Walter Football, one of the big Draft sites, has the Steelers taking Dont’a Hightower, the inside linebacker from Alabama. Many feel it’s a fit for the Steelers, as he would take over for released ILB James Farrior.
Pittsburgh needs youth in its front seven, and Hightower has Steelers’ pick written all over him.
At 6-foot-2, 265 pounds, Hightower is a physical, in-the-box defender. He regularly beat collegiate offensive linemen without difficulty. The intelligent junior was the signal-caller for the Crimson Tide defense, a complex collegiate scheme. At the Combine, he ran the 40 in 4.62, a good time considering his heavy weight.
Though a season-ending knee injury cost him the majority of the 2009 season, Hightower came back in 2010 to record 69 tackles with 3.5 tackles for a loss. This season, another year removed from the injury, he looked much better. Hightower was a real force in many games in 2011. He shows the ability to rush the passer well on blitzes and is a tough run defender. Hightower has also demonstrated the ability to move to outside linebacker on passing downs and rush off the edge. Thus, he can be a three-down defender in the NFL.
Hightower had 85 tackles with 11 tackles for a loss, four sacks, one interception, one forced fumble and three passes batted away this year. He had a dominant game against Tennessee and played well in both contests versus LSU. Against Georgia Southern, Hightower blocked a field goal and it looked like he was spiking a volleyball. Hightower is a real presence in the tackle box.
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George H
April 26, 2012 at 9:27 am
I feel that the Steelers are leaning more towards Foote and Sylester carrying the load this year in replace of Farrior. In this quickly changing passing league, the 3-4 defense needs quick, plus coverage linebackers and unfortunately Hightower doesn’t fit the bill. People keep saying that hes the perfect fit for us… I like what I see in Hightower’s blitzing ability and run stopping ability but he isnt very good in coverage and lacks the speed to really improve in the area… picking hightower would be trying to fit a big square into a round hole.
DrGeorge
April 26, 2012 at 10:50 am
Good analysis, George H. You are right on all points. Hightower’s knee injury also concerns me, even though he played well this past season. We have a need at ILB, but not as great as our need to improve both lines. And at ILB, there are other prospects, with better range and coverage skills than Hightower, that should be available later in the draft or even in free agency.
Our first round pick ought to be used on the best available lineman. I am on record as favoring the Defense (NG, DE) with this year’s draft. However, there are so many quality offensive guards and tackles this year, I could see the Steelers taking one in the first round to protect Ben and to improve the run blocking. A quality Round # 1 addition to either line would be welcome.
NOTE: Under the new CBA, each team can now carry 90 (instead of 80) players on the initial preseason roster. K. Colbert and Co. are so good at finding quality UFAs that the Steelers are better positioned than most to make good use of this rule change. The free agent scramble after the draft may be as significant this year as the draft itself.
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Travis Gunn
April 26, 2012 at 6:50 pm
I wish that they just drafted him! He’s just too good to pass up if he was there and then we draft some studs later on in the draft at lineman. Keep Sylvester and have him be the switch out guy…i just really want Hightower lol
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