2013 Official Visit Thread

[phillyesq]

Bob Labriola @BobLabriola[URL="http://www.planetsteelers.com/BobLabriola/status/318778997758636032"]8m[/URL]1st day of draft visits for the Steelers: Texas A&M RB Christine Michael, Ohio St. OLB John Simon, Florida State ILB Vince Williams.

Here is the first group of visitors.

[calmkiller]

Thanks Philly, Updated to official thread with the first 3 of 30. Still need to add a couple pro day listings. Still having issues getting on from home. Hopefully that will clear up soon.

I like seeing Vince Williams on the visit list. Have him in my mock below in the 6th. If we want him we should grab him with the bonus pick.

[hawaiiansteel]

Former Penn State LB Michael Mauti: Steelers Are On My List

March 31, 2013



PITTSBURGH (93-7 The Fan) – Former Penn State LB Michael Mauti is getting ready for the 2013 NFL Draft, and he updates his progress with Troy Clardy on Sportsradio 93.7 The Fan.

These have been busy days for Mauti.

“I’ve been in a different city every weekend for the last five or six weekends,” he said. “It’s been hectic, but you only go through this process once. I’m just trying to enjoy it. My main focus has just been rehabbing and getting my leg right after that surgery. It’s been going well. I’m ahead of schedule right now. I went to the Combine and did that process, and now I’m visiting with some teams.”

One of the teams Mauti will be visiting just happens to be the Pittsburgh Steelers.

“I think I would look great in a Pittsburgh Steelers uniform,” Mauti said with a laugh. “Why don’t you call them and tell them to come get me?”

He also looks back at his career at Penn State, how he emerged as one of the team’s leaders during the scandal that rocked the team, and how the Nittany Lions were able to go 8-4 despite the difficult circumstances.

“Everybody was telling us in the beginning of the season that we weren’t going to win one game, three games,” Mauti said. “It’s not like we forgot how to play football. We still had a pretty good team sitting there. It was just an unbelievable season. We didn’t have a trophy, so we just came out for the love of the game and for each other. It was really special.”

[URL]http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2013/03/31/former-penn-state-lb-michael-mauti-steelers-are-on-my-list/[/URL]

[hawaiiansteel]

Steelers host three prospects for upcoming NFL Draft



Ohio State defensive lineman John Simon (54) during the second half of an NCAA college football game in Bloomington, Ind., Saturday, Oct. 13, 2012. Ohio State won, 52-49.

By Alan Robinson
Published: Monday, April 1, 2013

Inside linebacker Vince Williams of Florida State, defensive end/linebacker John Simon of Ohio State and running back Christine Michael of Texas A&M visited Monday with the Steelers. They were the first players brought in for in-house interviews.

NFL teams are permitted to bring in as many 30 players for interviews in advance of the April 25-27 draft.

Simon and Michael are projected as early to mid-round picks, and Williams, who visited last week with the Chiefs, is seen as a later-round pick.

Simon is coming off shoulder surgery that didn't allow him to take part in any of the drills at the recent NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, so he had his own pro day last week in Columbus, Ohio.

Simon was a first-team All-Big Ten player last season and led the conference with nine sacks. Michael was a backup last season but ran for 12 touchdowns and 417 yards on 88 carries.

[url]http://triblive.com/sports/steelers/3761722-74/simon-michael-nfl#ixzz2PGjMVYOV[/url]

[calmkiller]

[URL="https://twitter.com/MarkKaboly_Trib"]Mark Kaboly @MarkKaboly_Trib [/URL] [URL="https://twitter.com/MarkKaboly_Trib/status/319113729260257280"]1m[/URL] First-round projected Georgia LB Jarvis Jones is visiting the [URL="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Steelers&src=hash"]#Steelers[/URL].

[steelz09]

Nice. I'd be happy with Jones at #17.

[hawaiiansteel]

Bob Labriola@BobLabriola:

Draft visits: OLB Jarvis Jones, Ga; OLB Jamie Collins, S. Miss; LB Khaseem Greene, Rutgers; S Jonathan Meeks, Clem; S Phillip Thomas, FresSt

[URL]https://twitter.com/BobLabriola/statuses/319136171554922496[/URL]

[calmkiller]

Bob Labriola@BobLabriola:

Draft visits: OLB Jarvis Jones, Ga; OLB Jamie Collins, S. Miss; LB Khaseem Greene, Rutgers; S Jonathan Meeks, Clem; S Phillip Thomas, FresSt

[URL]https://twitter.com/BobLabriola/statuses/319136171554922496[/URL]

I updated the Official List and I am working on the Combine/Proday list now.

EDIT: Okay I think I have all of the Pro Day and Combine visits as well.

[grotonsteel]

Bob Labriola@BobLabriola:

Draft visits: OLB Jarvis Jones, Ga; OLB Jamie Collins, S. Miss; LB Khaseem Greene, Rutgers; S Jonathan Meeks, Clem; S Phillip Thomas, FresSt

[URL]https://twitter.com/BobLabriola/statuses/319136171554922496[/URL]

Wow..i would not mind Steelers picking any of these LBers. I think all are playmakers.

[Rara]

Wouldn't it be great to get Jarvis Jones in the first, John Hankston in the second (like Chad had said) and Phillip Thomas in the third?

[NJ-STEELER]

Wouldn't it be great to get Jarvis Jones in the first, John Hankston in the second (like Chad had said) and Phillip Thomas in the third?

yeah, if you wanna go 4-12 the next couple of years

we went 8-8 with the #1 defense last year

the offense ranked 21st and lost its most productive receiver and its (probable) most talented RB. plus, one of the all around best TEs in the league is likely to miss the season

[hawaiiansteel]

More visitors for the Steelers

April 2, 2013

The Steelers hosted another group of rookies today, while also having a veteran guard in for a visit.

The rookies included trio of linebackers - Jarvis Jones, Jamie Collins and Khaseem Greene - and a pair of safeties - Jonathn Meeks and Phillip Thomas.

The veteran guard was former Houston part-time starter Antoine Caldwell.

Jones is the lone potential first-round pick of the bunch, though I've seen some mocks with Greene sneaking into the first round.

Jones has a neck issue that the Steelers will want to check out for themselves, so this was likely a fact-finding issue. He is a first-round consideration for the Steelers.

Collins is a 6-4, 250-pound outside linebacker from Southern Mississippi. He ran a very quick 4.64 40, did 19 reps of 225 on the bench press and showed off his explosiveness with a 41 1/2 inch vertical at his workouts.

He spent a lot of time in opponent's backfields in the past two seasons, recording 39.5 tackles for a loss and 16.5 sacks. He is said to be lacking in instincts, which is why he's more of a second-to-third round prospect.

Greene is a player many in Pittsburgh are familiar with since the former Rutgers star is the brother of Pitt running back Ray Graham. At 6-1, 241, he's not as big as Collins, but has a better motor and instincts.

Greene also runs in the 4.6 range, which is what you'd expect for a former safety. But he also excels in forcing turnovers. He recorded 125 tackles, 5.5 sacks and forced six fumbles in 2012. In Pittsburgh's defense, he would likely be an inside linebacker and would be a second-round possibility.

Thomas is a playmaking free safety who recorded 13 interceptions and six forced fumbles at Fresno State. And at 6-1, 208, he looks like an NFL safety. He did, however, have a knee injury in 2011 that cost him the entire season.

Meeks is a 6-1, 205-pound safety from Clemson who is more of a late-round prospect. He did, however, run a 4.55 40.

As for Caldwell, he appeared in 39 games for the Texans in four seasons, making 19 starts. The former Alabama star can play both guard and center, making him a viable backup option as the swing player on game days.

[URL]http://www.observer-reporter.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?Category=SPORTS0602[/URL]

[hawaiiansteel]

Here is the first group of visitors.

@ Today was the first day for pre-draft visits and the Steelers had three guys in: Texas A&M running back Christine Michael, Ohio State linebacker John Simon and Florida State linebacker Vince Williams.

Michael is considered a third-round prospect. He had some injuries in college and issues with the coaching staff at Texas A&M, but is a talented runner. The Steelers are likely trying to get to know him as well as possible - while also allowing their doctors to check him out.

Simon had a better junior season than senior year thanks to a shoulder injury that required surgery. But at 6-1, 257, he's what the Steelers look for in their outside linebackers. And considering the Buckeyes run a similar defensive system to what the Steelers employ, the transition isn't as difficult for Ohio State players.

Williams, 6-1, 235, is a little undersized, but that seems to be what the Steelers are looking for in their inside linebackers now - smaller guys who can cover in space.

[URL]http://nflfromthesidelines.blogspot.com/2013/04/no-movement-right-now-for-bradshaw.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=fee d&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FpROmMH+%28NFL+fr om+the+sidelines%29[/URL]

[Chadman]

Interesting...

Early observation- OLB is on the radar. Could be that Jones is Option #1 at #17, but kick the tyres of Simon in case Jones is gone.

Greene will play ILB in Pittsburgh. With Williams & Mauti in as well- ILB is on the list.

SAFETIES!!!! Yes!!!

Here's betting they like Christine Michael- the RB- but not Christine Michael- the human- as much. If his interviews go well, however, he might be the most rounded RB in the draft.

[steelblood]

I'm very high on Khaseem Greene (he's been in my mock for a quite a while). He really impressed me this season with his playmaking ability. He is definitely a next generation ILB in the mold of Larry Timmons. He will not be a downhill thumper (though he is a big hitter). But, he will be active and athletic in space and in coverage. He has great field speed and quickness and he is a playmaker. He is an excellent value in the second round!