Steelers football blog

Diamond in the rough for Steelers?

A bruising and highly productive running back from a BCS conference slipped to the sixth round of the NFL Draft, and ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr. listed numerous reasons why earlier this week.

Not an "outside running threat." Not a candidate to return kickoffs or catch passes out of the backfield. Not a guy who always wins the battle of the bulge.

But Kiper also said of Georgia Tech's Jonathan Dwyer: "He's a physical, inside runner. It was a nice pick for the Steelers."

It will be even nicer for the Steelers if Dwyer is able to provide a hammer for a short-yardage offense that has too often relied on a fly swatter in recent years.

As Steelers running backs coach Kirby Wilson said of Dwyer: "When you are 230 pounds, that is a plus, and that can't be taught." Continue

Steelers select LB Worilds in round 2

Another lesson, for those who forgot, took place when the Steelers chose their man in the second round of the NFL draft Friday night.

No matter what obvious needs they have, no matter what holes exist on their team, they can never have enough linebackers, especially those who play on the outside.

The Steelers start two of the best in the game at outside linebacker, Pro Bowlers James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley, yet it did not stop them from using a high draft pick to acquire another. His name is Jason Worilds, he played at Virginia Tech and, like many Steelers outside linebackers before him, he played end in a 4-3 defense in college. Continue

Steelers select C Maurkice Pouncey with 18th pick

The Steelers have selected Florida center Maurkice Pouncey with the 18th pick in the NFL draft, the first center they've drafted in the first round in 69 years.

The last center the Steelers took with their first pick, Chet Gladchuck of Boston College in 1941, never played for them.

The Steelers had two of the best centers in NFL history, Hall of Famer Mike Webster and Dermontti Dawson, but neither was a first-round pick.

Pouncey, who is 6-foot-5 and 305 pounds, can play guard or center. The Steelers could play him initially at guard — just as they did with Dawson — until he is ready to replace Justin Hartwig at center. (AP)