McCullers - I so much hope he makes it

[sick beats]

[url]http://mmqb.si.com/2014/05/20/daniel-mccullers-nfl-draft/[/url]

He seems like a gentle giant. Maybe he can be motivated enough to remove some of the gentleness out of him maybe the understanding that this is his chance to make millions a year (or at least 100's of thousands) instead of $30k will make him put in enough effort. I hear he is doing OK in camp so far. Even if he wasn't the starter, I would love this mountain of a man to make the roster. He just needs to get his pads a little lower and he could clog up the middle something fierce.

[SteelCrazy]

Defensive lineman Daniel McCullers


On how training camp is progressing: “So far, so good. Trying to get adjusted to the system, and learn your plays, technique and keys. That is the biggest thing, working my technique, using my hands and trying to get everything down pat for the preseason.”

On how things speed up in camp vs. OTAs: “It speeds up a lot. Watching film is the biggest thing. We are in there three hours a day looking at film and tape. It’s a lot more physical. Overall we are doing pretty good. When you are a rookie it takes a while to get the system down. I am coming around pretty good. It’s just a play here or there I might mess up. I am watching film and making sure I don’t make the mistake again.”

On areas he is working on: “Using my hands, reading my keys a lot more. I still need to work on my leverage. I am progressing.”

On playing in his first preseason game: “It’s going to be a fun time. We are ready to go, hopefully we get that win. It’s exciting. It might emotional when I get in there. I am excited. It’s the biggest level of football and I am going to do my best. I just have to do my job. If you do your job, you will get recognized.”

On wearing the Steelers’ jersey for the first time: “It’s going to be crazy. It’s a huge honor. It’s a great tradition of players through each decade. It’s going to be a special moment for me.”

[url]http://www.steelers.com/news/article-1/Rookies-ready-to-step-things-up-this-week/33ce883a-ae90-45ef-8224-4d9a4e41276d[/url]

[K Train]

Maybe....i dont know.

Overall his body of work at Tennessee and the senior bowl = terrible

I havent seen him practice, so i cant really comments but he ABSOLUTELY has to be disruptive against 2s and 3s in the preseason. He can move pretty well for his size which will bode well for him but he has to play with the lowest possible pad level

[Oviedo]

I also hope he makes it and can become the "steal" of the draft on Def Line.

[K Train]

I also hope he makes it and can become the "steal" of the draft on Def Line.

That title will go to Tuitt...the all be like how did we let that man slide right into the steelers lap

[sick beats]

Defensive lineman Daniel McCullers


On how training camp is progressing: “So far, so good. Trying to get adjusted to the system, and learn your plays, technique and keys. That is the biggest thing, working my technique, using my hands and trying to get everything down pat for the preseason.”

On how things speed up in camp vs. OTAs: “It speeds up a lot. Watching film is the biggest thing. We are in there three hours a day looking at film and tape. It’s a lot more physical. Overall we are doing pretty good. When you are a rookie it takes a while to get the system down. I am coming around pretty good. It’s just a play here or there I might mess up. I am watching film and making sure I don’t make the mistake again.”

On areas he is working on: “Using my hands, reading my keys a lot more. I still need to work on my leverage. I am progressing.”

On playing in his first preseason game: “It’s going to be a fun time. We are ready to go, hopefully we get that win. It’s exciting. It might emotional when I get in there. I am excited. It’s the biggest level of football and I am going to do my best. I just have to do my job. If you do your job, you will get recognized.”

On wearing the Steelers’ jersey for the first time: “It’s going to be crazy. It’s a huge honor. It’s a great tradition of players through each decade. It’s going to be a special moment for me.”

[url]http://www.steelers.com/news/article-1/Rookies-ready-to-step-things-up-this-week/33ce883a-ae90-45ef-8224-4d9a4e41276d[/url]

This read gives me some hope; he isn't just as dumb as a bag of hammers, and that's a good start. He realizes exactly what he needs to work on and is progressing. That is very key. If I heard he just was moping around out there and didn't know what he needed to work on, and wasn't progressing, then I'd worry more. Generally, you don't want a NT with a high center of gravity, but if a taller guy is also massive, it can still work, ala the Grave Digger, Sam Adams, etc.

[Oviedo]

This read gives me some hope; he isn't just as dumb as a bag of hammers, and that's a good start. He realizes exactly what he needs to work on and is progressing. That is very key. If I heard he just was moping around out there and didn't know what he needed to work on, and wasn't progressing, then I'd worry more. Generally, you don't want a NT with a high center of gravity, but if a taller guy is also massive, it can still work, ala the Grave Digger, Sam Adams, etc.

I keep thinking Richard Seymour. Wouldn't this be nice

Seymour has played in seven Pro Bowls, has been named to three All-Pro teams, and has been a member of three Super Bowl-winning Patriots teams. Some have considered Seymour to be the best defensive lineman in the NFL. He has also been described as the best #6 overall draft pick of all time
Seymour has gone to the Pro Bowl both as a 4-3 defensive tackle and as a 3-4 defensive end.

The scary thing is that McCullers makes Seymour look small.

[K Train]

I compared Heyward to seymour since day one. Extremely similar players....Tuitt has gotten that comparison too, but Im not sure I like it for Tuitt

I think at his absolute BEST and i mean best Mccullers could be the type of player big John Henderson was for the Jags...i was going to say Henderson was Seymours former team mate but i was thinking of Marcus Stroud...remember what a headache those two earthquakes were for willie parker back in the day?

[sick beats]

I keep thinking Richard Seymour. Wouldn't this be nice



The scary thing is that McCullers makes Seymour look small.

That article said his fingers were the size of prescription drug bottles, diameter wise. That's seriously large.

[Iron City Inc.]

Maybe....i dont know.

Overall his body of work at Tennessee and the senior bowl = terrible

I havent seen him practice, so i cant really comments but he ABSOLUTELY has to be disruptive against 2s and 3s in the preseason. He can move pretty well for his size which will bode well for him but he has to play with the lowest possible pad level

A few of you have indicated his pad level needs to be low and this is a fact. At camp he has looked okay at this but it's a work in progress. Here is what I would say is most importiant...he needs to get that 360lbs moving first engaging the center. Ziggy Hood at 6'3 300 was the last guy who moved when the ball was snapped. Now when the guy hitting you is 6'5 325 regardless of how strong you are it's tough to anchor. Result Ziggy got ridden out a lot.
If McCullers can work on that burst off the ball not easy to do at his size he will have a shot to be a very good player. I'm not sure I wouldn't stunt him in the A gap and see if he gets doubled which is fine and if not singled which would be advantage 74 if he is more in a 3pt stance vs that squat stack n shed on the nose. He is not making any tackles outside the numbers anyway. Just my thinking but the kid seems very athletic for his size.

[RuthlessBurgher]

I compared Heyward to seymour since day one. Extremely similar players....Tuitt has gotten that comparison too, but Im not sure I like it for Tuitt

I think at his absolute BEST and i mean best Mccullers could be the type of player big John Henderson was for the Jags...i was going to say Henderson was Seymours former team mate but i was thinking of Marcus Stroud...remember what a headache those two earthquakes were for willie parker back in the day?

Stroud and Seymour were teammates back at the University of Georgia (I think they may have been teammates with Hines Ward and Champ Bailey for a year or two back in the late 90's).

Stroud and Henderson were teammates in Jacksonville (back in the respectable Mark Brunell, Fred Taylor, Jimmy Smith, Keenan McCardell days when they were our division rivals).

[K Train]

Stroud and Seymour were teammates back at the University of Georgia (I think they may have been teammates with Hines Ward and Champ Bailey for a year or two back in the late 90's).

Stroud and Henderson were teammates in Jacksonville (back in the respectable Mark Brunell, Fred Taylor, Jimmy Smith, Keenan McCardell days when they were our division rivals).

Thats what i said lol. I said I confused Henderson and Stroud for a second.

Seymour and Stroud were teamates at Georgia, Henderson and Haynesworth were teammates at Tennessee....some sick DT duos back then

[RuthlessBurgher]

Thats what i said lol. I said I confused Henderson and Stroud for a second.

Seymour and Stroud were teamates at Georgia, Henderson and Haynesworth were teammates at Tennessee....some sick DT duos back then

And, interestingly enough, Big John Henderson, your closest physical match to McCullers, also was a Tennessee Volunteer like McCullers. Go figure.

[sick beats]

Stroud and Seymour were teammates back at the University of Georgia (I think they may have been teammates with Hines Ward and Champ Bailey for a year or two back in the late 90's).

Stroud and Henderson were teammates in Jacksonville (back in the respectable Mark Brunell, Fred Taylor, Jimmy Smith, Keenan McCardell days when they were our division rivals).

No Ruth, Those were actually two different eras, with a little cross over but not much.

The late 90's Jag run with Brunell, Smith, McCardell, Means, Taylor, Kevin Hardy was earlier than the Henderson/Stroud era, which was more of the Del Rio, David Garard/Leftwhich period, which was the last of the decent Jags teams.

[url]http://www.footballdb.com/teams/nfl/jacksonville-jaguars/roster/2000[/url]

[url]http://www.footballdb.com/teams/nfl/jacksonville-jaguars/roster/2006[/url]

The Henderson/Stroud era still had some left over Fred Taylor play, but that's also when Jones Drew starting making hay.

[K Train]

I remember stroud/henderson giving Willie parker fits in the run game...like games where he would have <10 yards

Which was all Leftwich's time