Steelers can find quality projects in the middle rounds
(This is the first of a 10-part series on the NFL Draft. Today鈥檚 story highlights the edge rushers.)
Reporters were up close at the NFL Combine when the greatest of all the Greek heroes, Hercules Mata鈥檃fa, took the podium.
鈥淚 was the biggest baby in my family,鈥� explained Hercules Mata鈥檃fa. 鈥淪o it was between Anthony and Hercules, and my mom chose Hercules. I鈥檓 glad she did.鈥�
Isn鈥檛 the mortal son of Zeus a lot to live up to?
鈥淵ou got it,鈥� he said with a serious look. 鈥淲ith a name like this, you鈥檝e got to live up to it.鈥�
Mata鈥檃fa has. Last season at Washington State he was a consensus All-America, PAC-12 Defensive Player of the Year, and what he called his greatest honor, the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year.
Mata鈥檃fa had 10陆 sacks last season and 22陆 tackles for loss 鈥� as a defensive tackle.
He played both the 1-technique (shade nose) and the 3-technique (playmaking tackle), or more specifically 鈥渢he boundary defensive tackle inside the rush linebacker,鈥� where he was told to disrupt the pocket with his quick first step.
鈥淢y get-off is the fastest in this draft,鈥� he said boldly and confidently from his Combine podium. But at 6-2录, 254 pounds, Mata鈥檃fa鈥檚 too small to play full-time on an NFL interior. At least the Steelers think that way. They see Mata鈥檃fa as an edge rusher and sent Joey Porter to meet with him.
Can Mata鈥檃fa play on the edge? And off the ball?
鈥淚 have experience playing D-end in college,鈥� he said. 鈥淐ircumstances made me play D-tackle at the end of (2016) season. I like playing either position. I just love getting after the football, getting after the quarterback. It doesn鈥檛 matter where I鈥檓 at.鈥�
But, his Combine numbers have tempered enthusiasm. Small at 6-2录, 254 with 31陆-inch arms, Mata鈥檃fa ran well enough at 4.76 in the 40, with a strong 26 bench reps, but he had less-than-explosive jumps (31陆 vertical/9-0 broad).
He鈥檚 too small to play three downs on the line and he鈥檚 a major projection at any position 鈥� even in the Steelers鈥� 3-4 base 鈥� that requires him to drop into coverage.
It鈥檚 similar to the problem Tedy Bruschi faced when he came out of Arizona in 1996 as a defensive tackle/end. He projected to linebacker because of his size (6-0 5/8, 250), and Bruschi did run a 4.68 40 with an oustanding 42-inch vertical jump. He was projected for the fifth-sixth rounds, but was chosen in the third round (86th overall) by the New England Patriots and became one of the NFL鈥檚 great off-the-ball linebackers.
Bruschi is the optimistic comparison for Mata鈥檃fa. And the Steelers just need depth at outside linebacker and have the patience to draft a project.
There are a handful of other productive edge-rushers who鈥檝e been knocked for one reason or other and could present great mid-round value to the Steelers:
n Obo Okoronkwo (6-1 5/8, 253) 鈥� The Oklahoma OLB is a personal favorite. Obo went on a screed at the Combine about how his lack of height wouldn鈥檛 be a problem because of his length (33戮-inch arms), bend (6.84 3-cone time) and motor (8 sacks, 17陆 tackles-for-loss).
n Kemoko Turay (6-4, 5/8, 253) 鈥� A defensive end, Turay displays exceptional ankle flexion, which Mike Tomlin said last season is becoming one of his favorite talent indicators. Turay has been set back by injuries and poor coaching at Rutgers, but emerged as an exceptional prospect after showing terrific bend at the Senior Bowl and running a 4.65 40 at the Combine.
n Uchenna Nwosu (6-2 1/8, 251) 鈥� The USC OLB looks for all the world like a future captain who has the instincts to play inside. He agreed with that assessment at the Combine, but he鈥檚 being called a fifth and sixth-rounder by top analysts. Those close to him believe he has the heart of a first-rounder, and Pro Football Focus called Nwosu鈥檚 production the second best among Power 5 edge prospects with 61 QB pressures last season.
n Shaquem Griffin (6-录, 223) 鈥� Lost a hand at the age of four, this outside linebacker overcame his disability with sheer will. It鈥檚 as evident on the field as his 4.38 40 speed, the best time by a linebacker in Combine history. Griffin鈥檚 expected to have trouble getting off blocks and intercepting passes in the NFL, but for the Steelers 鈥� a team that鈥檚 had three special-teams captain types in for free-agent visits to replace Rob Golden 鈥� Griffin would fit the bill as a core special-teamer and third-down rush specialist. Griffin would also become a locker-room inspiration with the enthusiasm he displays in spite of his handicap.
n Marquis Haynes (6-2 3/8, 235) 鈥� A la Mike Hilton, Haynes was given the Chucky Mullins jersey number 38 at Ole Miss last year. Haynes finished his five-year career with 32 sacks and 47录 tackles-for-loss to demolish school records. He鈥檚 strictly a pass-rusher, and will turn 25 this December, so his value鈥檚 lower than his quick-twitch rush skills would suggest.
MY TAKE
If it were up to me 鈥� rash and impatient analyst 鈥� I might draft Okoronkwo in the first round. But, that appears to be an overvalue. He might be available in the second, and if not they should look for one in that round or the next to develop behind Bud Dupree, on whom the team has an expensive decision upcoming.
VALUE BOARD
Second Round 鈥� Obo Okoronkwo, Oklahoma; Kemoko Turay, Rutgers.
Third Round 鈥� Uchenna Nwosu, USC; Shaquem Griffin, Central Florida; Hercules Mata鈥檃fa, Washington State.
Fourth Round 鈥� Marquis Haynes, Ole Miss.
Fifth Round 鈥� Kylie Fitts, Utah; Jeff Holland, Auburn.