Draft 2003, Defensive Linemen v.2.0:

 

This version is revised post-Combine to conclude analysis of some of those Front 7 prospects to be available in the draft this spring.� As mentioned, the unit focus follows from the Overview articles published on site in January 2003.� The Combine figures posted here are derived from those posted at ESPN.� By way of review:��

 

The D-side Overview proposed three D-line issues any or all of which the FO may address this spring.� Those were:

 

• 3-4 DE:� the Steelers were fortunate last year in that neither Smith nor KVO missed any time.� Those players are stout against the run but Bailey is not and no other player saw any considerable action at the position.� KVO was more than functional last year but that man is aging and the Steelers will need a replacement shortly.�

 

• Backup NT:� Hampton is a prototypical NT but the Steelers have no one behind him; KVO finished the year as the #1 backup but if he has to do any extended duty at this position in 2003 then the Steelers� DE depth issues may become apparent.

 

• Dime DE:� the Steeler package units suffered from an inability to generate consistent pressure.� While the 3-4 DE (too infrequently augmented by Hampton) functioned acceptably inside as dime DT, neither Gildon nor Haggans brought the kind of heat required, at least not against those teams in the top echelon.

 

Brett Keisel is the wildcard in all this.� If he develops in the Smith mode (and, by frame length, he does fit that model), then the Steelers� need at 3-4 DE goes way down.� This may allow the FO to focus more on a mid-round backup NT Alternatively, Keisel may develop as a dime pack DE with similar consequence for that position; however, while his movement skills are superior to those of Aaron Smith, as we will see in the following, they are not (quite) rush DE worthy.�� My guess is that Keisel will function as a 3-4 DE, or, other than on ST, not at all.

 

3-4 DE:

 

The Steeler 3-4 requires these players be able to play two-gap effectively in the base, keeping the LB clean to make plays.� In the packages though, these players move inside to function as pass-rushing DT.� Those dual roles require size, frame length and some degree of movement skills.� Consider the following Combine/workout results: �

 

Player	Height	Weight	40	Reps	Notes
Aaron Smith	6-4	273	4.89	24	Small school player considered a 4-3 tweener, too slow for LDE but lacking bulk for DT.
Chris Combs	6-5	286	5.21	22	A �tweener similar to Smith but, unlike that player, virtually immobile.
Brett Keisel	6-5	279	4.77	26	Big upside
Cornelius Griffin	6-3	297	4.90	30	Has succeeded as a 4-3 DT for the NYG, in 2000, figured as a possible 3-4 DE.� Included here for range.
Kris Jenkins	6-5	316	5.14	33	Considered as a 3-4 DE in 2001 and had immediate success inside at DT with the Panthers.� Big enough and strong enough, had a bad 40 but above average shuttle.

 

Presume that a 40 of 4.90 or so qualifies a player as a 3-4 DE prospect; add size (6-4, 285# with room to grow.� Short area agility (as measured in shuttle and cone) figures more than 40 times; however, that information is less readily available.� A few targets worth consideration:

 

• In 2000, Chris Hovan did a 20-shuttle in 4.16; the same year, Corn Griffin did 4.62.�
• In 2001, Kris Jenkins and Ellis Wyms did 4.41 and 4.47 respectively.
• In 2002, 4-3 DT John Hendersen did 4.66.

 

All those players were considered to be, potentially, 3-4 DE.� Turning to the 2003 prospects, note that the boldface indicates those players who have surpassed the measurable minimums posited above.� (Numbers in parentheses) are from draftbook.com, in lieu of Combine or Pro Day results.

.

 

Player	School	Height	Weight (Lbs.)	40	Likely slot, remarks
Jimmy Kennedy	Penn State	6040	322	DNP   (4.97)	Certain top 5
Kevin Williams	Okla. State	6047	304	4.82	Did (23) reps, which isn�t great and shuttle was a poor 5.01; however, 40 time solidifies him in the top 15.
William Joseph	Miami	6050	308	DNR   (4.88)	Did 29 reps, otherwise DNP.� Should be top 15 now.
Kenny Patterson       Doubtful at 1.27	Ohio State	6031	298	DNP       (4.82)	As is typical for OSU players, DNP at Combine.� Presumably, remains 15 to 25 overall although, of the top 4 here, most likely to be available when the Steelers draft at 1.27
Michael Haynes   Could be available at 1.27.	Penn State	6035	281	4.88	Had a poor Combine; ran slower than expected and then blew a hamstring.� Was considered a top 4-3 DE but now may slide.�
Rein Long           Likely to be available at 1.27.	Wash. State	6061	302	DNP               (5.00)	Said to be sliding, highly likely to be available when Steelers draft @ 1.27 but IMO is DND at that point.� High try guy and was productive in college but plays high and may (or may not) lack functional movement skills.� Still, carries a somewhat better rating than any safety in the draft.
Nick Eason	Clemson	6031	309	5.09	Solid run defender who did 30 reps but lacks movement skills to play outside in 3-4.
Tyler Brayton	Colorado	6061	277	4.79	Very good Combine including (25) reps and a 4.24 shuttle.� However, scouting reports indicate that this man struggles against the run and doesn�t rush to his measurables.� Basically, is a Smith/Keisel-like prospect but will go first day
Jarrett Johnson	Alabama	6025	285	5.08	High try guy but small and slow.� Did just 21 reps.
Kindall Moorehead	Alabama	6024	290	DNR   (5.09)	As above except 22 reps.
Matt Leonard	Stanford	6025	305	4.93	Did (30) reps and 4.52 shuttle.� Very good Combine for a mid-round type.
James Lee	Oregon State	6041	327	4.91	Big move at Combine, showed amazing speed/size; however, did just (23) reps and a 4.62 shuttle.� Still, worth a mid-round shot.
Terrence Martin	NC State	6030	299	DNR       (4.88)	(30) reps, presumably is a prospect similar to Leonard.� Big enough now, measurables similar to Aaron Smith.� 5th to early 6th.�� Seems to be a reasonable depth pick.
Antonio Garay	Boston College	6027	295	DNP     (4.78)	Due to injuries, could be anywhere.� Has first round measurables but played only (14) games in (3) years at BC.
Clint Mitchell	Florida	6067	257	4.91	Did just (16) reps so could be described as light and weak by 3-4 DE standards.� However, did have a creditable 4.31 shuttle and was a decent run stopper in college.� His 4.90 eliminates him from consideration as a dime type DE.
Omari Hand	Tennessee	6036	267	DNR     (4.93)	Small but with (34) reps, is obviously strong enough.� Did nothing but lift; Smith/Keisel-like prospect who will go late

 

 

Not at Combine but could be worth a shot from the late 5^th onward (see version 1 for presumed measurables):

 

Osi Umenyiora

Charles Alston

LaKendrick Jones.

 

Any of the top four shown above would figure to start immediately but none figure to be available at 1.27.� Kennedy, Joseph, Williams and Patterson form, with Robertson and Sullivan (shown below), the top six at the DT position.� Only once before, in 2001, have (6) DT been taken in the 1^st round.� On the chalk, we�d expect the Steelers to have shot at, say, Patterson, but in fact it is highly likely that 2001 mark will be met or exceeded this April.�

 

If any of the top six are on the board, they�d be the guy.� �Size first� argues for that selection and so would BPA, at least with respect to DB.� However, if all six are off then the situation becomes obscure.� Michael Haynes could be the next player but Haynes is undersized for the Steeler 3-4.� However, it should be noted that Buffalo ran a 3-4 with 280# DE like Bruce Smith and Marcellus Wiley.� Haynes is no Smith but, maybe, is a prospect on the Wiley level.

 

Rien Long is the next player and, while Long is ranked ahead of all but 3 or4 DB at the moment, IMO that won�t hold up.� Long is, well, long; that is tall, thin, not especially mobile.� IMO, he has bust potential.� 1.27 is early for Nick Eason, a player ranked with the top safeties; the other option, Ty Warren (shown below) seems to be more a stuffer than a pass rusher.�

 

Of the mid-round options highlighted, Umenyiora and Garay may have the most potential but Leonard, Lee and Martin have more than adequate measurables and, of those three, Leonard figures to be the brightest.� While the 1^st round players would be expected to move in ahead of KVO immediately (perhaps freeing that man for duty behind Hampton), the mid-round men should be evaluated against the upside potential of Bailey and Keisel; that is, they�d be the 4^th or 5^th DE this year with a chance to replace KVO in 2004.� Garay has the size and speed but he also has had a knee injury, a neck injury and, last year, broke his ankle.� Umenyiora is an athlete who produced at Troy State but that is a long way from the NFL.� Another late round possibility is Matt Walter of Miami; Walter measured at 6-4, 272# and did 30 reps at the Combine.

 

Nose Tackle:

 

The NT spearheads the Steeler run defense.� Job #1 is to scrum an opponent�s interior O-line; in general, success here is measured by the stats of others.� A 40 of +5.0 makes a NT candidate by default; however, bulk counts and there the number is 314#.� Here are some past Combine results:

 

 

Player	Height	Weight	40	Reps	Notes
Kendrick Clancy	6-1	283	5.26	25	10 of 22 DT lifted more, 20/21 DT ran faster, 23/25 DT weighed more.
Casey Hampton	6-1	314	DNP	34	Prototype.
Steve Warren	6-1	307	5.06	29	Often-injured since but did measure up in Indy.

 

The players shown in boldface may be reasonable options this spring.

 

Player	School	Height	Weight (Lbs.)	40	Likely slot, remarks
Bernard Robertson	Kentucky	6013	317	DNP   (5.11)	Top 10, is pushing Kennedy for #1 DT.
Jonathan Sullivan	Georgia	6031	313	4.96	Top 15
Ty Warren	Texas A&M	6045	307	DNR   (5.07)	May be too slow to play DE but may play too high to function at NT.� 27 reps.
Colin Cole	Iowa	6015	309	5.27	29 reps, may be a good prospect on a BPA basis.
Ian Scott	Florida	6023	312	5.16	28 reps, as above.
Langston Moore	S. Carolina	6010	303	5.01	29 reps, small but strong and good movement skills.� Probably, more valuable to a 4-3 team as a 3-tech. DT than to the Steelers.� Really excellent 4.21 20 shuttle.
Aubrayo Franklin	Tennessee	6014	307	DNP	DNP, DND.
Anthony Adams	Penn State	5113	299	5.09	DND
Eric Manning	Oregon State	6010	303	5.07	26 reps, still DFS so DND.
Rashad Moore	Tennessee	6031	324	5.10	Chronic underachiever, DND.
Lauvale Sapp	Utah	6015	297	5.17	DFS, DND.

 

Not at Combine but could be worth a shot from the late 5^th onward (see version 1 for presumed measurables):

 

Tim Love

Floyd Black

 

Rush DE, dime candidates:

 

The Steeler 3-4 forces LB into duty as rush DE and IMO, that puts the PS at a disadvantage since, for the most part, those men lack the frame length to deal hand-to-hand with the gargantuan OT fielded by most high caliber squads.� It is worth noting that nearly every big time rusher is a DE at 6-4 and above.� The exceptions to that include Hugh Douglas, John Abraham and Dwight Freeney; leaving Douglas, it�s fair to say that no Steeler has the freakish speed and acceleration of either Abraham or Freeney.

 

The others range from Strahan, at 6-4 to Peppers and Rice at 6-6 with Kearse, Carter and the rest somewhere in the middle.� Those players were all top picks, elite first to mid-second; the Steelers have just (1) pick in that full range.� Beyond that, given the Steeler system, we can expect they�ll be looking in the mid-rounds (if at all) for players with rush DE measurables.� For that reason, I�m going to skip over Terrell Suggs, Jerome McDougle, Cory Redding, and Chad�s little brother Chris Kelsay to begin from the mid-3^rd or so.� But first, some results from previous Combines:

 

Player	School	Height	Weight (Lbs.)	40	Likely slot, remarks
Eric Flowers	ASU	6041	271	4.79	Impressed Buffalo at the 2000 Combine, drafted in the 1st, busted and then exposed in the Texan expansion pool.� Backup OLB last year.
Clark Haggans	Colorado St.	6033	253	5.04	Colorado State career sack leader who lacks all measurables to project that success pro-ward.
Kabeer Obaja-Biamila	San Diego State	6035	243	4.67	So unimpressive in rookie year (2000) that the Pack moved up to draft Jamal Reynolds in 2001.� Since then, KGB has developed as a double-digit sack master while Reynolds rides the pine.
Jamal Reynolds	Florida State	6026	267	4.70	Fast @ 250, bulked up and slowed down.�� Can�t get on the field.
Carlos Hall	Arkansas	6035	259	4.67	(8) sacks for the Titans in 2002, drafted in the 7th round that spring.

 

Here are some past shuttle marks:

 

• In 2000, KGB did 4.28, Haggans 4.21 and Flowers 4.15.
• In 2001, Andre Carter did 4.24 Aaron Schobel 4.03.
• In 2002, Carlos Hall did 4.19, Keisel lumbered through at a 3-4 DE like 4.51.

 

If the numbers for dime DE are:

 

• 4.67 40.
• 4.28 shuttle.
• 6035 height.

 

�then none of the 2003 DE prospects measure up. But, for the record:

 

Player	School	Height	Weight (Lbs.)	40	Likely slot, remarks
Dewayne White	Louisville	6021	273	4.75	22 reps, 4.22 shuttle, good productive prospect.
Calvin Pace	Wake Forest	6040	269	4.75	Did not lift, DNP in shuttle; will probably go 2nd or 3rd round, Steelers have more pressing needs.
Alonzo Jackson	FSU	6040	266	4.89	Slower than expected, 14 reps.�� Weak and slow, over-hyped Florida product, DND.
Visanthe Shiancoe	Morgan State	6043	261	4.62	28 reps, 4.24 shuttle.� Worked out as a TE but seems to have ideal measurables for a rush DE.
Bryant McNeil	Clemson	6043	248	4.87	22 reps, didn�t do agility drills, DND until further notice.�
Jimmy Wilkerson	Oklahoma	6027	271	4.90	Disappointing 40, shuttle 4.38 is okay but not great; however, did 29 reps. Disappointing production last year.� DND.
Nick Burley	Fresno State	6035	243	4.80	Impressive 26 reps but slow and very not agile at 4.56.� DND.
Cornelius Green	Miami	6027	243	DNR	DNP at Combine, part of a deep rotation at Miami.
Jamal Green	Miami	6016	272	4.76	27 reps, fast for 270; however, too short to function as a LOS rusher.
Clifton Washburn	Citadel	6051	272	5.03	22 reps, 4.75 shuttle, DND.

 

Not at Combine but could be worth a shot from the late 5^th onward (see version 1 for presumed measurables):

 

Andrew Tippins.

 

The players above had, more or less, modest collegiate production; collectively, their measurables do not encourage any belief they�ll improve.� That being so, Shiancoe may be the best upside projection here.� While the dime DE cupboard is nearly bare, some of the following may figure as package rushers immediately and as LOLB when, eventually, the Gilded Era ends here��

 

OLB:

 

Joey Porter and Kendrell Bell both ran in the 4.65 range; that, combined with height in the 6-2 area, forms the basis of the table below.

 

Player	School	Height	Weight (Lbs.)	40	Likely slot, remarks
Tully Banta-Cain	Cal	6021	265	(4.65)	25 reps. Shorter than the best DE but does have speed, size and quickness to play OLB in the 3-4.� Posted time is from Cal Pro Day.
Antwan Peek	Cincinnati	6025	246	4.62	21 reps, 4.33 shuttle.� Explosive rusher who needs work in the open field.
Chaun Thompson	W. Texas State	6016	240	4.60	Great athlete from a small school, 25 reps.
Andrew Williams	Miami	6022	269	4.65	29 reps, outstanding straight-line athlete but is said to lack flexibility.� Did very mediocre 4.44 shuttle.
Shurron Pierson	South Florida	6017	243	4.63	Didn�t lift or shuttle; another great athlete from a small school.
Nick Barnett	Oregon State	6015	236	4.68	32 reps, outstanding 4.07 shuttle.� Was not used as a pass rusher in Corvallis.
Aaron Hunt	Texas Tech	6021	267	4.82	Played DT at TT but is mentioned as a 3-4 OLB.� 24 reps, 4.48 shuttle.� Too short to play DE but is more like Kurpeikis than Porter as an OLB candidate.
Brandon Green	Rice	6023	267	4.75	19 reps, very good 4.24 shuttle.� Too short to play DE, somewhat slow as a LB but, again, faster than the current reserves.
Chris Clemons	Georgia	6030	236	4.69	18 reps, 4.58 shuttle.� Raw and by no means the best athlete in this group.� However, is way better than the Steeler reserves.
Khalid Abdullah	Mars Hill	6021	227	4.60	26 reps and 4.17 shuttle.� Outstanding athlete from a school that must be a speck on the map.
Jeremy Lloyd	Iowa State	6015	235	4.65	17 reps, 4.12 shuttle
Scott Shanle	Nebraska	6021	245	4.69	20 reps, 4.32 shuttle.

 

Other LB who attended included Joe Odom (Purdue), Pisa Tiniosamoa (Hawaii), Mike Nattiel (Florida), Cie Grant (OSU) and Angelo Crowell (Virginia); for various reasons, these players do not fit the Steeler system.� Of those Odom (4.59 40 and 26 reps) is the best player; however, his size (6007, 241#) suggests that he would be an ILB here.� As such, he probably would be an upgrade over Foote but, however desirable that may be, the Steelers have other needs.��

 

Bantu-Cain or Antwan Peek may figure as an OLB/dime rusher as may Brandon Green or Aaron Hunt on the second day.� IMO, Bantu-Cain is a 3-4 OLB prospect on the level of Joey Porter; however, this player will be out early in the 3^rd round (if not before) and neither Green nor Hunt possesses open field measurables (well, not Porter/Bell type anyway although certainly better than Haggans/Kurpeikis).� Thompson, Pierson and Abdullah are all raw developmental types; of those, Abdullah will probably be the last selected although he may be the best athlete.

 

If the Steelers seek immediate impact rushing, Bantu-Cain or Peek would be the guys.� If the FO is looking for a down-the-road type to replace Gildon, then Pierson or Abdullah may figure.� If it�s just a matter of upgrading the athleticism in the OLB reserves, then any of these prospects fit the bill.

 

Front 7 Board:

 

The slotting below is based on a) where the Steelers are drafting now, b) those ratings found in the Huddle Report (HR). Players are permitted to �drop� 10-12 spots, but no more.� IMO, HR tends to overvalue big conference players (especially those in the Midwest) and undervalue small school players.� Then again, the Steeler FO typically does the same; so:

�

Slot	3-4 DE	NT	Dime DE	OLB
1.27	Kenny Paterson (22)   Michael Haynes (18)
2.59			Calvin Pace (47)	Chaun Thompson (66)
3.92 to 4.125	Antonio Garay (106)		Visanthe Shiancoe (93)	Tully Bantu-Cain (84)   Antwan Peek (89)     Aaron Hunt (107)
5.158 to 6.191	Terrence Martin (150)     Matt Leonard (197)   James Lee (204)   Osi Umenyiora (NR)	Ian Scott (147)   Colin Cole (151)   Langston Moore (173)		Brandon Green (148)     Shurron Pierson (159)       Chris Clemons (NR)
7.224 and beyond		Tim Love (239)   Floyd Black (245)	Cornelius Green (NR)     Andrew Tippins (NR)	Khalid Abdullah (270)   Jeremy Lloyd (NR)