Jonathan Dwyer

I know I'm skipping a couple of rounds here, but I think Jonathan Dwyer may have been the steal of the draft for the Steelers, so I'm going to talk about him next. Hope you don't mind, but I really can't see anyone other then Pouncey making as big an impact as a rookie as this guy can, so let's see what makes him tick.

Dwyer left Georgia Tech a year early to enter the NFL Draft after running for 1395 yards in each of the past two seasons. He was actually projected to be a first or second round draft choice which is why he decided to leave school early. But obviously something had to happen to make him plunge to the sixth round, didn't it?

My understanding is that he fell for two reasons; he failed a drug test at the combine and he worked from an option type offense in college (ie. not the pro style offense a Pitt or Alabama run). As for the drug test, he let teams know he was on something (Adderal?) for ADD and that he would more then likely fail the drug test. I don't really see where this would cause him to drop, but apparently some teams were confused or didn't understand why he failed, which could explain some of it.

The other reason, and probably the biggest reason in my eyes, that he dropped is because he played in a triple option offense, which meant he didn't line up in your typical half back position. This could certainly be cause for concern, but my major problem with this rationale is that it seems to be randomly applied to certain people and not to others.

Case in point, look at this year's number one overall draft pick, QB Sam Bradford. He not only missed 90% of last season due to injury, but he played in a spread offense, where he rarely if ever had to take a snap from under center. Last time I checked, the NFL hasn't turned into a shotgun only league. That is certainly as big, if not a bigger question mark then Dwyer's history in an option offense. I'm sure things change for a running back, but I would imagine the switch from spread QB to pro QB would be a much bigger leap.

So what is it about Dwyer that intrigued the Steelers enough to draft him? They certainly couldn't look past his productivity, averaging over 6 yards a carry last season, but it is his running style that definitely added value to this pick. He is a classic Steeler running back in the mold of Jerome Bettis; he's big (between 225lbs. and 235 lbs. depending on where you look), he's a bruiser, and was described by running backs coach Kirby Wilson as "a workhorse-type of running back". Not to mention his speed, while not elite, is certainly good enough to break off a home run or two if he can get into the secondary. If that doesn't instantly make you like him I don't know what will.

Anyway, please don't get the impression I'm calling this kid the next Bettis. There's no way he's the starter this season unless Rashard Mendenhall gets injured, and he will primarily be used as a backup and short yardage specialist, which is something we desperately needed. He's a big body who can hopefully make those third down and one situations a little bit easier, and he should be a fixture for a couple years at least if the expectations match the talent.

Selection Grade - A

Until later today...

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...