Pittsburgh Steelers Select Ohio State Offensive Tackle Mike Adams in 2nd Round
By Matt Shetler
Tired of seeing franchise quarterback Ben Roethlisberger laying on his back, the Pittsburgh Steelers have finally decided to seriously address the issue .
After selecting Stanford guard David DeCastro in the first-round on Thursday, the Steeler selected Ohio State tackle Mike Adams in the second round Friday night.
Add to that the selection of Maurkice Pouncey in 2010 and Marcus Gilbert last season, the Steelers have begun to assemble a young offensive line that is high on talent.
In Adams they get a guy whose collegiate career was marred by injuries and suspensions. Foot, knee and shoulder issues caused him to miss time in 2008 and 2009, and he was suspended for multiple games for violating team and NCAA rules in 2009 and 2011.
When he was on the field, Adams’ big frame and good feet earned him first-team Big Ten honors in 2010 and second-team honors in 2011.
Jason La Canfora of NFL.com reported that Adams tested positive for marijuana at the NFL combine, but ultimately it didn’t hurt his draft stock too much because Adams was proactive about dealing with the result.
Here’s a look at the scouting report from the newest Steeler via Pro Football Weekly:
"Positives:Has long arms, big hands and outstanding body length to match up against size — contained Wisconsin’s J.J. Watt (a 2011 first-round pick of the Houston) as a junior. Can get positioning in the run game and walls off defenders. Sets quickly in pass protection, keeps his shoulders square and can stop a charge. Controlled mover — plays with balance and is patient in pass protection. Negatives:Plays too upright and struggles with quickness. Does not strike with power and tends to plod. Not agile at the second level. Too inconsistent. Struggled to handle the power of Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2011 first-rounder Adrian Clayborn and tenacity of Washington Redskins 2011 first-rounder Ryan Kerrigan as a junior. Has battled injuries throughout career. Very spotty play history. Soft-tempered. Came off as very immature and low-burn in the interview process. Questionable mental toughness. Has been pampered and is not wired with a trench mentality. Not passionate about the game. Bench-pressed 225 pounds only 19 times at the Combine and body does not look NFL-conditioned. Too easily distracted and has multiple off-field issues that already have eliminated him from consideration on some NFL draft boards."
Pick Analysis
I was hoping for either running back Lamar Miller out of Miami or LaMichael James from Oregon but the Steelers had a need at tackle and I like the pick.
He may struggle with NFL speed rushers off the bat, but he has the skill set to become a solid NFL offensive tackle. There aren’t many players with Adams’ size and agility, so he has a very high ceiling.
He will need to show that he’s more consistent, intense and durable, but if he can show that, Adams could become a starter in the NFL for a long time. Very solid pick and thus far a nice draft filling some key needs.
See the report of first-round pick David DeCastro
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