PITTSBURGH (AP) -Finally, the initial fallout from the Pittsburgh Steelers’ troublesome and problem-filled offseason.
The Steelers used their third-round pick Friday on SMU wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders, a player they almost certainly wouldn’t have taken if off-field issues hadn’t forced them to trade former Super Bowl MVP Santonio Holmes.
Without him, wide receiver suddenly became a higher priority.
The Steelers also wanted to add some younger players to an aging defense, leading them to choose outside linebacker Jason Worilds of Virginia Tech on the second round. Among the players they passed up to get Worilds were Penn State linebacker Sean Lee and Notre Dame wide receiver Golden Tate.
fensive lineman and running back.
The Steelers believe Sanders is productive enough and fast enough – he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.4 seconds at the NFL draft combine – and that he can learn quickly from the receiver he may someday replace, 34-year-old Hines Ward.
“I’m an elusive player, and I feel I’m very quick,” said Sanders, who also returned punts in college. “I’m really looking forward to being able to learn from Hines Ward.”
There’s something else, too.
“I’m so excited about Pittsburgh – they’ve got a good quarterback,” Sanders said.
Even if Ben Roethlisberger won’t be able to throw to Sanders until at least the fifth week of the season as he serves a six-game suspension for violating the league’s personal conduct policy.
Despite discarding Holmes, the Steelers are deeper at wide receiver than they were when the season ended. Earlier, they brought back Antwaan Randle El from the Redskins and signed Arnaz Battle from the 49ers.
While playing in coach June Jones’ run-and-shoot system at SMU, Sanders caught 98 passes for 1,339 yards and seven touchdowns last season. He made nine TD catches in each of his first three college seasons despite his size – he’s 5-foot-11 and 180 pounds.
“We’ll find a place for him and try to get him the ball as soon as possible,” wide receivers coach Scottie Montgomery said.
t three starters are 30 or over – Worilds is a 20-something player who reminds them of their two excellent outside linebackers, James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley.
“Pittsburgh is a blue-collar, gritty type of place, and that’s the kind of ball I’ve always played,” Worilds said.
Although Harrison has started only three seasons, the 2008 NFL defensive player of the year is 32 and might be peaking. With no proven backups behind Harrison and Woodley, the Steelers chose to use a relatively high pick – No. 52 overall – on a player who won’t be ready to start next season.
“In this system, we haven’t started a rookie linebacker and for good reason. He’s going to have to earn his keep on special teams for a couple of years, and he’s fully aware of that,” linebackers coach Keith Butler said. “You’ve got an NFL defensive player of the year, another guy who made the Pro Bowl last year. It’s going to be hard to get him on the field for next year, but you never say never.”
Special teams became a major issue last season as the Steelers allowed a league-high four kickoff return touchdowns in a five-game span. Worilds, Battle and former Tampa Bay safety Will Allen are expected to help improve their kick coverage.
Still, Worilds is something of a gamble for the Steelers, who had a greater need at cornerback than they did at linebacker.
Making the transition from college defensive end to NFL outside linebacker can be a tricky one, too, and it’s one some early round draft picks can’t make. In 2003, the Steelers tried to make the conversion with second-rounder Alonzo Jackson, the player chosen one round after Troy Polamalu. He was one of their biggest draft flops.
The 6-foot-2, 262-pound Worilds has adequate speed and was considered undersized as a college defensive end. Despite that, he had 15 1/2 sacks and 34 1/2 tackles for losses and caused three fumbles. He is considered to be strong against the run.
“The type of (pass) rushers they have, the go guys on the edge, I see myself in their mode – LaMarr Woodley, James Harrison,” Worilds said. “I’m excited to come in and learn as much as I can from those guys. … I think I fit perfectly.”
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