POSITIONAL BREAKDOWN
The Post-Gazette Steelers beat writer details the NFL draft’s top players at each position:
DEFENSE
(Name, height, weight, college, 40-yard dash time)
CORNERBACKS
Trae Waynes, 6-0, 186, Michigan State, 4.31 — Fast, outstanding cover corner, but not very physical and will need to add size and strength to avoid being pushed around. Top-10 pick.
Kevin Johnson, 6-0, 188, Wake Forest, 4.52 — Another good cover corner who could be the first one taken if faster. Aggressive, but like Waynes, his size hurts against the run.
Marcus Peters, 6-0, 197, Washington, 4.53 — Maybe best corner of the bunch, but run-ins with coaches and dismissal from team drop him down.
P.J. Williams, 6-0, 194, Florida State, 4.57 — Good size, aggressiveness and will fight for ball, but must watch for interference penalties. Good overall corner, but recent DUI arrest troubling.
Quinten Rollins, 5-11, 195, Miami, Ohio, 4.57 — Did not play corner until last year (played basketball), but did it well enough to earn MAC defensive player of the year. Has plenty of room to grow.
SAFETIES
Landon Collins, 6-0, 228, Alabama, 4.53 — Possible top-10 pick and only safety projected for first round. Has excellent size, good speed. Rangy run stopper and decent in coverage.
Damarious Randall, 5-11, 196, Arizona State, 4.46 — Big dropoff here with little consensus after Collins. This one has speed, quickness and college production, if not the size.
Ibraheim Campbell, 5-11, 208, Northwestern,
4.52 — Four-year starter from Philadelphia. Puts everything he has into his sport and should be a leader. Had 11 career interceptions. Forced two fumbles in upset of Notre Dame.
James Sample, 6-2, 209, Louisville, 4.56 — Perfect size. Better suited as a traditional strong safety. Led Louisville with 90 tackles in only season there. Transfer from Washington via junior college.
Jaquiski Tartt, 6-1, 221, Samford, 4.53 — Nice size for another traditional strong safety, although he played deep in college. Played just his senior year in high school. Graduated in December.
OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS
Vic Beasley, 6-3, 246, Clemson, 4.53 — 24.5 sacks in past two seasons and an ideal 3-4 OLB. Outstanding pass rusher who needs work vs. the run.
Shane Ray, 6-3, 245, Missouri, 4.68 — Has the ability to convert to 3-4 OLB from end. Extremely athletic and plays faster than that 40 time.
Alvin “Bud” Dupree, 6-4, 269, Kentucky, 4.56 — Has size to be 4-3 DE, but can cover and play on the strong side as a 3-4 LB.
Randy Gregory, 6-5, 235, Nebraska, 4.64 — Possible top-10 talent who likely will drop because of combine drug test. Led Big Ten with 10.5 sacks.
Shaq Thompson, 6-0, 228, Washington, 4.64 — Small for an outside linebacker in 3-4, so more suited for a 4-3 defense or even as a safety.
INSIDE LINEBACKERS
versatilityEric Kendricks,to play OLB, 6-0, too, 232, and UCLA, great 4.61 instincts.— Has Late first, early second round. Older brother Mychal starts for Eagles.
Benardrick McKinney, 6-4, 246, Mississippi State, 4.66 — Another versatile player who can go OLB (starter there in 2012) in a stronger than normal ILB group.
Stephone Anthony, 6-3, 243, Clemson, 4.56 — Classic inside run stuffer. Built along those lines, too. Always goes all-out. Not an OLB candidate.
Denzel Perryman, 5-11, 236, Miami, 4.78 — Short, but a playmaker at a top school that has become the new Linebacker U. Mike Singletary was only 6 feet.
Paul Dawson 6-0, 235, TCU, 4.93 — Short and slow, but quick. Can cover receivers and strong enough to toss blockers away. Instinctive, knows how to play the position.
DEFENSIVE ENDS
Leonard Williams, 6-5, 302, Southern Cal, 4.97 — May play tackle in a 4-3, but he’s an end here and will go early, top five. Homeless as a kid.
Dante Fowler Jr., 6-3, 261, Florida, 4.60 — Debate over Williams vs. Fowler, who was used all over the place by the Gators. Versatile, but also looks like an ideal 3-4 OLB.
Arik Armstead, 6-7, 292, Oregon, 5.10 — Would also be 4-3 DT. Had just 2.5 sacks last season and does not seem serious about the sport at times. Raw talent, though.
Owa Odighizuwa, 6-3, 267, UCLA, 4.62 — Athletic, classic 4-3 end. Had two hip surgeries in 2013. Not Steelers’ type of end or OLB.
Preston Smith, 6-5, 271, Mississippi State, 4.74 — A 4-3 end with long arms, a versatile pass rusher and playmaker who could possibly grow into a 3-4 end but not OLB.
DEFENSIVE TACKLES
Danny Shelton, 6-2, 339, Washington, 5.64 — Could be a traditional 3-4 nose. Tough to move, good at pushing blockers back. Should go in top 15.
Malcom Brown, 6-2, 319, Texas, 5.05 — Likely most suited as a 4-3 inside player, though he does have versatility at different positions. Quick, if not powerful. Mature. Married with two children.
Eddie Goldman, 6-4, 336, Florida State, 5.30 — Versatile defensive lineman. He did not work out at combine and did not do well at Seminoles’ pro day. Can be a load when he wants to be.
Jordan Phillips, 6-5, 329, Oklahoma, 5.17 — Can’t teach that kind of size and he knows how to use it. Back surgery scuttled his 2013 season and may present red flag. Bounced back with good 2014 and opted for draft.
Carl Davis, 6-5, 320, Iowa, 5.07 — Has good speed and movement with tremendous size. Started past two seasons. Needs a lot of technique work and if he gets that down, could dominate.
OFFENSE
QUARTERBACKS
Jameis Winston, 6-4, 231, Florida State, 4.97 — Excellent player whose only question seems to be about his maturity and series of off-field incidents. Nevertheless, Tampa Bay ready to take him No. 1.
Marcus Mariota, 6-4, 222, Oregon, 4.52 — Opposite of Winston on the maturity level. Does not have experience in a complicated offense and multiple reads. Still, top-10 pick in a weak draft.
Bryce Petty, 6-3, 230, Baylor, 4.87 — Good size, mobile and tough. Has a strong arm and a soft touch to make all the throws. However, simple Baylor scheme did not prepare him for NFL types.
Brett Hundley, 6-3, 226, UCLA, 4.63 — Another passer who played in a simple offense and took most of his snaps in the shotgun. Can make any throw and often does, even into double and triple coverage.
Garrett Grayson, 6-2, 213, Colorado State, 4.75 — Average arm. Scouts question his windup. Hurt a lot. Steelers drafted uncle Dan Grayson, a linebacker, in 7th round in 1990, but he did not stick.
HALFBACKS
Todd Gurley, 6-1, 222, Georgia, 4.45 — Dominant, powerful back compared to Hershchel Walker … until tearing ACL in November. Still best of a deep group and should go in first round.
Melvin Gordon, 6-1, 215, Wisconsin, 4.52 — Excellent burst and bounces off tacklers, although not a powerful runner. Could also go in the first round after two years of zero runners taken there.
Jay Ajayi, 6-0, 221, Boise State, 4.57 — English-born Nigerian who grew up in Texas. He bounced back in a big way past 21⁄ seasons after torn ACL in 2011. Not
2 a power runner. Good receiver.
Ameer Abdullah, 5-9, 205, Nebraska, 4.55 — Has issues because of his size and does not run particularly well between the tackles. Also fumbles a lot: 24 times in his career, 17 of them lost.
Tevin Coleman, 5-11, 206, Indiana, 4.39 — Rushed for 2,036 yards last season, much of it against some poor defenses in the Big Ten. Teams inspecting foot injury this spring.
T.J. Yeldon, 6-1, 226, Alabama, 4.52 — Natural runner with good vision. Cuts back well. Nice size and a tough back. Probably not a No. 1 back in the NFL.
Duke Johnson, 5-9, 207, Miami, 4.54 — Big things come in this small package. He has burst, if not great speed. Catches the ball well. Durability a question. NFL won’t put him back in pass protection.
FULLBACKS
Jalston Fowler, 5-11, 254, Alabama, 4.86 — Best in another weak group for this position that may ultimately vanish from the sport. Tore ACL in 2012. Not much production, but can block and catch. Fourth or fifth round.
WIDE RECEIVERS
Amari Cooper, 6-1, 211, Alabama, 4.42 — Has it all — size, speed, quickness — and makes the spectacular catches. Top-10 pick, maybe top five. Won Biletnikoff Award as nation’s best receiver.
Kevin White, 6-3, 215, West Virginia, 4.35 — Also could go top 10 and maybe even sneak ahead of Cooper. Taller, faster, but not as consistent. Strong and can block. Needs more experience in different routes.
DeVante Parker, 6-3, 209, Louisville, 4.45 — Could also go top 15 in an extremely strong class for the position. Good height, speed. Missed first seven games in 2014 with a broken foot.
Jaelen Strong, 6-2, 217, Arizona State, 4.44 — Has size, leaping ability and strength to make catches in traffic. Good receiving skills in a somewhat simple offense.
Breshad Perriman, 6-2, 212, Central Florida, 4.55 — Nice size and decent speed. Son of former NFL receiver Brett. Needs work on getting off the line and running routes.
Phillip Dorsett, 5-10, 185, Miami, 4.33 — Blazing speed. Ran even faster at pro day, in the 4.2s. Some compare him to Mike Wallace, although not as tall. Kickoff and punt returner. Not related to Tony.
Dorial Green-Beckham, 6-5, 237, Oklahoma, 4.49 — Unpolished, but has the physical tools to be a dominant receiver in the NFL. Dismissed from Missouri last year after domestic dispute. Did not play in 2014. Red flags because of it.
TIGHT ENDS
Maxx Williams, 6-4, 249, Minnesota, 4.78 — Best of a weak group. Dad Brian was a first-round pick of the Giants. Left with two years of eligibility. Not a great blocker or receiver but has the physical ability and is a good athlete.
Clive Walford, 6-4, 251, Miami, 4.79 — Good, quick, athletic receiver, but can’t block a lick. Played one year of high school football. Caught 44 passes and averaged 15.4 yards last season. Lot of room to grow.
Jeff Heuerman, 6-5, 254, Ohio State, 4.81 — Ankle injury slowed him down last season after a good 2013. Can block and catch, but does not excel at either. Not a dynamic receiver, but big enough. Captain of Buckeyes.
Tyler Kroft, 6-5, 246, Rutgers, 4.75 — Could have used a better college quarterback as a senior and more stability in coordinators. Production dropped from 43 catches in 2013 to 24 last season.
My Cole Pruitt, 6-2, 251, Southern Illinois, 4.58 — Has good speed if not the ideal height, so could be an H-back, although his blocking is suspect. Good receiver with more than 40 receptions three consecutive years.
CENTERS
Cameron Erving, 6-5, 313, Florida State, 5.15 — Has it all — size, speed, agility, toughness. Should go first round; by far the best center. Started 37 games at left tackle before moving to center for final five in 2014.
Hroniss Grasu, 6-3, 297, Oregon, 5.03 — Four-year starter who has had some injury problems (ankle, shoulder) that kept him out of Senior Bowl. However, tough guy who plays through his injuries. Excellent attitude, team leader.
Reese Dismukes, 6-3, 296, Auburn, 5.31 — Stays low and uses leverage to great advantage. Four-year starter. Good technique, but not powerful and big DTs can cause him problems.
B.J. Finney, 6-4, 318, Kansas State, 5.25 — Four-year starter, all at center after one guard assignment. Big-time team leader. Gives it everything he has, but not very athletic. Good at point, not at pulling.
Max Garcia, 6-2, 306, Florida, 5.5 — Did not make Gators forget Pouncey twins, but another big-time leader who will do anything that is asked. Smart and technique-sound, but not athletic.
GUARDS
La’el Collins, 6-4, 305, LSU, 5.12 — Played a lot of left tackle at LSU but some think he should be NFL right tackle. His versatility only enhances his value. Kelvin Beachum was projected as a guard, too.
A.J. Cann, 6-3, 313, South Carolina, 5.47 — Powerful blocker, knee injury prevented postseason workouts. Should become starter quickly. Consistently good and a four-year starter at left guard.
Laken Tomlinson, 6-3, 323, Duke, 5.33 — Stud size, but not an athlete and will not be used to pull. Best suited at right guard. Jamaica native with a great attitude and outstanding academic record. Started 52 games.
Ali Marpet, 6-4, 307, Hobart, 4.98 — Had 37 consecutive starts at left tackle, but seems more suited to play guard. Also might be able to play center. Division III school, but did well at Senior Bowl and combine.
Tre Jackson, 6-4, 330, Florida State, 5.52 — Huge player who started 42 games and earned All-America. Dominated in the ACC but needs to hone his technique for the NFL.
TACKLES
Brandon Scherff, 6-5, 319, Iowa, 5.05 — Best of a strong group. Top-10 player. High school quarterback and pitcher, excellent athlete who can pass block or drive block. Three-year starter at left tackle. Can also play guard.
Andrus Peat, 6-7, 313, Stanford, 5.18 — Gorgeous-looking tackle with long arms to fit his tall frame. Forte is pass blocking, not run-blocking and coaches will have to refine that. Dad Todd played in the NFL.
Ereck Flowers, 6-6, 329, Miami, 5.31 — Two-year starter at left tackle. Good pass blocker, dominating run blocker who could play right tackle if team already has a good left tackle.
T.J. Clemmings, 6-5, 309, Pitt, 5.14 — Should go in first round and join a long list of former Panthers who made it big as NFL offensive linemen. Extremely athletic, converted from DE late in 2012, then started two seasons at RT.
D.J. Humphries, 6-5, 307, Florida, 5.12 — Another possible first-round pick. Incredibly talented but needs to push himself harder. He also needs to get stronger, which an NFL weight program should accomplish.
KICKERS
Justin Manton, 6-3, 196, Louisiana-Monroe — Also can punt. Good deep kickoff man.
Sam Ficken, 6-1, 191, Penn State — Accuracy issues in 2012 and 2013 changed last season when he made 24 of 29. Career long is 54.
Kyle Brindza, 6-1, 236, Notre Dame — Inconsistent last season (5 of 11) but has an amazingly strong leg and had much better 2012 and 2013.
PUNTER
Kyle Loomis, 6-2, 221, Portland State — Averaged 46.5 yards with a NCAA-best 41.7 net. Also kicks off.