Which ILB do you prefer? Leighton Vander Esch (Boise St.) or Rashaan Evans (Alabama)

[RuthlessBurgher]

2018 NFL Draft Battles: Leighton Vander Esch vs. Rashaan Evans

Let the battle begin!

By Jeff Hartman
Apr 3, 2018, 12:15pm EDT

The 2018 NFL Draft is quickly approaching, and NFL fan bases are debating which prospect will best fit their team to help them improve next season. For Pittsburgh Steelers fans, these debates can be heated, to say the least.

This series will take two players from a position of need, and prospects who could be there when the Steelers pick in the first round, and see who thinks is a better fit for the black-and-gold.

Where do we start? Inside linebacker, of course.

When the debate of inside linebackers begins with Steelers fans, it almost always boils down to two players: Leighton Vander Esch of Boise State and Rashaan Evans of Alabama. Assuming the big-name inside linebackers will be long gone, it is time to put these two ‘backers in the ring and see who SteelerNation believes is the best fit for the team.

Reminder: This isn’t an exercise to see which player is the better athlete, but an exercise to suggest which prospect will be the best fit for the Steelers.

Let’s get to it...


Leighton Vander Esch

Height: 6’4”
Weight: 256lbs.
School: Boise State

NFL Draft Profile:

STRENGTHS

Big, long and athletic. Has history of achievement with dominant performances and state titles in two sports in high school. Former basketball standout with fluid hips and smooth movement around the field. Almost no delay in his change of direction. Has agility and quick-twitch for sudden lateral bursts in his slides to close out slashers. Triggers with compact burst to the ball. Works under climbing blockers to stay clean. Easy sideline-to-sideline range as tackler. Has athletic ability to recover and tackle despite over pursuit. Widens frame and opens arms to welcome his prey as a tackler. Generally wraps up. Very talented in coverage. Quick but smooth in his drops. Mirrors quarterback’s eyes with ability to redirect from side to side as he follows. Uses active, catch-ready hands to breakup the pass or take it away. Shows real rush talent and instincts as a blitzer. May have enough ability to beat a tackle as edge rusher from time to time.

WEAKNESSES

Has just one year of starting experience. Still filling out his frame. Play strength has room for improvement. Has some struggles in taking on blocks and will get washed away by down blocks. Hasn’t learned to use hands effectively to punch and separate. Takes himself out of tackle opportunities by attacking iso-blocks and lead blocks with a shoulder. At times, will over pursue or run himself out of position in attempt to play fast and avoid having to deal with blockers.


Rashaan Evans

Height: 6’3”
Weight: 234lbs.
School: Alabama

NFL Draft Profile:

STRENGTHS

Build like new breed of NFL linebackers. Possesses good length and great speed. Premium athlete with plus agility, range and explosiveness. Quick to diagnose. Works around the trash when scraping. Able to pace to the perimeter with the jet sweepers and scat-backs. Patient against misdirection and isn’t easily baited out of position. Deftly side-steps blocks without giving his gap responsibility. Has athletic ability to dance from gap to gap and look up shifty running backs. Learned from tough guys ahead of him and adapted their demeanor. Explosive, wrap-up striker who sees what he hits. Plays with pain. Sub-package rusher with upfield burst to threaten the edge. Can unleash impressive spin counter in either direction. Burst as delayed blitzer from inside linebacker spot is too much for most linemen to catch.

WEAKNESSES

Just a beat behind in diagnosing. Lacks instincts of players who have extended history at the position. Can improve leverage in his pursuit. Fast flow ahead of blockers can allow for cutbacks. Can get wired to climbing blockers. Needs to improve his punch-and-separate when taking on blockers. Benefitted from playing behind monsters along the defensive line. Will wait rather than trigger when downhill shots are available. Will need to trust his athletic ability to squeeze routes tighter. Nagging groin injury plagued him last season. Scouts have some concerns about durability.

...

After perusing the above information, it is time to make your decision. If you are Kevin Colbert and/or Mike Tomlin and both Vander Esch and Evans are available, who do you take?

https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2018-nfl-mock-drafts-profiles-video-clips-highlights-steelers-analysis-breakdowns-news/2018/4/3/17187214/2018-nfl-draft-battles-leighton-vander-esch-vs-rashaan-evans-steelers-team-needs-news

[pittpete]

I like LVE.
Few things that concern me about Evans

Scouts have some concerns about durability.
Will wait rather than trigger when downhill shots are available.

[Buzz]

It's beginning to look as though both of them may be gone by #28.

[Shawn]

There's a strong chance both will be gone. I don't see what scouts see in LVE. He reminds me a bit of the film I seen on Dupree. I said Dupree played soft, had obvious athleticism that rarely made its way into impressive plays. That's LVE. Evans on the other hand is an explosive playmaker, with an All Pro ceiling. I don't know what they mean about "trigger", the guy can hit and blow people up too.

[RuthlessBurgher]

It's beginning to look as though both of them may be gone by #28.

Off-the-ball linebackers are not considered to be premium positions in the NFL, and there are FOUR off-the-ball linebackers who are widely considered to have first round grades this year (Tremaine Edmunds, Roquan Smith, Leighton Vander Esch, and Rashaan Evans).

Yes, there are numerous LB-needy teams ahead of us in the overall draft order this year, but if any of those teams also have a need at a more premium position such as QB, edge rusher, CB, OT, WR or 3-technique DT, then they are more than likely to take a player at one of those "tougher to find" positions in round one, and fill their need at LB later on in the draft.

[Slapstick]

Evans also played both inside and outside in Alabama’s 3-4...we may need an OLB after next season...

[RuthlessBurgher]

There's a strong chance both will be gone. I don't see what scouts see in LVE. He reminds me a bit of the film I seen on Dupree. I said Dupree played soft, had obvious athleticism that rarely made its way into impressive plays. That's LVE. Evans on the other hand is an explosive playmaker, with an All Pro ceiling. I don't know what they mean about "trigger", the guy can hit and blow people up too.

I'm the exact opposite of you in this regard.

Vander Esch is more fluid, explosive, and quicker than Evans in spite of outweighing him by more than 20 pounds (guys his size should not be able to be as quick as he is in the 3-cone and shuttle runs, plus he nearly jumped out of Lucas Oil Stadium at the combine...a freakish T.J. Watt-like performance for a man that big).

Vander Esch seems to be a more instinctive player in spite of only playing full year a his position (again, very much like T.J. Watt).

Evans had more advantages with a more dominant front playing in front of him and a more dominant secondary playing behind him, but Vander Esch made more plays anyway. When you watched a game on the blue carpet, Vander Esch stood out, but I don't think that Evans is on par in terms of on-the-field talent with LB's from recent Tide vintage such as Reuben Foster, C.J. Mosley, or Donta Hightower.

That's just me, though.

[Prowler]

I'm a huge Boise State fan but it pains me to say this, Evans is better than LVE. With Evans you can put him at ILB or OLB. He has more upside in my opinion. Although I would be happy with either one. My real first choice would be Mason Rudolph. Whenever you can get a franchise QB, you take him if he is your guy.

[Shawn]

I'm the exact opposite of you in this regard.

Vander Esch is more fluid, explosive, and quicker than Evans in spite of outweighing him by more than 20 pounds (guys his size should not be able to be as quick as he is in the 3-cone and shuttle runs, plus he nearly jumped out of Lucas Oil Stadium at the combine...a freakish T.J. Watt-like performance for a man that big).

Vander Esch seems to be a more instinctive player in spite of only playing full year a his position (again, very much like T.J. Watt).

Evans had more advantages with a more dominant front playing in front of him and a more dominant secondary playing behind him, but Vander Esch made more plays anyway. When you watched a game on the blue carpet, Vander Esch stood out, but I don't think that Evans is on par in terms of on-the-field talent with LB's from recent Tide vintage such as Reuben Foster, C.J. Mosley, or Donta Hightower.

That's just me, though. No one will argue that LVE isn't an athletic freak. What I ask you to do is pull up his video...watch the guy play, not just highlights. He diagnoses slow, plays soft, doesn't hit. He's easily washed out of plays, plays small. He can't deal with trash, can't disengage. He's just not that good. People have fallen in love with his potential but he's not even close to a finished product.

[Shoe]

Vanden Esch. Alabama players generally turn out to be less than advertised. Not sure what it is, but they seem to be like Duke basketball in that regard. In either case though, the ceiling seems to be solid starter level. I don't think either will be a game changer in the way Shazier or Polamalu were (which is what this defense lacks = a back 7 game-changer).

OTOH, Vanden Esch seems the same type of player Watt is, and vice-versa. To me, neither will be a top pure pass-rusher, but both are athletic and heady guys who have great versatility. For some reason, I keep thinking the name Karl Mecklenburg or old Clay Matthews when I think of him... which, if he turns out that good, it is a steal.

[Shawn]

Let me go as far to say that Evans is so good that he's a three down LBr who can play the run with authority, knock blocks off, play the pass, go sideline to sideline, rush the passer-inside or out. He's just a really good LBr. I like him as much as I liked Mosley some years back. He's the real deal.

[Shawn]

Vanden Esch. Alabama players generally turn out to be less than advertised. Not sure what it is, but they seem to be like Duke basketball in that regard. In either case though, the ceiling seems to be solid starter level. I don't think either will be a game changer in the way Shazier or Polamalu were (which is what this defense lacks = a back 7 game-changer). Evans is as good as Mosley at this stage. What's that worth to our team?

[RuthlessBurgher]

People have fallen in love with his potential but he's not even close to a finished product.

The same thing was said about Ryan Shazier when he was compared to C.J. Mosley in their draft year.

I'll give you that Evans has a higher floor (what you see is what you get; very low bust potential; could be a starter earlier in his career) but a lower ceiling (I see a solid player, but nothing really spectacular there).

On the other hand, I see Vander Esch having a lower floor but also a higher ceiling. If you hit on this kid, he could be a monster...a true difference maker on a defense.

[RuthlessBurgher]

To put in terms that Steeler fans can easily understand...

I think of Rashaan Evans as being similar to Larry Foote type of player for us as a rookie with the potential to grow into a Lawrence Timmons type of player for us. Solid players.

I think of Leighton Vander Esch as being similar to Jerry Olsavsky type of player for us as a rookie with the potential to grow into a Chad Brown type of player for us. Again, lower floor but potentially higher ceiling. Chad Brown was more of a difference maker in his prime than Timmons was.

My favorite guy, though, would be Roquan Smith. I see him melding some of the attributes of James Farrior with Ryan Shazier together...I'd be willing trade up for that guy (give up our late 1st and late 2nd for a mid 1st and mid 4th).

[Shoe]

Evans is as good as Mosley at this stage. What's that worth to our team?

If he is as good as Mosley was, then he's out of our price range anyway. Mosley was mid-first, and he probably would have went higher if not for his injury issues coming out.

If he's that good (as you claim), then I'm all for it.

[Steel Maniac]

It's beginning to look as though both of them may be gone by #28.

That's what I think. This is a moot point.

[Steel Maniac]

To put in terms that Steeler fans can easily understand...

I think of Rashaan Evans as being similar to Larry Foote type of player for us as a rookie with the potential to grow into a Lawrence Timmons type of player for us. Solid players.

I think of Leighton Vander Esch as being similar to Jerry Olsavsky type of player for us as a rookie with the potential to grow into a Chad Brown type of player for us. Again, lower floor but potentially higher ceiling. Chad Brown was more of a difference maker in his prime than Timmons was.

My favorite guy, though, would be Roquan Smith. I see him melding some of the attributes of James Farrior with Ryan Shazier together...I'd be willing trade up for that guy (give up our late 1st and late 2nd for a mid 1st and mid 4th).

I don't see Smith getting past the Raiders.

[The Man of Steel]

I read one profile of Evans where he was compared to Lawrence Timmons so I’d be cool with that.

[SidSmythe]

I'm going with LVE.
He's a late bloomer with TJ Watt athleticism.
Sounds like a guy who can be a long term player with versatility. Perhaps another Chad Brown??

[steeler_george]

Could the Pats' trade guarantee that both are going to be off the board!!!

[Steel Maniac]

Could the Pats' trade guarantee that both are going to be off the board!!!

Well, we kinda knew the Rams needed to replace Olgeltree who they let go. So maybe we got a chance of one slipping thru now.

[Chadman]

Chadman prefers Evans. LVE looks exciting, but his ‘big plays’ seem to come more on plays where he isn’t combatting anybody but the ball player- ie, if he gets caught up in blocks, he gets CAUGHT UP. Evans seems to fight through blocks etc much better.

That said, if both are gone, the next best way to shore up the Run D is to get the NT.

[Shawn]

Chadman prefers Evans. LVE looks exciting, but his ‘big plays’ seem to come more on plays where he isn’t combatting anybody but the ball player- ie, if he gets caught up in blocks, he gets CAUGHT UP. Evans seems to fight through blocks etc much better.

That said, if both are gone, the next best way to shore up the Run D is to get the NT. If you watch both of these guys, Evans uses his hands effectively to disengage. He does subtle things well like a fake with his head then a brutal spin as a pass rusher. He's so quick. He sorts through trash really well. LVE is terrific sideline to sideline. But, he has very poor hands and gets swallowed up. There's much tape of him ending up on his backside and washed out of plays. Does he have quite a bit of potential? I think so based on his athleticism but he's a 2-3 year project. Evans can be a day 1 starter and has All Pro potential.

[Shawn]

If he is as good as Mosley was, then he's out of our price range anyway. Mosley was mid-first, and he probably would have went higher if not for his injury issues coming out.

If he's that good (as you claim), then I'm all for it. Yes, he's that good. I think the guy is special.

[Oviedo]

It's beginning to look as though both of them may be gone by #28.

Then we get best available Safety. No problem and a position of need gets help.

[Shawn]

Then we get best available Safety. No problem and a position of need gets help. I don't see a need for a first round safety at this point. Davis is young and he will grow. We have Burnett now. Have we given up on Davis?

[Slapstick]

I would hope that, if the Steelers have the opportunity to draft a highly graded safety, they do so...

Burnett is 29 years old, has missed a lot of games over the past few seasons, and is signed only for three years...behind Davis and Burnett (our presumptive starters), we have JJ Wilcox, Jordan Dangerfield, and Malik Golden...if there is a safety worth the pick, I hope they pull the trigger...

[RuthlessBurgher]

Could the Pats' trade guarantee that both are going to be off the board!!!

New England lost Nate Solder to the Giants in free agency, so their biggest hole is the one who is charged with protecting old man Brady's blind side. I fully expect them to use that 23rd overall pick that they got from the Rams on an OT such as Notre Dame's Mike McGlinchey, Texas' Connor Williams, or UCLA's Kolton Miller. It's a much more pressing need for them than ILB where they have Dont'a Hightower returning to play next to Kyle Van Noy.

[Steel Maniac]

Looking at the Patriots o-line, they gotta do something to make up for Solder being gone. And based on the fact you usually get more quality O-lineman in round one, they gotta use that pick on an O-lineman.

[Steel Maniac]

But I see the Pats using that second 1st round pick as a trade down tool to pick up more picks. Unless a runningback they really like is there.

[feltdizz]

I don't see a need for a first round safety at this point. Davis is young and he will grow. We have Burnett now. Have we given up on Davis?

I agree, we can wait on a Safety. I prefer LB or DL to be honest.

[RuthlessBurgher]

I doubt we go safety in round one, but if a FS prospect falls into our laps (say, Justin Reid in round 2 or Jessie Bates in round 3), then I could easily see us pulling the trigger there.

I could also see using a mid-round pick on an oversized SS/undersized LB type who could be a hybrid dime backer for us (or a "big nickel" option) and a ST demon, such as Terrell Edmunds, Shaquem Griffin, or Oren Burks, which would make J.J. Wilcox expendable after the draft, saving us about $3M against the cap.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Steelers dine with Leighton Vander Esch before the Boise State Pro Day

The Pittsburgh Steelers spent some extra time with Leighton Vander Esch prior to his Pro Day.

By Jeff Hartman

Apr 3, 2018, 3:29pm EDT

It is no secret by now the possible connection between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Leighton Vander Esch of Boise State. The Steelers have a serious need at inside linebacker, and Vander Esch could be a player available when Pittsburgh is slotted to draft 28th overall in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft.

According to Tony Pauline of Draft Analyst, the Steelers dined with the linebacker prior to his pro day.

A large crowd is expected to be on hand for Leighton Vander Esch. The linebacker met with the Pittsburgh Steelers last night and will be drafted somewhere in the middle of Round 1.

This shouldn’t be shocking news for the Steelers fan base, but it makes you wonder if the Steelers liked what they saw enough to spend a first round pick on Vander Esche, if he is available when they make their selection.

Vander Esch is a compelling figure, and many have strong opinions as to why they love, or hate, him as a potential prospect for the black-and-gold. Nonetheless, check out the video from the Boise State Pro Day:

(Note: Steelers inside linebacker Jerry Olsavsky was present for the workout, and put several linebackers through workouts.)


Leighton Vander Esch impresses the crowd at Boise State's Pro Day. pic.twitter.com/Le6mcpyRmP
— KBOI 2News (@KBOITV) April 3, 2018


Boise State linebacker Leighton Vander Esch. From 8 man high school football to a potential first round pick. pic.twitter.com/hyUzI2FEt3
— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) April 3, 2018


https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2018-nfl-mock-drafts-profiles-video-clips-highlights-steelers-analysis-breakdowns-news/2018/4/3/17193918/steelers-dine-with-leighton-vander-esch-before-the-boise-state-pro-day-2018-nfl-draft-news-rumors

[Herewegosteelers!]

It'd be nice to finally get a Bama player on the Steelers...:wink:.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Analyzing the Mack ILB Position, and available prospects in the 2018 NFL Draft

Forget the position names. What are the roles that need to be filled in the middle of the Steeler defense?

By DropTheHammer
Apr 11, 2018, 11:46am EDT

(Editor’s Note: All statements regarding football X’s and O’s were reviewed and corrected by Cliff Harris Is Still A Punk. He counts as co-author even if the system won’t include his name.)

There’s all but universal agreement that Mack ILB (the gap left by Ryan Shazier) is the Steelers’ biggest hole. Bostic is an adequate band aid but he’s not a star, he has a significant history of games missed to injury, and there is no depth behind him.

What is a Mack ILB?

Most of you know that I’m a lawyer in my real life. Here’s a lawyer’s truism for you. In the end, most disputes come down to defining the term that you’re arguing about. So what exactly do we mean by all these terms? What are the differences between a Buck ILB, a Mack ILB, or those various “hybrid” positions like Nickle- and Dime ILB, or Box- and Strong Safety?

In brief, the Buck ILB (Vince Williams, Tyler Matakevich, and late-career Lawrence Timmons) is an off-ball linebacker who focuses 70% of his attention on heading downhill in run support and/or an inside blitz. He’s the guy who mans up when Rosie Nix comes barrelling forward hellbent on justifying his existence, and some poor soul has to stop him cold at the line of scrimmage. In the absence of a careening fullback they routinely take on pulling guards, crash into gaps the offensive is trying to clear, make the tackle on inside runs, and blitz up the middle on pass plays. The other 30% of their job is coverage duty on backs and TE’s. Buck ILB’s tend to play in the 250+ range because they need that mass to survive the constant impacts. Bigger size tends to mean they are slightly mismatched in coverage; not completely lost like a lineman would be, but likely to have a real tough time. The moral of the story: “Don’t get fooled, but if you must get fooled do it stopping the run.”

Mack ILB’s have more and more varied duties based on a 50/50 split in attention. Here’s a quick summary:

•Field general. Mack ILB’s are the defensive QB that makes all the calls. Leadership skills and football IQ are at a bigger premium here than anywhere else on the defense. The Buck ILB can handle this, but it works better if it’s the Mack because that’s the player who’ll have to adjust the most. They have to read more keys than Buck ILB’s and can’t afford to focus as heavily on downhill run support.

•Run support. Mack ILB’s are the run-and-chase specialists who shoot through lateral gaps to catch RB’s heading toward the edge or screen plays. Burst speed and football IQ are the premium skills here, which is why Mack ILB’s typically play in the 230-240 range and are built a little lighter than Buck ILB’s. This is balanced by the need to defeat blockers and make the tackle when you get there. It’s a constant trade off that drives film watchers crazy. The trade of extra mass for extra speed tends to correlate with issues getting away from Guards and Centers that reach the second level, and obviously removes some oomph when the Mack ILB reaches the ball carrier. This is where Shazier got criticized.

•Coverage duties. Mack ILB’s routinely cover all the escape hatch and check down throws, along with zone coverage duties in the middle of the field. And just to complicate things, modern offenses will challenge them by automatically converting those patterns into something like a TE seam route. These duties require almost Safety-like skills: excellent but not CB-level change of direction, top notch click-and-close burst to tackle the catch before a slot receiver can dart away, and enough foot speed to cover most TE’s.

Moral of the story: “Don’t get fooled, and if you get fooled react and adjust really, really fast.”

The next step on the continuum gets to the hybrid LB/Safety types. The biggest are the “Nickel LB’s”. These are true, if usually undersized Linebackers with serious coverage chops (for a Linebacker). Nickel LB’s replace the Buck ILB, an OLB, or a NT in likely pass situations (I can’t be more precise because there are many dozens of variations in these sub packages). A Nickel LB who’s exceptional at coverage may even act as a third Safety. Run stuffing 40%, Pass coverage 60%. This shades over into “Dime LB” which calls for even more focus on coverage skills and is more usually manned by an oversized Safety than an extra-quick Linebacker. Call it 30/70. Classic Strong Safeties come in at more like 20/80.

There was an era when hybrid types occupied a starting role on many defenses under the name “Box Safety.” Box Safeties were supposed to be masters of all trades, not a mere jacks. Take, e.g., the Steelers’ beloved Fire-X cross blitz where the Buck and Mack cross stunt with the NT. On those plays the hybrid LB/S is the primary run-fitter at the 2nd level, coming downhill at the snap and thinking run-first. He’d better be able to tackle here because if that stunt gets picked up the RB can hit a seam and be off to the races! In other scenarios – and you want to leave the QB wondering before the snap – the hybrid guy can become an alley player who guards against flat and seam routes by RB’s and TE’s. That’s typical on stunts from the OLB’s. Or he may be asked to drop back into cover-3 against heavy personnel groups, and/or to be the “force” player against runs toward the edge or passes into the flat because the Mack is likely to get swallowed by one of those extra offensive linemen.

Once upon a time Pittsburgh had a single player who could do all of these things at an expert level. He excelled at everything from taking on kickout blocks to tackling in space, tackling at the 2nd level like a linebacker, covering tight ends, and dropping back in Cover-2 like an extra Free Safety. His versatility, football IQ, and burst toward the play put the fear of God into opposing QB’s because he made it all but impossible to really know what the defensive scheme would look like after the snap. There is a reason Troy Polamalu is going into the HOF about three seconds after he’s eligible.

The “Box Safety” name has died out in favor of sub package roles because there aren’t that many Troys in the universe. Teams got better results by substituting multiple players (Strong Safeties, Dime LB’s and NIckel LB’) than hoping to find one miracle athlete who could do it all. Insiders realized that the writing was on the wall when the players themselves started to use lines like“too small to play linebacker and too slow to play safety.” So the title has been dropped but the varied roles still have to be filled; each and every one of those roles or the opponent will pick that little weakness apart.

The next steps on the gradient would be “Free Safety” and “Corner Who Can Tackle,” but we won’t go there. One hopes that the point has been made already. NFL starters – and especially stars – have the ability to fill several roles at once. Sub package players exist to cover the gaps in between what your starters can do, with the actual schemes emphasizing more of some things in exchange for less of others. Just to use two examples, Morgan Burnett is a Strong Safety whose skills let him play Box Safety too, while still having enough speed to play Cover 2. Think late-career Polamalu. Moving up toward the line we see that Ryan Shazier, all joking aside, lived at the Mack ILB position but had the versatility to play Nickel and Dime ILB with equal facility, and really might have served as an emergency-only Safety.

[RuthlessBurgher]

What Roles Do the Steelers Need to Fill?

In the ideal world, every role would be manned by a quality starter, a quality backup, and a young stud pushing for the role. In reality that is usually two players plus emergency depth. Here is a list of the roles we just defined and the current players who man them.
• Buck ILB’s. Williams, Matakevich, and Moats. IMHO, they are all quite good at the 70% of the job that aims forward, but can be exposed in the 30% that requires coverage skills.
• Mack ILB’s. Bostic and Ryan Shazier’s ghost. Bostic has injury issues and the ghost won’t help before 2019, if then. Major hole.
• Nickel ILB’s. Bostic and L.J. Fort. Major hole.
• Dime ILB’s. Burnett, but only if the team plays single high safety (Davis on his own) or brings in Dangerfield. Major hole. A superior prospect with Free Safety skills would provide much more flexibility for dropping Burnett into a Box Safety role, but he has a history of injury problems that makes one wince when you think about relying on that.
• Strong Safety. Burnett, Davis, Dangerfield. Could be worse.
• Free Safety. Davis. Maaaaybe Sutton or Allen. Significant hole because of the question marks.
• Corner Who Tackles. Davis, Sutton, Hilton and hopefully Allen. Burns is working on it but hasn’t arrived, and Haden has the will but not the size.

I hope that explains why people are so focused on the Mack ILB and Safety positions even after the team has added two able free agents to stem the bleeding. The team needs a true 50/50 Mack ILB because Bostic has his limits and injury history, is already into his veteran years, and there is no depth behind him. The team could use a #3 Mack too because Macks (or monster Safeties) are the ones who do double duty in the Nickel ILB role.

Burnett does a great job as a combination Dime LB and Strong Safety, but he also has an injury history and isn’t a spring chicken in football years. We really need depth at Dime ILB. And there is really no good backup at Free Safety except our speculations about The Little Corner Who Could.

So the bad news is, there are lots of roles to be filled. The good news is that all of them are for young studs, depth, or improvement to players who are only ‘okay.’ The starting core is solid with only Davis’ move to Free Safety as a potential hiccup. Thus the trick will lie in covering all of those holes as well as possible, and with as few players as the team can get away with.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Draft targets.

This happens to be an exceptional class for Mack, Nickel, and Dime ILB prospects, both at the top end and in depth. Here are some names to consider:

ROUND 1 PROSPECTS

BUCK/MACK/NICKEL ILB’s. These are freak athletes built like Buck ILB’s but possessing the movement skills and speed of a Nickel ILB. They should end up as better tacklers than Shazier and will end their careers by shifting over to the Buck position. If Shazier comes back, they will have zero problem shifting over to be a Williams/Matakevich player with all the plus athleticism that keeps those guys from being stars instead of starters. These young men may be a little vulnerable in pass situations compared to the Mack/Nickel types, but not by much because of their extraordinary gifts.
• Tremaine Edmunds, Virginia Tech. 6’5”, 253 lbs. The freak of freaks. You can even add Edge Rusher to his list of positions! We’re talking ‘Troy Polamalu at off-ball linebacker’ if he hits his potential. Holy four letter word Batman. And he really has just a single flaw: youth. Whoever drafts Tremaine Edmunds will have a lot of rapid fire teaching to do at a position where football IQ really matters. But very few people doubt he’ll get there, so don’t bother to dream. He’s going to be picked in the Top 10.
• Leighton Vander Esch, Boise St. [COMBINE, DINNER, PRO DAY, VISIT]. 6’4”, 256 lbs. If Tremaine Edwards got a 100 on the Freak Athlete test, LVE scored a 98. The same analysis applies. His reasonably foreseeable floor is Superb Buck ILB. His ceiling is [dream not lest ye be disappointed]. LVE boosters have to believe in crystallizing what’s only been semi-realized potential so far, but the signs are clear enough for him to be a major fan favorite. He’s likely to be available at 1:28 because his tape shows a much better athlete than Linebacker. Jerry Olsavsky would have the job (and chance) of a lifetime coaching this one.

MACK/NICKEL ILB’s. These are the players raised in college to imitate Ryan Shazier. If Shazier comes back they will be competing with him directly. But how much would a defense suffer from having two Shaziers? They are fast, versatile enough for multiple uses, just about ideal for special teams, and don’t forget that you can have two on the field at the same time when you sub in the Nickel LB.
• Roquan Smith, Georgia. 6’1”, 236 lbs. Best in the class and at least the equal of where Shazier was as a prospect. Or perhaps a bit more like C.J. Mosley... Whatever. Don’t dream. It would be amazing if he dropped as far as Pick 15.
• Rashaan Evans, Alabama [COMBINE]. 6’3”, 234 lbs. If Shazier and Smith get a 100 on the Model Mack test, then Evans would get a 97. The regular comparison is to Lawrence Timmons and the couple-of-points disparity goes to football IQ more than physical ability. Give him a few years to study and he just might be every bit as good or better.

ROUND 2-3 PROSPECTS.

Almost all of these players are on our BTSC Big Board with late 2nd or early 3rd grades. I will make no attempt to subdivide them here because those grades are anything but set in stone. The order is alphabetical, not by quality.

BUCK/MACK ILB’s.
• Uchenna Nwosu, USC. 6’3”, 251 lbs. Maybe? Nwosu is a Buck ILB who straddles the line toward Edge more than the line toward Mack, but he is close enough for honorable mention. Doubly so because he has so much else to offer. Nwosu’s a very Steelerish football player who’d be a fringe-1st in our eyes if the team needed a true Buck as much as it needs a Mack.

MACK/NICKEL ILB’s.
• Jerome Baker, Ohio State. 6’2”, 229 lbs. Very athletic but even lighter than most.
• Oren Burks, Vanderbilt. 6’3”, 233 lbs. Fits the mold but a bit shy on oomph.
• Shaun Dion-Hamilton, Alabama [COMBINE]. 6’0”, 230 lbs. Your author’s draft crush. The unquestioned leader of Alabama’s defense with startling ability as a cover-LB and field general. His 2016 season ended with an ACL, and his 2017 ended with broken knee cap. Was he injury-bit or injury-prone? The concern has him listed as a Round 4-5 talent on most other boards but they are wrong and I am right, so there.
• Malik Jefferson, Texas [VISIT]. 6’3”, 236 lbs. Fringe-1st physical tools better than anyone else in this tier, but hounded by persistent rumors that even a college defense pushed the limits of his football IQ. It all comes down to the interviews. He’s either the primary Round 2 target or off the board completely.
• Darius Leonard, S.C. State. 6’2”, 234 lbs. A very promising talent but he’s actually built a bit smaller than his weight. People question whether his frame will let him play strong enough to survive the NFL game as a starting Mack.
• Fred Warner, BYU [SENIOR BOWL]. 6’3”, 227 lbs. Great coverage skills for a linebacker with superb click-and-close talents, but also on the smaller side. He’d be an ideal #2 Mack and #1 Nickel ILB, but can he survive as a #1 Mack?

ROUND 4-5 PROSPECTS.

The Steelers have picks at 5:11 and 5:28, but none in Round 4 without trading up.

BUCK/MACK ILB’s.
• Genard Avery, Memphis. 6’1”, 255 lbs. Probably more of an Edge Rusher than anything else, but if drafted he could learn to be an Arthur Moats or Matakevich as well.
• Josey Jewell, Iowa. 6’1”, 235 lbs. He really belongs in a 4-3, probably as a Sam where he’d easily (imho) earn a starting job. Size issues limit his ability to excel as a 3-4 Buck, and limited athletic skills raise doubts about his fit as a potential Mack. Only included here because he’ll be a fan favorite wherever he goes. A fine football player whose profile doesn’t mesh as well with Pittsburgh’s approach as you’d like.
• Chris Worley, Ohio State [VISIT]. 6’2”, 230 lbs. A player you’d love a few rounds earlier if he only had enough pure athletic talent to play Mack or enough size to play Buck. Alas, but he’s caught dead in between. Gritty, tough and determined but on the small side for a Buck.

MACK/NICKEL ILB’s.

Yes Virginia, there are a lot of Macks in this year’s draft. They all have flaws or they wouldn’t be available on Day 3, but they’d also serve as perfectly adequate depth with a chance to be more.
• Joel “Iggy” Iyiegbuniwe, W. Kentucky [VISIT]. 6’1”, 229 lbs. A solid, not flashy, mid-round Mack ILB with sideline-to-sideline speed, adequate coverage ability, and surprising physicality for his size.
• Dorian O’Daniel, Clemson [VISIT]. 6’1”, 215 lbs. A pure Nickel/Dime ILB who’d might play Mack in a pinch but probably wouldn’t excel over the course of a year. A legendary special teams demon in college.
• Tegray Scales, Indiana. 6’0”, 230 lbs. The Matakevich of Macks. He has everything you want but the extra burst of foot speed. Many will object that he ought to be a fringe-3rd.
• Shaquem Griffin, Central Florida. 6’1”, 227 lbs. Might be higher if there were no question marks about the level of competition and the missing hand. Straddles the line between Nickel- and Dime ILB with the potential to play Mack as well. One could argue that he deserves extra credit because that 4.38 speed might let him play a bit of Strong Safety. It isn’t just the storyline that has folks so intrigued.
• Skai Moore, South Carolina. 6’2”, 226 lbs. A Day 2 Mack- and Nickel ILB talent who’s dropped to Day 3 grade because of residual worry about a serious 2016 fusion surgery on his neck. He’s also on the smaller side, which helps to explain his very superior coverage skills.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Oversized Safeties Who Can Play Dime ILB

Repeat after me: All those sub package roles overlap. The team has placed a lot of its sub package cards on Morgan Burnett, so it makes sense to get some depth and youth behind him. These are organized according to their rank on the BTSC Big Board.
• Derwin James, Florida St. 6’3”, 215 lbs. Ain’t Gonna Happen. If he reaches 1:20 and the Steelers don’t trade up I will personally picket the South Side facility. He really would be the Troy Polamalu Box Safety of our dreams.
• Ronnie Harrison, Alabama [COMBINE]. 6’3”, 214 lbs. This is why the young man causes so much buzz. He has the ‘stuff’ to excel at multiple roles (Free, Strong and Box Safety) and the size to potentially play desperation-Nickel ILB as well. May be available at 1:28, won’t be available at 2:28.
• Justin Reid, Stanford [COMBINE & VISIT]. 6’1”, 204 lbs. A model of the modern mold in Steeler Safeties. He has the versatility to play both Free and Strong, an on-field attitude that suggests he could play Dime ILB, and enough speed to stretch toward Tackling Corner. Learning under Morgan Burnett would be just about perfect. A dream pick at 2:28 because of that versatility. A minor but eminently forgivable reach at 1:28.
• Jessie Bates III, Wake Forest [COMBINE & PRO DAY]. 6’2”, 195. Mentioned only to make a point. He is your classic center field Free Safety who would let Sean Davis play the versatility role while Morgan Burnett drops down into the box. Not a Dime ILB in his own right.
• Terrell Edmunds, Virginia Tech [TOMLIN & COLBERT BOTH AT PRO DAY]. 6’2”, 220 lbs. A SPARQ-score superstar who hasn’t put it all together. If he does, he’d be the perfect specimen covering all roles from Free Safety to Dime- and maybe even Nickel ILB. But it’s all projection because he hasn’t done it yet.
• Kyzir White, W. Va. 6’2”, 216 lbs. A classic Box Safety who isn’t Troy. His home is at Dime ILB. But does he have the versatility to stretch out into a true Safety role, or the size to move in and play Nickel? Those questions are what make him a Round 3 target rather than Round 2.
• Marcus Allen, Penn St. 6’2”, 202 lbs. Again, a classic Box Safety who doesn’t approach the athleticism required for all the required roles. Is he just a great Dime ILB, or can he stretch out to play Safety and Nickel roles too? He’s got the toughness and attitude, but size and speed really matter against NFL competition.
• Quin Blanding, Virginia. 6’2”, 215 lbs. A Strong Safety with the size to play Dime ILB. His stock might be higher but for questions about football IQ.
• Trey Flowers, Okla. St. [COMBINE]. 6’3”, 202 lbs. He’s said that he wants to be a Kam Chancellor type, which translates as “equally good at Strong Safety and Dime ILB with some ability to play Nickel in a pinch.” Intent is well and good but he hasn’t gotten there yet and needs some serious work to fill out that frame.

https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2018/4/11/17218024/analyzing-the-mack-ilb-position-and-available-prospects-in-the-2018-nfl-draft-steelers-news

[Eddie Spaghetti]

Walter football is reporting that several teams have flunked LVE medically

steelers may have the choice of him or Evans at 28

[pittpete]

Walter football is reporting that several teams have flunked LVE medically

steelers may have the choice of him or Evans at 28


http://www.steelersdepot.com/2018/04/conflicting-reports-about-health-of-boise-state-lb-leighton-vander-esch-surface-on-monday/
Conflicting Reports About Health Of Boise State LB Leighton Vander Esch Surface On Monday

[Steel Maniac]

Hmmm.......... Colbert better dig deep and find out the real deal with LVE medical evaluation

[Oviedo]

Hmmm.......... Colbert better dig deep and find out the real deal with LVE medical evaluation


I'm sure they have. It's not like Evans from Alabama doesn't have his own injury issues

[Shawn]

Best part of that article...I'm glad I'm not the only one seeing this...

“To me, he’s a third-round talent, but probably will go higher,” said an AFC general manager, according to Monday’s report. “He has gotten a lot of hype, but he plays soft. He’s too much like Paul Posluszny for me. He’s a good player and will have a lot of tackles, but most of them will come four yards downfield. He’s not an impact-at-the-line guy like a Ray Lewis, Luke Kuechly, Jon Beason or Brian Urlacher.”

[feltdizz]

Best part of that article...I'm glad I'm not the only one seeing this...

“To me, he’s a third-round talent, but probably will go higher,” said an AFC general manager, according to Monday’s report. “He has gotten a lot of hype, but he plays soft. He’s too much like Paul Posluszny for me. He’s a good player and will have a lot of tackles, but most of them will come four yards downfield. He’s not an impact-at-the-line guy like a Ray Lewis, Luke Kuechly, Jon Beason or Brian Urlacher.”

I wonder if that was a Raven GM or a Steeler GM

[Shawn]

I wonder if that was a Raven GM or a Steeler GM I hope its a legit Steeler evaluation because it's spot on.

[Steel Maniac]

One thing about choosing where we will be choosing; and that is that a lot of these issues will be resolved before we even pick.