Steeler Nation, the 2011 NFL draft has now ended . Since the days of the great coach Chuck Noll, the Steelers have built their teams primarily through the draft. Preferring to mold and shape their own players and teach them the “Steeler Way”.
There's a chance that many of the players drafted in the 2011 draft can be stars and key players of the Steelers future success . No pick should be taken for granted or disregarded. There once was a pick in the 98 Steeler draft,, taken in the 3rd round 93rd player taken. This player played multiple position in college... a little quarterback , some tailback, before finally settling in at wide out .
During the combine it was discovered that this player had no ACL ligament in his left knee.Some may have thought he was a risky pick. This player would go on to become the Steelers all time leading wide receiver and hold virtually every Steeler receiving record. Not to mention multiple Pro Bowl appearances, a Super Bowl MVP and become one of the Steelers all time greats. That player is future Hall of Fame wide receiver Hines Ward.
So you see you just never know who will be the building blocks of the future. Here's a brief look and some thoughts on the Steelers 2011 draft picks.
1. Cameron Heyward DE Ohio St. : 6-5 294 - 4.95 40 Time
Steeler type player all around . A+ Character player ...Played in a scaled down version of Steelers defense at Ohio St. 4 year starter with plenty of big game experience. Great 3-4 DE . Strong and agile for size. Very versatile played all over line at Ohio St. Outstanding against the run with some pass rush ability.
Hard working and relentless player who has non stop motor. Great football smarts and attitude . Born in Pittsburgh. Should contribute much like Ziggy Hood did in his rookie year ,rotating and learning behind starters.
2 . Marcus Gilbert OT Florida : 6-6 330 - 5.23 40 Time
Started 30 games at Florida . Played at both tackle position in college . Surprisingly quick feet and agile for size. Very durable and consistent. Highly coach-able, always in playbook looking to improve. Considered well liked on team. Was a teammate of Steeler C Markice Pouncey and may have good chemistry with him as a Pro . Look for O-Line coach Sean Kugler to coach him up this season and he may even see some playing time.
3. Curtis Brown CB Texas : 6-0 180 - 4.51 40 Time
Considered Texas's best cover corner quick and very athletic . Excelled at all the drills at the NFL combine having a 39 inch vertical leap. Smooth transition out of back pedal and can mirror wide-outs. Was a special teams ace in college. Can play both man to man or zone coverages. Had only 2 career interceptions but opposing teams did not test his side of the field often. With all the free agents in the Steelers defensive backfield, look for Brown to at least play some nickle defense as a rookie and contribute on special teams.
4. Cortez Allen CB Citadel : 6-1 198 – 4.5 40 Time
Good size and speed combination. Extremely quick feet. Quick reaction time to play calls . Can support run defense well. Had 5 career interceptions and opposing teams never threw his way often. Still a raw talent with a lot of upside. Only played 1 year high school football . Allen reminds me a lot of Ike Taylor when he came out . He may need some coaching up but has great potental and could become a quality starter in time.
5. Chris Carter OLB Fresno St. : 6-1 248 - 4.62 40 Time
WAC 2010 Defensive player of the year who had 11 QB sacks and16.5 tackles for loss . Played DE in college but will be a outside linebacker for the Steelers. Finished career with 19.5 QB sacks and 199 tackles 36 for loss. Has a good burst, very athletic, with long arms. Smart player who majored in pre law and philosophy The Steelers are always interested in outside linebackers and Carter will have the chance to learn behind some of the best. May contribute on Special teams early on.
6. Keith Williams OG Nebraska : 6- 4 318 – 5.5 40 Time
Started 33 games at guard for Nebraska . Plays very aggressive and plays with a mean streak . Considered more of a run blocker than pass blocker. Steelers love his toughness . Plays every play to the whistle . Needs to work on technique and knee bend at the Pro level. Very good developmental project for the Steelers.
7. Baron Batch RB Texas Tech : 5-10 207 – 4.5 40 Time
Quick runner with no wasted motion , adequate pass blocker in the backfield. Good one cut runner, with first step burst and can make tacklers miss from anywhere on the field. Outstanding pass catcher out of the backfield... Runs crisp, precise routes and has great hands. Had 140 catches in his career and ran for 2501 total yards . Batch scored a combined 32 touchdowns rushing and receiving for Texas Tech. Plays with a lot of heart. Runs tough for size. Has had some injury problems in past. The Steelers think he could make a great 3rd down back. Texas Tech's whole offense was a 3rd down style offense. Baron Batch is a very high character player and is involved in many charity project and activities.
So there you have it Steeler Nation , a look at the future . Only time will tell who of this draft class will be the next Steeler great or Steeler mistake. But right now I am feeling real good about this draft class.
I hope you enjoyed this post and stay tuned for more . Dont be afraid to leave some comments and please spread the word about the site. You can also follow me on twitter @STEELERSNSTUFF .
Steeler Nation 4 Life! Later Steeler Nation!
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