Ed Bouchette: Steelers Draft Plenty of Pass Catchers

Steelers help Roethlisberger by getting pass catchers
Monday, April 25, 2005
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

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The Steelers did not fulfill Ben Roethlisberger's wishes when he asked them to keep receiver Plaxico Burress, but they listened. And in the past two days, they presented gifts to their young quarterback that he may like even more.

They followed up their choice of a big, pass consuming tight end with their first pick Saturday by drafting a tall, fast, athletic wide receiver with their top choice yesterday.

Big Ben got Big Money (tight end Heath Miller's nickname) Saturday and yesterday he got a big wide receiver when the Steelers drafted 6-foot-4 Fred Gibson of Georgia in the fourth round.
Gibson played split end at Georgia, where he was overshadowed by flanker Reggie Brown, Philadelphia's second-round draft pick. But Gibson has the potential to grow into something special, particularly if he can gain strength and add weight to a slight 202-pound frame.
"This guy has a big upside," said Bruce Arians, who coaches the Steelers' receivers. "He has height, jumping ability and the speed to go along."

Gibson played basketball at Georgia as a freshman before he concentrated on football. The comparisons to Burress, a 6-5 1/2 receiver who signed with the Giants this year as a free agent, come naturally.

"He is a couple inches shorter," Arians said. "Probably a little faster [4.47 in the 40]. He is the same style player at outside receiver. He gives us the height that we lost, hopefully, and makes plays in the red zone with his height and jumping ability."

Counting the two new receivers, the Steelers drafted four of their first six picks on offense, including two linemen they hope can help protect Roethlisberger. Surely Roethlisberger had to like this draft.

"I really don't care," Steelers coach Bill Cowher said. "The bottom line is, I think we helped our football team."

The Steelers turned to defense with their fifth-round choice, drafting junior Rian Wallace of Temple with the 166th pick. Wallace played inside linebacker for the Owls and was all-Big East in 2004. Some NFL teams project Wallace as an outside linebacker, but the Steelers will try him on the inside.

In the sixth round, the Steelers drafted 6-3 1/2, 344-pound guard Chris Kemoeatu of Utah.
Wallace, Gibson and Kemoeatu each had mild transgressions in college. Wallace was suspended for Temple's game against Pitt last season for scuffling with a teammate in the locker room.
Gibson -- along with Brown and other teammates -- allegedly sold his SEC championship ring. The sales embarrassed the university, but the NCAA cleared the players of any wrongdoing.
Kemoeatu was suspended twice in 2003 for kicking opponents, and has a temperament Steelers line coach Russ Grimm termed "aggressive."

"That mean streak I got, I think I've overcome that problem of mine," Kemoeatu said.

The Steelers were involved in an intra-team fight in their locker room in minicamp in 2000 with linebacker Earl Holmes at the center of it. As for selling championship rings, the Steelers would love to give Gibson a second chance at selling one next year. And Hall of Famer Joe Greene did more than kick a few opponents in his day, even punching one in the stomach in a playoff game in 1977.

Kemoeatu is Tongan; the Steelers' first pick in the seventh round, defensive end Shaun Nua of BYU, is Samoan through Pago Pago. They banged against each other when Utah played BYU.
"He is a dirty player, I'll say that, but not when I went against him," Nua said with a chuckle. "But he is a tough guy, though, I'll tell you that. That was a good pick, too. You came to the right place, man."

The Steelers drafted running back Noah Herron of Northwestern, a 5-11, 224-pounder, with their final choice. Herron was all-Big Ten last season after rushing for 1,381 yards, 14 touchdowns and a 5.0 average per carry. He also caught 36 passes last season. The Steelers want to see if he can play halfback and fullback.

Some analysts thought Gibson might go in the second round, and the Steelers had a second-round grade on him. They've had success with receivers drafted after the first round through the years. Their best of all came when they drafted John Stallworth in the fourth round in 1974. More recently they drafted Antwaan Randle El in the second round in 2003 and Hines Ward in the third round in 1998 from Georgia.

"He also played at Georgia, so I know he's going to look after me no matter what," Gibson said.
Gibson will get a shot as a rookie, but he'll have to go through Randle El and Cedrick Wilson, the team's only outside signing in free agency, at split end. Randle El and Wilson also will compete for the position in the slot.

"If they are going to double-team Hines or Antwaan, you have to have some kind of mismatch outside," Arians said. "I think he will give us that."
Said Cowher, "He's a tall guy who can run fast, a very good route runner."

Kevin Colbert, the Steelers' director of football operations, said it was one of the team's best drafts in terms of targeting players they wanted in certain areas of the draft and getting those players.
"Things really broke very well for us. All the players we wanted really fell into place ... we didn't reach," he said.

NOTES -- The Steelers began signing undrafted rookies after the draft and hoped to land 11 or 12, with a higher concentration at linebacker than other positions. They also may sign a rookie quarterback. Veteran QB Charlie Batch, who has been with them three years, is a free agent Colbert says is "an option." ... Colbert also said "there's been communication" with former Steelers LB Chad Brown, released by Seattle the past week. However, Brown turned down a $1 million annual offer to remain with the Seahawks and appears headed to Denver.

(Ed Bouchette can be reached at ebouchette@post-gazette.com 0r 412-263-3878.)