Sunday, April 26, 2009
By Ron Cook, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/
Finally, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin and director of football operations Kevin Colbert delivered ...
Hold on.
I know, I know.
They delivered in a pretty big way in Tampa on Feb. 1, but I'm talking about the NFL draft here.
A year later, Tomlin, Colbert and the Steelers got their man.It's nice to think they'll get another today.
On more than one occasion between the painful loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC playoffs after the 2007 season and the start of the '08 NFL draft, Tomlin said the team needed to get bigger, stronger and younger on the offensive and defensive lines.
The problem was that '08 draft didn't cooperate. Seven offensive linemen -- including six tackles -- and five defensive linemen were taken before the Steelers picked Illinois running back Rashard Mendenhall with their No. 1 pick. Two more offensive hogs and six defensive linemen then went before they took Texas wide receiver Limas Sweed with their second selection.
The Steelers never did get bigger, stronger and younger.
That they won Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa didn't change that fact.
That's why it's a lot easier to like the start of the '09 draft a lot better than the '08 draft.
Assuming Missouri defensive end Evander "Ziggy" Hood can play, of course.
Who knows?
Maybe the man will provide a Holyfield-like punch to the Steelers' defense.
Sorry, I couldn't resist.
"I think anything I put my mind to, I know I can do it," a delighted Hood was saying over the telephone last night from his hometown of Amarillo, Texas. "I'm going to take everything I can and everything I know and put it to become one of those star players and make sure I don't let down the whole Steelers organization."
Sounds good, doesn't it?
With the terrific Aaron Smith getting ready to start his second decade in the NFL and Brett Keisel headed into the final year of his contract, the Steelers clearly had a need at defensive end.
Tomlin and Colbert will tell you that's why they were so delighted to grab Hood when they finally made their No. 32 pick in the first round at 7:30, 3Â 1/2 long hours after the draft extravaganza kicked off.
"There are no holes in this guy," Tomlin gushed.
"This is a high-quality player and person," Colbert said.
I don't know about you, I'm willing to trust Tomlin's and Colbert's judgment and believe that they got it right, not just with Hood, but by trading their pick at the end of the second round to the Denver Broncos for two third-round selections today.
They have earned at least that with me.
That's why I'm still thinking Mendenhall is going to be a really, really good player. It wasn't his fault that Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis played his shoulder like an accordion early last season. It's also too soon to write off Sweed, although he sure did look like a bust when he dropped that touchdown pass against the Ravens in the AFC championship game in January.
He'll really make Tomlin and Colbert look smart if he comes back to play well as the Steelers' third wide receiver this season behind their two Super Bowl MVPs, Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes.
It might take a year or two for Hood to make any kind of impact, but his selection added to what's looking like a mighty fine football weekend around here.
It started Friday when the Steelers reached agreement with free-agent veteran cornerback Keiwan Ratliff. If nothing else, he'll add depth at a valuable position, one weakened by the loss of free-agent Bryant McFadden to the Arizona Cardinals.
Then, things got a whole lot better when word came that the Steelers reached a long-term contract extension with Ward, who was heading into the final year of his current deal. That came as no surprise, really. Ward learned from his mentor, Jerome Bettis, that a few more dollars elsewhere aren't worth leaving a city where you are an icon. It's no secret that he wants to put every franchise receiving record so far out there that they'll be almost impossible to break.
Still, it's wonderful to know he will finish his Hall of Fame career here, right where it started and right where he belongs.
Now if Tomlin and Colbert can just get that quality offensive lineman with one of their three third-round picks today ...
Ron Cook can be reached at rcook@post-gazette.com.
First published on April 26, 2009 at 12:00 am
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