We Like ...

Joey Porter's Pit Bulls like the Steelers' second- and third-round draft choices.

The team appears to have gotten "value" players from big-time programs (Florida and Texas) at positions of need (tackle and cornerback).

At 6'6", 330 lbs., Marcus Gilbert is big enough, that's for sure, as he joins fellow Florida Gators alumni Maurkice Pouncey and Max Starks on the Steelers' offensive line.

No doubt the Steelers asked Pouncey about Gilbert, since they played together on the same line at Florida, and the reports must have been satisfactory. One of the TV draft gurus last night said Gilbert has quick feet.

He'd better have quick feet, if he's going to handle the likes of pass rushers like Dontay Moch, the seriously fast (4.4 40 at 248 lbs.) linebacker out of Nevada, drafted in the third-round by the Cincinnati Bengals, daggnabbitt. Whatever. Gilbert can only help. We hope.

Curtis Brown, the third-round corner from Texas, made a great impression at the Combine a couple months ago. In fact, of all corners, he made the entire Combine's single, standout-highlight play during the skill drills.

Watching this unfold live on The NFL Network, Joey Porter's Pit Bulls literally sat bolt upright and said, "Who's that guy?!" when Brown leaped high to make an acrobatic, leaping, twisting, one-handed interception of a deep throw along the sideline -- a catch he made with the ball at its apogee and his feet way off the ground. Cameras caught the play in super-slow-motion high-definition, and showed it in replay with the announcers oohing and aweing just before a commercial break -- after which they came back to it, showed it repeatedly and continued their expressions of amazement --- making the point that Brown not only came down with the ball, he immediately turned upfield and ran it back. Dude can leap, and if that play was any indication, he has great hands, even if he did have only two interceptions at Texas. Our only concern is that he looks a little thin, so we wonder if he'll be tough against the run, which the Steelers require of their corners.

Steelers secondary coach Carnell Lake, who knows something about playing corner and safety, acknowledged that Brown's former teammate Aaron Williams is the bigger player, but said that Brown is the better corner, as Ed Bouchette reports in today's Post-Gazette:

Surprisingly, new Steelers secondary coach Carnell Lake said Brown was the more polished of the three Texas cornerback prospects in this draft.

"Probably the best cover corner coming out" of Texas, Lake said. "Aaron Williams was the first [Texas] corner taken. Aaron's bigger, but we thought he was more of a safety."

So, those second- and third-round picks assuage our concerns that the Steelers may have misfired on their first pick.

Plus, the more we hear about first-rounder Cameron Heyward, the more we like him. He will probably never be a superstar or rack up an eye-popping number of sacks, but he should fill the run-clogging/take-on-the-blockers role the Steelers require of their defensive ends and which Aaron Smith and Brett Keisel have performed so admirably for so many years. He started for perennial contender Ohio State for three-and-a-half years, so he is experienced in a big-time program, and by all accounts he is a high-character guy. No worries there.

Today: The Steelers are still on the clock. By the time anybody reads this, it may be a moot point, but the one player we'd like for them to nab? Taiwan Jones, running back, Eastern Washington, a young Fast Willie.

Damn, never mind. Jones just went to the Raiders. Just finished typing that, too.

Oh, here we go ... the Steelers just selected Cortez Allen, cornerback, The Citadel. Sounds good, with favorable comments from all the guys on The NFL Network ... good size, good speed, good tackler, they say. Good hands, and a nearly 40-inch vertical leap.

Just switched over to ESPN, and Mel Kiper has nothing but good things to say about Allen.

Let's see what Chad Reuter's scouting report on CBS Sportsline has to say ...

"The 2010 second-team All-Southern Conference pick (22 tackles, two INTs, five PBUs) has a build and movement quite similar to those of former Tennessee State star Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, who was Arizona's first-round pick in 2008. Allen has not been as productive as "DRC" and is not quite as physical, but has prototypical height and similarly quick feet. Those attributes should get him consideration in the mid-to-late rounds."

"Typically used in man coverage, lines up well off the line, in press-bail or occasionally in press. Excellent reaction time to attack the run and close on passes. Good range and hustle to chase down ballcarriers from behind. Quick hands, length and straight-line speed allow him to get good contact within five yards and stay with receivers down the sideline. Excellent height and vertical in one-on-one situations, FCS teams do not often test him downfield. Uses length and speed to recover if beaten on an inside or double move. Extremely quick feet and reactions on run plays, usually jumps around blocks to get into the play. Will also punch and slingshot around receiver to get off a block. Solid cut tackler whether supporting the run or in the open field; takes out the legs of oncoming receivers. Good hustle to help teammates, even to the opposite side of the field. Team captain in 2010."

Sounds good.

Who's next to the Steelers? A running back? A receiver?

What took so long?

The Steelers took no time at all to announce Cameron Heyward as their pick last night in the first round of the NFL Draft. No milking the 15-minute time allotment to field trade inquiries, or to debate player selections, or to twiddle thumbs on national television.

It was wham, bam, thank you Cam.

Nothing surprised Joey Porter’s Pit Bulls more than how quickly the Steelers turned in their draft card. Did they even take time to call Heyward before announcing the pick?

We'd figured it would make sense for the Steelers to pick Texas cornerback Aaron Williams or maybe an offensive lineman, but Heyward’s a good player, too, supposedly. We'll have to trust their talent-judgment ability. No doubt: The team needs to fortify the aging defensive line.

Still ... you wonder about the value. Heyward was the 12^th defensive lineman chosen (twelfth!) in the first round and the third “Cameron” taken, after Auburn quarterback Cam Newton and Cal defensive end Cameron Jordan.

Maybe the Steelers figured Heyward was the last, best option available at defensive end this year. And maybe they know something about Aaron Smith’s health. Maybe not. Perhaps they're just adding depth to the D-line rotation and planning for age catching up to Smith and Brett Keisel.

Or, maybe they really, really like Heyward.

Clearly, the Steelers valued Heyward more than Mississippi State offensive tackle Derek Sherrod, taken with the very next pick by the Green Bay Packers, and Florida State guard/center Rodney Hudson, whom we like a lot and who remains available as a poor man's Maurkice/Mike Pouncey.

Granted, Heyward dominated at times during the 2010 season, but we would like to know more about his consistency and how he fared against Big 10 offensive tackles like Wisconsin's Gabe Carimi, drafted ahead of him at No. 21 overall. Surely, Heyward and Carimi must have squared off at some point during their respective college careers.

According to various reports, including ESPN, Heyward's best collegiate game was his last one, the Jan. 5 Sugar Bowl vs. Arkansas:

Defensive end Cameron Heyward had his best game as a Buckeye in his last game, racking up 3.5 tackles for loss, a sack, two quarterback hurries and a pass breakup. "Cam was a beast," OSU head coach Jim Tressel said. "He was all over the place."

Player of the game: Ohio State's Heyward. Terrell Pryor came up big as well, but Heyward was all over the field and really disrupted Arkansas' offensive rhythm at times. The son of the late Craig "Ironhead" Heyward turned in a dominant effort in his dad's old stomping ground.

According to the Columbus Dispatch, “That was even more impressive after it was revealed that he suffered a torn ligament in his left elbow in the second quarter but remained in the game. The elbow injury required reconstructive surgery on Jan. 12 and prevented him from accepting an invitation to the Senior Bowl and from working out at the NFL combine and at OSU's pro day on March 11. He held a separate pro day on March 30, instead.”

Could the January elbow injury have hurt Heyward’s draft stock? After all, Heyward was the eighth defensive end among 12 defensive linemen chosen in the first round.

By Comparison ...

Four other defensive linemen from Heyward’s own conference, the Big 10, were drafted ahead of him. Those were Wisconsin's J.J. Watt (drafted 11th overall, by Houston), Purdue's Ryan Kerrigan (drafted 16th overall, by Washington), Illinois's Corey Liuget (drafted 18th overall by San Diego) and Iowa's Adrian Clayborn (drafted 20th overall by Tampa Bay). Not to say 30 other teams made the right choice by passing on Heyward, but that is pretty deep.

Heyward was a good player at Ohio State. Hopefully, he will be an even better player for the Steelers. Hey, he’s a Pittsburgh native, his father was a big-time player for Pitt, and he’s a Steeler fan. He has a winning attitude and seems to have his head screwed on straight. Give him a chance. Time will tell.

Dissa ‘n Datta …

Like every other team in first round, the Steelers passed on Clemson defensive end Da’Quan Bowers. Just a few months ago, Bowers was considered the potential No. 1 pick overall and a certain top 10 selection. He fell out of the first round because of medical concerns. It will be interesting to see where he ends up and how his career plays out. He will certainly be motivated, one would think, as he will try to prove wrong those eight teams -- including the Steelers -- who chose defensive ends ahead of him.

The Cleveland Browns made a great trade out of the No. 6 position to gain a boatload of surprisingly high draft picks in this draft, plus first- and fourth-round selections next year. They fleeced the Falcons. The Browns have holes, and they are many, so they need multiple players. They made a good start last night by drafting a massive nose tackle, Baylor’s Phil Taylor, in the first round. You can do worse than building a team from the inside out, and the Browns took a major step in that direction by selecting Taylor as the keystone building block to anchor their defense for years to come. They just improved their run defense dramatically. Too bad -- we'd been counting on the Browns to screw up once again.

Speaking of building from the inside out, big kudos to both Detroit and Miami. Nick Fairley and Ndamokongh Sue on the same defensive line in Detroit? Wow, that is awesome, and clearly something for Detroit fans to get excited about. Finally. And the Dolphins obviously hope Mike Pouncey gives them the same production his twin brother Maurkice gave the Steelers last season. Great choices for both those teams.

On the other hand, Jake Locker? What was Tennessee thinking? Locker has never hit a 60 percent completion rate in college. And the Titans passed on Blaine Gabbert? So, too, the 49ers, who still need a quarterback – as do the Titans, we suspect, even after drafting Locker.

We expect quarterbacks Colin Kaepernick and Andy Dalton to go early in the second round. The Bengals need a QB, but so do other teams, so there could be some early maneuvering. Don't be surprised if teams start to stockpile picks for next year, in anticipation of a tiered rookie salary scale.

The NFL Draft Begins Tonight, Doesn't It?

The show must go on.

Even as the NFL Lockout-related courtroom rulings fly, even as questions about the status of free agency run amok, and even as every NFL team disseminates nothing but rumors, innuendo and disinformation about their draft intentions and possible trades, the NFL Draft will begin this evening on prime-time TV.

What will the Steelers do? We have no idea. So much depends on what the 30 teams picking ahead of the Steelers in the first round do, and there could be several trades.

Everybody wants an offensive lineman, and there is much to be said for that. Despite the Steelers' woes on the O-line, Joey Porter's Pit Bulls has already posted this entry about this being not a great draft for offensive lineman. Ed Bouchette's column also notes how the Steelers typically pass over offensive tackles in the first couple rounds of the draft.

From everything we've seen, this is not the year for them to deviate from that approach (although if Wisconsin's Gabe Carimi somehow falls to them, we wouldn't squawk much if they took him). Max Starks and Willie Colon are the wild cards at the tackle position. If we had to wager, Starks will return; Colon won't. Of course, then, other free agents-to-be may or may not be available. New England's Matt Light, for example?

Now, more to the point -- not so much what they will do tonight, but what they should do, which is to draft a cornerback with the first pick, if the right one is available.

Joey Porter's Pit Bulls seriously disagree with the premise of Ed Bouchette's article in last Sunday's edition of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, titled, "Williams not the cornerback the Steelers need" about the University of Texas's Aaron Williams and cornerbacks in general.

Having watched (on TV, of course) Texas play a number of times the past three years, we couldn't help but notice Aaron Williams' play. He stood out as a playmaker and a difference-maker in top-flight competition. He was always around the ball, and a good tackler, very physical, with an explosive burst. He always seemed to be a legitimate problem for the opposition, which was always big-time (including bowl games).

We distinctly remember that No. 4, which is an unusual number for a cornerback, and thinking, "Who's that guy?" He jumped off the television screen over and over again. Although the rap against Williams seems to be he lacks top-end straight-line speed, Joey Porter's Pit Bulls would bet Williams is at least as fast as a lot of other NFL corners, including Bryant MacFadden and William Gay. And we still have nightmarish visions of MacFadden and Gay getting beat repeatedly in the Super Bowl.

If you get a chance to watch the NFL Network's program called "Game Changers," with Steve Mariucci, watch the segment featuring cornerbacks Prince Amakamura (whom everybody projects as a top-10 pick) and Aaron Williams. Based on what we saw in this program -- and, really, based on their body of work over their respective collegiate careers -- there is very, very little to distinguish the two.

On the show, Mariucci and the NFL Network's Charles Smith put Amakamura and Williams through on-field drills, talked to the two about technique, how and why they make certain moves in coverage, and how they play the ball in the air, etc. All this was covered in the film room, too, as they analyzed various plays in college, and Mariucci made Williams go up to the whiteboard, diagram play-schemes and explain what he would do on certain plays and why. Both Williams and Amakamura showed a deep understanding of what they are doing. They both showed that they are serious students of the game and serious about what they are doing. Both seemed very polite, respectful, complimentary of one another and fairly soft-spoken, but cool, loose and having fun, too.

On the field, both Amakamura and Williams are seriously quick, adroit and good with their feet (in turns, etc), and also with their hands (battling receivers off the line -- these days, it's almost like kung-fu hand-to-hand maneuvering for the first two steps until the receiver gets into his route, and then the corner shadows him, but also tries to force him out of his route with an "arm-bar" and by using the sideline as a friend to take away the angle.

Williams appears to be very good at reading the receiver, moving quickly, and turning smoothly. Speaking with Mariucci and Charles Smith, Williams also talked about the importance of maintaining inside-position, so he could make a play on the ball, and then Mariucci showed video of several highlight plays where Texas left Williams on an island, one-on-one with the other team's best receiver -- and expected him to make a play -- which he did.

On one such play, a red-zone fade route, the camera was shooting from the back corner of the end zone. The play developed right in front of the camera, and sure enough, Williams positioned himself inside the receiver, outmanevered him, leaped, twisted and picked off the ball at its highest point. Watching the interception, Amakamura said, "Incredible body control," and Mariucci said, "Amazing," after which Mariucci made the observation, "That receiver's taller than you, isn't he, that's probably why they figured he'd be a good target for the fade, that he'd outleap you." And Williams answered, "Yeah, he's 6'3"."

Joey Porter's Pit Bulls respect Ed Bouchette, but we don't like that Bouchette summarily dismissed Williams outright because of supposed lack of straight-line 40-yard dash speed and because the corner position supposedly can be filled later in the draft. Judging from his article, Bouchette hasn't talked to Williams' position coach in college, opposing college coaches, or NFL scouts (except one, the great Jack Butler, and who are we to argue with him?). BUT, if you read the article closely, Butler didn't say a word about Williams from an evaluative or observational perspective of technique, history or even his general ability to play corner. Butler talked about the relative comparison of playing safety vs. playing corner. Very general.

Keep in mind that Williams can play safety as well as corner, and keep in mind that the safety position in the NFL is changing -- has been for the past four or five years. Nowadays, coverage skills are more of a premium than they were in the days when you had a "free safety" and a "strong safety" -- a really big guy who hits big.

Safeties these days are more or less interchangeable AND they absolutely must have range, closing speed and coverage skills. If Williams transitions to safety (he's about 15-20 pounds heavier than Ryan Clark, by the way), we don't think that's necessarily a bad thing. And if he becomes a fixture at corner, all the better. He's solid as hell -- from the looks of him, he should play tough against the run -- and he sure doesn't shy away from contact.

After reading Bouchette's article -- and so much of the other constantly changing draft coverage, mock drafts, etc. -- we have no idea what the Steelers really might be thinking. There's so much disinformation any more. No team wants to tip their hand. All we know is the following:

• The Steelers need a corner maybe even more than they need an offensive tackle.
  
• After Patrick Peterson (LSU) and Prince Amakamura, Williams may well be the third-best corner available, and the NFL Network's Mike Mayock currently rates him the top safety.
  
• After Williams, there's supposed to be a steep dropoff at corner (except, perhaps for Colorado's Jimmy Smith, who is reputed to have "significant" off-field issues, and we'd like to think the Steelers have had enough of those).
  
• As for the relative merits of Amakamura and Williams, we're not at all convinced there's a whole lot of difference between the two, except that Williams is a bit taller, maybe a little more solidly built and played in a college championship game..
• Bottom line: Joey Porter's Pit Bulls disagree with Bouchette's premise that "Willliams is not the corner the Steelers need". We think he'd be perfect for the Steelers.
• The Steelers would be lucky to get him. We wouldn't be at all surprised if the Ravens pick him at No. 26, or just about any other team between picks 18 and 30. Corners are always at a premium, and you can never have too many good corners -- or safeties, for that matter.

So much depends on what other teams might do ahead of the Steelers. People would like to see the Steelers draft Mike Pouncey (but he'll be gone), and we like what we've read about FSU's guard/center Rodney Hudson, but the Steelers may feel like they're okay on the interior of the offensive line with Maurkice Pouncey, Chris Keomatu, Ramon Foster, Doug Legursky and Trai Essex.

A defensive lineman could be a strong consideration, but the D-Line is supposed to be the deepest position in this year's draft, which means maybe you could get a very good player in the second or third round. Still, pass rushers are always at a premium, especially with so many teams converting to the three-four defense, and there's been a ton of speculation that as many as 13 defensive linemen/rushers could go in the first round.

We suspect the Steelers will target three positions in the first three rounds -- cornerback, defensive line and offensive line -- but, of course, it all depends how the chips fall. There are any number of guys we'd love to see in a Steelers uniform next year: Williams, Carimi, Pouncey, Hudson, J.J. Watt, Ryan Kerrigan, Brooks Reed -- even Eastern Washington running back Taiwan Jones (think Fast Willie) and Nevada QB Colin Kaepernick.

In fact, Joey Porter's Pit Bulls would LOVE for the Steelers to somehow grab Kaepernick, but we don't see it happening. He is likely to be drafted early to mid-second round. Just a feeling the guy not only has a ton of legitimate NFL-quality talent, but he also seems to have his head screwed on straight, since he says things like ...

"I feel like I’m a good person. I'm not going to put myself in a bad position or the team in a bad position with things I do off the field. That's what you look for when you're looking for a leader. Is this person responsible and mature enough to realize no matter what as a quarterback you are face of that franchise and you need to carry yourself a certain way? Certain things you can’t get away with."

Sounds like Kaepernick gets it.

Should be interesting. Stay tuned.

Steelers Draft Preview

Not exactly a man-bites-dog story, but ...
The Steelers need an offensive tackle. For sure, but that's old news.

Today, the Steelers' depth chart lists Flozell Adams and Jonathan Scott as starters, with Tony Hills (?!) and Chris Scott as backups. Yikes. Somehow they made it to the Super Bowl with this crew, but still ...

The Steelers are long overdue for drafting an OT in the first round, although keep in mind this wild card: The possible return of Willie Colon, which is no sure thing (and may not be a good thing, in any case) ... and Max Starks. Given the lack of a Collective Bargaining Agreement, we don't know their status or whether the Steelers truly expect these guys to play. All we know is this: Both Colon and Starks are still on the official roster, as of today, as it is listed on the Steelers' Web site.

Presumably, Trai Essex, who is listed on the roster as a guard, could play at tackle, if needed, as could Ramon Foster, possibly. The only other tackle on the current roster is somebody named Kyle Jolly (6'6", 300, North Carolina), who was on the practice squad last year.

How well the Steelers address this problem at tackle remains an open question. It has to be a priority, though. We're just not sure they'll be able to do it in the draft. Here's why ...

It's supposed to be a fairly weak year for offensive tackles. The NFL Network's Charley Casserly, a former GM, says the best offensive tackle in this year's draft would have been the sixth-rated tackle in last year's draft. Nobody really knows. The Steelers pick 31st, so there's a good chance four, five or even six tackles will be selected by the time they make their selection. Which would mean, if you go by the opinion of Casserly and other draft gurus (namely Brian Baldinger and Mike Mayock) on the NFL Network, they'd be picking a guy the equivalent of, say, the 10th-best tackle to come available in the combined drafts of 2010 and 2011.

In any case, the tackle position is a question the Steelers have to tackle, sooner rather than later.

More generally, it's hard to predict who might be there for the Steelers at No. 31 in the first round. Everybody seems to be bandying about names like nose tackle Phil Taylor (6'3", 334) and offensive tackle/guard/center Danny Watkins, both out of Baylor, and cornerback Aaron Williams from Texas. All three are projected to go late in the first round or early in the second. Taylor and Watkins (who will turn 27! during the upcoming season) both are considered fast risers, while Williams has been projected all along as the third-best corner available (which means he might not even last until No. 31). All three could be gone, easily. Familiar names like Mike Pouncey (G/C, Florida), J.J. Watt (DE, Wisconsin, a guy in the mold of Aaron Smith, but maybe even more mobile), and Gabe Carimi (OT, Wisconsin) all will be drafted ahead of the Steelers' pick at No. 31.

Certainly, everybody would love to see the Steelers draft Mike Pouncey, but he'll be gone. Here's an option -- a poor man's Maurkice/Mike Pouncey, if you will: Florida State's Rodney Hudson, who's name hasn't been mentioned as prominently as some of the other top O-line prospects. Still, here's his profile overview on NFL.com, and it is intriguing:

"Hudson has a well-rounded, polished skill set. Should be an immediate starter at guard or center and could make a few Pro Bowls down the line. He can handle power or speed pass rushers with his outstanding balance, flexibility and wide base. In the running game, he uses great quickness to get himself into position, keeps his legs churning and finishes with authority. Only true negative is his lack of size, but he more than compensates with impressive power, toughness and in-game stamina. Hudson is arguably the finest interior offensive line prospect in this class and could hear his name in the first round."

According to Bob Labriola, writing on the Steelers Web site, Hudson was penalized only once in 832 snaps his senior season. Sounds pretty good. If the Steelers can't get Mike Pouncey, this guy sounds all right, too, for sure.

We've also read Mississippi State tackle Derek Sherrod's name associated with the Steelers, but he we've also read mixed reviews about him -- and that's what you get at No. 31. It bears repeating: It's a weak year for offensive tackles. An early run on OTs may mean only that teams are trying to salvage what they can to fill immediate needs on the O-line.

What About a Cornerback?
As much as the Steelers need help on the offensive line, they might be better served by going with the best player available, especially if it's at another position of need (like cornerback).

Speaking of corners, after Patrick Peterson (LSU), Prince Amakamura (Nebraska), Jimmy Smith (Colorado) and Aaron Williams (Texas), there's supposed to be a marked drop-off. Some draftniks (like Mike Mayock of the NFL Network) project Williams to move to safety in the NFL, which is not an indictment, given the need nowadays for safeties with strong coverage skills.

Joey Porter's Pit Bulls like Williams and would be happy if the Steelers are able to land him. It may be time for the Steelers to abandon the Keenan Lewis experiment, Ike Taylor and Bryant MacFadden aren't getting any younger, and William Gay has the look of a career nickel back, albeit a solid one. Oh, and by the way, Taylor and Gay may be unrestricted free agents (?), depending on what happens with the CBA, and MacFadden, who played well for the most part, still looks like a stopgap fill-in they picked up on the cheap last off-season.

Other cornerbacks on the roster remain question marks (Crezdon Butler) or have the look of interchangeable special team guys or expendable nickel-dime situational players (Anthony Madison, Donovan Warren, Tuff Harris).

Supposedly a Weak Year for Safeties, RBs and QBs
It's supposed to be a very weak year for safeties, and supposedly only one or two tight ends (Kyle Rudolph, Notre Dame, and a TE from Wisconsin) grade as late first-round or early second-round talent.

Ditto running backs, with Mark Ingram, Alabama, and Mikel LeShoure, Illinois, projected to go somewhere between picks No. 20-35. If we heard correctly, LeShoure never fumbled during his college career. Interestingly, as reported on CBS Sportsline, Leshoure was born in prison:

"It wasn't anything near certain that Leshoure would become 'the guy' for the Illini until fall camp last year. He's worked hard to, in his own words, 'keep growing' since he was born in prison and spent all but four years of his life without his father, who also spent time in prison."

Quarterback Question Marks
It's also a weak year for quarterbacks (after Cam Newton and Blaine Gabbert), but because so many teams need to shore up the QB position, there may be a run on QBs late in the first and early- to mid-second-round. You'd be talking about guys like Ryan Mallett, Arkansas; Andy Dalton, TCU; Christian Ponder, FSU; and then guys who are widely considered to be slightly lesser-tier options like Jake Locker, Washington; Ricky Stanzi, Iowa; and Colin Kaepernick, Nevada, who Joey Porter's Pit Bulls would love to see in a Steelers' uniform, but it ain't gonna happen). We'd be a lot more excited about Kaepernick in Black 'n Gold than we are about Dennis Dixon. We're not suggesting the Steelers will draft a QB in the first three rounds, but it's a position they should reinforce, even with Byron Leftwich returning. Will Charlie Batch even be back?

Which leaves the Steelers, where? Defensive line?
The defensive line in this year's draft is supposed to be very deep this year, and that may be where they're looking. They brought in Baylor nose tackle Phil Taylor for a visit. Corey Liuget, a NT from Illinois, also is projected as a mid- to late-first-rounder. North Carolina nose tackle Marvin Austin is another possibility.

Here's a darkhorse name (third round?) at nose tackle: Kenrick Ellis (6'5", 346) from Hampton, Va., Mike Tomlin's old school. He's been getting a bit of attention on the NFL Network as one of those under-the-radar guys who deserves a close look.

Here's a guy to keep an eye on: Ryan Kerrigan, DE, Purdue. At 6'4, 267, he's a bit of a tweener, but so was Lamarr Woodley. For what it's worth, Purdue has a long tradition of sending outstanding pass-rushing defensive ends to the NFL. By all accounts, Kerrigan has the proverbial non-stop motor, and his relentless style of play has been likened to Green Bay All-Pro linebacker Clay Matthews. Kerrigan may or may not get picked in the first round, but he won't last until the Steelers' second-round pick.

How Other Teams Might Affect the Steelers' Draft
With the lockout (no free agents are being signed), it's a tricky draft to project what other teams might do. Many of them are in flux.

The Bengals, for instance, stand to lose Carson Palmer, Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens. The Browns have an entirely new coaching staff. It's no secret the Cowboys (picking at No. 9 overall) need to upgrade their offensive tackle position, but they are also thought to be looking at Prince Amakamura, the cornerback from Nebraska. The Ravens (at pick No. 26) need speed at wide receiver, but they also need help at cornerback -- which would have them looking squarely at Texas's Aaron Williams, especially if they think the Steelers want him.

For what it's worth Mel Kiper's latest mock draft has Colorado CB Jimmy Smith going to the Ravens at No. 26, although Smith is reputed to have had some off-field issues. The Jets pick just ahead of the Steelers, and the Jets are known to be looking to upgrade their pass rush with either a rush linebacker, a mobile defensive end or a stout nose tackle to succeed Kris Jenkins -- which means either Phil Taylor or Corey Liuget could be plucked right before the Steelers' pick.

Then there are the Patriots, picking ahead of the Steelers with picks No. 17 and 28, and right behind them with pick No. 33. There's a good chance the Patriots will trade one or two of those picks -- but we suspect they will keep the No. 17 pick.

All of which will influence what's available for the Steelers at No. 31. Your guess is as good as anybody's.

That's all we have for today, except that ...

With the NFL Draft is just over a week away, we still can't get over the following fact, as galling as it is:

The New England Patriots, who went 14-2 last year, hold three of the first 33 picks -- two first-rounders (No. 17 and 28), and the first pick in the second round (No. 33 overall). The Patriots hold six (six!) of the first 92 picks in the draft.

A pox on the New England Patriots.

The NFL Draft is Just Around the Corner

It's a tricky draft to call.

It's tough to predict the Steelers' pick at No. 31 in the first round. Heck, it's tough to predict Carolina's pick with the No. 1 selection overall.

The Steelers have plenty of holes to fill. At the moment, we're kind of leaning toward Texas cornerback Aaron Williams (if he's available), but we're open to other possibilities, especially on the offensive line and defensive line.

We've noticed Williams in big games the past couple years, however, and he seems to be one of those guys who just jumps off the television screen -- you can't help but see his talent. Granted, highlight plays can be misleading, but Williams seems to have the skills, the physical tools, the mindset and the background of playing in a big-time program.

Williams was featured (along with Nebraska cornerback Prince Makamura) on this week's segment of the NFL Network's "Game Changers" program featuring former coach Steve Mariucci, who sits down and runs through drills with a couple of top prospects every week. Although Amakamura is widely considered a top-10 pick and Williams is projected to last till late in the first round, Williams was every bit as impressive as Amakamura, and maybe more so, during this half-hour show. For what it's worth. Both players displayed humility, a positive, team-oriented attitude, and both came off as studious, serious and coachable. For what it's worth.

The Steelers need help at cornerback, so he just might be a good fit here. You can never have too many good cornerbacks. Of course, you can never have too many good offensive linemen, too, and right now the Steelers don't have enough. And, pretty soon they've not going going to enough defensive linemen, either, considering the age on the defensive line.

In the bigger picture, for some reason, this year's NFL draft seems somehow more unsettled than previous years, and it has nothing to do with the lockout.

What we do know -- galling as it is -- is that the New England Patriots hold three of the first 33 picks -- two first round picks (No. 17 & 28) and the first pick in the second round (No. 33 overall) -- and six of the first 92 picks in the draft.

The Patriots went 14-2 last year.

A pox on the New England Patriots.

The Pirates are Back to Blah

Having lost four in a row, the Pirates are struggling once again. They're not hitting, for one thing.

Granted, we're only 12 games into the season, but the Pirates rank 16th (last) in the National League in runs scored, 15th on on-base percentage and 13th in slugging percentage.

After losing two at home to Colorado and then two more to Milwaukee, the Bucs' season record now stands at 5-7. At some point, hopefully in our lifetime, the Pirates are going to have to figure out a way to beat the Milwaukee Brewers, who absolutely own the Bucs, especially early in the season.

As noted in today's edition of the Post-Gazette ...

"Since 2005, the Pirates are 2-19 in April at home against the Brewers, including an unforgettable, 20-0 loss April 22, 2010.

"Things won't get easier with a four-game series in Cincinnati next. The Reds lead the National League Central Division and are 5-1 at Great American Ball Park. "

After the series in Cincinnati, the Bucs fly to the Miami area to take on the Marlins, then back to Pittsburgh to host the Washington Nationals and San Francisco Giants.

Hope for the best.

Bucs' Bullpen Blows Up!

How's that headline for alliteration?!

About last evening's Fireworks Night game at PNC Park: Perhaps the bullpen was due to let one slip away ... considering that the relief corps of Jeff Karstens, Mike Crotta, Jose Veras, Joel Hanrahan, Chris Resop and Garrett Olson shut out the Colorado Rockies for 11-and-two-thirds scoreless innings Friday night.

It's a shame, though, because the Pirates last night got seven innings from Charlie Morton. Not a great start, but he gave them innings just when they needed a starter to go fairly deep into the game. That's his second innings-eating start in a row. That alone is reason for hope, especially considering the understandably low expectations most of us had for Charlie entering the season.

Although Morton surrendered five hits and five walks, he limited the Rockies to just two earned runs (three total, with the unearned run due primarily to a Ryan Doumit error). So, after two starts, Morton's ERA is just 2.08 (we're pretty sure it was well into double digits after his first two appearances last season). In any case, we're pulling for you, Charlie -- keep it going; ain't nothin' to it.

The size of the announced crowd (25,398 tickets sold) was disappointing, but it's too early in the year for Zambelli fireworks, as spectacular as they were coming off two barges in the Allegheny River.

Of greater concern, on the field, is Pedro Alvarez's continuing struggles at the plate. In 38 at-bats this season, Alvarez is batting just .184 with only seven hits and two walks against 13 strikeouts -- or about one strikeout every three at-bats, which is about the same pace he maintained last season. It's early in the season, but a bit worrisome nonetheless.

It's not so much the Ks that are troubling. Alvarez isn't getting the bat on the ball as much as you'd like to see (just one extra-base hit [a double] among his seven hits, and just one run scored).

Alvarez is pressing, and it is visible. You can see it in his face, and he looks tense at the plate. On the other hand, he's played very good defense, and he deserves credit for that. As much as he's struggled at the plate, he seems to be improving in the field, especially on his backhand and in the consistency of his throwing accuracy.

Still, he's visibly pressing at the plate. It wouldn't be a great surprise to see manager Clint Hurdle sit Alvarez for this afternoon's game, despite Colorado starting a right-hander. On the other hand, Alvarez needs to play through this slump.

Relax, Pedro. It'll get better. We hope.

More Good Signs for the Buccos, Even in a Loss

The most encouraging thing about last night's 3-2 loss in St. Louis? Good starting pitching, again, this time by James McDonald. He didn't go as deep into the game as we would have liked, but he was on a pitch count because he was coming of a minor injury incurred late in spring training. Still, the Pirates held the Cardinals to a mere three runs, with Albert Pujols driving in the winning run. No shame in that.

The other encouraging sign was the continued aggressive managerial style of Clint Hurdle. We had the impression all-time great Tony LaRussa in the other dugout actually had to pay attention, and actively had to keep up with Hurdle's moves. Hurdle seemed to be one step ahead -- little stuff, but perceptible nonetheless to somebody who's played and watched as much baseball as Joey Porter's Bulls have over the years.

We've long had the impression that in years past, LaRussa who has a reputation for unconventional tactics and over-micromanaging (new word!), was content to merely smirk smugly every time the Cardinals went up against the Pirates.

LaRussa's a great manager -- one of the most successful in baseball history -- but he's also one of those people who appears to think he's smarter than everybody else in the room (and he might be). These last 18 years, for sure, sheesh , LaRussa could pretty much go on auto-pilot against the likes of John Russell, Lloyd McClendon, Gene Lamont, et al, over in the Pirates' dugout. They just couldn't keep up, anticipate or out-maneuver LaRussa, and they didn't have enough on-field talent to out-play the Cardinals on merit. You could pretty much take for granted the Cardinals were going to beat the Pirates.

Hurdle, on the other hand, appears to be on the ball, to use a cliche (sorry, we're in a hurry). Over the past decade or so, there's been much hot-air talk in Pittsburgh about changing the mindset and approach from losing to something at least, well, more positive and upbeat. Hurdle seems to be doing that. Today's Post-Gazette has a gem of a little item about Hurdle being puzzled by naysayers carping on Neil Walker's supposed limitations (and, although it went unsaid in the article, some of those naysayers were on the Pirates' management team, including the general manager).

We love this quote from Hurdle, speaking on judgmental people quick to make snap judgments and think negatively.

"I think sometimes we are just way too quick with judgments. We want to be right. But you are never going to say, 'You know what, I was the first one wrong.' "

Love that quote. Words to live by.

We're beginning to get the impression that Hurdle isn't just some old-timey baseball guy spinning out folksy, homespun, down-home, hill-country wisdom. The more we get to know him, the smarter he looks. Smarter, even, than Tony LaRussa? Well, Mr. LaRussa would beg to differ, surely, but Hurdle looks plenty smart enough, and certainly more so than any manager we've had here since Jim Leyland.

Anyway, it was a loss last night, but not a bad, discouraging loss. Afternoon game, today.
Kevin Correia vs. Chris Carpenter. On paper, looks like a mismatch, but this ain't paper.

Go get 'em, Bucs.

Yes, the Pittsburgh Pirates Are Looking Good

That's right: The Pittsburgh Pirates have actually looked good so far this season. Not just decent -- good.

The Pirates have parlayed unexpectedly stellar starting pitching, clutch hitting, and aggressive base running to win three of four games in Chicago and St. Louis. Road wins, all, for a team that won just 17 on the road all last season.

Except for the season opener against the Cubs, all the games have been close and could have gone either way. But the Bucs have found ways to win, and they've looked scrappy, gritty and resourceful in doing it. What a refreshing change.

Jose Tabata and Neil Walker look like seasoned veterans and are playing more like bonafide, legitimate stars than the promising young second-year players everybody hoped to see. The Pirates' broadcast team threw out a couple of eyebrow-raising factoids the past couple of games: After the All-Star break last season, Tabata tied for the league lead in hits, with Colorado All-Star center fielder Carlos Gonzalez; and Walker tied for the league lead in RBIs, with none other than future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols. That is pretty good company.

Impressive, to say the least, and both Tabata and Walker have picked up right where they left off. Both are torrid. Scorching, in fact, with both hitting well over .400. Batting at the top of the order, Tabata (.429) and Walker (.412) are setting the table for the hitters behind them, particularly Andrew McCutchen, and both are pounding the ball with authority.

Walker, especially, has been driving the ball and has demonstrated consistently that he has a knack for hitting in the clutch. Last night in St. Louis, Walker went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored. With his two-run double in the sixth inning, he passed Philadelphia slugger Ryan Howard for the league lead in RBIs. He's also played generally excellent and occasionally superlative defense, as he did last night when he ranged far behind second base, slid on his knees to snare a sharp grounder, and snapped a strong, accurate throw to nab the runner at first.

For all that, the star of the game had to be the formerly woeful Charlie Morton, who pitched six strong innings, allowing just three hits and one earned run. Although he surrendered five walks, 60 of his 97 pitches were strikes. He attacked hitters and pounded the plate consistently with a heavy, biting sinker and a fastball clocked at 95 mph. He kept his poise when runners reached base and retired Pjuols on grounders to third all three times the two squared off.

Morton finally is showing confidence in his long-balleyhooed "stuff" and, all of a sudden, looks like the emerging star that everybody hoped he would become. It's as if he told himself, "Screw it, this is my last shot. I'm going to give it my best." Give him all the credit in the world, but apparently (based on some of the things he's said), new manager Clint Hurdle and pitching coach Ray Searage deserve a ton of credit, too, for their direction, guidance and encouragement.

So far, so good. This edition of the Pirates look positively animated in contrast to last year's dispirited group led by the apparently somnambulent John Russell. Hurdle actually shows confidence in his players, which Russell and his predecessors most decidedly did not. Hurdle has let his pitchers pitch well into games, and they've rewarded his confidence with truly quality starts.

Tonight in St. Louis, James McDonald takes the mound for his first start of the year. At the beginning of spring training, McDonald looked to be pegged as the team's number one starter, based on his fine performance toward the end of last season. Now, by dint of a minor injury sustained this spring, he is the fifth starter. If McDonald pitches like he did late last season, and if the other four starters pitch nearly as well as they did in their first turns through the rotation, the Pirates could actually be legitimately competitive for long stretches. Granted, it's early, but it's nice to have a bit of hope for a change.

The team has warts, of course, and it's not good enough to overcome too many bonehead plays (Ronny Cedeno) and botched bullpen appearances (Evan Meek). Still, things are looking up, and the team has shown any number of pleasant surprises, from rookie reliever Mike Crotta's steady poise and efficient sinker, to Hurdle's intuitive and aggressive managerial style, to the aforementioned starting pitching and exciting play from Tabata, Walker, McCutchen and the promising Pedro Alvarez.

As much as Joey Porter's Pit Bulls bleed Black 'n Gold for the Steelers, Pirates and Penguins, we'll call a situation as we see it. We'll lambaste the Pirates when they stink, as they have so badly for so long, but we are more than happy to praise 'em when they do well.

It's been all too rare these past 18 years, and we're happy to see them show signs of life and play spunky, aggressive, legitimately competitive major league baseball. It's all we ask, really. It may not last, but give 'em credit. We're happy to do so.

The Battling Bucs.

A Good Start for the Buccos!

Congratulations to the Pirates for winning two of three games in the season-opening series in Chicago.

Unexpectedly excellent starting pitching highlighted all three games, as Kevin Correia, Paul Maholm and Ross Ohlendorf all pitched masterfully.

The Bucs also displayed timely hitting and aggressive baserunning, particularly yesterday, when Neil Walker raced home from second on an infield hit by Pedro Alvarez. It was a bang-bang play, but Walker made it happen. Walker also deftly turned a nifty double play to end the game on another close play. If he hadn't pivoted nimbly and fired a quick, strong and accurate throw to nip the runner at first base, the tying run would have scored from third. The runner was on third base only because on the previous play, Ronny Cedeno had misfired a throw to second. A close game, but it went the Pirates way.

Fact is, the Pirates could have -- should have -- won the second game of the series, too, had the bullpen not blown a 3-0 lead in the eighth inning. It won't be the last time this season the bullpen blows a lead, and we are sure to see plenty more defensive miscues, too.

On the plus side, the starting pitching certainly was encouraging, the hitters seemed more patient, and the baserunning was perceptibly more aggressive, but not out of control.

So far, we like what we see of Clint Hurdle's managerial style and how he has handled the pitching staff and lineup. A good start.

On to St. Louis.