Pittsburgh Steelers Select Stanford Guard David DeCastro in First-round of 2012 NFL Draft

The Pittsburgh Steelers filled a huge need on the offensive line with their first-round selection in the 2012 NFL Draft with the selection of Stanford guard David DeCastro.

For a unit that’s struggled for the past few years, adding a big, athletic guard that’s drawing comparisons to Steve Hutchinson and Alan Faneca has to be considered a first round win.

DeCastro is as talented a guard as you could ever expect to find in the NFL draft. He’s big, strong and, most importantly, a technician.

DeCastro doesn’t live off of his athleticism, instead making his plays with great hand placement, leverage and angles.

Bleacher Report lead NFL writer Matt Miller offered up the following scouting report on DeCastro.

"DeCastro has the ideal size and strength for the position, combining excellent reach with the power at the point of attack to dominate defensive linemen when he fires off the line of scrimmage. If you had to complain about anything DeCastro doesn’t do great, it would be that he will sometimes miss when asked to pull and hit a defender. If he can increase his hit rate when pulling, he’ll be a flawless player at the position."

Pick Analysis:

Great value pick for the Steelers at No.24, as they bolster their offensive line with one of the best guard prospects of the last decade. Will be a ten-year starter in Pittsburgh. Worst case scenario? DeCastro makes four or five Pro Bowls.