Steelers outside linebackers measured in more than sacks
PITTSBURGH 鈥� The 3-4 defense, at least as the Steelers have come to know it over the last 35 years, is 鈥渙bsolete鈥� as defensive coordinator Keith Butler says.
That doesn鈥檛 mean the Steelers aren鈥檛 in need of highly athletic outside linebackers capable of multi-tasking 鈥� generating a rush, setting the edge against the run and dropping into pass coverage 鈥� in what鈥檚 become more of a hybrid defense under Butler.
In fact, when the 30th overall pick in this year鈥檚 draft is announced later next month, it鈥檚 almost expected that the Steelers will take an edge rusher capable of juggling all three duties.
Despite the two-year contract handed to James Harrison and the 38-year-old鈥檚 fine play in 2016, the right outside linebacker position is the only glaring weakness on a defense that grew by leaps and bounds last season and figures only to get better next season.
With Jarvis Jones not expected to be re-signed and Harrison at the end 鈥� at least one would think 鈥� of his remarkable career, it鈥檚 incumbent upon the Steelers to identify and develop another quality edge rusher capable of helping the Steelers as soon as next season and to complement Bud Dupree on the left side.
On IR for most of 2016, Dupree showed signs 鈥� 4.5 sacks in four starts 鈥� of being the play-making outside linebacker the Steelers were envisioning when they made him the 22nd overall pick in 2015.
Obviously, this is all easier said than done (see Jones).
The prominence of the spread offense in the college game means that prospects are going against looks that don鈥檛 necessarily translate to the pro game. The challenge for a 3-4 team like the Steelers is finding college defensive ends that can play outside linebacker at the game鈥檚 highest level.
鈥淭he outside linebacker in our defense is probably the most difficult (to project) because 80 percent of them, 90 percent of them, don鈥檛 play on their feet in college, and we have to try and project whether a guy can stand up and do the extra things beyond pass rushing that he鈥檚 going to be required to do in our defense,鈥� Steelers GM Kevin Colbert told reporters last week at the NFL Combine.
鈥淭he margin for error at the outside linebacker position is really greater than any other position because most of the time it鈥檚 a projection. You鈥檙e looking for someone who can rush the passer, can play on a tight end or a tackle and can drop into coverage on occasion. The dropping (into coverage) part we won鈥檛 see that actually until we get in here for the initial workouts followed by some pro day advancements as well.鈥�
Colbert said that the Steelers project 85 to 90 percent of defensive ends have the physical ability to play up, but because of the specific demands at the position, it鈥檚 a matter of finding the best fit. As the league moves to more of a passing league, that means finding players who can drop into coverage. Harrison, who led Steelers linebackers with 5.0 sacks last season, dropped into coverage nearly 15 percent of the time.
鈥淵ou just watch their feet, their hips, their hands, their awareness when they drop,鈥� Colbert said. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e not really going to get into whether they understand it, know what they鈥檙e doing. Really, you鈥檙e just looking at the physical ability, what they can do with that. You can transfer most of them if they have the athleticism to do it.鈥�
According to NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock, this year鈥檚 draft is loaded with edge rushers (along with cornerback and safeties). Mayock believes that quality edge rushers could still be had as late as the third and fourth rounds. During this weekend in Indianapolis, Mayock said the college defensive ends and would-be NFL linebackers usually separate themselves in pass drills.
鈥淚t鈥檚 all opening your hips, running on angles, trying to catch a football,鈥� Mayock said this week on a conference call. 鈥淵ou can tell some of the guys are going to be a project. You can also tell that although it鈥檚 a little bit foreign to some of the other guys, they鈥檙e kind of fluid. It鈥檚 easier for them to open their hips, drop their weight, etc.
A couple of names to look out for, according to Mayock, are Alabama鈥檚 Tim Williams and Ryan Anderson, UCLA鈥檚 Takkarist McKinley, Wisconsin鈥檚 T.J. Watt, Missouri鈥檚 Charles Harris and Auburn鈥檚 Carl Lawson.
鈥淚 think Pittsburgh over the years has done a pretty good job of developing their edge guy,鈥� Mayock said. 鈥淪ometimes it takes a year or two.鈥�