Akwasi Owusu-Ansah

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/575 ... wusu-ansah

Free agent DB Akwasi Owusu-Ansah worked out for the Steelers.
Owusu-Ansah was waived by the Cowboys at final cuts after attempting to make the transition from safety to corner during camp. The former receiver has made just 14 career appearances since coming into the league as an undrafted free agent in 2010. Sep 5 - 7:43 PM
Source: Adam Caplan on Twitter

 

that's just because the cowboys couldn't fit all of his name on the back of his jersey.

 

A lot of people wanted him when he came out. I remember thinking I'd spend a 5th on him, but he didn't make it that far. If I recall, he's a good size/speed guy, right? That would definitely explain our working him out. We certainly have openings at both CB and S.

 

He was my guy coming out...would love to see him take dds spot when he heads to ir

Hack

 

You can also add a couple more to that list.

Aaron Wilson
?@RavensInsider
Steelers recently tried out cornerbacks Terrence Johnson, Dominique Franks and Akwasi Owusu-Ansah

https://twitter.com/RavensInsider/statu ... 2909656065

Obviously the 2 interesting ones were Franks and Ansah...2 highly touted prospects coming out of college...that havent lived up to the hype...or been put in the right situation or whatever.

 

Anytime a RECEIVER is trying to make the transition from SAFETY to CORNER I don't get excited. But I'm not really familiar with the guy so he may be worth a shot.

 

If he gets on the team, he needs a nickname. Good luck to Hillgrove and Tunch will that name.

 

Steelers are pretty good at turning players careers around, hope we stoled another one, especially from the Cowgirls

 

Here's an old scouting report on him... In short he's big, athletic, good hands, and he is/was very raw. Would be a nice project for Carnell Lake...

Analysis
Read & React: Reads his receiver carefully on the outside and is quick to jump routes once a hint is given. Reads the quarterback well and has the speed to the ball in the deep half as a safety. Baits the quarterback into thinking the seam route is open.Man Coverage: Has prototypical size to be a press corner. Plays with aggression at the line but usually lined up 10 yards off, apparently per coaches’ instructions. Shows good flexibility and very good feet in his pedal, staying low and transitioning well. Typically takes up inside position instead of backpedaling, waiting for the receiver to make his move before jumping the route; gets turned around if receiver breaks inside. Often forces quarterback to look in another direction.Zone Coverage: Could flourish in a zone system as a free safety or corner. His size and speed give him good range, and he is strong enough to snatch the ball from the grasp of receivers. Fluid moving from the hash to the sideline. Excellent hands for the interception and is always a threat to take the ball to the end zone. Must prove he has the discipline to come off one receiver to cover another coming into his area.Closing/Recovery: Closes on the ball in the air quickly. Gives too much cushion, but his size, closing speed and long arms allow him to stop plays or immediately bring down the ballcarrier. Jumps slant routes when playing off-man. Has the speed and change-of-direction agility to recover on stop-and-go routes. Plants and drives out of his backpedal effectively.
Run Support: Used primarily as a cover corner playing off the line, Owusu-Ansah did not often come up in run support. He will come off his man to chase down ballcarriers, though, taking good angles to prevent big plays. Has the size to be effective crashing down from the outside and generally disengages from receiver blocks, but physicality is still a question mark.

Tackling: Has the size and strength to limit yards after the catch. Has long, well-built arms to wrap up ballcarriers. Averaged roughly on tackle per game — the ball didn’t come his way often and he was not involved in many run plays. Heads toward the pile but often runs around it instead of entering the fracas. Needs to prove himself a secure tackler before teams consider moving him to safety.

Intangibles: Confident and emotional on the field. Highly successful at a lower level of competition, but must acclimate quickly to the routes run by receivers from major programs. He missed an opportunity to prove himself against the big boys in all-star games because of a shoulder injury. His return skills were formidable at the D-II level, but should translate; he hits a hole quickly, shows good vision, runs through arm tackles and has the speed to beat the angle. Displays patience to let blocks develop on interception and kickoff returns.

NFL Comparison: Charles Tillman, Chicago Bears

 

So, it says he's a CB and a FS. Do we think we are trying to focus and groom him for one or the other or as depth so he can flex?

I feel it seems they aren't comfortable with what we have in the DB's already on the team and are looking at a diamond in the rough. This team has trouble getting great DB's (2.5 in our modern history) so I bet they are just looking to get lucky and strike gold because of his raw upside and their inability to draft a shut down star type player back there.

Let's hope he's our next big defensive star.

 

brown and golden are a little dinged up right now, and add clark not playing. we are looking but not real hard.....yet. allen had a less than impressive last preseason game. that's what happens though when trying to go with the youth movement, there will be some moments.

 

Blount, Woodson, and Ike Taylor is the .5

I can't consider him great, just very good....

 

I'm more confused now than I was before you clarified.

I'd hardly consider Blount in the "modern" history category, but that's subjective. I guess he's still on this half of 80 years.... right? And, um, Troy Polamalu? Carnell Lake? Ryan Clark? Did you mean CB instead of DB?

 

even if he only meant CBs Lake had a few great years at CB

 

Deshea Townsend Was pretty good too. Not a hall of famer but he was solid for us for years.

 

I always liked him too. And you can't underestimate how much good he did us by sliding down and covering the Brandon Stokleys of the world for all those years.

At least a .4 for him.

Oh, and don't forget Ricardo Colclough. He's got to be worth at least 0.000000000000001.

 

Wow, I never expected this one to be so ....whatever.

Yes, I was talking about the modern NFL since the 1970 merger. And yes, of course I was only talking about corners, I messed that one up by accidentally saying DB's instead of CB's. I (obviously) would never have omitted Troy or Lake. I would even consider Hope better than Clark and I really love them both. I still consider Lake more of a FS than a CB despite his great history at that position. I only remember it being one year though.

 

We went for Van Dyke

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/658 ... s-van-dyke

Steelers agreed to terms with CB Demarcus Van Dyke.
The fastest player at the 2011 Combine with a forty time for 4.28, Van Dyke surprisingly went unclaimed on waivers early this week. We suspect it was because no team wanted to guarantee his the salary from his rookie deal. Although Van Dyke's coverage was inconsistent, he showed flashes of potential as a first-year player. Former Steelers great Rod Woodson may have given "DVD" a good review after coaching Raiders cornerbacks last season. Sep 6 - 7:11 PM
Source: Profootballtalk on Twitter

 

6'1" CB who runs a sub 4.3 sec time is a pretty good project. I read he's mostly a track star more then a football player. He's only really played nickel in college and the Raisers....

 

In my best Myron voice,(which is not very good!)......."Hum haw. What should we call dis guy? I cant pronounce dat name.We gotta call him sometim. Okel dokel I got it....I'll call him AOK till he screws up.Den when he does I'll call him gone."

 

What do they like about this guy that the others didnt have or whatever....any ideas from the experts here?

 

I liked Deshea a lot too. I want to be an Ike lover but the fact that his hands are allergic to footballs keeps me from giving him all my heart.

 

I have a feeling Steelers are not happy with Special team and are looking for some aces.... there have been reports that they were working other lower tier guys out too....

 

Yeah, we have the room. Our pipeline is pretty empty. If you're going for a project player, 4.28 speed ain't a bad place to start.