The Steelers could find value @ TE

[supersteeler]

By Alan Robinson

Published: Tuesday, April 16, 2013, 11:50 p.m.
Updated 12 hours ago

Jarvis Jones? Kenny Vaccaro? Cordarrelle Patterson? Tavon Austin?

No, no, no and no.

For all of their multiple needs — and they might have more than in any recent draft — the Steelers simply must take one player if he is available with the No. 17 pick in the NFL Draft, according to ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr.

And that's Notre Dame tight end Tyler Eifert.

Eifert would almost be a luxury to a team that already has Heath Miller — who caught a team-high 71 passes last season — even though it is uncertain when Miller will return from a torn ACL. But to Kiper, he would be a must-take pick.

“If he's there for the Steelers, he helps that offense. He helps Big Ben (Roethlisberger) a lot,” Kiper said. “You need two tight ends in this league. Look at all the options that teams have with two tight ends, how viable and problematic for a defense having two very good tight ends is.”

For all the attention given Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o during and after the season, Eifert separated himself from the rest of the tight ends at the NFL Scouting Combine in February and likely is to be the first Fighting Irish player taken in the draft.

“I'm lucky to be coming in at a time when the type of tight end I am is being used quite a bit in the passing game,” Eifert said. “But (I'm) also a guy that can stay in the game on every down throughout the game and can block, create mismatches in the passing game. ... I strive to be a complete tight end.”

Zach Ertz (6-foot-6, 250) is the same size as Eifert and put up huge numbers at Stanford not only with Andrew Luck at quarterback but after him, too. Eifert and Ertz probably will go 1-2 among tight ends, though Ertz probably won't go until the second round.

“Both these kids are what today's tight ends are all about, an ability to move around and do different things,” NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock said. “They're both big enough to line up on the line if you ask them to.”

He added, “I thought Eifert did a better job blocking this year than he did in past years and a little better job than Ertz.”

But, Ertz said in his defense, “At Stanford, we were a run-first offense. I took a lot of pride in my run blocking. As a receiver, that stuff kind of came more naturally.”

Another intriguing tight end is Gavin Escobar, who might have the best hands of the group. He is one of the few San Diego State players of recent vintage to pass up their senior season to turn pro. He made 51 catches as a sophomore and 42 more last season.

Tight ends who could go in the mid to late rounds yet offer value include Nick Casa, who was more of a blocker than a receiver at Colorado, and Kyle Jurszczyk, who was employed mostly as a receiver at Harvard only to unexpectedly show off his blocking skills at the Senior Bowl.

Alan Robinson is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. Reach him at [email]arobinson@tribweb.com[/email] or via Twitter @arobinson_Trib.



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[Mister Pittsburgh]

I am fully on board with Eifert....we need him now, he can start now, he can fill in for Heath until Heath is back, and when both are healthy we would have one hell of a matchup advantage.

[feltdizz]

Ertz in the second... or Escobar in the 3rd.. no need to go TE in the first. Eifert isn't head and shoulders above these other guys...

[thor75]

Back in 2005 when Miller was drafted, Alex Smith from Stanford was rated #2, just like this year's #2 is from Stanford..........eerie

[supersteeler]

“If he's there for the Steelers, he helps that offense. He helps Big Ben (Roethlisberger) a lot,” Kiper said. “You need two tight ends in this league. Look at all the options that teams have with two tight ends, how viable and problematic for a defense having two very good tight ends is.”


He could be the safe pick for the Steelers contribute immediately and be the eventual replacement for Heath Miller, not only that but give our offense another weapon for defenses to account for.
As of now we don't have a real threat on offense with a lack in our run game, and once defenses take AB out of the offense by putting extra coverage on him that leaves Sanders to carry the burden which may not be enough, we need additional weapons on offense to counter what opposing defenses will do.

I liked Tyler before Kiper announced he could be the Steelers pick, and it probably blew it apart by him saying it, but even with that I still think he would be our safe pick without any off field baggage, current injury, to be an asset to an offense like our Steelers.
If there is another position the Steelers take in round one that is the best player at his position I wouldn't have a problem with that, but Eifert IS the best TE in this draft and could actually be the BPA available when we select.

Yeah, we could get a TE in the later rounds, well you can say that about any position, but I'm talking the best at his position and Tyler fits the bill.

[Sugar]

Of course, I've been down with this idea for a while myself. I like the idea of getting the best at his position who should be able to start right away over the almost pedestrian likes of Spaeth and Paulson. We don't know how long Heath will be out and what level of performance he'll be able to provide when he does get back.

My only caveat is that Haley actually uses the weapon. If they just bring the kid in to be an extra blocker, they could go several ways there. I suspect that wouldn't be the case, though.

[flippy]

Eifert, Escobar, or Kasa are the only TEs I like.

[phillyesq]

Eifert looks very good as a receiver, but from what I've seen of his blocking, he would not be a week 1 starter unless he drastically improves. He had a lot of David Johnsonesque blocks where he went through a hole and hit nobody.

Personally, I couldn't care less whether a first round pick starts in his first week or even in his first year, but I know that many people see that as a benefit to the Eifert pick in particular.

[flippy]

Eifert looks very good as a receiver, but from what I've seen of his blocking, he would not be a week 1 starter unless he drastically improves. He had a lot of David Johnsonesque blocks where he went through a hole and hit nobody.

Personally, I couldn't care less whether a first round pick starts in his first week or even in his first year, but I know that many people see that as a benefit to the Eifert pick in particular.

Who cares if he can block. The kid can fill the big WR void from day 1 and be an addition to our Red Zone offense. If we still had BA, BA would try to turn him into a blocker. I think Haley would line him up out wide and create some mismatches and play to his strengths.

[Oviedo]

Of course, I've been down with this idea for a while myself. I like the idea of getting the best at his position who should be able to start right away over the almost pedestrian likes of Spaeth and Paulson. We don't know how long Heath will be out and what level of performance he'll be able to provide when he does get back.

My only caveat is that Haley actually uses the weapon. If they just bring the kid in to be an extra blocker, they could go several ways there. I suspect that wouldn't be the case, though.

You share some of my thoughts. I don't want "pedestrian" at the TE position. I want someone who can make it a weapon that opponents have to gameplan to take away. We all talk about how we "lost" the ability to draw coverage away from Brown. Well someone like Eifert at TE would draw a safety away from the deep zone because Eifert would be too fast for LBs and to big for Safeties.

[Oviedo]

Who cares if he can block. The kid can fill the big WR void from day 1 and be an addition to our Red Zone offense. If we still had BA, BA would try to turn him into a blocker. I think Haley would line him up out wide and create some mismatches and play to his strengths.

You obviously understand this is a "pass first" league now and not the NFL of the 1970s. Tight Ends are receivers first and blockers second in terms of the value of the skills. I'll give up some blocking and take an exceptional receiver everyday and twice on game day Sundays.

Plus he would contribute Year 1 ( and every year after that) which is importnat for a Round 1 draft pick.

[flippy]

You obviously understand this is a "pass first" league now and not the NFL of the 1970s. Tight Ends are receivers first and blockers second in terms of the value of the skills. I'll give up some blocking and take an exceptional receiver everyday and twice on game day Sundays.

Plus he would contribute Year 1 ( and every year after that) which is importnat for a Round 1 draft pick.

The Steelers Offense has driven me crazy since the 70s. We never really evolved all that much. I liked 95 when 5 wides started to become a staple of the offense and the 96/97 when Chan started to introduce some new ideas with Kordell. And then 05 when Whiz was letting Ben throw on 1st down and rip teams apart early, especially when he turned him loose in the playoff run.

But the rest of the league passed us by. I remember when we had Eric Green, I always wanted a second one of him on the field because he was indefensible. Back then there weren't any other TEs like that, but now it's the norm and these guys are super athletes.

The reason it would be weird to draft Eifert is because we let Mendy go to AZ. He'd be the perfect back in a wide open offense. But not we've got the wrong type of backs for a spread offense. It's been that way since Willie Parker's been a starter. As soon as we get these super athletic RBs that can score from anywhere, we line up 3 TEs in front of them to guarantee they get 8-9 guys in the box. No matter who we've plugged in at RB in recent history we try to run them like they're the Bus.

Now I'm totally confused where Haley's offense is going. The Oline is still in a bit of disarray even though we've spent a ton of premium picks up front. It feels like Ben is gonna get killed and he has limited weapons. I like that Haley is trying to get Heath more engaged in the offense. So I could see his using Eifert. But I just am confused as to where Haley's going. What type of players he values. He seems to make due with whatever he has, but what's he gonna build from the ground up given where we are.

He kinda reminds me of Tomlin in that regard. They make do with what they have, but are these the guys that can build from the ground up? And if so what's their plan?

[squidkid]

this is the guy i want. i think the steelers may totally ignore him up until draft day and then grab him. no visit, nadda.

[phillyesq]

Who cares if he can block. The kid can fill the big WR void from day 1 and be an addition to our Red Zone offense. If we still had BA, BA would try to turn him into a blocker. I think Haley would line him up out wide and create some mismatches and play to his strengths.

If you want a big WR, why not just draft a big WR?

[Sugar]

If you want a big WR, why not just draft a big WR?

Are there any WR's in the draft that are that big?