2011 NFL Combine: Five OL the Steelers Want To Watch

[hawaiiansteel]

Re: 2011 NFL Combine: Five OL the Steelers Want To Watch

How is size a weakness for Mike Pouncey? At 6'4" 310, he is not too tall nor too short, not too fat nor too thin, his arms aren't too short...what part of his size isn't, well, ideal for the position he plays?

Mike Pouncey weighed in at only 303 lbs. and his arms were measured at a relatively short 32 3/4", which is the same length as his brother's arms were (what a coincidence )

hopefully these disappointing measurables are enough to drop Mike down to the 31st spot in in the 1st round...

[hawaiiansteel]

Re: 2011 NFL Combine: Five OL the Steelers Want To Watch

2011 NFL Draft Combine Stock Report

Marcus Cannon, G, TCU
Marcus Cannon played in the 370s this season, so to see him drop his weight down to 358 was a good sign. Also, Cannon's arms measured in at 34 inches, which is definitely long enough for a guard.

Orlando Franklin, G, Miami
Orlando Franklin looked like he was in really great shape at the Combine weigh-in at 6-6, 316. His arms impressively measured in at 35 inches. Franklin could sneak into the second round with a good showing on Saturday.

Rodney Hudson, G, Florida State
Rodney Hudson played in the low 280s during the season. He was 291 at the Senior Bowl. On Thursday, he weighed in at 6-2, 299. Hudson is very talented, but his weight was always a concern. Not so much right now.

Ben Ijalana, G, Villanova
Ben Ijalana looked very impressive at the 2011 Combine weigh-in. Ijalana was 6-4, 317 with 36-inch arms. He helped his cause to be a right tackle in the NFL.

Derek Sherrod, OT, Mississippi State
Wasn't Derek Sherrod playing in the 305-310 range this year? Didn't he weigh 312 pounds at the Senior Bowl? How many Cheetos did he devour to raise his weight to 321 pounds just a few weeks later? Well, Sherrod looks to be carrying his weight well, but I thought he looked kind of sluggish in Mobile. I don't know if gaining 10 pounds was what he needed, but let's see how he looks in the drills on Saturday.

Tyron Smith, OT, USC
As many predicted, Tyron Smith was the big winner at the weigh-ins. Smith's arms measured in at 36 3/8 inches, which is really insane. Smith is also up to 307 pounds despite playing at 285 during the season. The high-upside tackle could go as high as No. 12 to Minnesota or No. 13 to Detroit.

[url="http://walterfootball.com/combine2011stock.php"]http://walterfootball.com/combine2011stock.php[/url]

[hawaiiansteel]

Re: 2011 NFL Combine: Five OL the Steelers Want To Watch

2011 COMBINE BLOG - OL

February 26

(1:20 PM): After a very disappointing performance in yesterday's bench press, Colorado OT Nate Solder has had a very strong day at the on-field workouts for offensive linemen. Solder has looked very athletic and flexible in all the positional drills. As a result, Solder will challenge NFL personnel people as he appears to have the most upside of anyone at the position this year, but is still a work in progress. In fact, most of the top names among the offensive linemen including OTs Gabe Carimi and Anthony Castonzo and C Mike Pouncey have done nothing to hurt their grades today.

(12:20 PM): Unofficial times for offensive linemen this morning. Note that official electronic times will be announced later today, at least for the top preformers and those official times tend to be 0.05 to 0.10 slower than unofficial hand-timed clockings.

Offensive tackles:
Nate Solder, Colorado 4.96
Derek Newton, Arkansas State 5.01
Jarriel King, South Carolina 5.03
Gabe Carimi, Wisconsin 5.12
Mike Person, Montana State 5.12
Orlando Franklin, Miami 5.15
Marcus Cannon, TCU 5.20
Anthony Castonzo, BC 5.21
James Carpenter, Alabama 5.26
Jah Reid, Central Florida 5.26
James Brewer, Indiana 5.28
Demarcus Love, Arkansas 5.29
Joe Barksdale, LSU 5.33
Chris Hairston, Clemson 5.39
Marcus Gilbert, Florida 5.43
Ray Dominquez, Arkansas 5.43
Kyle Hix, Texas 5.43
Jason Pinkston, Pittsburgh 5.43
Lee Ziemba, Auburn 5.47
Josh Davis, Georgia 5.50
Willie Smith, East Carolina 5.50
Adam Grant, Arizona 5.53

Offensive guards:
Rodney Hudson, Florida State 5.22
Dan Kilgore, Appalachian State 5.23
Clint Boling, Georgia 5.25
Keith Williams, Nebraska 5.26
Danny Watkins, Baylor 5.28
David Arkin, Missouri State 5.28
Zach Hurd, UConn 5.30
Justin Boren, Ohio State 5.47
John Moffitt, Wisconsin 5.52
Ricky Henry, Nebraska 5.73
Isaiah Thompson, Houston 6.01

Centers:
Ryan Bartholomew, Syracuse 4.93
Jason Kelce, Cincinnati 4.95
Brandon Fusco, Slippery Rock 5.09
Mike Pouncey, Florida 5.12
Kris O'Dowd, USC 5.16
Zach Williams, Washington 5.18
Stefen Wisniewski, Penn State 5.32
Alex Linnenkohl, Oregon State 5.39
Zane Taylor, Utah 5.61

(11:55 AM): Relatively slow times by Penn State C Stefen Wisniewski, arguably the top pure C in the 2011, who ran a 5.32 hand-timed 40, while Auburn OT Lee Ziemba only ran a 5.47.

(11:50 AM): Baylor G/T Danny Watkins clinched the 'Fastest Canadian at the combine' title with a 5.28 40 time.

(11:45 AM): Colorado OT Nate Solder ran a quick 4.97 40 which was a little slower than expected, but was very quick through the first 10-yards at 1.61.

(11:35 AM): Florida C/G Mike Pouncey ran a quickish 5.12.

(11:30 AM): Quick time by rangy South Carolina OT Jarriel King who had a 5.03 hand-timed 40 yard run. Arkansas OT Demarcus Love, though, only an in the 5.30 range, while Wisconsin C/G John Moffitt was very slow in over 5.50. Nice time to by unheralded Arkansas State OT Derek Newton who also ran in the very low 5.0 range.

(10:45 AM): While his 40 times wasn't great, Boston College OT Anthony Castonzo has looked very smooth in the positional drills; same for FSU OG Rodney Hudson. Alabama's James Carpenter on the other hand dosn't look overly smooth or flexible.

<>(10:40 AM): Indiana G/T James Brewer looks a little top-heavy, but has been quick and smooth; led first group of OL with a 1.63 10-yard split; other top splits in the 1st group included Georgia G/T Clint Boling (1.66), Miami G/T Orlando Franklin (1.72), Missouri State G/T David Arkin (1.74) and TCU G/T Marcus Cannon (1.7. The latter agiain is imprssive for a near 360-pounder. Meanwhile, Miami's Franklin also ran well over the 40 (5.15) but hasn't looked as smooth or flexible in positional drills.

(9:40 AM): USC OT Tyron Smith just announced he won't run because of a sore knee; he had post-season surgery.

(9:35 AM): No better for Boston College's Anthony Castonzo on his second run when he hand-timed a 5.32 40. Impressive run by Slippery Rock C Brandon Fusco who ran under 5.15 twice and looked a little bit like a sprinter coming down the track. Alabama's James Carpenter wasn't all that smooth but still ran in the 5.25 range; again okay, but not LT type stuff. Slow times in the 5.4-5.5 range, though, for SEC RTs Josh Davis of Georgia and Ray Dominquez of Arkansas.

(9:20 AM): Florida State OG Rodney Hudson probably wanted to be quicker than a 5.22 hand-timed 40 with an average 10-yard split.

(9:15 AM): Solid run by Wisconsin OT Gabe Carimi who ran a hand-timed 5.12, while Boston College's Anthony Castonzo was okay at 5.21, but that will probably translate to an electronic time closer to 5.3 which again is okay, but hardly great.

(9:10 AM): Very impressive 40 by Syracuse C Ryan Bartholomew who ran a hand-timed 4.93 after leading the offensive linemen in the bench press yesterday. Also impressive run by TCU's Marcus Cannon who had a .5.2 hand-timed running at 358 pounds.

(9:00 AM): We're underway with the offensive linemen running the 40...

[url="http://www.gbnreport.com/combineblog.html"]http://www.gbnreport.com/combineblog.html[/url]

[hawaiiansteel]

Re: 2011 NFL Combine: Five OL the Steelers Want To Watch

31. Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4), Derek Sherrod, OT, Mississippi State:

Though there were some serious concerns throughout the preseason in Pittsburgh, the injury-riddled Steelers offensive line did a pretty darn good job protecting Ben Roethlisberger in 2010. Flozell Adams obviously isn’t the long-term answer at tackle, though, and two other big boys are set to become free agents if a new CBA is worked out. Pittsburgh should go offensive line with this pick. Enter the rather-versatile Sherrod. The big boy helped pave the way for a Bulldogs rushing attack that averaged 227.58 yards per game in 2010. He’s a road paver who can play all over the line. If Sherrod’s still hanging around at No. 31, it’s a solid pickup for the AFC-champion Steelers.

[url="http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/nfl-mock-draft-cam-newton-arizona-cardinals-020711"]http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/nfl- ... als-020711[/url]

[hawaiiansteel]

Re: 2011 NFL Combine: Five OL the Steelers Want To Watch

2011 NFL Draft Combine Stock Report


Marcus Cannon, G, TCU

Marcus Cannon weighed in at 6-5, 358. Based on his size, you'd expect him to be fat, slow and lethargic. On the contrary, Cannon did not appear as though he was anything close to 358. He ran a 5.20 40 and looked very fluid in all the drills. Cannon seems to have cemented his Round 2 status. He may even be selected at the end of Round 1 if a team believes he can play right tackle.


Anthony Castonzo, OT, Boston College

Anthony Castonzo ran just a 5.21 40, but was phenomenal in the drills, showing great athleticism and technique. He could be the second tackle off the board behind Tyron Smith.


Rodney Hudson, G, Florida State
Rodney Hudson may not carry 299 pounds very well, but his weight gain didn't seem to affect him in the drills. In fact, Hudson's footwork is still as good as ever.


DeMarcus Love, G, Arkansas

DeMarcus Love is a guard only. After watching him in the drills at the Combine, I'm further convinced that he can't play right tackle.


Derek Newton, OT, Arkansas State

"Derek... Newton... is a... great... playa..." This is what I wrote when Derek Newton ran his 40 time. Despite his 6-5, 311-pound frame, Newton ran a 4.99 on Saturday. Expect Al Davis to target him early on Day 3.


Nate Solder, OT, Colorado

Nate Solder sucked on the bench press and still has some bad tape to answer for, but he really stood out at the Combine. At 6-8, 319, Solder ran a 4.97 and displayed incredible athleticism in the drills.


Derek Sherrod, OT, Mississippi State

I was concerned about Derek Sherrod's sudden weight gain to 321 pounds. Well, Sherrod carried the 321 well and maintained his solid athleticism. He ran a 5.20 40 and looked good in the drills. He could go as high as No. 23 to Philadelphia, but will probably be selected in the 28-35 range.


[url="http://www.walterfootball.com/combine2011stock3.php"]http://www.walterfootball.com/combine2011stock3.php[/url]

[aggiebones]

Re: 2011 NFL Combine: Five OL the Steelers Want To Watch

I'm still calling for a DE since they are a plenty this year. We can get a good one at 31.
I think the DE at 31 will be vastly superior rating wise to the top T.
I'd also rather we take not in the 1st. That's pricey to back to back grab interior OL in the first round.
I could see moving up a bit to grab Randy Hudsen in the second. Sounds like a good option.
But again, I think our OL when in order is OK. But we can't expect it to operate fully with two 3rd string Ts in the playoffs. Starters were Colon and Starks. Then we had to go with JScott and Adams. And often it was getting down to Essex playing T more than we should. Not sure how much Hills played, but he should be off the team.

If they really think interior needs help, do so in the second round. No more first round interior OL.

[hawaiiansteel]

Re: 2011 NFL Combine: Five OL the Steelers Want To Watch

GREAT BLUE NORTH DRAFT REPORT

TOP OT PROSPECTS FOR 2011

* - indicates underclassmen

Last updated: 02/28/11 (post-Combine)

*Tyron Smith 6-5, 307 4.95 Southern California
Nate Solder 6-8, 315 5.05 Colorado
Anthony Castonzo 6-7, 311 5.23 Boston College
Gabe Carimi 6-7, 315 5.27 Wisconsin
Derek Sherrod 6-5.5, 321 5.28 Mississippi State
Ben Ijalana 6-3.5, 317 5.25 Villanova (OG)
Marcus Cannon 6-5, 358 5.26 TCU (OG)
Orlando Franklin 6-6, 315 5.20 Miami (OG)
Marcus Gilbert 6-6.5, 330 5.45 Florida (OG)
James Carpenter 6-4.5, 321 5.28 Alabama (OG)
DeMarcus Love 6-4.5, 315 5.31 Arkansas (OG)
Lee Ziemba 6-6, 317 5.60 Auburn
James Brewer 6-6, 323 5.27 Indiana (OG)
Chris Hairston 6-6, 326 5.43 Clemson
Jarriel King 6-5, 317 5.10 South Carolina
Joe Barksdale 6-4.5, 325 5.38 LSU
Ray Dominquez 6-4, 334 5.48 Arkansas
Jah Reid 6-7, 327 5.40 Central Florida
Derek Newton 6-5, 305 5.01 Arkansas State


TOP OG PROSPECTS FOR 2011

Last updated: 02/28/11 (post-Combine)

Mike Pouncey 6-3, 303 5.28 Florida (C)
Danny Watkins 6-3.5, 312 5.40 Baylor (OT)
Rodney Hudson 6-2, 299 5.31 Florda State (C)
Clint Boling 6-5, 310 5.40 Georgia (OT)
Stephen Schilling 6-4, 308 5.30 Michigan
Will Rackley 6-3, 310 5.25 Lehigh (C/T)
Jason Pinkston 6-3.5, 317 5.47 Pittsburgh (OT)
Zach Hurd 6-7, 316 5.35 UConn
Carl Johnson 6-5, 361 5.43 Florida
Andrew Jackson 6-5, 300 5.38 Fresno State

[url="http://www.gbnreport.com/2007ogs.html"]http://www.gbnreport.com/2007ogs.html[/url]

[hawaiiansteel]

Re: 2011 NFL Combine: Five OL the Steelers Want To Watch

Offensive tackles should provide teams with solid options

By Chad Reuter
NFLDraftScout.com Senior Analyst
Feb. 24, 2011


The 2011 offensive tackle class is considered average by some, but scouts and coaches in Indianapolis expressed hope Thursday about finding long-time starters among the players available.

Minnesota Vikings vice president of player personnel Rick Spielman characterized the offensive tackle class as "deep." He said intelligence and versatility are major hallmarks of the group.

Speilman was impressed with Boston College lineman Anthony Castonzo's ability to move along the line when saying, "I just watched Castonzo working at left guard, right guard, and right tackle during the Senior Bowl. You don't see that very often."

For Castonzo's part, he felt he "did better I than I thought I would" when shuffled from position to position in Mobile. His ability to move around the line would have also been appreciated by Steelers president of football operations Kevin Colbert, who noted how versatility might help juggle "the [45-man] game-day roster, as sometimes teams can only suit up seven offensive linemen. Guys need to play multiple positions."



Anthony Castonzo's ability to play multiple positions along the line should help his draft stock. (US Presswire)

The fact Castonzo did not work at left tackle during Senior Bowl week did not concern Spielman, who said teams have plenty of tape on him at that position from his three years starting there (as well as his freshman year at right tackle) at BC.

Castonzo, nominated as a Rhodes Scholar, did not earn the award to match the accomplishment of former Florida State safety Myron Rolle. Yet that sort of intelligence should help the two-time All-ACC honoree crack the top 20 picks.

Hall of Fame offensive lineman Mike Munchak, just weeks into his new gig as head coach of the Tennessee Titans, said offensive linemen must be "very smart" to adjust to complex NFL defenses. But he also identified two other, often less considered, attributes: even-keel demeanor and consistency.

Those words describe Wisconsin's Gabe Carimi. As Munchak said, "no matter who you are in this league, you're going to have some bad plays. Your guy may get to the quarterback. How are you going to respond to that?"

Carimi has been beaten during his career, but always came back strong because of his intensity and ability to focus under pressure.

Carimi was assignment-sure whether in pass protection or run blocking and consistency is one of his strengths.

Scouts aren't sure that Castonzo and Carimi will prove to be above-average athletically during workouts Saturday. The other two members of the "Fab Four" tackles, Colorado's Nate Solder and Southern Cal's Tyron Smith, own the size-speed combination teams love on the outside.

In fact, when asked what separated him from the other tackles in this class, Solder said he was more of an athlete. The former tight end is still learning the position, noting that he had a "breakdown in technique" against Cal early in the year. Solder took a bad lateral angle to attack in pass protection and didn't bend his knees. The lesson: "That I couldn't take anyone for granted."

Solder's 319 pounds do not look so impressive because of his legit 6-8 measurement. His height and somewhat slim frame make scouts wonder if he can win the leverage battle at the next level.

Even the relatively svelte Solder looked more stout than Tyron Smith this season. The 6-5 former Trojan played at a measly 285 pounds in 2010, but started off the combine well by weighing in at 307 pounds. His hands (11 inches) and arms (36 3/8 inches) are among the biggest and longest measured at the combine over the last decade.

His length makes him a fit at left tackle, but he's never played the position. The former Trojan is quite young -- he just turned 20 in December -- and played at a lean 285 pounds through the season. The youth is a plus, and he should continue to fill out his frame over the years.

Beyond those four tackles, Derek Sherrod from Mississippi State is also in the mix for a first- or second-round slot. Marcus Cannon (TCU), Orlando Franklin (Miami, Fla.), Ben Ijalana (Villanova) and Jason Pinkston (Pittsburgh) are potential second-round picks who could be surprise starters as rookies.

There might not be a Tony Boselli or Robert Gallery in this draft class -- a "sure thing" left tackle slated for the Hall of Fame. But Solder and Smith could be top 10 picks if their athletic testing results are as good as expected at the combine. Carimi and Castonzo are likely to be middle-to-late first-round choices.

Those are some solid options for several teams already in or near the playoff hunts looking to improve their offensive line. The Cowboys (ninth overall pick), Vikings (12), Lions (13), Patriots (17 and 2, Giants (19), Colts (21), Eagles (23), Falcons (27), and Bears (29) could all take advantage of this talented group come April.

Chad Reuter is a Senior Analyst for NFLDraftScout.com, distributed by The Sports Xchange. Follow him on Twitter at @ChadReuter.

[url="http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/story/14735008/offensive-tackles-should-provide-teams-with-solid-options"]http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/stor ... id-options[/url]

[The Sodfather]

Re: 2011 NFL Combine: Five OL the Steelers Want To Watch

Nate Solder, OT, Colorado

Nate Solder sucked on the bench press and still has some bad tape to answer for, but he really stood out at the Combine. At 6-8, 319, Solder ran a 4.97 and displayed incredible athleticism in the drills.

I get a Robert Gallery feeling about that dude.

[Oviedo]

Re: 2011 NFL Combine: Five OL the Steelers Want To Watch

[quote=The Sodfather]

Nate Solder, OT, Colorado

Nate Solder sucked on the bench press and still has some bad tape to answer for, but he really stood out at the Combine. At 6-8, 319, Solder ran a 4.97 and displayed incredible athleticism in the drills.

I get a Robert Gallery feeling about that dude.[/quote:3rvbfipg]

The difference is that Gallery was always an OL whereas everyone knows that Solder is still learning OL after converting from TE. He has all the athletic tools but needs to learn the position.

I like Marcus cannon more and more after reading everything coming out of the draft. IMO he could start immediately at RG and he has the athleticism to move to RT.

[The Sodfather]

Re: 2011 NFL Combine: Five OL the Steelers Want To Watch

Gallery was a TE as a freshmen.

[Oviedo]

Re: 2011 NFL Combine: Five OL the Steelers Want To Watch

Gallery was a TE as a freshmen.

Gallery has been a starter in the league since 2004 so that isn't too bad. The problem is that it took them a couple years to figure out he was a better Guard than Tackle. Solder is also not going to get picked with the #2 pick in the draft which is the big difference.

I could see Solder still being on the board when the Steelers are up at 1.31. I still like Marcus Cannon better and think we would get more immediate returns.