Maurkice Pouncey

So I figured since we have a long time until training camp starts I'd take a look at each one of the players the Steelers drafted this season, and try to give some pros and cons ala Mel Kiper Jr. and let you know what the PPB thinks of each one. Seeing as Pouncey was the first pick, I figured he'd be the logical place to start.

Pouncey, taken 18th overall by our boys in black and gold, left Florida a year early to enter the NFL Draft. It's a decision that Pouncey made mainly for money, and on the surface that can look very bad. But he really did leave early for all the right reasons.

I won't steal the PG's thunder, but let's just say he's seen his fair share of woe in his young life, and his turning pro is not just to help pay the bills, but also to help his twin brother achieve his dreams of playing in the NFL too. Oh yea, and the fact that his step-father lost his leg on the job the week before one of the biggest games of his life played a bit of a role too.

All said, and keep in mind none of us have seen him play on the pro level yet, I like the makeup of Pouncey and sure hope he can be one of the better centers in the league for years to come as so many have predicted.

And what is it that made him such a high pick? First off, he's known as a tough inside blocker and with our renewed emphasis on the run and with an aging center this was a no brainer. But his coach at Florida mentioned that he is "an energy giver" on the line, and I have to admit at first I didn't really realize what he meant by that, as I certainly don't remember anyone shooting me with some kind of magical go go juice when I was playing high school ball.

Then I realized what he meant; he's the type of player that other players look up to, the type that can be an emotional and physical leader. His physical gifts are amazing, as they would have to be to win the Rimington Trophy as the nation't best center, but I think the Steelers drafted him as much for those intangibles as they did for his talent.

Look for him to start at right guard this season and to move over to center when Hartwig moves on. He should be an instant upgrade over the patchwork of guards we used last year, and with Kemoeatu on the other side our short yardage game is bound to get better (the addition of 6th round pick Jonathan Dwyer helps a lot too, but we'll talk about him later).

So overall I think this was about as good a player as we could have gotten at number 18, although I was very intrigued that Brian Beluga was still available at that selection. He may have been an interesting pick for the Steelers, but obviously management is more comfortable with their starting tackles then their interior line, and as such, this was definitely the right pick to make.

Selection grade - A

Until next time...