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.
5 comments:
Dale I'm curious, in the last few years have the Steelers drafted anyone in the first round that they had in for a visit? I can't recall one way or the other but I wonder if it ever pans out that way.
From Bouchette today, re: Sylvester signing: "He played in ten games last season and had no defensive statistics."
WTF?!?
Sylvester played pretty much only on special teams. Had one tackle. That signing was for depth in case they get shut out in the draft - which they probably won't.
As for the visits, they change things up so as not to get too predictable. Everyone is reporting the visits now. Didn't used to happen that way.
Last year they took Adams, Beachum, Clemons, Paulson who all visited, but that was extremely odd compared to prior years.
~SBK
They change it up, like I said. There have been years when they take five or even six of their visitors. Some years, only one or two.
Can't predict where some guys will go in later rounds.
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