8 Pittsburgh Steelers Who Could Shock the World in 2012

While the Pittsburgh Steelers have their fair share of star players on both sides of the ball, they also have players who are currently flying under the radar. You've heard of some of them, but you may not expect big things from them in 2012.

Perhaps you should.

Here's a look at eight Steelers who might just shock you this season.

Isaac Redman

Redman is set to ascend to the starting running back job in 2012.

Regardless of what Rashard Mendenhall manages in his recovery program, the Steelers seem likely to go with the more sure Redman, who has emerged from tiny Bowie State to become a key piece in Pittsburgh.

Redman seems poised for a breakout season. He runs well through the tiniest of spaces. He is versatile and hard to bring down. He has decent speed and is elusive when necessary.

Redman isn't getting a lot of national attention, but he has a chance to have a Pro Bowl season now that he'll be behind a much-improved line.

Baron Batch

Batch's rookie season was cut short in camp when he suffered a nasty knee injury. Now, he's healthy and making a lot of noise during the team's organized practices. He looks like a player who's poised to make the roster.

From there, the sky is the limit.

Batch is a fast, versatile and tough little back. He figures to be the team's new "Mewelde Moore" but with the speed that Moore never really exhibited on a regular basis. If he can fill that role, he will surprise a lot of people.

Batch is still a relative unknown even in Pittsburgh. That won't stay the same for long if he continues his great early showing.

Emmanuel Sanders

We've seen Sanders before, and we already know he's a talented fellow who can make a ton of plays. He's smart enough to play any of the various wide receiver spots in the offense, and he excels at everything he does.

The problem we've seen again and again is with staying healthy. To this point, Sanders has struggled with that. If he can turn that around, the Steelers might have quite the special weapon.

Sanders has the ability to change a game with his legs and speed, his hands and catching ability or with any other aspect of his game. If the Steelers are looking for a Mike Wallace replacement in the future, Sanders might be more than enough to fill that role.

2012 is a big year for him, and he seems confident and ready to prove himself once again.

Ziggy Hood

The guy still has doubters for some reason—I'm not sure where that comes from.

After basically relieving Aaron Smith in back-to-back years and performing admirably, he is now the favorite to win the defensive end job opposite Brett Keisel.

The problem is he still seems to be competing for that position. I'm not sure why, but I do think it will be beneficial because it will motivate him.

If Hood does indeed win the job, he will be motivated to perform well enough to keep it. He's a good rusher and he could step his game up yet another notch this year. That would be huge for a defense that might have some questions up the middle.

Stevenson Sylvester

Sylvester hasn't been heard from much as the Steelers have been working through their early practices. I'm not sure exactly what the plan is for James Farrior's old spot, but I think Sylvester might have a say in that.

Sylvester is a vicious hitter, and he's done well in his special teams work. He has received little opportunity on defense, but he will be in the mix for a starting position this year.

Getting that job is the first task. After that, he will have to work hard to continue to keep it. He would be pushed by a combination of people.

If he does get the job, he has the potential to be a great player. He has great speed and good instincts. He will only get better with experience. He also reminds me of a younger version of Farrior. The trick will be putting all the pieces together in a hurry.

Sean Spence

Spence is a rookie and therefore likely to be more of an afterthought for the Steelers when it comes to a starting job or a major role.

Or is he?

Spence has a unique skill set on the team's linebacker roster.

He's a Troy Polamalu-type rusher who can bring havoc to a backfield and get in the middle of an offensive play. He is hard to defend, and his smaller size gives him an elusiveness that is very effective.

Spence could find his way into a niche role, and I also wouldn't count him out for a starting spot opposite Lawrence Timmons when everything is said and done.

Larry Foote

Larry Foote has been around for awhile, and he may not seem like a guy who has anything left to prove to anyone or any chance to be a major piece of this team's future plans.

That might be an error. Foote has a very real chance to regain his old starting job on the inside and be the force he once regularly was able to be.

The trick is defying age and defying the conventional wisdom that he's slowed down some.

I haven't been impressed with Foote since his return and have routinely been surprised to see him continue to stick. The Steelers must know something about Foote's skills.

If he's still got his old game in there, he could be a very important and very successful piece of the 2012 defense.

Todd Haley

This might seem curious, but I think Haley has a lot to prove and a lot of people doubt him at this point. He's replacing a coordinator beloved and hated in equal parts and his road will not be smoother.

Haley has a chance to resurrect his career as well. He was once a hot coordinator who was considered a great coach in waiting. Then, he had a disaster in Kansas City and was let go last season.

Now he's in Pittsburgh. Haley's offense looks like a great fit for the team's offensive personnel. If that's the case, he will once again be a hot commodity, and the Steelers' offense will be among the most dangerous in the NFL.

Perhaps no coach on this team has more to prove and a higher ceiling above him than Haley, who could have a type of breakout season in 2012 that will return him and Pittsburgh to prominence.