Monthly Archives: May 2015

Steelers Preseason

Doran Grant, Anthony Chickillo Sign Rookie Deals

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The Steelers signed two of their draft picks to contracts today. Fourth-round pick Doran Grant and sixth-round pick Anthony Chickillo both signed their 4 year rookie deals this morning. The financial details weren’t immediately released, but the NFL’s rookie wage system makes it pretty easy to accurately predict their values.

Grant’s 4 year deal should have a total value of just over $2.763 Mil, including a signing bonus of $489,012. His 2015 cap number will be right around $557,253, but will only move the cap needle $122,253 after displacement.

Chickillo’s 4 year deal should have a total value of approximately $2,370,487. His signing bonus will be $90,487, and his 2015 cap number will be $457,621.

The Steelers now have 3 draft picks under contract. L.T. Walton, another sixth-round pick, signed last week.

 

steelers draft

Steelers Take Auburn WR Sammie Coates In Round 3

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With the 87th pick in the 2015 draft, the Steelers select- Sammie Coates. Coates is 6′,1″, 212 lbs. He’s a physical specimen who averaged 21.4 yards per catch in college, and finished his career with 1,757 yards and 13 touchdowns. He was hampered by injury for much of his 2014 junior season.

Coates is raw and has to work on his concentration and drops, but with time, he could be a true vertical threat. “He can take the top off the coverage,” Steelers wide receivers coach Richard Mann said. “He’s a guy that can track down the ball down the field real well. He has some problems with straight-ahead catching the football, but that’s why we drill. And when we get a chance to coach him up, we feel like we can make that better.

“The thing you can’t coach up is his athleticism.”

 

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Steelers Draft CB Golson In Second Round

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Hoards of Steelers fans have been clamoring for the Steelers to take a corner early in the draft. Well, they finally got their wish. In a bit of a surprise move (to me), the Steelers selected Mississippi cornerback Senquez Golson in the second round. I knew the team liked Golson, but didn’t see them taking him so early. Golson was surprised, too.

“I had no idea they would pull the trigger on me this early,’’ Golson said Friday night. Golson has a nose for the ball. He had 10 interceptions last season. He’s also short. Very short. At 5′,8″ and a half, he’s going to face his share of challenges covering larger NFL receivers.

Golson has everything you want in a cornerback except size. He attributed much of his 10 inteceptions last year to film study. “It had a lot to do with a lot of film watching and a lot of understanding of what’s going on out in the field.” Carnell Lake called Golson “a ball-hawking CB who has very good quickness, ball skills and anticipation.”

According to PFF, he allowed a QB Rating of 44.9 on throws into his coverage, which was the 5th best in this class.

steelers draft

Steelers Select OLB Alvin “Bud” Dupree With 1st Round Pick

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In what was later described as an easy decision by Steelers GM Kevin Colbert, the team selected pass rusher Bud Dupree with the 22nd pick tonight. Expect to see him contributing early on the left side this season. Dupree was voted the Steelers first round pick in our fantasy mock, so kudos to those who voted.

https://twitter.com/Bud_Dupree2/status/593969836591579136

“We didn’t expect Bud Dupree to be there. It was a very easy decision. We believe we got an impact player in Bud Dupree. This is a gift for us to get him at No. 22.”

Most mock drafts seemed to agree with Colbert. Dupree was projected by many to go earlier. A high character, high football IQ prospect, he shouldn’t have a problem putting in the work to hone his technique at the NFL level. Joey Porter described him as a football junkie earlier this evening.

Dupree, 6’4″, 269 lbs, is raw, but has a very high ceiling, and has the tools in place to be a dominant NFL player. For what it’s worth, the Steelers first round pick was the only one given an A+ by CBS sports. For what it’s worth.