Dontari Poe, DT Memphis
If the Steelers were to draft Poe, he would be playing the nose tackle position on the Steelers three-man defensive line. In the past few years, the Steelers have spent two first round picks on defensive ends (Ziggy Hood in 2009 and Cameron Heyward in 2011). Casey Hampton tore his ACL in the playoff loss to Denver, so it's very unlikely he will be on the active roster before week seven, the first game he would be eligible to play in if he starts the season on the Physically Unable to Play (PUP) List.
The Steelers have been working on getting younger in the trenches in the past few years, and the last piece they would need on the defensive line is a nose tackle to anchor the defensive line. Poe is the best available nose tackle in the draft and would complete the overhaul on the defensive line. If the Steelers made him their selection, I would be very happy with the pick.
Poe's measurements at the Combine:
- 6'4"
- 346 lbs.
- 32" arm length
- 9 5/8" hand size
Poe's workout results at the Combine:
- 40 Yard Dash - 4.98 seconds
- Bench Press 225 Lbs. - 44 reps (best at the Combine)
- Vertical Jump - 29.5"
- Broad Jump - 105"
- 3 Cone Drill - 7.90 seconds
- 20 yard shuttle - 4.56 seconds
Cordy Glenn, OT/OG Georgia
The Steelers offensive line hasn't been all that good in years. They've been good enough due to the fact that Ben Roethlisberger is a Houdini on the football field, escaping pass rushers and running around like a chicken with it's head cutoff and then making a throw down the field for a big play. But Ben has also taken a lot of sacks over that amount of time, due to a combination of poor offensive line play and Ben's holding onto the ball too long because he doesn't want to give up on the play.
Like I said above, the Steelers have spent two first round draft picks in the past few years on the defensive line. The one time they didn't make a pick that was defensive line they took Maurkice Pouncey, the center on the offensive line and the anchor of the offensive line. Also, last year they took Marcus Gilbert in the second round and he spent most of last season at right tackle, and he is expected to move to left tackle this season.
One thing that I like about Glenn is that he played both guard and tackle at Georgia and he played both well. He could play either in the NFL, but with the Steelers I see him at guard with Gilbert at left tackle and Willie Colon at right tackle. The offensive line would likely go Gilbert-Glenn-Pouncey-Foster/Legursky-Colon and then if there were injuries to either tackle, Glenn would slide over to that spot which would also save a roster spot for someone else.
This is the player that I hope the Steelers take with the pick. Steve McLendon can fill in at NT until Hampton gets back, so NT isn't as much of a need pick as the offensive line is.
Glenn's measurements at the Combine:
- 6'5"
- 345 lbs.
- 35 3/4" arm length
- 10 1/8" hand size
Glenn's workout results at the Combine:
- 40 Yard Dash - 4.15 secons
- Bench Press 225 lbs. - 31 reps
- Vertical Jump - 23.5"
- Broad Jump - 93"
- 3 Cone Drill - 8.13 seconds
- 20 Yard Shuttle - 5 seconds
Dont'a Hightower, ILB Alabama
Inside linebacker is not the biggest need for the Pittsburgh Steelers, but the Steelers are a team that doesn't reach for a player at a need position if they feel there isn't one available that is worth the pick. If the Steelers are sitting at #24 and both Poe and Glenn are gone, it would not surprise me if the Steelers took the MVP of the BCS National Championship Game.
Last season the two starting inside linebackers for the Steelers were Lawrence Timmons and James Farrior, and when Farrior missed time with injury Larry Foote stepped in. Age has finally caught up with Farrior, he has lost a step or two and looked out of place many times last season. Foote is a free agent and while he is good against the run, he has never been very good against the pass. Also, Timmons might possibly be moved to outside linebacker when James Harrison retires. Timmons was originally drafted to plat Harrison's OLB position, but Harrison turned out to be better than anyone could have imagined so Timmons was moved to ILB to take over for Larry Foote. So if that were to happen, then we'd have a really big hole at the inside linebacker position.
Taking Hightower would bolster the middle of the defense a lot. He isn't a candidate to move to the outside so he would be a stalwart at ILB for the Steelers for at least ten years. He is excellent against the run, can blitz from the ILB position, and is a good pass defender in zone and that's exactly what the Steelers would be asking him to do in passing situations.
If the Steelers do not take him, then it's almost a guarantee that the Baltimore Ravens would take him a few picks later.
Hightower's measurements at the Combine:
- 6'2"
- 265 lbs.
- 32 5/8" arm length
- 9 3/4" hand size
Hightower's workout results at the Combine:
- 40 Yard Dash - 4.68 seconds
- Vertical Jump - 32"
David DeCastro, OG Stanford
This is a long shot, the Steelers would have to trade up into the teens to have a shot at drafting DeCastro. But if the Steelers were to do this, they'd be getting the most pro-ready guard in the draft, probably in the last few years.
DeCastro is strictly a guard prospect, but he's the best interior lineman in the draft. He is explosive off of the snap and gets to his man quickly. He is a good run and pass blocker...but he is inconsistent when finishing his run blocks down field, but it's not a an effort issue and it can be rectified with coaching.
Like I said, it's a long shot. The Steelers don't often trade up in the draft. They last two times they have done it was in 2003 going from the 27th overall to the 16th overall pick to select safety Troy Polamalu, and in 2006 when they went from #32 overall to the 25th overall selection to take wide receiver Santonio Holmes. So it's not likely that the Steelers will do this, they'd have to find someone that wants to trade back to the 24th overall pick in the first place.
DeCastro's measurements at the Combine:
- 6'5"
- 316 lbs.
- 32 3/8" arm length
- 10" hands
DeCastro's workout results at the Combine:
- 40 Yard Dash - 5.43 seconds
- Ben Press 225 lbs - 34 reps
- Vertical Jump - 29.5"
- Broad Jump - 98"
- 3 Cone Drill - 7.30 seconds (best among offensive linemen)
- 20 Yard Shuttle - 4.56 seconds (best among offensive linemen)
Mike Adams, OT Ohio State
Like I said before, the Steelers are looking first and foremost to upgrade in the trenches on either side of the ball. Mike Adams is coming out of Ohio State and when he was on the field he was very good, allowing few sacks. However, injuries and a suspension due to being part of the Tat5 scandal kept him off of the field more than he would have liked.
Coming into the Combine, Adams was looked at as a late first round to early second round draft pick at tackle. However, he had a disappointing performance in the bench press and he isn't considered that good of a run blocker. His pass blocking skills are also in question, it's felt that his footwork and technique was just good enough for him to be good in college but needs a lot of work for him to play left tackle in the NFL so he might be relegated to right tackle. He however does have the size and arm length that teams look for in the League.
I think he's falling out of the first round, but that can change between now and the draft. But in the end, I think he is going to go in the middle of the second round of the draft where he likely won't be relied upon by the team that drafts him for more than depth his rookie season. If the Steelers go offensive line in the first round, I am not expected them to go offensive line in the second and instead focus on the defense. However if they take a defensive player in the first round, they might try to get Adams in the second.
Adams measurements at the Combine:
- 6'7"
- 323 lbs.
- 34" arm length
- 10 7/8" hand size
Adams workout results at the Combine:
- 40 Yard Dash - 5.40 seconds
- Bench Pres 225 lbs - 19 reps
- Vertical Jump - 28.6"
- Broad Jump - 100"
- 3 Cone Drill - 7.94 seconds
- 20 Yard Shuttle - 4.95 seconds
These are the players that I feel the Steelers are looking at the hardest with the 24th pick in the 2012 NFL Draft.
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