Day 1: Steelers analysis
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So how did our Men of Steel do on day 1? Eh.
The first-rounder was no real shocker. OLB Lawrence Timmons was one of the three or four people rumored here, along with guys like Paul Posluzsny and Jarvis Moss. Because of his size, Timmons does a bit to cement the 3-4 defense in Pittsburgh. At 232 pounds he is far too small to be able to slide to defensive end. However, there is still the chance that he could fill in at weak-side linebacker in a 4-3 set, so while it pushes the leaning more toward 3-4, it actually strengthens the idea of using both sets as needed.
In the second round, the team selected defensive end LaMarr Woodley. At the end of the 2006 NCAA football season, Woodley was ranked in the second half of the first round. He slipped a bit for various reasons, but in the eyes of many scouts he was still a top five defensive player. This is a player who was still first-round capable but the needs of other teams dropped him far enough for the Steelers to take him much later. At 269 pounds, he is a pure 4-3 end — he’s too small for 3-4 end and too big for 3-4 OLB, not to mention that he lacks the ability to cover receivers consistently. Selection of Woodley means the Steelers really are pushing for a hybrid defense, and are assembling the personnel to have the luxury of switching between the two at a moment’s notice.
Finally, the Steelers picked a tight end in third round. The selection of Matt Spaeth raised more than a few eyebrows, particularly because the Steelers used a first-round pick on a tight end several years ago — and he’s become an absolute stud in this offense. However, backup tight end Jerame Tuman is aging, and was an undrafted free agent. A younger, stronger, faster upgrade is an excellent choice. However, because of their need on the offensive line, it certainly will result in a number of questions when the draft is complete.
Grade: B
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