will do until its done. We would lose some of that ability with a player like hightower. The 40 time is irrelevant. Watch gametape and see his ingame speed before making a call on him