Steelers could opt for nose tackle

[feltdizz]

I think it is far less importnat to get a run stuffer when the league is emphasizing passing and it is far important to shutdown an opponents passing attack than running attack.

We need players who can protect our QB to make our passing attack better or get the opponents QB. Is it really important in today's NFL to be #1 against the run. It's probably become a meaningless statistic compared to #1 against the pass or leading in takeaways. Poe likely won't help us do either of those.

I'm not a draft hound but I think Poe can push the pocket and add pressure.

Our FO sounds like they like our OL and I think Haley will tweak the offense so the OL doesn't look like trash.

[hawaiiansteel]

I've been advocating trading up for DeCastro (and still do), but if that is not possible, then I'd rank 'em 1. Glenn 2. Poe 3. Hightower.

I would be happy with DeCastro, Glenn, Poe or Hightower as the Steelers' first round draft choice.

[Chadman]

Only knock on Poe as far as the Steelers draft history is concerned is his lack of exposure to top line competition- he doesn't fit the Big College/ Big Production mantra of the Colbert-Tomlin era.

Everything else about him screams potentially dominant DL player.

The argument about him being a DE or NT in the Steelers 3-4 is kind of redundant- if he's seen as a DE, Hood would move to NT. If he's a NT, Hood stays at DE...

While Chadman has doubts Poe meets the criteria of the Steelers Draft choice, Chadman would be exceedingly happy to have such a potentially dominant DL for years to come with Poe, Hood & Heyward. This would make the job of the LB's that much easier...

[Dee Dub]

...

The argument about him being a DE or NT in the Steelers 3-4 is kind of redundant- if he's seen as a DE, Hood would move to NT. If he's a NT, Hood stays at DE...

See now I agree with this. This would make much more sense for the Steelers. And if that is the thinking I would be behind drafting Poe. If you look at what Baltimore does with Ngata from the DE position (stunts, dropping in passing lanes, driving up the O-tackle while Suggs loops underneath), would be something I think would make Poe even more valuable to the Steelers than a two gap NT.

[hawaiiansteel]

Dontari Poe: More than just a Combine Freak?

Posted on: February 27, 2012


Every year one prospect lights up the NFL combine by putting on a dazzling showing as the Freak of all freaks. Monday, Dontari Poe, a 6-4, 346-pound defensive tackle from Memphis, was That Guy.

We've been touting Poe for a year or so now after being told about him by a Memphis staffer of his staggering athleticism. The guy squats over 700 pounds, bench presses over 500 and power cleans over 400, all jaw dropping numbers, but he's more than just weight room powerhouse. He was also a Tennessee state champion shot putter in high school, a testament to some of that explosiveness.

As expected, Poe was impressive in the weight room in Indy, benching 225 pounds 44 times, more than anyone else at the combine. But it was when he dug his cleats in to run the 40-yard dash Monday morning when jaws really dropped. Poe was unofficially timed at an unheard-of 4.87 seconds. And this was as the fourth-heaviest defensive linemen to weigh in at the Ccmbine since 2000. Later, the league announced his official time was 4.98, which is still remarkable for such a mammoth athlete.

Some immediately wondered if Poe is just a "workout warrior"? After all, he only was named to the second-team All-Conference USA team in 2011 with 33 tackles, eight TFLs and one sack for the nation's No. 115 defense. The year before, he was just an honorable mention all-league pick.

In truth, it's tricky to try to read too much into the stats of an interior defensive lineman. Poe, as one college coach who faced him this year pointed out to me Monday, was not surrounded by much talent. You shaped your game plan around him, the coach said. Plus, different defensive scheme dictate how "productive" certain D-linemen can be. Steelers star nose man Casey Hampton's been to five Pro Bowls and he barely registers on the postgame stat sheet.

I spoke to a veteran O-line coach who faced Poe several times during his college career. His take: "He's probably the best talent I've seen in several years. He took plays off and wasn't a great effort guy, but he is a freakish talent."

But don't all 320-plus pound D-linemen take some plays off?

"Yeah," said the coach, "but he took off more than most. He did get better last year than he was the year before. He just was never that productive, but I heard they didn't require him to do that much. He was definitely someone I took into account with schemes. ... I'm not at all surprised to hear that he's blowing up at the combine at all. He was never on the ground in college."

That last detail may actually be just impressive as the speed Poe displayed Monday, because as the O-line coach said, it shows the guy's great balance.

"It's the first thing I look at in recruiting linemen.

"He has definite first-round talent."

[url="http://bruce-feldman.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/31626208/35008085"]http://bruce-feldman.blogs.cbssports.co ... 8/35008085[/url]

[focosteeler]

I keep hearing people say that Poe is too tall to play NT....isnt Paul Soliai around 6'4" and one of the top NT in the league?

[hawaiiansteel]

Memphis' Dontari Poe won't fall to Steelers

February, 28, 2012
By Jamison Hensley


Memphis defensive tackle Dontari Poe is the perfect fit for the Pittsburgh Steelers, who need to find the heir apparent to nose tackle Casey Hampton. Most mock drafts agreed, linking Poe to the Steelers' 24th overall pick in the first round.

But Poe won't be there when the Steelers are picking at that point. Not after his "epic" showing at the NFL combine.

Poe's numbers produced at the combine compare favorably to the ones recorded by Ravens defensive tackle Haloti Ngata. Even though Ngata was a more polished player coming out of college, Poe is projected to go in the middle of the first round (Ngata was taken 12th overall).

Everyone knew Poe was strong. He backed that up when he had 44 repetitions on the 225-pound bench press -- which was 16 above the average for defensive tackles over the past four combines. What really stood out was Poe's speed. He ran a jaw-dropping official time of 4.98 seconds in the 40-yard dash.

You got the feeling that Poe would enjoy getting drafted by the Steelers. He has definitely followed Hampton's career.

"He's aggressive. He's one of the more aggressive defensive tackles this league has seen," Poe said at the combine. "His hand strength. Once he gets his hands on you, he kind of controls you. That's probably what I admire most about him."

Luckily for the Steelers, this is a deep draft for nose tackles. BYU's Hebron Fangupo, Washington's Alameda Ta'amu (who had the third-slowest 40 time among defensive tackles) and Alabama's Josh Chapman are expected to be taken from the second to fourth rounds.

[url="http://espn.go.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/54395/memphis-dontari-poe-wont-fall-to-steelers"]http://espn.go.com/blog/nflnation/post/ ... o-steelers[/url]