More First Round Prospects in Town

Ian’s Take: Alex Mack is the #1 ranked center on the board, but Unger should be 1a. Not only does he have the size and versatility to play any of the five positions on the line, he has the athleticism to get downfield and make blocks. He has exhibited great leadership on and off the field, including switching positions from LT to C to accomodate a JUCO transfer. Unger might be the first interior lineman off the board and he has the potential to shoot up the draft board like Brendan Albert did last year as more teams discover his versatility. He is without a doubt a first day pick and likely could step in right away and play.

Projected Round: 1st-2nd

Ian’s Take: Davis has good size (5’11) and athleticism for the corner spot. A lot has been made about his work ethic and people have questioned his dedication to the game. He isn’t the type of player, personality-wise, that people would think of as fitting the Steelers mold. However, a lot of the concerns stem from the lack of production his brother (Vernon Davis) has had in San Francisco and the questionable work ethic he has put forth. Let’s set the record straight here. Is Vernon Davis a soft worker? Maybe, but it’s a lot easier to put forth a lot of good effort when you’re playing in a good situation with a good coach and for a good team. The coaching situation in San Francisco hasn’t been great, and they haven’t had a quarterback capable of spreading the ball around the field since Steve Young. If Davis falls all the way to the Steelers at 32, he will be a huge value pick, and I won’t blame the Steelers at all for taking him. However, if he is around when the Ravens hit the clock at 26, I would not be surprised at all to see him go there.

Projected Round: 1st

Ian’s Take: His injuries and inconsistent play will drop him down the draft board to the second day, but at 6’3″ 310, he could be a solid 3-4 end in the making. The Steelers have also looked at Fili Moala and Ra’Shon Harris (along with Sammie Lee Hill who we will get to in a moment) all of whom seem to be mid-round DT prospects. It’s encouraging to see the Steelers looking for a DT in this area, particularly since they have two 3rd round picks. The Steelers have a solid front 3 right now, but they’re all over 30 and not getting any younger, so adding some young depth to the rotation would be great.

Projected Round: 3rd-5th

Ian’s Take: Don’t let this position ranking fool you, Hill is a mountain of a man at 6’4″ 329. Since he played in a small program, scouts are unsure about how he’ll adjust, but let me put it this way: he played D-end last year in college and with his size and frame had 52 tackles, 14 for a loss, 4.5 sacks, and pulled a man from a burning building in 2007. Not only does he have spectacular athletic potential, he’s also a great citizen. Questions are out there about whether or not he’ll be able to adapt to the pro game, but we could see his name called as high as the 3rd round because of his size, speed, and potential to play any position along a 3-4 front.

Projected Round: 3rd-7th

Ian’s Take: At 6’5″ 333, Vasquez is a giant along the offensive line. Though the Steelers just signed Kemoeatu to a long-term deal, they will have a spot opening up along the line next year when Justin Hartwig’s contract expires. Ideally, they will take someone in this draft who will be able to fill in along the line. Darnell Stapleton is rumored to have potential at center, which would leave a hole at guard, which is where prospects like Duke Robinson, Herman Johnson, and Louis Vasquez come into the picture. Texas Tech had a dominant offense last year, but let’s remember that they wouldn’t have gone anywhere if it wasn’t for the offensive line in front of them. Vasquez has great technique and rarely gets beat one-on-one. He’s not lacking in the size department, but it will be interesting to see if he is able to assimilate into a run-blocking scheme on the next level, since much of Texas Tech’s offense came out of the shotgun.

Projected Round: 2nd-4th