2011 NFL Draft Preview: Pittsburgh Steelers Best Draft Picks of the Tomlin Era
Mike Tomlin has had four years of draft selections enter the league. As with everyone, Tomlin has had some studs and has had some real duds.
But with such as small sample size, not every late round selection has had time to fully develop, particularly the 2010 draft class, which appeared to have several late round gems.
While the late round steals have not shown up yet, Tomlin has had some home runs with his early selections.
Here is a look at the best draft picks since Mike Tomlin took over Pittsburgh’s head coaching job in 2007.
5. Ziggy Hood, DE, Missouri (1st Round, 2009)
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There were a lot of questions whether Ziggy Hood could fit into a 3-4 defensive scheme after the Steelers selected him in 2009.
After one season, the doubts still remained.
But then Hood had a tremendous training camp in his second year. It looked to be his time to break out and be a strong contributor to the Steelers defense.
Things did not go smoothly, though, as he was nearly invisible during game action. The word “bust” began to creep into the chatter about Hood.
Pittsburgh had no choice but to go to Hood when Aaron Smith went out with what would be a season ending injury.
Hood got better by the week and finished the season with three sacks. The defense did not miss a beat when he was in and while not the same player as Smith, Hood adds a different dynamic to the defense and should be a very good starter for years to come.
4. Lawrence Timmons, LB, Florida State (1st Round, 2007)
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Like Hood, Mike Tomlin’s first draft pick as Steelers head coach, Lawrence Timmons, had a lot of doubters, and for good reason.
Timmons struggled to adjust to the defense over his first two seasons as his impact was limited to situational passing downs.
On paper, Timmons has all of the athleticism and talent that anyone could ask for in a linebacker, but he did not know the defense well enough to play a disciplined game.
As a result, his play on the field did not fulfill his potential. One of the biggest concerns was that Timmons was weak against the run, not exactly what Pittsburgh looks for in its defenders.
By year three, Timmons stepped into a starting role and picked up seven sacks and began to show some of his enormous potential, but he still struggled against the run. Part of these struggles may have been that Timmons was unable to stay completely healthy.
Entering his fourth season, big things were expected from Timmons and he delivered.
He took over the pass coverage role from Farrior, so his sack total dropped to only three on the season, but he had a team-high 135 tackles and added two interceptions, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
At times early in the season, Timmons was the top defender on Pittsburgh’s defense.
With another year of experience, Timmons should have nothing but big things to come in the future.
3. Mike Wallace, WR, Mississippi (3rd Round, 2009)
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Great draft picks don’t just come from the first round. Pittsburgh found a third round steal with wide receiver Mike Wallace.
In his rookie season, Wallace wasted no time showing what he was capable of.
Wallace’s training camp was so good that he got the chance to make an immediate impact on the Steelers offense, and he exploded onto the NFL scene.
As a rookie, Wallace had 39 receptions for 756 yards and a very impressive 19.4 yards per reception average. He also had six touchdowns.
The emergence of Wallace eased the pain of trading Santonio Holmes the following offseason. But it also meant that more pressure would be put on Wallace as he was thrust into a starting role.
Once again, Wallace delivered. In fact, he was even better.
Year two brought about 60 more receptions for 1,257 yards and an amazing 21 yards per reception. Wallace also reached double digit touchdowns, finishing with 10 on the season.
Wallace has already established himself as one of the best deep threats in the league, now he was try to expand his game to show that he is one of the best wide receivers in the league.
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2. LaMarr Woodley, OLB, Michigan (2nd Round, 2007)
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From the very moment that LaMarr Woodley stepped onto the field for the Steelers, it was known that they had a special player. It would only be a matter of time before he broke out.
During his rookie season, many fans were screaming for Woodley to start over Clark Haggans. While he never got this opportunity, he did manage four sacks in 13 games.
Woodley took over the starting role at left outside linebacker in his second season and has had 11.5, 13.5 and 10.0 sacks over the past three years. He also set an NFL record with two sacks in four straight playoff games.
In addition to being a pass rusher, Woodley has also been a force against the run and has improved his pass defense. Just this past season, Woodley had two interceptions, including returning one for a touchdown.
While he will be a free agent, Woodley is expected to get a long-term deal and should be a vocal leader and a dominant force on the defense for years to come.
1. Maurkice Pouncey, C, Florida (1st Round, 2010)
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When the Pittsburgh Steelers selected Maurkice Pouncey with the 18th selection of the 2010 draft, everyone knew the Steelers were getting a very good center. Not everyone knew that he would be this good this soon.
From the moment Pouncey stepped on the field, the whole idea that he would challenge for the right guard position to transition to the NFL faded.
Quite simply, his talent and football IQ was too good to keep him from playing center.
A starter from week one, Pouncey’s athleticism along the offensive line can be matched by no other lineman that the Steelers currently have on their roster and was reminiscent to what future Hall of Famer Dermontti Dawson brought to the table.
Pouncey did not let his rookie status get in the way from him being a team leader either. He felt comfortable with his role on the team and should eventually be a team captain.
But his on-field dominance was the story of the season. Great players make the players around them better, and that is exactly what Pouncey did.
It was his outstanding blocking that helped him earn a Pro Bowl selection and consideration for rookie of the year.
While he had a great season, it did end in disappointment when an ankle injury he suffered in the AFC Championship game prevented him from playing the Super Bowl.
Despite the setback, Pouncey showed that he just may develop into the best center in the league and he should anchor the Steelers offensive line for the next decade.
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