Draft Rewind 2009 - Keenan Lewis - Pittsburgh Steelers

What Ourlads NFL Scouting Services said about KEENAN LEWIS: Oregon State, 6007 208 4.49. Four-year starter. Tall and rangy with good athletic ability. Good man to man cover corner with long arms. Quick feet. Can stick his foot in the ground and drive quickly on the ball in the air. Has the size and skills in press or off coverage. Good short area quickness. High cut corner that will struggle at times getting too high in his backpedal. Looks awkward as a tackler unless he bends his knees. Not a killer on run support. More of a drag down tackler. Was in on 35 tackles, had 9 passes broken up, and 4 interceptions in 2008. Good durability. BTR:left 4.53, right 4.52. OSR:9/32. Fourth/fifth round. (A-33 1/4, H-9 5/8, VJ-33 1/2, SS-4.42).

Draft Rewind 2010 - Antonio Brown - Pittsburgh Steelers

What Ourlads NFL Scouting Services said about ANTONIO BROWN: Central Michigan, 5101 186 4.59. Junior entry. Three-year starter. Plays faster than recorded forty time. Returned a kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown. Runs several horizontal routes in their pass scheme - hitches, bubble screens, etc. Soft consistent hands to pluck the ball, put it away, and burst up the field. Central Michigan tried to get him in space where he wins battles with quickness and elusiveness. Ultra productive receiver that caught 305 passes in three years, good for 3199 yards, and 22 touchdowns. Good field vision and awareness. Plays on special teams as a punt and kickoff returner. Will need to learn all the NFL nuances of downfield route running because he hasn’t done it in their scheme. Had a good college quarterback feeding him the ball in Dan Lefevour. In the GMAC Bowl game he had 403 all-purpose yards. Has been durable over his career. In 2009 he caught 110 passes for 1198 yards, 10.9 average, and 9 touchdowns. OSR:35/ 37. Sixth/seventh round. (A-31, H-9, VJ-33.5, SS-4.18).

Draft Rewind 2002 - Larry Foote - Pittsburgh Steelers

What Ourlads NFL Scouting Services said about LARRY FOOTE: Michigan, 6006 232 4.81. An undersized outside linebacker with relatively short arms and legs and decent strength. Had a solid senior year. High energy competitor. Aggressive. Has good run defense reactions. Quick at the snap. Steps up and takes on blocks with toughness and leverage. Can get tied up and bounced around some, but he works to the ball aggressively. Gets through traffic with awareness. Gives good second effort — bounces up quickly from the ground to continue to chase a play. Lacks good speed. A little tight in his movements and sluggish in his change-of-direction. Overruns some tackles. Capable inside blitzer. Has solid zone coverage skills — drops off quickly and plays the short routes well. Overachiever type who is limited somewhat by his size and speed.

Draft Rewind 2004 - Ben Roethlisberger - Pittsburgh Steelers

What Ourlads NFL Scouting Services said about BEN ROETHLISBERGER: Miami (OH), 6050 241 4.85. Junior eligible. Three year starter with three consecutive 3,000 yard passing seasons. Set a conference mark for single season passing yardage in ’03. Stood out in the GMAC Bowl. An athletic quarterback with excellent size. Tall and sturdy. Played in a system which used the shotgun quite a bit — shows decent setup quickness when dropping off from under center. Holds the ball fairly high. Has a smooth over the top delivery. Deliberate at times but can unload quickly when needed. Patient pocket passer who generally makes good decisions. Poised under a rush. Has good arm strength — can rifle the long out and the deep comeback. Has a good feel for touch. Does a nice job of laying the ball over defenders downfield. Accurate. Mobile. Not sudden in his escape but he slides away from pressure well. Efficient passer on the move, particularly when rolling to his right. Will run when the opportunity presents itself — is a tough runner who will challenge tacklers. Sometimes loses downfield focus when looking to avoid — also shows a tendency to carry the ball low when evading the initial rush. Capable pooch punter — was frequently used in that capacity on fourth and short plays. Did well at the combine. Quality prospect.

Draft Rewind 2003 - Troy Polamalu - Pittsburgh Steelers

What Ourlads NFL Scouting Services said about TROY POLAMALU: Southern Cal, 5102 206 4.40. A shorter than ideal strong safety with a stocky build. Thick legged. Has very good strength. Three year starter. Very productive throughout his career — had an injury plagued senior year — bothered much of the season with an ankle sprain. Dynamic “in the box” player with quick reactions and a very physical style — plays like an extra linebacker. Explosive tackler. Wraps and drives through. Outstanding in pursuit — attacks with tremendous desire — has a great closing burst — will chase plays from the middle of the field and leap into a tackle at the sideline. Jumps into piles. Plays with good knee bend. Quick footed. Very good blitzer who times his charge well. Not a dynamic coverage safety, but he runs well and is quick out of his pedal. Reacts well to plays in front of him — punishes receivers after the catch. Excellent special teams player with kick blocking ability. Durability is a concern due to his size and the disregard for his body that he displays on the field. Quality prospect.

Draft Rewind 2007 - Lawrence Timmons - Pittsburgh Steelers

What Ourlads NFL Scouting Services said about LAWRENCE TIMMONS: Florida State, 6007 234 4.70. Junior entry. One year starter. Played behind Ernie Sims as a sophomore. A productive raw talent that is an ascending player. A good athlete that has sideline to sideline range. Versatile enough to play all three linebacker spots and never come off the field. Can stick his foot in the ground and drive on the ball. Knack to make big plays. A downhill player that accounted for 18 tackles for loss. Explosive with suddenness in body. Good closing speed on ball carrier. Doesn’t stay blocked. Can play over a tight end and cover backs man to man. Has no trouble with a faster man. Has the movement and agility to be effective in coverage. Sheds a blocker with clean separation. Quickness to slip blocks. Lacks overall body strength. Can be too aggressive and overrun plays. Intense and athletic. Competitive, tough, and aggressive. Plays at a high level. Good agility and body control. Good combination of quickness and ease of movement. Good lateral quickness to change direction. Up quickly on run support. Pursues the ball like a cheetah chasing a gazelle. Good effort, angles, and quickness. Finishes long and short pursuit. First round. (A-33, H-9 1/4, BP-25, SS-4.34).

Draft Rewind 2005 - Heath Miller - Pittsburgh Steelers

What Ourlads NFL Scouting Services said about HEATH MILLER: Virginia, 6050 256 4.70. Junior eligible. Three-year starter. Red-shirted in 2001. Was a high school quarterback. “Big Money” was the team’s leading receiver. Outstanding hands to make the tough catch, adjust to the flight of the ball, and hold the ball on contact. Fights for yards after catch. Determined runner who can turn a short reception into a long gain. Soft hands to make the one-handed catch. Good concentration and focus. Big athletic receiver who runs good routes and comes out of his cuts with a burst to separate. Can read coverages and adjust on run. Creates space with sudden change of direction. Has the speed to split two-deep coverage down the middle. Will give defense matchup problems. Gets open versus man and zone coverages. Good field awareness and cutting ability. Understands the underneath passing game. Makes the overhead catch. Good eye-hand coordination and body control to make the tough catch. Big time competitor. Will go after ball in a crowd. Will layout over middle for ball. As a blocker he has good knee bend, base, and balance. Quick to redirect. Can mirror and slide and dominate as a blocker at times. Explosive in movement. Caught more touchdown passes than any tight end in ACC history.

Draft Rewind 2010 - Maurkice Pouncey - Pittsburgh Steelers

What Ourlads NFL Scouting Services said about MAURKICE POUNCEY: Florida, 6044 304 5.27. Junior entry. Three-year starter that is a good athlete and plays with a good base. Exhibits impact, pop, and surge. Gets some movement on short yardage and goal-line run plays. A knee bender with leg drive. Has the ability to regain body control and balance in pass pro. Plays with attitude and aggression. Can shadow pass rushers. Quick to react and recover to blitz pickup. Light feet and works to finish. Has the ability to quick position a defender with base leverage to run his feet on contact in the run game. Functional play strength and balance. Power in his hips and legs. Can block a moving target on pulls. Good lateral agility and quickness. Rimingon Award winner in 2009. In a nutshell, he is smart, tough, motivated, and has a passion for the game. OSR: 34/40. Second round. (A-32 1/2, H-10, BP-26, 10-1.80).

Draft Rewind 2007 - Lamarr Woodley - Pittsburgh Steelers

What Ourlads NFL Scouting Services said about LAMARR WOODLEY: Michigan, 6014 266 4.66. Three-year starter that plays outside rush linebacker but projects to a left defensive end. A competitor that plays hard. Good off tackle power. Functional playing strength at the point of attack. Plays on his feet. First step quickness off the ball. Good concentration on the snap. Intense player with solid ball instincts. Stacks the off tackle gaps and holds his ground. Productive in scheme. Playmaker. Good functional speed for the position. Physical run through tackler. Ability to explode and unlock his hips with force. Good power base and lower strength with knee bend and leverage. Gets down the line in pursuit and closes on the ball carrier. Good flexibility and body control. Will compete. High effort player that plays hard every down. Big hands and long arms. Fringe height for pass rushing end. Loses vision against tall offensive tackles. An active four down type player with outstanding fast twitch edge speed. Runs play down from behind. Fast twitch high motor player. Good anticipation to burst upfield on snap. Instinctive to feel pressure and react on the move. Physical player that is competitive and aggressive. Average arm length and hand size. Shorter than ideal for a defensive end, but makes up for it with his leaping ability. Second/third round. (A-35 1/4, H-9 5/8, BP-29, 10-DNP).

Draft Rewind 2008 - Rashard Mendenhall - Pittsburgh Steelers

What Ourlads NFL Scouting Services said about RASHARD MENDENHALL: Illinois, 5101 225 4.45. Junior entry. One year starter. Playing time covered three years. Good vision and cut back ability. Team runs the spread option offense. Good blocker on blitz pickup. Can run the outside rusher by the quarterback. Inconsistent anchor. Will get driven back at times. Runs hard. Good balance on his hit and spin move. Catches ball control passes in his hands. Good adjust to bad passes. Runs with strength and power. Can run away from defenders. In their offensive scheme, he gets the edge by the option. Bender/weaver type runner down the field. Explosive through the hole to burst up the field. Excellent inside vision and running instincts. Drives legs on contact. Not easy to bring down. Strong lower body. OSR:5/33. First round. (A-31 3/8, H-10 7/8, SS-4.21, BP-26).

Draft Rewind 2009 - Ziggy Hood - Pittsburgh Steelers

What Ourlads NFL Scouting Services said about ZIGGY HOOD: Missouri, 6027 300 4.85. Three-year starter. Long arms. Very good athletic ability. Explosive first step quickness. Sudden punch and spin move. Must work to bend his knees to stay low. Tendency to play high. Works to finish the play. Can stuff the inside run and pushes the pocket on passing downs. Good use of hands to slap down the blockers hands. Plays hard. Not easy to tie up on a reach block. Disruptive. Can be an effective penetrating upfield pass rusher type. Has strength in his arms and shoulders. Has physical and mental toughness. Loves the weight room. Takes pride in his position. Gives second effort in his play. Works to finish the play. Sudden move on movement. Has instincts and playing awareness. Plays with good technique but must work to play low on a consistent basis. OSR:1/20. Second round. (A-33 3/4, H-9 5/8, BP-34, 10-1.70).

Draft Rewind 2009 - Mike Wallace - Pittsburgh Steelers

What Ourlads NFL Scouting Services said about MIKE WALLACE: Mississippi, 6003 199 4.30. Three-year starter. Rare speed and athletic ability. No hold up in press coverage. Catches the ball in his hands, but will cradle the ball as needed. Gains separation on his break out of cuts. Slender build. Raw in every phase of his game but has speed and quickness to give him a chance. When played in off coverage, he quickly eats up the cushion. Can make the overhead catch over either shoulder down the field. Averaged over 10 yards per carry on nine reverses. Will contribute as a kickoff return specialist. Has two returns for touchdowns in career. Has a third gear burst to run away from tacklers. Quick feet to beat bump coverage. Can avoid and show a burst to get upfield and separate. Has decent flexibility in his hips and knee bend. Has the ability to jump over a defender. An ascending player with Sunday type tools. OSR:4/38. Third/fourth round. (A-31 3/8, H-9, VJ-40, SS-4.30).

Pittsburgh Steelers 2011 NFL Undrafted Free Agents

Notable Undrafted Free Agents:

Aaron Bates, Michigan State 6000 200 4.75 
Four-year starter as a punter and holder. Elected team captain.  Solid person on and off the field. A good athlete who can place  the ball inside the 20-yard line and is also a directional punter.  Experience in punting in bad weather and has responded well.  Averaged 45.0 yards per punt his senior year. Explodes into the  ball. Good lift and leg extension. Natural through ball. Good  eye-hand coordination. Poised and mentally tough. His  minimum hang times are over 4.40 seconds. Gets the ball off in  1.3 seconds or less, hand to foot. Has the bonus traits of the  ability to throw, tackle, speed, and hands. 

Anthony Gray, Southern Mississippi 5113 330 5.17 
Three-year starter. Short and explosive - built like a Coke  machine. Has nine career sacks. Played defensive tackle in a  four man front and nose tackle in nickel packages. Plays in a  rotation. Stuffs the inside running lanes. Good interior instincts.  Can feel the blocks on traps and screen passes. Quick laterally  and in his first step. Good effort player with flexibility and  strength. Plays with leverage. Explosive jolt to control the  blocker. Tough. Can stop and stack at the point. Quick shed and  locate. Will throw his body into a ball carrier. Intense desire to  run down a ball carrier. Shorter than ideal, but plays low and  explosive.

John Clay, Wisconsin 6004 231 4.87 
Junior entry. Two-year starter. Downhill between the tackles  runner who lacks finish speed. Plays in a run oriented I-formation  pro style offense where he is featured in short yardage and on  the goal line. Runs with good lower body strength. Good foot  quickness for a big man. Has weighed as much as 260 pounds.  Got down to 231 pounds for the Combine. Runs behind a huge  zone blocking offensive line. An upright runner who follows  and utilizes the blockers. Gains yards after initial hit. Always  going forward. Has more power and leg drive to break tackles.  Not a make you miss type back. Must develop a role on the next  level. Only caught 11 passes in his career.

Weslye Saunders, South Carolina 6050 270 4.85 

Started 13 games over his career. Did not play last fall due to a  ruling by the NCAA in accepting extra benefits. Notes from  2009: Impressive size with long arms and big hands. Big target  who will line up in the slot. Soft body. Lacks strength in his  upper and lower body. A mediocre position wall off blocker who  is an inconsistent finisher. Occupies defensive end. Role in the  Gamecocks’ offense was as a blocker. Seldom used as a receiver.  Looks the part in equipment, but does not play to his athletic  numbers. Flashes NFL ability but has not worked to improve his  God-given talents. Did not do drills, run, or participate in shuttles  at Combine because of a left foot stress fracture. Long shot to  get drafted. Some team may sign him as a free agent because of his  borderline pro physical skills.

Others:

Niles Brinkley DBC  (Wisconsin)
Corbin Bryant DLE  (Northwestern)
Vaughn Charlton TE  (Temple)
Miguel Chavis DLE  (Clemson)
Brett Greenwood DBF  (Iowa)
Eric Greenwood WR  (Idaho)
Mario Harvey LBI   (Marshall)
Wes Lyons WR  (West Virginia)
Terrence McCrae WR  (Ohio University)
Colin Miller OLC (Central Michigan)
Adam Mims WR  (Furman)
Armand Robinson WR  (Miami - OH)
Trevis Turner OLT (Abilene Christian)

Baron Batch, Pittsburgh Steelers, 232nd Pick, 7th Round, 2011 NFL Draft

Batch, Baron Texas Tech 5090 210 4.51
Baron Batch was Texas Tech’s running back, but in their spread offense an every-down back is like a pro offense’s third down back. He rushed for 2501 yards and caught 140 passes, scoring a combined 32 touchdowns in his career. He possesses reliable soft hands, catching the ball out of the backfield. He is smart and can read and find weaknesses in coverage. Batch has been competitive and productive over his career. Ourlads Scouting Services rated Batch as a developmental player with draftable qualities.

Keith Williams, Pittsburgh Steelers, 196th Pick, 6th Round, 2011 NFL Draft

Williams, Keith Nebraska 6042 318 5.36

Three-year starter who is physical. Uses his hands effectively to lock on and stay engaged. Gets a good fit in the zone blocking scheme. A natural knee bender who can move his feet. Has shorter arms than ideal. Average athletic ability. Loses concentration at times and loses knee bend and power producing angles. Inconsistent in his tenacity. Can look soft or sting a defender. Good awareness on blitz pickup or on combination blocks to the second level. He runs into problems when he has a breakdown in technique. Has the skill set to play on the next level. A developmental player with draftable qualities. For complete report see Ourlads Guide to the NFL Draft.

Chris Carter, Pittsburgh Steelers, 162nd Pick, 5th Round, 2011 NFL Draft

Carter, Chris Fresno State 6011 248 4.58

Three-year starter. A natural edge pass rusher. Explosive first step quickness. Active and athletic. Uses multiple moves. Supreme effort as a pass rusher. WAC Defensive Player of the Year with 11 sacks and 16 1/2 tackles for loss. Fast twitch with suddenness in his body. Hustles to the ball. Plays defensive end in a four man front, but projects to an outside linebacker in a 3-4 scheme. Plays low with good knee bend. Has a third gear burst to the quarterback after he accelerates off a block. Good use of hands, speed, quickness, and strength in his pass rush skills. An explosive wrap up tackler who doesn’t give ground. Hits with authority. Moves well on his feet. Will need to develop coverage skills, but his job title will be to “rush the passer”. Will contribute on all special teams. For complete report see Ourlads Guide to the NFL Draft.

Cortez Allen, Pittsburgh Steelers, 128th Pick, 4th Round, 2011 NFL Draft

Allen, Cortez Citadel 6012 197 4.51
Started thirty games over his career. Team captain. An athletic big corner with size and leaping ability. A small college competitor who is green, but has solid developmental ability. Has track type speed. Can cover up wide receiver at this level. A drag down type tackler. Loose-hipped for smooth turn with acceleration and catch-up speed. Keeps position on receiver. For complete report see Ourlads Guide to the NFL Draft.

Curtis Brown, Pittsburgh Steelers, 95th Pick, 3rd Round, 2011 NFL Draft

Brown, Curtis Texas 5115 185 4.53
Two-year starter who is physical and sticky in coverage. Has been known to bite on play action or loses separation by peeking into the backfield. Tools to be a nickel corner, and with skill improvement could move outside if coverage discipline improves. Some hip tightness, but is smooth and explosive in transition. Former wide receiver. A good athlete with functional corner speed. Has a good closing burst on the ball. Explosive lower body. Good leaper. Sticky in man coverage. Will need more strength in his upper body if he is asked to play press coverage. Will contribute on special teams coverage. Has experience as gunner. For complete report see Ourlads Guide to the NFL Draft.

Marcus Gilbert, Pittsburgh Steelers, 63rd Pick, 2nd Round, 2011 NFL Draft

Gilbert, Marcus Florida 6064 329 5.45
Two-year starter. Started at right tackle in 2009, moved to left
tackle in 2010. A big man with good athletic ability. Works to
keep his hands inside on the breast plate. Plays balanced with a
good base in pass protection. Will get beat around the edge if he
doesn’t get enough depth to wall off a wide rusher. When pulling
he is athletic enough to get through the traffic, tag his target,
and stay on his feet. Has experience at both guard and tackle.
May be a right tackle only where he plays with more confidence.
Plays with better than average foot quickness in pass protection.
Can quick set and force separation with a solid punch. Plays
with good effort and athletic ability. Must sustain longer to be
effective consistently in the run game. Has a tendency to lose
his knee bend and play upright as a pass protector. Has a chance
to be an eventual starter at right tackle if he plays with consistent
overall technique in the pass and run games.
For complete report see Ourlads Guide to the NFL Draft.

Cameron Heyward, 31st Pick 2011 NFL Draft

Heyward, Cameron Ohio State 6050 299 4.90

Pittsburgh Steelers


Four-year starter who is versatile enough to play anywhere
along the front of a 4-3 or a 3-4 defense. Plays head up or
shades any of the front five offensive linemen. Moved around
to take advantage of match-up weaknesses. Someone at Penn
State riled him up and he proceeded to rack up 11 tackles, 3
tackles for loss, and 2 sacks. He has the talent to dominate his
competition. Grading his flashes he is powerful and explosive
off the ball. Has a quick first step. Can explode and unlock his
hips with force. Plays with a good power base and lower body
strength. Can bend his knees and play with leverage but will get
too high at times. If he plays that high on Sunday, he will get
rolled out of the hole. Has the innate strength to run over a
blocker on his bull rush. His game is power and strength. Can
collapse the pocket with vertical push and effort. Will finish
pursuit. For the complete report see Ourlads Guide To
The NFL Draft