By Marla Ridenour
Akron Beacon Journal sports columnist
http://www.ohio.com/sports
POSTED: 07:54 p.m. EST, Jan 01, 2011
Pittsburgh Steelers receiver Mike Wallace breaks away from a Carolina Panthers defender after catching a pass from quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, on the way to a second-quarter touchdown during a game in Pittsburgh in Dec. of 2010. (AP Photo/Gene Puskar)Whenever he needs motivation, Pittsburgh Steelers receiver Mike Wallace thinks about his third-round selection in the 2009 NFL Draft.
Going 84th overall, he was the 11th receiver picked, after the Browns tabbed Brian Robiskie (36th) and Mohamed Massaquoi (50th).
''I always take it personal. I'm going to always take that with me every time I go out and make a play,'' Wallace said. ''Every team looked over me twice, and it was on the way for everybody looking over me a third time.''
But actually Wallace, a 6-foot speedster from Ole Miss, went much higher than most draft analysts expected. Although he was timed as fast as 4.28 seconds in the 40-yard dash and said he has run it in 4.21, Pro Football Weekly projected Wallace as a late-round pick or priority free agent. Even a 40-inch vertical leap didn't sway the gurus.
Wallace was criticized for his suspect hands, trim build, mostly straight-line speed, problem changing direction, lack of instincts and strength, poor blocking and catching the ball with his body. Now in Pittsburgh, his name is being mentioned in the same breath with John Stallworth.
Going into the regular-season finale today against the Browns in Cleveland, Wallace has 24 receptions of 20-plus yards, the most by a Steeler since Stallworth in 1984. He ranks second in the NFL in yards per catch with a 20.2 average, a category he led last season (19.4). Only two receivers in NFL/AFL history — Bill Groman (1960-61) and Wesley Walker (1977-78) — have led the league in that category their first two seasons.
Wallace tops the Steelers in receptions (57), yards (1,152) and touchdowns (nine). When he scores, the Steelers are 11-1. That includes a 28-10 victory over the Browns on Oct. 17, when Wallace caught three passes for 90 yards, one for a 29-yard touchdown.
Wallace still doesn't know what the NFL draftniks didn't like about him.
''Those draft analysts can either make you or break you,'' he said. ''If you don't get any hype, you'll kind of get overlooked. The only thing that matters is they did look over me and I'm out to make them pay for it.''
Browns coach Eric Mangini called Wallace ''a home run waiting to happen on any play.'' Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said the development of Wallace was one of the reasons the team was comfortable trading receiver Santonio Holmes to the New York Jets in April after Holmes was suspended for violating the league's substance-abuse policy.
Today against the Browns, Wallace will match up against rookie cornerback Joe Haden, his former SEC foe from Florida. Wallace isn't sure how Haden will try to cover him.
''Every week I see something kinda different,'' Wallace said. ''Some guys try to jam me up so I don't get off the line with a safety over the top. Some guys try to give me cushion so I don't get deep.''
Haden said he would play Wallace ''high to low.''
''He's very, very, very fast,'' Haden said. ''You make sure you take away the deep route and try to make him come back to the ball. I'll make sure I give him his cushion so when he does end up breaking, I'll have enough space to break back on him.''
Wallace gave props to Haden, who had the first of his six interceptions against the Steelers and was named a fourth alternate to the Pro Bowl on Tuesday.
''Joe's getting better and better every week,'' Wallace said. ''He's showing why they used a top 10 pick on him and why they paid him all that money.''
Marla Ridenour can be reached at mridenour@thebeaconjournal.com. Read her blog at http://marla.ohio.com/. Follow her on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/MarlaRidenour.
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