Better late than never, its time for the Steelers Draft Prospects series. With the draft quickly approaching, there will just be 2 parts to this, comprised of only confirmed prospect visits. The player summaries all come from NFL.com
DE Dean Lowry (Northwestern): 6-6, 296lbs
combine: 4.87(40)/30reps/32.5in vert
'15: 2nd All-Big 10, 46tckls/3scks
Strengths: Comes off the snap with burst & good pad level. Great motor and good playspeed. Willing to pursue the ball with consistency or effort. Play frame to fit classic 3-4 DE spot. Always active. Tackle finisher.
Weaknesses: Not as aware of the ball as he needs to be. Gets stood straight up at contact as a bull rusher. Pad level & narrow base rob him of bull-rush power when rushing from inside. Dull-straight ahead rusher with no pass-rush plan. Marginal playmaking change of direction.
Grade: 5.2 (developmental/special teams potential)
S Trae Elston (Ole Miss): 5-11, 195lbs
Strengths: Physical hitting as a tackler. Will explode into and through ball catchers attempting to jar the ball lose. Leaper who challenges the catch aggressively at the high point. Soft hands to finish INTs.
Weaknesses: Stiff-hipped. Recognition in coverage can be a step late. Doesn't consistently gets jumps necessary to range from center-field to challenge sideline throws. Lackadaisical pursuit. Lacking size/speed combination.
Grade: 4.99 (50/50 chance of making roster)
WR Pharoh Cooper (S.Carolina): 5-11, 203lbs
combine: 15reps/31in vert
'15: 66rec/973yds/9TDs, 1st All-SEC
Strengths: Especially fast with first 3 steps off the line. Reaches top speed almost instantly. Operates with excellent balance & body control. Seamless change of direction out of breaks opens early passing windows. Will break off routes and improvise to free space when route is compromised by coverage underneath. Strength to play through contact.
Weaknesses: Was unable to reach big-play throws downfield. Battled focus & concentration drops at one point. Hip tightness creates rounded routes and limited wiggle room after catch. Relies on straight line quickness over speed or agility in open field.
Comp: Josh Reed
Grade: 5.67 (backup/eventual starter)
S Karl Joseph (West Virginia): 5-10, 205lbs
'15: 5INTs
Strength: Play-making safety with man-cover ability and plus ball skills. Quick to get head around and find the ball, always opts to try & take the ball away rather than break up the pass. Leaper who challenges at high point. Plays run & pass with great urgency. Can pedal & shift from deep zone.
Weaknesses: ACL injury concerns. Play-making aspirations can lead him to vacate his area a step early. Some change of direction limitations. Desire to assail leads to occasional technique breakdowns as a tackler.
Comp: Antoine Bethea
Grade: 5.96 (Could become early starter)
DT Robert Nkemdiche (Ole Miss): 6-3, 294lbs
combine: 4.87(40)/28reps/35in vert
'15: 2nd All-American, 7TFL/3scks
Strengths: Plus movement skills and runs like a DE. Has reactive explosiveness for expanded range as a tackler near line of scrimmage. Wrap up finisher. Good lateral quickness, can win race across face of blockers. Improvement as pass rusher. Has a decent spin move.
Weaknesses: Disappointing production. Ducks head off the snap, losing track of the ball. Tightly wound, straight-line athlete. Inconsistent effort after his initial pass rush move is thwarted. Was suspended for the Sugar Bowl, charged with marijuana possession. Personal character & work ethic concerns.
Comp: Sharrif Floyd
Grade: 6.32 (chance to become good starter)
CB Sean Davis (Maryland): 6-1, 201lbs
combine: 4.46(40)/21reps/37.5in vert
'15: Honorable All-Big 10, 88tckls/3INTs/5FFs
Strengths: Size to battle TEs. Leaps & challenges aggressively on 50/50 throws. Around the ball and in the mix. Comes firing downhill with purpose when it's time to get help against the run. Looks to lay the wood to receivers and make them feel it.
Weaknesses: At times, disastrous in man coverage. Slow, upright backpedal and clunky when turning to run. Missed tackle numbers are troubling. Allows too much separation and can't click and close on throws.
Comp: Duke Ihenacho
Grade: 5.58 (backup/eventual starter)
FS Justin Simmons (Boston College): 6-2, 202lbs
combine: 4.61(40)/16reps/40in vert
'15: 2nd All-ACC, 5INTs
Strengths: Able to process layered routes in front of him and finds his fit. Consistent in coverage and reads play development quickly. Can handle man coverage against TEs and bigger slots. Will sprint from high to low as soon as he reads run & leverages well to the sideline. Rarely tries to initiate tackle early. Allowed no broken tackles, few missed tackles. Talent as a gunner, cover team experience.
Weaknesses: Can be dragged for a ride against size when tackling. Hip tightness creates some chunkiness when forced to change directions quickly. Will shut down deep cover responsibilities prematurely. Becomes spectator rather than participant if he feels like he can't range to deep balls outside the numbers. Can be fooled into over-committing to a side.
Grade: 5.59 (backup/eventual starter)
DE Dadi Nicolas (Virginia Tech): 6-3, 235lbs
combine: 4.74(40)/14reps/41in vert
'15: 7TFL/2.5scks, Honorable All-ACC
Strengths: Lightning quick inside moves. Plays with desired upfield burst. Experience at OLB. Bouncy athleticism in space and looks natural dropping into space. Good burst to make up ground quickly while chasing the ball. Runs through tackles with as much force as he can muster.
Weaknesses: Lack of functional strength. Easily redirected as pass rusher & washed down against the run. Labors to disengage. Can be controlled by quality TEs at point of attack. Below average instincts against the run. Needs to eliminate false step from his get off. Below average body control in space overrunning plays that are there to be made.
Grade: 5.28 (developmental/special teams potential)
CB Cyrus Jones (Alabama): 5-10, 197lbs
combine: 4.49(40)/10reps/33in vert
'15: 2INTs/7PBs
Strengths: Plus play strength. Able to reroute and maintain positioning on receivers. Willing to mix it up & likes to test receivers early in the game in an attempt to intimidate. Excellent in run support. Excellent return man.
Weaknesses: Run game awareness wanes when matched up in press coverage. Not able to run with pure man-cover speed. Plays with average balance. Inconsistent finding the ball in man coverage. Needs better awareness of receivers behind him in zone coverage. Big WRs can go up & over him in the redzone
Comp: Steven Nelson
Grade: 5.57 (backup/eventual starter)
CB Ken Crawley (Colorado): 6ft, 187lbs
combine: 4.43(40)/36.5in vert
'15: 46tckls/1INT/13PBs
Strengths: Shows patience out of back pedal. Won't open to one side or the other based on basic, first move by receivers. Has mirror & match ability on step and go routes. Consistent tackle production. Balanced approach and usually drives through RBs' legs in run support.
Weaknesses: Issues with discipline in coverage. Allows people over the top of him with go routes & double moves. Plays high in his backpedal. Doesn't trust his technique down the field. Needs more play strength and assertiveness to challenge blockers in run support.
Grade: 5.08 (back end of the roster)
WR Sterling Shepard (Oklahoma): 5-10, 194lbs
combine: 4.48(40)/20reps/41in vert
'15: 2nd All-American, 86rec/1,288yds/11TDs
Strengths: Terrific route quickness. Creates instant separation for anticipatory throws. Runs variety of routes from the slot. Clean with his double moves. Adjust routes to ball placement. Not afraid over the middle. Adjusts for difficult catches. Willing to jump into a CB and get after him as a blocker from the slot.
Weaknesses: Lack of play strength shows up from time to time. Strong CBs with good feet can cause issues for him in press coverage. Can be redirected in his routes and will get trapped against the sideline at times. Reliant upon clever routes to get over the top against true speed. Not much of a catch radius.
Comp: Tyler Lockett
Grade: 5.91 (Could become early starter)
CB Brandon Williams (Texas A&M): 5-11, 197lbs
combine: 4.37(40)/18reps/30.5in vert
'15: 37tckls/7PBs
Strengths: Flashed a quality burst to the ball from his backpedal. Steady & sure tackler , enough mass to hit and stick to big receivers & RBs coming his way. Blazing straight-line recovery speed.
Weaknesses: New at the position. Slow to process combo routes and find shifting zone responsibilities. Allows too much separation. Stiff in his transition.
Comp: Nick Marshall
Grade: 5.39 (backup/eventual starter)
RB Devontae Booker (Utah): 5-11, 219lbs
combine: 22reps
'15: 2nd All-Pac 12, 1,261yds/11TDs
Strengths: Patient runner but decisive when he sees the crease. Flashes above-average feel for the way running lanes shift and change. Features excellent vision. Can maintain play speed when changing directions and cutting. Crisp footwork approaching line of scrimmage. Able to string together slew of moves in succession.Effective pass catcher with soft hands. Willing to do his part in pass protection.
Weaknesses: May not be able to add more weight without compromising quickness & average speed. Fumbles could be a concern. Average getaway speed.
Comp: Jeremy Langford
Grade: 5.7 (could become early starter)
S Jayron Kearse (Clemson): 6-4, 216lbs
combine: 4.62(40)/16reps/31.5in vert
'15: 2nd AP All-American
Strengths: Straight line athlete with long strides who is able to come from two-deep and close ground quickly on deep sideline throws. Will read QB's eyes and shade coverage accordingly while staying deeper than the deepest receiver. Able to contribute immediately on special teams.
Weaknesses: Play demeanor and effort level can best be described as blase. Slow to set presnap. Slow to diagnose counters at the line of scrimmage. Can be mismatched in man coverage by shifty slot receivers. Production levels should be much higher considering his build. Too many busts in coverage leading to free running receivers.
Grade: 5.39 (backup/eventual starter)
RB Tyler Ervin (San Jose St): 5-10, 192lbs
combine: 4.41(40)/17reps/39in vert
'15: 1,469yds/13TDs
Strengths: Short-strider in tight confines with ability to make sudden directional change. Combines smoothness with quick reaction time to avoid traffic. Plus lateral escapability. Quality hands, can function as a pass catcher with some matchup potential. Very good play speed and can punch the gas to top speed quickly. Return man experience.
Weaknesses: Runs come to a screeching halt against quality, bodied-up tackle attempts. Balance through contact is poor and has trouble grinding legs through arm tackles. Not a one-cut runner. Limited in his routes and times looked like he was going through the motions if he didn't expect to get the ball.
Comp: Akeem Hunt
Grade: 5.38 (backup/eventual starter)
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