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Sunday, June 18, 2006

On the lookout

Looking for somebody to keep an eye on at training camp this year?

How about rookie free agent defensive end Lee Vickers.

Vickers, a former high school quarterback and cornerback, attended North Alabama after spending a couple of years as a pitcher in the minor leagues.

Just 185 pounds when he graduated high school, Vickers now carries 100 pounds more on his 6-6 frame. More impressively, Vickers ran a 4.57 40-yard dash at a workout in Orlando before the draft.

He didn't get drafted because he was raw. But Vickers is a player with plenty of potential. The Steelers like to develop these kind of players for their defensive line.

He reminds me a lot of current Steelers' lineman Brett Keisel. He has a similar build and, if anything, is even faster than Keisel.

Remember, Keisel was a former seventh-round draft pick who's now a starter.

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