It turns out, Te'o ain't all that

[NorthCoast]

Walterfootball is a very knowledgeable and reputable draft site:

1(17) Pittsburgh Steelers: Manti Te'o, ILB, Notre Dame

..........

The Steelers have shown interest in first-round inside linebackers. They wanted Dont'a Hightower last April, but David DeCastro was just too good to pass up at No. 24 overall. Pittsburgh still has to find an inside linebacker because Larry Foote was awful this year. He finished near the top of dubious rankings like missed tackles and touchdowns allowed by players at his position.

Pick change; previously Barkevious Mingo, DE/OLB LSU

[URL]http://www.walterfootball.com/draft2013_1.php[/URL]

This statement makes me question Walterfootball's expertise. I would not describe Foote's season as "awful".

[hawaiiansteel]

17. Pittsburgh Steelers

Arthur Brown, ILB, Kansas State

In last week's mock draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers were able to pick up Manti Te'o. This week doesn't reward them with Te'o, but they may have a better NFL linebacker in Arthur Brown.

If you haven't seen Brown play yet, do yourself a favor and at least YouTube clips of the Kansas State inside linebacker. Wearing No. 4, Brown has been a wrecking ball for the defense, showing off rare speed moving laterally and great vision to locate and get to the football.

Brown won't enter the league with the hype of Manti Te'o, but he's a more athletic option at inside linebacker. For the Pittsburgh Steelers, that's not a bad thing. Put Brown next to Lawrence Timmons at middle linebacker, and you have a duo to rival the one in San Francisco.

[URL="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1472715-2013-nfl-mock-draft-latest-projections-after-wildcard-playoffs/page/18"]http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1...ayoffs/page/18[/URL]

-- Matt Miller, Bleacher Report

[Ghost]

"but they miss the flaws -- namely his lack of physicality and his difficulty in taking on and getting off blocks". - this was from the article. If it's even remotely true, then you have to pass on this kid. The Steelers have taken a couple of first rounders that are looking to be mediocre with a ceiling of slightly above average. Can't have that in too many drafts. Need a home run. I'm not judging him on one game but sure not thinking can't miss after watching him get trucked. Great players step up on the biggest stage, not look barely serviceable.

[hawaiiansteel]

This statement makes me question Walterfootball's expertise. I would not describe Foote's season as "awful".

I agree, I didn't think Larry Foote was awful this past season either. nevertheless, Foote did finish near the top of dubious rankings like missed tackles and touchdowns allowed by players at his position.

[jj28west]

I boldly predicted Foote would be someone the opposition would exploit and would be a dissapointment overall back in August.

I was proven wrong but he still was a liability against large TE's in coverage and got swallowed up at times at the goalline.

I agree, I didn't think Larry Foote was awful this past season either. nevertheless, Foote did finish near the top of dubious rankings like missed tackles and touchdowns allowed by players at his position.

[jj28west]

Great find HS!

17. Pittsburgh Steelers

Arthur Brown, ILB, Kansas State

In last week's mock draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers were able to pick up Manti Te'o. This week doesn't reward them with Te'o, but they may have a better NFL linebacker in Arthur Brown.

If you haven't seen Brown play yet, do yourself a favor and at least YouTube clips of the Kansas State inside linebacker. Wearing No. 4, Brown has been a wrecking ball for the defense, showing off rare speed moving laterally and great vision to locate and get to the football.

Brown won't enter the league with the hype of Manti Te'o, but he's a more athletic option at inside linebacker. For the Pittsburgh Steelers, that's not a bad thing. Put Brown next to Lawrence Timmons at middle linebacker, and you have a duo to rival the one in San Francisco.

[URL="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1472715-2013-nfl-mock-draft-latest-projections-after-wildcard-playoffs/page/18"]http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1...ayoffs/page/18[/URL]

-- Matt Miller, Bleacher Report

[Oviedo]

17. Pittsburgh Steelers

Arthur Brown, ILB, Kansas State

In last week's mock draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers were able to pick up Manti Te'o. This week doesn't reward them with Te'o, but they may have a better NFL linebacker in Arthur Brown.

If you haven't seen Brown play yet, do yourself a favor and at least YouTube clips of the Kansas State inside linebacker. Wearing No. 4, Brown has been a wrecking ball for the defense, showing off rare speed moving laterally and great vision to locate and get to the football.

Brown won't enter the league with the hype of Manti Te'o, but he's a more athletic option at inside linebacker. For the Pittsburgh Steelers, that's not a bad thing. Put Brown next to Lawrence Timmons at middle linebacker, and you have a duo to rival the one in San Francisco.

[URL="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1472715-2013-nfl-mock-draft-latest-projections-after-wildcard-playoffs/page/18"]http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1...ayoffs/page/18[/URL]

-- Matt Miller, Bleacher Report

Jon Bostic out of Florida two rounds later is a player who will do the same as Brown. Isn't Brown kinda light for ILB at 225-30 pounds? Bostic is a solid 240-245.

[Slapstick]

Jon Bostic out of Florida two rounds later is a player who will do the same as Brown. Isn't Brown kinda light for ILB at 225-30 pounds? Bostic is a solid 240-245.

Timmons was 231 out of college...the same as Brown...

[Ghost]

Timmons was 231 out of college...the same as Brown...

yeah, but he's a bust...

[Shoe]

"but they miss the flaws -- namely his lack of physicality and his difficulty in taking on and getting off blocks". - this was from the article. If it's even remotely true, then you have to pass on this kid. The Steelers have taken a couple of first rounders that are looking to be mediocre with a ceiling of slightly above average. Can't have that in too many drafts. Need a home run. I'm not judging him on one game but sure not thinking can't miss after watching him get trucked. Great players step up on the biggest stage, not look barely serviceable.

Isn't it funny how so-called professionals could have such diverging opinions about the same thing? Just the day of the BCS game, I was looking for scouting reports on Te'o. I had to scrounge around a bit, but this was from a guy bleacher report columnist named Dan Snyder ([url]http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1465992-steelers-scoutbook-notre-dame-inside-linebacker-manti-teo[/url]), who said that, among other things (Te'o is):

"Downhill player who uses his strength to shed blocks at a high level"

"Exceptionally strong upper body with great explosion to drive through blockers"

"One of the best tackle-to-tackle linebackers you're going to see; makes all kinds of plays inside the box"

Now, I don't know who Dan Snyder is, or the guy Ghost quotes above, but it's funny how divergent the opinions of two experts can be when talking specifically about a player's characteristic (i.e. in-the-box play, shedding). If we were holding out hope of landing a defensive playmaker of this caliber, this is probably a blessing in disguise.

I would still be elated to see him picked at 17, for a team desperate for a young defensive playmaker. One last thing: Don't compare Te'o to Burfict. I was impressed with Burfict's play this year too, TBH. But Burfict is like any other "character" guy. He will fail, due to his lack of it.

[steelz09]

yeah, but he's a bust...

Yeah, and at 230, Timmons was too small for ILB.

Guarantee Timmons is close to 255 right now.