Ta'amu is really looking like a BEAST

[phillyesq]

Re: Ta'amu is really looking like a BEAST

Ta'amu is a NT with a good motor for his position,..which means just because he does not play with a WR or Db's metabolism it does not mean that he will drop to the bottom of the 2nd round.

Mark my words if we do not select him in the first,...some organization will long before our next pick rolls around. (Perhaps even before we select at 24 overall.)

WalterFootball's current 4-round mock draft has the Steelers selecting him in the 2nd round at #56:

56. Pittsburgh Steelers: Alameda Ta'amu, NT, Washington

Alameda Ta'amu is a hell of a bargain toward the end of Round 2. He can take over for Casey Hampton when his time is up - which might be sooner rather than later because of Hampton's torn ACL.

[url="http://www.walterfootball.com/draft2012_2.php"]http://www.walterfootball.com/draft2012_2.php[/url]

If the draft falls that way and the Steelers don't take Glenn, I'll probably end up needing to buy a new tv.

[Dee Dub]

Re: Ta'amu is really looking like a BEAST

Ta'amu would be a perfect fit for a 3-4 NT. However I like him better as an early to mid second round pick. He wont be there at pick #56 so we would have to move up. I would much rather use pick #24 on a higher rated player. Another perfect fit to me is NT Brandon Thompson of Clemson. He to is an early second to mid second pick.

So with that said,.. where else would you go with the 24th pick Dub ? It's (said pick) pretty much the very best of the second rnd grade type kids. How do you pass on Ta' amu there if in all reality he actually grades out as a solid top 15-20 selection and was actually still on the board at 24 ?

IMO there is almost no way he would still be on the board when our second rnd pick comes up even at worst case scenario if this was/is the case ?

Don't get me wrong i feel where your coming from,....but you know how it is,...there is no such thing as best kept secrets,....some team will pull the trigger on this kid before our second round selection.

This is a tough one for me. So far those who project around 24 haven't really separated themselves as clear cut....that's the one. Maybe the combine plays a part in that? I am right now thinking a trade back maybe better for the Steelers. Possibly walking away with both Hightower and Ta'amu?

As far as Ta'amu, early in the college season I was all over him. I even had a threaded asking is this the next Steeler NT/replacing Hampton? SKL has battled me on him all year. He thinks he is a still and would touch him till round 5. I dont agree. However I will admit Ta'amu didnt have the dominating year I expected. And as a result I see him now as better value in the early to mid second round. One thing about him is even when he doenst make plays he still almost always requires the double team.

[Eddie Spaghetti]

Re: Ta'amu is really looking like a BEAST

dub-
if we walk away with hightower and ta'amu, I will do backflips.

[steelerkeylargo]

Re: Ta'amu is really looking like a BEAST

It really means nothing to me that Taamu looked good in the game. He is going up against guys that have never played together as an OL. They are just worried about getting the snap count right. Those games always favor the DL. Taamu is too easily taken out of gameplans in REAL action. Let him be someone elses disappointment.

[NW Steeler]

Re: Ta'amu is really looking like a BEAST

UW had one of the worst defenses in the country this past year, and were HORRIBLE against the run. Not that it all falls on Ta'amu, but he was a "cog" in their d-line that got shredded every week. I did not watch him play much this year, so I dont have an opinion on him. I was just pointing out how bad the Huskies D was. Of course, I hate the Huskies, so I might be a tad jaded. If he is indeed a talent at NT and teh Steelers draft him, I will quickly forget that he wore the purple and gold. Until the first time he f's up. Mark Bruner was a Husky too, and he was a great Steeler.

[Oviedo]

Re: Ta'amu is really looking like a BEAST

dub-
if we walk away with hightower and ta'amu, I will do backflips.

That would be a great haul for the all ready star laden defense, but I would immediately begin to fear for Rothlisberger's life and therefore our ability to make the play offs.

This team to to serious fix the OL.

[NW Steeler]

Re: Ta'amu is really looking like a BEAST

If they were somehow able to sign a quality starting tackle (Grubbs) in FA (as was mentioned in another post), they would really open up possibilities in the draft. A pipe dream, but still.

[Dee Dub]

Re: Ta'amu is really looking like a BEAST

dub-
if we walk away with hightower and ta'amu, I will do backflips.

That would be a great haul for the all ready star laden defense, but I would immediately begin to fear for Rothlisberger's life and therefore our ability to make the play offs.

This team to to serious fix the OL.

Ovi if there isnt a viable, worthy O-lineman there at 24 what do yo suggest? Trade up? No. This team needs all of it's draft picks. They rely heavily on them.

[Chadman]

Re: Ta'amu is really looking like a BEAST

Chadman prefer Poe in the 1st to Ta'amu in the 2nd. Poe is incredibly strong & has those big long arms to keep OL blockers off him.

Plus- he's a junior, which seems to sit well with the Steelers FO.

Chadman sees Ovi playing the Chicken Little role about the OL- fact is, it's unlikely a rookie will step in & start anyway- not sure a high draft pick is a solution to the OL worries for next season. Besides, Legs & Foster are young players. Adding yet another young player to the mix is probably a good idea, but for an immediate upgrade- it's going to have to be FA.

Once the dust settles on the possible roster cut/slaughter of 2012, the Steelers will have some room under the cap to sign a FA or 2. They always do.

[grotonsteel]

Re: Ta'amu is really looking like a BEAST

dub-
if we walk away with hightower and ta'amu, I will do backflips.

That would be a great haul for the all ready star laden defense, but I would immediately begin to fear for Rothlisberger's life and therefore our ability to make the play offs.

This team to to serious fix the OL.

[Dee Dub]

Re: Ta'amu is really looking like a BEAST

Chadman prefer Poe in the 1st to Ta'amu in the 2nd. Poe is incredibly strong & has those big long arms to keep OL blockers off him.

Plus- he's a junior, which seems to sit well with the Steelers FO.

Chadman sees Ovi playing the Chicken Little role about the OL- fact is, it's unlikely a rookie will step in & start anyway- not sure a high draft pick is a solution to the OL worries for next season. Besides, Legs & Foster are young players. Adding yet another young player to the mix is probably a good idea, but for an immediate upgrade- it's going to have to be FA.

Once the dust settles on the possible roster cut/slaughter of 2012, the Steelers will have some room under the cap to sign a FA or 2. They always do.

Chad if you want my opinion I dont think Poe is a best fit for a 3-4 NT. I think he is too big and those long arms you talk about can actually be a problem for a position that needs to get leverage. I have watched him a few times and he tends to get a little too upright.

[grotonsteel]

Re: Ta'amu is really looking like a BEAST

UW had one of the worst defenses in the country this past year, and were HORRIBLE against the run. Not that it all falls on Ta'amu, but he was a "cog" in their d-line that got shredded every week. I did not watch him play much this year, so I dont have an opinion on him. I was just pointing out how bad the Huskies D was. Of course, I hate the Huskies, so I might be a tad jaded. If he is indeed a talent at NT and teh Steelers draft him, I will quickly forget that he wore the purple and gold. Until the first time he f's up. Mark Bruner was a Husky too, and he was a great Steeler.

I have not seen Ta' amu play much but the only game i saw him play was against Stanford and he looked very ordinary. Now Stanford has a very good O-line but from what i saw of him he was getting handled by a single blocker.

[grotonsteel]

Re: Ta'amu is really looking like a BEAST

Chadman prefer Poe in the 1st to Ta'amu in the 2nd. Poe is incredibly strong & has those big long arms to keep OL blockers off him.

Plus- he's a junior, which seems to sit well with the Steelers FO.

Chadman sees Ovi playing the Chicken Little role about the OL- fact is, it's unlikely a rookie will step in & start anyway- not sure a high draft pick is a solution to the OL worries for next season. Besides, Legs & Foster are young players. Adding yet another young player to the mix is probably a good idea, but for an immediate upgrade- it's going to have to be FA.

Once the dust settles on the possible roster cut/slaughter of 2012, the Steelers will have some room under the cap to sign a FA or 2. They always do.

Chad if you want my opinion I dont think Poe is a best fit for a 3-4 NT. I think he is too big and those long arms you talk about can actually be a problem for a position that needs to get leverage. I have watched him a few times and he tends to get a little too upright.

+1

I think Poe is too tall to play NT in Steelers 3-4.

I think Poe is more suited to play 4-3 DT. Team like Vikings could be a good fit.

[Chadman]

Re: Ta'amu is really looking like a BEAST

Chadman prefer Poe in the 1st to Ta'amu in the 2nd. Poe is incredibly strong & has those big long arms to keep OL blockers off him.

Plus- he's a junior, which seems to sit well with the Steelers FO.

Chadman sees Ovi playing the Chicken Little role about the OL- fact is, it's unlikely a rookie will step in & start anyway- not sure a high draft pick is a solution to the OL worries for next season. Besides, Legs & Foster are young players. Adding yet another young player to the mix is probably a good idea, but for an immediate upgrade- it's going to have to be FA.

Once the dust settles on the possible roster cut/slaughter of 2012, the Steelers will have some room under the cap to sign a FA or 2. They always do.

Chad if you want my opinion I dont think Poe is a best fit for a 3-4 NT. I think he is too big and those long arms you talk about can actually be a problem for a position that needs to get leverage. I have watched him a few times and he tends to get a little too upright.

Of course Chadman wants your opinion!

Chadman kinda disagrees with you about the arm length- Ted Washington made a good long career out of being a NT with big long arms that he used very effectively. In fact, Chadman compares Poe to Washington the most. Chadman WILL agree about getting too upright, but that is coachable. A year or 2 behind Hampton could fix that.

[Chadman]

Re: Ta'amu is really looking like a BEAST

That said- Poe doesn't really fit the Steelers draft criteria- Memphis is not exactly the 'big program' that Colbert & Tomlin seem to like their 1st round picks to come from.