Steelers draft RB from Illinois, WR from Texas to protect Big Ben
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Steelers draft RB from Illinois, WR from Texas to protect Big
Ben
Sunday, April 27, 2008
By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
John Dixon/Champaign-Urbana News-Gazette
Illinois running back Rashard Mendenhall: The first running back taken by the Steelers since 1989.
The absolutely, positively, largest need the Steelers had entering the draft -- everyone knew it
-- was to protect their $102 million quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger.
A big offensive tackle would do the trick.
Or, how about a big, powerful, fast running back and a tall receiver Big Ben requested?
"There are two schools of thought to protect a quarterback," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin
said. "You can get linemen, or you can get him weapons."
That's the plan, anyway, after the Steelers selected Illinois
running back Rashard Mendenhall with the 23rd overall pick,
and 6-foot-4 wide receiver Limas Sweed of Texas in the second round.
Mendenhall became the first running back they drafted in either of the top two rounds since
1989, and he truly was a player few expected to last that long -- most mock drafts had him
gone by the middle of the first round.
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Steelers draft RB from Illinois, WR from Texas to protect Big Ben
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As for Sweed, the Steelers not only had a first-round grade on
him, they ranked him among the top 25 players available in the
draft and among the best three receivers.
Mendenhall is power-packed at 5-10, 225 pounds, runs a
blistering 4.41 in the 40-yard dash for a man his size and catches
and blocks to boost.
He should provide the perfect compliment to Fast Willie Parker,
a Mr. Inside and Mr. Outside, if you will. For the record, Tomlin
said Parker, their two-time Pro Bowl back, remains No. 1.
Parker led the NFL in rushing last season when the fibula in his
right leg was broken on his first carry in the 15th game. He
finished with 1,316 yards, his third consecutive season above
1,200.
"We have a Pro Bowl running back," Tomlin said. "This guy's
going to help our football team. At this point, he's a young guy
trying to fit in. He'll be backing up Parker."
Multimedia
Video: Steelers select
running back in first round
Audio: Excerpts Rashard
Mendenhall's teleconfernce
with Pittsburgh media
Audio: Excerpts of Limas
Sweed's teleconference with
Pittsburgh media
Ultimately, however, they could be No. 1 and 1-A on the depth
chart, two talented backs on a team that has rushed for more yards than any other since the
NFL merger with the AFL in 1970 (they ranked third last season). Tomlin has said since he
arrived as head coach last year that teams need two effective backs. Now the Steelers appear
to have them, and in contrasting styles as well.
"This is an exciting running back," said director of football operations Kevin Colbert,
obviously delighted. "He'll run a sub-4.5, he runs with power, he runs with moves, he can
catch, he'll work as a blocker. This is something that's very exciting for this organization."
Mendenhall ran for 1,681 yards last season, including 155 on just 17 carries against Southern
California in the Rose Bowl (9.1 average). He averaged a whopping 6.4 per carry for the
season.
Colbert said the Steelers had an idea to try to trade down in the first round, but had 15
players on a list in which they would draft at No. 23 regardless. Mendenhall was one of those
players.
Much of the pre-draft speculation about possible running backs falling to the Steelers
centered around Oregon's Jonathan Stewart and not Mendenhall because few believed
Mendenhall would drop that far. As it was, running backs Darren McFadden (Oakland at No.
4), Stewart (Carolina at No. 13) and Felix Jones (Dallas at No. 22) went ahead of
Mendenhall, who admitted to disappointment the longer he waited.
"It was tough, I ain't going to lie," Mendenhall said. "As it started rolling, the sweat started
rolling as well."
Funny, he said, he felt he received less attention from the Steelers than he did many other
teams. He spent some time with them at the combine workouts in Indianapolis, but he was
not on the list of 30 candidates they were permitted to bring to Pittsburgh for further
inspection before the draft.
In the end, "I feel like the Steelers made a great pick," said Mendenhall, who compared his
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Steelers draft RB from Illinois, WR from Texas to protect Big Ben
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style to NFL rushing champ LaDainian Tomlinson. "You look at his footwork and his agility,
he's a real balanced runner. He can catch the ball and he can run you over as well, so I can
make the comparison to L.T."
"He's fired up, needless to say," Tomlin said. "And so are we."
Parker said last week that he would like to see the Steelers draft another back, not only to
help the team but to give him some rest and to lengthen his career.
"We need somebody else in here," Parker said. "If they bring somebody else in here, I'm all
for it."
Besides breaking an 18-draft drought at the top by taking a running back, the Steelers also
hope to snap a 36-year lack of success at drafting any in the first round who panned out.
Since taking Hall of Famer Franco Harris in 1972, the Steelers drafted three other backs in
the first round before yesterday. None topped 1,000 yards in a season.
By their reaction yesterday, the Steelers believe they got it right this time. Tomlin called him
a "humble, blue-collar worker" and a "quality human being."
"In terms of what he brings to the table, he's a complete back," Tomlin said. "He can run
inside, he can run outside. He's a powerful runner. He's elusive and, of course, he has the
speed to go the distance.
"It shouldn't be too difficult finding ways that he can contribute to this football team."
First published on April 27, 2008 at 12:00 am
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The No. One Pick: Rashard Mendenhall
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The No. One Pick: Rashard Mendenhall
Comparisons differ, but basically this RB from Illinois will run you over
Sunday, April 27, 2008
By Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Scott Strazzante/Chicago Tribune
Rashard Mendenhall speaks with the media at the Chicago House of Blues yesterday.
When he was asked which National Football League running back he most resembled,
Rashard Mendenhall compared himself to a player that not most people would consider:
LaDainian Tomlinson.
At 225 pounds, Mendenhall has been compared more to
Laurence Maroney of the New England Patriots -- a player who
runs with toughness and attitude inside the tackles, but has the
athleticism and cutback ability to break plays to the outside.
But Joe Galambos, who has coached Mendenhall since fifth
grade and closely has monitored his development, tended to
agree with his former pupil. Only he went a step further.
"He'll run you over if you get in his way," Galambos was saying
last night over the telephone from the House of Blues in Chicago,
where he was celebrating Mendenhall's first-round selection by
the Steelers. "But he's more of a Gale Sayers, Barry Sanders type
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Multimedia
Video: Steelers select
running back in first round
4/27/2008
The No. One Pick: Rashard Mendenhall
of runner. He's a stop-and-go-on-a-dime kind of guy.
"They pumped him up pretty good at Illinois, they made him a
tough inside runner, but, by far, it's not the strength of his ability.
He's a tremendous, tremendous athlete. And I don't say that
because I'm biased, I say that as a football coach."
Page 2 of 3
Audio: Excerpts Rashard
Mendenhall's teleconfernce
with Pittsburgh media
Galambos has never really left Mendenhall since his childhood. He followed him to Niles
West High School in Skokie, Ill., where he was the running backs coach, and he has
remained one of his closest confidants.
He said he became convinced of Mendenhall's ability when, as a fifth grader, Mendenhall
played on a team of seventh- and eighth-graders and flashed the speed and athleticism that
became his trademark at Illinois.
That's why Galambos was thrilled to see him land with the Steelers, who had him rated as the
second-best back in the draft behind Darren McFadden of Arkansas, the fourth overall pick
of the Oakland Raiders.
"McFadden is a good running back, a good player, but I think Rashard has more to him,"
Galambos said. "Jonathan Stewart [drafted 13th overall by the Carolina Panthers] is a great
player, too, but you'll see. I think Rashard Mendenhall is a way better athlete and you'll see
when he gets into town. You'll see what I mean when you watch his footwork, his
athleticism."
Illinois coach Ron Zook, a former Steelers assistant, agreed.
"You see the Rose Bowl?" he asked, almost giddy with delight. "He ran away from some of
[Southern California's] guys, and, as we all know, they have pretty good speed."
Mendenhall, a junior, spent only one season as a full-time starter for Illinois, but it was a
productive one. He rushed for 1,681 yards, averaged 6.4 yards per carry and scored 17
touchdowns. He also caught 34 passes for 318 yards and two touchdowns.
But, in what would be his final appearance in the Rose Bowl, Mendenhall rushed for 168
yards on 17 carries and caught five passes for 59 yards against the Trojans. That performance
is what caught the attention of most NFL teams, including the Steelers, even though coach
Mike Tomlin and director of football operations Kevin Colbert never thought Mendenhall
would be around when they picked 23rd overall. That's one of the reasons they didn't meet
with him for one of the 30 pre-draft interviews.
"That's the thing that sets him apart -- he has the speed to go the distance," Zook said. "He's a
great back and a smart kid. And the best part of his career is still in front of him."
Mendenhall wasn't just groomed to be a football player.
His mother, Sybil, said he tried everything as a kid -- basketball, soccer, track, golf, even
playing the clarinet. But he was so quiet, so unassuming, that he never stood out in the crowd
-- until he got on the football field.
When he was in grade school, he played on the same team with his older brother, Walter,
whom he followed to the same high school, even to Illinois. Together, they helped their
youth-league team win 56 consecutive games. Walter Mendenhall, though, has decided to
transfer from Illinois and, according to Galambos, will enroll at Illinois State.
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The No. One Pick: Rashard Mendenhall
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"Rashard was always kind of laid-back," said his mother, a teachers aide in an elementary
school in Skokie. Sybil Mendenhall moved back to the Chicago area last year to be closer to
her son. "He's a humble homebody. He likes to go to movies, art museums, he likes to go to
concerts ... music is a big thing with him."
When Mendenhall was in the third grade, he told his mom he wanted to play the clarinet. So
she bought him the instrument -- with one prerequisite.
"I told him, you ask for it, you don't get to put it down," she said. "He played it all the way
through high school. But I don't know what happened to that clarinet."
Mendenhall makes the same kind of fluid sounds on the football field, has since the fifth
grade. Quiet, polite and reserved, football became his passion. And he never let it go.
Mendenhall carried a football with him everywhere he went in grade school, even his eighthgrade graduation. But when he walked to the stage with a football in his hand, one of the
teachers took it from him when he went to accept his grade-school diploma.
"He's very low maintenance," his mother said. "I don't think anyone there has to worry about
Rashard. The people there will be really proud of him."
Said Zook: "Pittsburgh is going to be happy with him. He's a good kid, really a classy guy."
First published on April 27, 2008 at 12:31 am
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Steelers give big present to Big Ben
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Steelers give big present to Big Ben
Sunday, April 27, 2008
By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Limas Sweed
Big Ben Roethlisberger finally has his big wide receiver.
Limas Sweed, who stands nearly 6 feet 4, became the Steelers' tallest wide receiver when
they selected him on the second round of the draft yesterday. It fulfilled a wish
Roethlisberger expressed in mid-January, when he said he would ask the team to add a tall
receiver in the offseason.
"No doubt, man, I think I fit it," the Texas University product said last night. "A lot of people
were saying he was looking for a big wide receiver and now he has one."
The Steelers not only had a first-round grade on Sweed, they ranked him among the top 25
players in the draft and the best three receivers. They used the 53rd pick of the draft to get
him.
A big reason others may have shied away from Sweed is a wrist injury. That August injury
required surgery Oct. 16 and it limited him to 19 catches last season after he caught 46 for
801 yards (17.4 average) and 12 touchdowns in 2006. He was not fully healed by the Senior
Bowl, but he impressed the Steelers with his individual workout at Austin. All their medical
tests judge him to be fully healed.
"We just couldn't understand why Limas was still out there," Steelers receivers coach Randy
Fichtner said.
No receivers were drafted in the first round, and then they came
off the board in clumps -- Sweed was ninth of 10 wide receivers
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Steelers give big present to Big Ben
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selected in the second round.
"He can break tackles, he's still got size and probably a lot more
room to get bigger,'' said Fichtner, mentioning the wrist injury
limited his ability to lift weights. "But he definitely finishes on
tape. When he catches a ball across the middle, there's a chance
that he can take that and finish it, and the year prior to [last], he
did it a lot."
Fichtner said the thought of having Sweed join his receiving
corps "tickles you too death." He lumped Sweed with starters
Santonio Holmes and Hines Ward when he said, "You're looking
at a three-group that's really strong and a possibility of Nate
Washington being four is really exciting."
Multimedia
Video: Steelers select
running back in first round
Audio: Excerpts of Limas
Sweed's teleconference with
Pittsburgh media
"I love his range," Fichtner said. "The circle of catches is
extremely large. The area of miss is big. He's got the longer
arms. When we were down there [in Austin], he vertical jumped
36 or 37 [inches] compared to 33 or 34 at the combine. You couple that with the idea that
he's almost 6-4, you're talking about a larger frame and target."
He's just what Ben Roethlisberger ordered.
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Mendenhall makes perfect sense at No. 1 pick
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Mendenhall makes perfect sense at No. 1 pick
Sunday, April 27, 2008
By Bob Smizik, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
With a screaming need for offensive linemen, a crying need for defensive linemen and a
somewhat lesser but still demanding needs for a wide receiver and an outside linebacker, the
Steelers used their first pick in the NFL draft to select a running back -- a position already
manned by a young Pro Bowl performer.
The Steelers are growing dangerously old on the defensive line. They lost their best player
from an offensive line that was, at best, average. They lacked depth and future star power at
wide receiver.
Yet yesterday they chose Rashard Mendenhall, a running back from Illinois, who, at least for
now, figures to be nothing more than a caddy for Willie Parker, who led the NFL in rushing
before breaking his leg in the first quarter of the 15th game last season.
It would appear to make no sense. Yet it makes perfect sense.
As much as the Steelers had other needs, they also had a distinct need at running back. They
didn't need a player to back up Parker, they needed a player to share duties with Parker. The
era of one back taking the vast majority of the carries is drawing to a close. In five years,
people will look back on Jerome Bettis, the quintessential workhorse running back, as a relic.
More to the point, at 209 pounds, Parker is not built to take the pounding that comes with the
314 carries he had last season. That number would have swelled to about 350 if had not been
injured. Parker, expected to be fully recovered by training camp, carried 337 times in 2006
This two-back wave of the future has spread across the NFL, and the Steelers saw it first
hand in their two losses against the Jacksonville Jaguars. In the first game, 6-foot-1, 226pound Fred Taylor gained 147 yards on 25 carries and 5-7, 211-pound Maurice Jones- Drew
carried 12 times for 69 yards. Taylor, a Hall of Fame-bound veteran, provided inside power,
but with the ability to go all the way. Jones-Drew was an exciting, young speedster.
The Steelers, although they're not saying as much today, see Parker as their Jones-Drew and
Mendenhall, 5-10, 221 pounds who runs a 4.41 40-yard dash, as their Taylor.
The Super Bowl champion New York Giants are another team that went to the two-back
system after superstar Tiki Barber, who had been getting almost all the carries, retired.
Brandon Jacobs and Derrick Ward shared the running duties for the Giants.
The Steelers absolutely did not expect Mendenhall to be available when their turn came and,
for once, this was not the biggest lie of draft day. Most mock drafts had Mendenhall, who ran
for 1,681 yards and 17 touchdowns for Illinois last season, going in the mid-teens.
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Mendenhall makes perfect sense at No. 1 pick
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"He's an exciting running back," said director of football operations Kevin Colbert, who
oversees the draft. "He runs with power, he runs with moves, he can catch."
It was generally believed the Steelers would go for an offensive or defensive linemen with
their first choice. But, with seven offensive linemen and five defensive linemen already taken
when their turn came, most of the best at those positions had been selected. That made
Mendenhall all the more enticing.
The Steelers had not taken a running back in the first round since 1989, when they selected
Tim Worley. In fact, the conventional wisdom is running backs can be found later in the draft
and it's foolish to waste a first-round choice on one.
As draft guru Mel Kiper once noted, "I've been saying this for 30 years. The easiest position
to find a player is running back."
So why Mendenhall in the first round?
"When you look back on last year," said Colbert, "once Willie was injured it was a
difference, obviously. Willie Parker's a Pro Bowl running back, and, when you go from a Pro
Bowl running back to anybody, there's going to be a drop off unless you have another Pro
Bowl running back.
"Most successful teams have two productive running backs that they can count on. This one's
a little bit bigger than Willie, so there may be some things that he can do to complement
Willie, and that's only going to help us."
Coach Mike Tomlin, of course, isn't about to hand Mendenhall -- an unsigned rookie -anything, let alone a significant bit of playing time.
"At this point, he's a young guy trying to fit in," said Tomlin. "He'll be backing up Parker."
That's the official company line as of today. Come the start of the 2008 season, expect to see
a lot of Mendenhall and expect to see a lot of him for a long time.
Bob Smizik can be reached at [email protected].
First published on April 27, 2008 at 12:00 am
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Steelers Draft Day 1: No. 23 overall
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Steelers Draft Day 1: No. 23 overall
Closer look at who the Steelers drafted on the first day of the 73rd NFL draft
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
No. 1: Rashard Mendenhall
• Position: RB • Ht: 5-10 • Wt: 225 • School: Illinois
The skinny: The 23rd overall selection ... First running back drafted by the team in the first
or second round since 1989 (Tim Worley). ... He's a power back who should compliment
Willie Parker perfectly and has speed to boot. ... Runs a 4.41 in the 40. ... Averaged 6.4 yards
a carry last season when he had 1,681 yards rushing. ... Ran for 155 yards on 17 carries
against Southern California in the Rose Bowl. ... A good receiver as well with 34 receptions
for 318 yards last season. ... Played for former Steelers special teams coach Ron Zook, head
coach at Illinois. ... Has low center of gravity, the way Barry Foster, who holds team's singleseason rushing record, ran, which is conducive to getting the tough yards.
No. 2: Limas Sweed
Position: WR • Ht: 6-4 • Wt: 215 • School: Texas
The skinny: The 53rd overall pick. ... A left wrist injury that prompted surgery Oct. 16
scared some teams away, but the Steelers rated him among their best 25 players and top three
receivers. ... Runs a 4.5 40-yard dash. ... As a junior, he caught 46 passes for 801 yards, a
17.4-yard average, and scored 12 TDs. Wrist limited him to 19 catches last season. ... Has
long arms to go with his height. ... Has tremendous work ethic and the ability to be a team's
No. 1 receiver. ... Could jump ahead of Nate Washington as the No. 3 receiver as a rookie.
Looking ahead: Day 2
The draft resumes at 10 a.m. today. The Steelers have four choices remaining, with round
and overall selection:
3: No. 88 overall
4: No. 123 overall
5: No. 156 overall
6: No. 188 overall
Of note: The Steelers traded their seventh-round choice to Atlanta for Allen Rossum. ...
There are 252 total picks in this year's draft.
First published on April 27, 2008 at 1:08 am
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Surprised Steelers find offense in draft - Tribune-Review
Page 1 of 3
Surprised Steelers find offense in draft
By Scott Brown
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Coaches, scouts and director of football operations Kevin Colbert talked
through every scenario they thought might happen before the Steelers picked in
the first round of the NFL Draft.
One transpired that they didn't anticipate, and when Rashard Mendenhall fell to
the 23rd overall pick Saturday, the Steelers were happy to snatch up the Illinois
running back.
Ecstatic, actually, is more like it.
Mendenhall is the first running back the Steelers have taken in the first round
since 1989.
The Steelers snagged a tall wide receiver with their second-round pick when
they selected Texas' Limas Sweed, another player they never thought would
last as long in the draft as he did.
The Steelers' haul on the first day of the draft turned out to be a somewhat
surprising one considering the needs they have elsewhere.
The Steelers presumably will address both lines today when rounds three
through seven are held. The Steelers have four picks on the second and final
day of the draft, which starts at 10 a.m.
Neither of the team's top two picks went as high as had been projected, and the
Steelers actually had assigned first-round grades to both of them. They had
Mendenhall rated high enough that they didn't consider trading their first-round
pick for extra selections when he surprisingly became available to them.
"You've got guys that can put the ball in the end zone," Steelers wide receivers
coach Randy Fichtner said of the team's first two picks. "That was important
last time I checked."
The Steelers will pair Mendenhall with Pro Bowler Willie Parker, though coach
Mike Tomlin made it clear that Mendenhall will start his NFL career in a reserve
role.
The 5-foot-9 1/2, 224-pound Mendenhall does have the look of a legitimate
complement to Parker.
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His blend of size and speed made him one of the highest-rated running backs
in the draft, and he ran for 1,681 yards and 18 touchdowns in 2007 while
leading Illinois to one of its most successful seasons in years. In the Rose Bowl,
Mendenhall rushed for 155 yards on 17 carries against a USC defense that had
two players among the first 10 picks yesterday.
"It shouldn't be too difficult finding ways that he can contribute to this football
team," Tomlin said.
In joining a crowded backfield that, at least for now, includes Najeh Davenport,
Mewelde Moore and Gary Russell, Mendenhall also provides insurance in case
Parker has any setbacks as he recovers from a broken leg -- or in the event
that he goes down again with an injury.
"In all honesty, when you look back on last year, once Willie was injured, it was
a difference," Colbert said. "Willie's still going to be a great running back, and
we think Rashard will be a great running back as well."
The Steelers didn't spend a lot of time checking into Mendenhall before the
draft, because they never thought they'd get a shot at him with trading up in the
first round not a realistic possibility considering they entered the draft with just
six picks.
"This was kind of out of nowhere to me," Mendenhall said of his selection. "It's
good to be picked by the Steelers. It's a great fan base, and I feel good about
playing there."
A run on offensive tackles, one of the Steelers' biggest needs heading into the
draft, dropped Mendenhall into the latter part of the first round.
A few teams inquired about the Steelers' first-round pick, Colbert said. But the
Steelers had decided before the draft that they would not trade the pick if
certain players were still available.
That list, which had about 15 players on it, included Mendenhall, who played
three seasons at Illinois before leaving early for the draft.
"He runs with power, he runs with moves, he can catch," Colbert said. "This is
something that's very exciting for this organization, and we were happy to make
this pick. It was unexpected. I don't want to hear his agent say it, but it's the
truth."
Another unexpected development for the Steelers was Sweed lasting well into
the second round.
The 6-4, 212-pounder had been widely considered one of the top wide
receivers in the draft.
He should crack the Steelers' rotation as a rookie and give quarterback Ben
Roethlisberger the tall receiver he had said he wanted. Of the 124 catches
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Surprised Steelers find offense in draft - Tribune-Review
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Sweed made during a distinguished career at Texas, 20 went for touchdowns.
"We just couldn't understand why Limas was still out there," Fichtner said.
A nagging wrist injury limited Sweed in 2007, and he had season-ending wrist
surgery in October.
Fichtner said Steelers doctors were satisfied by what they saw when they
examined Sweed's wrist at the NFL scouting combine.
"If you saw me working out," Sweed said of the pro day in which he participated
at Texas, "you could never tell I had wrist surgery."
Sweed planned to talk to Roethlisberger by phone last night, and the two will
get a chance to work together at minicamp, which starts Friday.
"There were a lot of people saying he was looking for a big receiver," Sweed
said, "and now he has one."
Scott Brown can be reached at [email protected] or 412-481-5432.
Images and text copyright © 2008 by The Tribune-Review Publishing Co.
Reproduction or reuse prohibited without written consent from PghTrib.com
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Harris: Steelers prepare for Parker's decline - Tribune-Review
Page 1 of 2
Steelers prepare for Parker's decline
By John Harris
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Willie Parker is an NFL running back, which means his next carry might be his
last.
Parker has produced three consecutive 1,200-yard seasons and was named to
two Pro Bowls in a row. His reward? The Steelers selected Illinois running back
Rashard Mendenhall with the No. 23 overall pick in Saturday's draft.
Welcome to life in the big city, Willie. And you thought making it this far as an
undrafted free agent was tough duty. You haven't seen anything yet.
The Steelers didn't take the easy way out. Instead of reaching for a true need at
defensive tackle, the Steelers passed on North Carolina's Kentwan Balmer after
Dallas had selected Arkansas running back Felix Jones over Mendenhall one
pick earlier -- a Jerry Jones special if ever there was one -- and chose beauty
over brawn, going with the higher-rated player.
"This guy does a lot of things well. He catches the football. He's going to enable
us to do a lot of things," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said of Mendenhall.
"Most successful teams have two productive running backs that they can count
on," director of football operations Kevin Colbert said. "This one's a little bigger
than Willie, so there may be some things he can do to complement Willie."
Or eventually replace him.
The clock on Parker's career with the Steelers is now officially ticking toward its
inevitable conclusion.
Most running backs have a short shelf life. Three seasons ago, Shaun
Alexander rushed for 1,880 yards and 27 touchdowns. In case you missed it,
Seattle just released Alexander, who is all of 30.
When veteran running back Deuce McAllister was knocked out of action in
2005, New Orleans drafted Reggie Bush. When veteran running back Fred
Taylor was slowed by injuries in 2005, Jacksonville drafted Maurice JonesDrew. When Parker broke his right fibula against the Rams last December, the
Steelers drafted Mendenhall.
Parker turns 28 in November.
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It was interesting to see the scouting staff observe the Steelers' organized team
activities last week. It was even more interesting to hear Parker proclaim
himself fit and ready to go. Well, almost.
"I'm really close to 100 percent," Parker said to reporters regarding the
discomfort he sometimes experiences after running and working out. "When the
pain goes away, that's when I'll be 100 percent."
Maybe the Steelers' brass became nervous about Parker's quote when they
saw Mendenhall's name still on the board yesterday. Maybe Parker's physical
status concerned them. Maybe it was the fact that Mendenhall is a superior
runner between the tackles and a better pass receiver than Parker. Maybe it
was those 1,019 career carries, the last of which knocked Parker out of action.
A year ago, Minnesota drafted Adrian Peterson in the first round despite
incumbent running back Chester Taylor coming off a 1,216-yard, six-touchdown
campaign. All Peterson accomplished as a rookie was to rush for 1,341 yards
and 12 touchdowns and all but shove Taylor out of the starting lineup.
We haven't seen the last of Parker. But given what transpired yesterday, we
may already have seen the best of him.
John Harris can be reached at [email protected] or 412-481-5432.
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A look at Steelers' No. 1 and 2 picks - Tribune-Review
Page 1 of 2
A look at Steelers' No. 1 and 2 picks
By The Tribune-Review
Sunday, April 27, 2008
RASHARD MENDENHALL
(No. 23 overall)
College: Illinois
Position: Running back
Height: 5-foot-9 1/2
Weight: 224
Notable: First running back to be taken in the first round by the Steelers since
Tim Worley in 1989. ... Named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year after
rushing for 1,681 yards and 17 touchdowns, both school records, on 262
carries. ... Led the Fighting Illini to a Rose Bowl berth, where he rushed for 155
yards on 17 carries against USC. ... A tough, inside runner, he will provide a
backfield compliment to Willie Parker. ... Came out of Illinois' Niles West High
School as a five-star football recruit and a track star. ... Played for former
Steelers special teams coach Ron Zook at Illinois. ... Worked on his receiving
skills after his sophomore season and increased receptions from 12 to 34 as a
junior. ... Regarded for his low center of gravity and thick legs.
Quotable: "It felt good to be picked by the Steelers, the black and gold. It’s a
great fan base and I feel good about playing there."
On the Web: Rashard Mendenhall at NFL.com
LIMAS SWEED
(No. 53 overall)
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College: Texas
Position: Wide receiver
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 212 pounds
Notable: A two-time All-Big 12 selection, he finished his career with 124
receptions for 1,915 yards and 20 touchdowns, which ranks second in school
history. Only Roy Williams of the Lions had more. ... Runs the 40 in 4.5
seconds. ... He entered the 2007 season as a pre-season All-American, but a
left wrist injury limited him to only 19 receptions on 306 yards and three
touchdowns in six games. ... Had season-ending wrist surgery to replace
damaged ligaments. ... Was one of Vince Young's favorite targets for the
Longhorns' 2005 national championship team. ... Lettered four times in track in
high school and was among the top hurdlers in the state.
Quotable: "I’m not disappointed because everything happens for a reason. I
am with the Pittsburgh Steelers and I am ready to get in and go to work."
On the Web: Limas Sweed at NFL.com
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Scramble continues after draft - Tribune-Review
Page 1 of 2
Scramble continues after draft
By Scott Brown
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Sunday, April 27, 2008
The NFL Draft concludes today, but the acquisition of players for the Steelers
hardly ends when the "Mr. Irrelevant" selection -- the last pick of the draft -- is
announced.
Here are two reasons why the Steelers will work the phones tonight in their
attempt to sign players who go undrafted: Willie Parker and James Harrison.
Neither was drafted, and both were named to the Pro Bowl last season.
"Everybody thinks that people who come through this league are first-round
draft picks," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. "Really, they're in the minority.
Guys like James Harrison and Gary Russell and so forth, they're more common
than first-round draft picks."
Harrison and Russell, who made the Steelers as an undrafted free agent last
season, offer proof that the player-acquisition phase is critical.
The Steelers are far from the only team that has had success with undrafted
free agents.
A handful of such players started for the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLI,
including Dominic Rhodes, who rushed for 113 yards and a touchdown in
Indianapolis' 29-17 win over the Chicago Bears.
Last year, Ed Johnson, who went undrafted out of Penn State, started at
defensive tackle for the Colts.
"I know our group does a good job of continuing to look after the draft,"
Indianapolis coach Tony Dungy said, "and targeting guys we like and calling
guys up right after the last round."
The Steelers will do same thing, if only because they may well find another
Parker, who has rushed for more than 1,300 yards in each of the last two
seasons, or a Harrison, who led the team in sacks (8 1/2) last season.
How many undrafted agents the Steelers sign remains to be seen, since they
went into the draft with 69 players on their roster, which is 11 shy of the
maximum that teams are allowed to take to training camp.
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The question teams have to ask themselves when they are signing undrafted
free agents is what mindset those players will have.
"Some guys come in with a little edge to them because they feel like they
haven't been appreciated in terms of what they're capable of being," Tomlin
said. "Some guys come in somewhat intimidated, and the rest of them fall
somewhere in between. It runs the gamut."
One advantage Steelers safety Ryan Clark said he had when he signed with
the Giants in 2002: He didn't have the burden of expectations, since he was an
undrafted free agent.
"I just played football. If I go home, I go home," said Clark, who is entering his
seventh NFL season. "It kind of takes the pressure off you. If you really think
about it, what team in the league is not trying to find a Willie Parker? I think it's
about opportunity, the right place."
Tomlin said he is more than willing to give undrafted free agents an opportunity,
since he is looking for the best players regardless of how they were acquired.
"You don't worry logistically," Tomlin said, "about how a guy got to a part of (the
team)."
Scott Brown can be reached at [email protected] or 412-481-5432.
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Column: Mendenhall will affect playing time of Parker
By Mike Bires, Times Sports Staff
PITTSBURGH — The Steelers finally drafted a running back in the first round. And not long after they
did, the new kid immediately compared himself to one of the NFL’s most electrifying performers.
Rashard Mendenhall, just a 20-year-old college junior, declared that his style is just like that of
LaDainian Tomlinson, the San Diego Chargers’ superstar.
“A lot of people don’t make this comparison, but I would say L.T.,” Mendenhall said.
Last season with the Illini, Mendenhall put up Tomlinson-like numbers by rushing for 1,681 yards and
17 touchdowns. Some day, the Steelers hope to get similar production.
For now, as coach Mike Tomlin said Saturday, “He’ll be backing up Parker.”
But he’ll be much more than a backup.
He’s going to be the second half of what the Steelers hope is the kind of dominant one-two running
back punch that’s become vogue in the NFL.
The Steelers witnessed that trend firsthand twice last year when they were swept at home by the
Jacksonville Jaguars, first in a late regular-season game, then again in the playoffs. Fred Taylor and
Maurice Jones-Drew were terrific.
So was the New York Giants’ dynamic duo of big back Brandon Jacobs and scatback Ahmad Bradshaw
in their inspiring Super Bowl run last season.
Even the incomparable L.T. — the league’s leading rusher the past two seasons — had help from
Michael Turner, who has since signed with the Atlanta Falcons via free agency.
The point is that in this copycat league, two good backs are better than one.
And with Parker coming off a broken leg that prematurely ended his second straight season of 300
carries or more, the rookie running back will surely get his share of carries.
Remember last August when Tomlin said “We’re going to run Willie until his wheels fall off?” Well,
that’s not going to happen this year.
“I said that tongue in cheek,” Tomlin admitted the other day.
The coach didn’t offer up any tongue-in-cheek comments about Parker or Mendenhall on Saturday.
After a 10-6 regular season that ended with that home playoff loss to the Jaguars, the Steelers face
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the NFL’s most difficult schedule in 2008. It’s going to be a challenge for the Steelers to make the
playoffs again.
The defense must improve. Likewise for the offense.
That’s why the Steelers drafted a running back in the first round Saturday for the first time since
1989.
Mendenhall, who’s 15 pounds heavier than Parker, could make backup Najeh Davenport obsolete. It
will likely be Mendenhall, who’s 5-foot-9 and 224 pounds, who will be called upon to handle inside
runs, especially in short-yardage and goal-line situations.
“A humble, blue-collar worker,” Tomlin called Mendenhall. “Those types of individuals don’t have any
problems fitting in. He’s a complete back. He can run inside. He can run outside. He’s a powerful
runner. He’s elusive and has speed to go the distance.
“It shouldn’t be too difficult finding ways for him to contribute to this football team.”
Mike Bires can be reached online at [email protected]
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How Sweed it is for Steelers' QB
By Mike Bires, Times Sports Staff
PITTSBURGH — Around 8:30 Saturday night, Ben Roethlisberger got the good news he wanted to
hear. The Steelers drafted a tall wide receiver.
Similar to circumstances in the first round, the Steelers were fortunate enough to pick a prospect in
the second round they didn’t think would still be on the board.
The Steelers thought running back Rashard Mendenhall would have been taken earlier, but he wasn’t.
So they took him at No. 23 overall.
Likewise, Limas Sweed had yet to be taken until the Steelers nabbed him with the 53rd overall pick.
“Yes, we were very surprised Limas was still there,” wide receiver coach Randy Fichtner said.
“But we were very ecstatic back in the back of the (war) room … really excited. I never thought he
would still be at that slot. But obviously we’re excited to have Limas on board.”
Sweed, one of the most prolific wideouts to play at the University of Texas, was projected by most
draft experts to go late in the first round. But apparently a wrist that forced him to miss several
games last year was a concern for teams that considered drafting him.
After examining him at the NFL Combine in February and watching him work out at his pro day in
Austin, Tex., the Steelers believe Sweed’s wrist won’t be a problem.
That means that Sweed, who’s 6-foot-4 and 219 pounds, will likely contribute immediately.
He’s expected to be Steelers’ No. 3 receiver behind starters Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes.
“No, I’m not disappointed I didn’t go in the first round because everything happens for a reason,”
said Sweed, who ranks second in Texas history with 20 career TD catches.
“I’m with the Pittsburgh Steelers and I’m ready to get in and go to work.
“Some people had a first-round grade on me but I never paid attention to it. This is where I ended up
at, and I am happy about it. Ben is a great quarterback and I look forward to working with him.”
Shortly after the Steelers’ 2007 season ended with a playoff loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars,
Roethlisberger said he had three wishes for ’08: One, for the Steelers to re-sign free agent guard
Alan Faneca; two, for the Steelers to extend his contract; and three, for the Steelers to bring in a tall
pass-catching threat like Plaxico Burress, the Steelers’ No. l pick in the 2000 draft.
The Steelers chose to let Faneca leave via free agency (he signed with the New York Jets). But
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Roethlisberger did get his contract extension — $102 million over eight years — and he now, he has
a new, tall receiver to throw to.
Fichtner said that Sweed reminds him of Braylon Edwards, the Cleveland Browns’ 6-3, 212-pound
wideout who made the Pro Bowl last year after catching 80 passes, including 16 for touchdowns.
“I don’t think there’s any question he’ll play right away for us,” Fichtner said.
“There were a lot of people saying that Ben was looking for a big receiver,” Sweed said. “Now he has
one.”
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Column: This draft was more exciting
By Chris Harlan, Times Sports Staff
PITTSBURGH — Kevin Colbert tossed around an adjective while announcing that the Steelers had
used their first-round pick on a running back:
Exciting.
Colbert said he was “excited about this draft pick,” adding that he was “very excited that this player
was available at 23,” called Rashard Mendenhall an “exciting running back” and finished off by saying
he was “very excited for this organization.”
Remember, they don’t do this often.
The Steelers hadn’t drafted a running back in 19 years, probably scared a little by their failed
experience with Tim Worley almost two decades ago. This, though, was the time to take that chance.
Mendenhall is solid.
“The coaching staff and the scouting staff and the ownership, we all sat down and we came up with a
list of players that we would not trade away from if they were available at 23,” said Colbert, the
team’s director of football operations. “Rashard Mendenhall was one of those players.”
And he’s exciting.
Drafting a 300-pound tackle is never this exciting. Never. Try talking about the footwork of Michigan
lineman Jake Long around the water cooler. What makes him so much better than Vanderbilt’s Chris
Williams?
That’s a lively discussion.
Instead, tell someone that the 20-year-old Mendenhall was last season’s Big Ten Player of the Year
as a junior, having rushed for more than 1,600 yards and 17 touchdowns. Tell them he finished his
college career with 155 yards against USC in the Rose Bowl. Tell them that Mendenhall can run 40
yards in 4.37 seconds.
That was enough to make coach Mike Tomlin excited.
“He’s a powerful runner, he’s elusive and of course he has the speed to go the distance,” said Tomlin,
who called Mendenhall a “complete back.”
Incumbent starter Willie Parker has insisted he’d welcome another running back to the Steelers
backfield, someone who would lighten the Pro Bowl runner’s workload as he works his way back from
a broken leg. And Tomlin tried to downplay any chance that Parker’s job is in jeopardy.
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Still, Parker was probably the only person this pick didn’t excite. If things go well, Mendenhall will
eventually take his job.
Some draft scouts say that Mendenhall is almost as good as Darren McFadden, the Arkansas running
back taken by the Oakland Raiders with the fourth pick. If that’s true, Mendenhall won’t be sitting on
the bench.
He’ll be spitting carries.
The Steelers had plenty of problems to address during this weekend’s draft, from offensive line to
defensive line to wide receiver to defensive secondary. Running back certainly wasn’t one of them but
they stuck with the best-player-available strategy that they abandoned last year when they reached
for linebacker Lawrence Timmons in the first round.
The strategy landed them Mendenhall and Texas’ Limas Sweed, a 6-foot-4 receiver, in the second
round.
That’s why Saturday turned out to be much more exciting than anyone expected. Not that the
Steelers landed a surefire Pro Bowler, but they certainly made the team more interesting to watch.
“You got guys that can put the ball in the end zone,” receivers coach Randy Fichtner said while
discussing the selection of Sweed. “That’s important the last time I checked.”
And that’s always more exciting than discussing their bench press.
Chris Harlan can be reached online at [email protected]
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Steelers land RB, WR on first day
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Steelers land RB, WR on first day
By F. Dale Lolley, Staff writer
[email protected]
PITTSBURGH - Rashard Mendenhall admitted to being a little nervous as the first round of the NFL
draft wore on as he and his family and friends watched the events unfold at the House of Blues in
downtown Chicago.
The 20-year-old Mendenhall might have thought about jumping on stage and singing a song or two after
his hometown Chicago Bears and the Detroit Lions - the two teams most mock drafts had selecting him
- passed on him in the middle of the first round.
A short while later, the Steelers were singing the praises of the talented young running back whom they
selected with their first pick in Saturday's draft.
"This is an exciting running back," said Steelers director of football operations Kevin Colbert, all smiles
after getting a player the team had ranked as the 13th-best available in this draft.
"He's 225 pounds, he'll run a sub-4.5 (40-yard dash). He runs with power. He runs with moves. He can
catch. He'll work as a blocker. This is something that's very exciting for this organization and we were
happy to make that pick."
It was that kind of day for the Steelers, who were equally as happy in the second round when Texas
wide receiver Limas Sweed, a player many felt would be selected in the first round of the draft, was
their pick with the 53rd selection.
The Steelers had been saying since the regular season ended that they wanted to get better on the
offensive and defensive lines. They have four picks remaining in the draft, which concludes today, and
will likely address those areas.
But Saturday's first two rounds were all about skill players who were just too valuable to pass up.
The Steelers figured that if the players they wanted to help rebuild their lines weren't available, they
might as well get more explosive on offense.
"You've got to get guys who can put the ball in the end zone," said wide receivers coach Randy Fichtner.
"That's important the last time I checked. Score touchdowns. That's what you've got to do."
In Mendenhall, the Steelers got a 5-10, 225-pound running back with the power to run between the
tackles and the speed to get to the outside. He's the first running back the team has selected in the first
round of the draft since Tim Worley in 1989, and the first they've selected in the first three rounds of the
draft since the picked Amos Zereoue in third round in 1998.
Even though the Steelers have a Pro Bowl running back in Willie Parker, they felt Mendenhall was just
too good to pass up.
"Most teams have two productive running backs they can count on," Colbert said. "This is one who's a
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little bigger than Willie, and there are things he can do to complement Willie and that can only help us."
Mendenhall led Illinois to a surprising Rose Bowl appearance in 2007, setting school rushing records
with 1,681 yards and 17 touchdowns while being named the Big Ten's Offensive Player of the Year.
Even though Illinois was beaten, 49-17, in that game by USC, which had four first-round draft picks
Saturday, Mendenhall may have been the best player on the field, rushing for 155 yards and a
touchdown and catching five passes for another 59 yards.
The youngster left Illinois after his junior season having appeared in 35 games, making 388 carries for
2,539 yards, 22 touchdowns and a 6.5 yards per carry average.
"Any tape you turn on, he's a force for that football team," Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said.
The same could be said of the 6-4, 219-pound Sweed, at least in his junior season when he caught 46
passes for 801 yards and 12 touchdowns. He was limited to six games in 2007 because of a wrist injury
suffered in August that ended his final season with the Longhorns after just six games.
Sweed had surgery in October to repair the ligament damage in his left wrist and was only too happy to
fill Steelers' quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's request for a tall wide receiver.
"Ain't no doubt," Sweed said with a laugh. "A lot of people said he was looking for a bigger receiver and
now he has one."
Sweed had made 39 consecutive starts at Texas, including 13 games for the Longhorns' national
championship team in 2005, when he had 36 catches for 545 yards and five scores.
He followed that up with his stellar 2006 season before the injury-plagued 2007 campaign caused his
draft stock to fall.
"Some people had a first-round grade on me, but I never really played attention to it," Sweed said. "I just
worked hard and see where I ended up at. Pittsburgh is a great team with a good quarterback and I look
forward to working with him."
Copyright Observer Publishing Co.
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Run on OL changes Steeelers' strategy
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Run on OL changes Steeelers' strategy
PITTSBURGH - The Steelers went into the 2008 NFL draft needing help on their offensive line and
targeted that position with their first-round draft pick.
Apparently, so were a lot of other teams.
Only one offensive lineman - Michigan's Jake Long - was taken in the top 10 picks. But picks 10
through 21 included six offensive linemen, basically taking the position out of play in the first round for
the Steelers.
But while the run on offensive linemen was happening, some very good football players were dropping.
Illinois running back Rashard Mendenhall was one of them.
"As we finalized our preparations at mid-week, we all sat down and came up with a list of players who
we would not trade away from if they available at 23," said Steelers director of football operations
Kevin Colbert. "Rashard Mendenhall was one of those players. We're very excited that this player was
available at 23 because it was unexpected. I don't want his agent hearing that, but it's the truth."
Mendenhall, the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year last season, was expected to go in the top 15
picks.
But in a draft that featured nine first-round trades, nothing went the way anyone could have imagined.
And the Steelers wound up with a running back they didn't think they'd have any chance to draft.
Even Mendenhall was surprised to be the newest member of the Steelers.
"I didn't have any idea I was going to be with the Steelers," he admitted.
"That's the thing with the draft, you never know. It's a poker game and teams don't want to show too
much. But from what I heard, Chicago and Detroit and a lot of other teams (were interested). The
Steelers weren't one of them. So that's a big surprise."
But a pleasant one for the Steelers, who will use the 5-10, 225-pound Mendenhall as a backup to Pro
Bowler Willie Parker.
A capable backup to Parker was something the Steelers haven't had during the past two seasons when
they've been forced to use Najeh Davenport in that role. In two starts after Parker suffered a broken bone
in his leg at the end last season, Davenport produced just 52 yards on 28 carries.
"When you look back on last year, when Willie was injured, it was a difference," said Colbert. "Willie
Parker is a Pro Bowl running back. When you go from a Pro Bowl running back to ... anybody, there's
going to be a drop-off unless you have another Pro Bowl running back."
The Steelers aren't calling Mendenhall a Pro Bowl running back - yet. But he is certainly a better option
behind Parker then Davenport.
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And considering that the Steelers hadn't spent a first-day pick in the draft on a running back since taking
Amos Zereoue with their third pick in the third round of the 1999 draft, perhaps it was time to invest in
the position.
What does this do for the Steelers' offensive and defensive lines?
There are a couple of schools of thought there.
By being more effective running the ball themselves, the Steelers' defensive line will be on the field less.
As for helping the offensive line, head coach Mike Tomlin has his own ideas about that.
"There are two schools of thought to protect a quarterback," said Tomlin. "You can get linemen or you
can get him weapons, people that people have to account for. Obviously with this pick, we've gotten a
weapon. So what he is able to do on the football field will help our quarterback and our football team."
Adding second-round pick Limas Sweed took that theory one step farther, giving the team a big wide
receiver who can stretch the field and keep opposing safeties from creeping up to the line of scrimmage.
It wasn't the first day of the draft that many thought the Steelers would have, but it was a lot more sexy
than taking a couple of linemen.
F. Dale Lolley can be reached at [email protected]
Copyright Observer Publishing Co.
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The Herald Standard - Sports - 04/27/2008 - Steelers decide to go for offense
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04/27/2008
Steelers decide to go for offense
By Jim Wexell , For the Herald-Standard
PITTSBURGH - The Steelers went into draft day looking to fortify both lines, but they ended up with two of the more
recognizable offensive playmakers in the entire college crop - running back Rashard Mendenhall and wide receiver Limas Sweed.
The star power made it quite an easy day for the reporters at the South Side headquarters.
"That's why we took them, to make you guys happy," team chairman Dan Rooney joked.
With eight offensive tackles off the board before the Steelers drafted in the first round, and without a defensive lineman worthy of the 23rd
pick, the Steelers were ecstatic to find Mendenhall available.
A 5-10, 225-pounder who ran a 4.45 40 at the combine, Mendenhall is a combination of power and speed and scouts believe he's a plus
receiver as well. He rushed for 1,681 yards last season as a junior at Illinois to become the Big 10 MVP. He won't turn 21 until June 19.
Sweed is the big receiver Ben Roethlisberger hoped the Steelers would add this off-season. The 6-4, 215-pounder from Texas ran a 4.54
40 at his pro day. He missed half of last season with a wrist injury. He'd played with the injury for the first half of the season and caught
19 passes for 306 yards and three touchdowns. The previous year, Sweed caught 46 passes for 801 yards (17.4 avg.) and 12 touchdowns.
Sweed's a deep threat with exceptional tracking skills and has been called "driven" by scouts. His negative is a lack of polish in his routerunning. One scout said Sweed has a tendency to cut off his heels and that his lack of polish would prevent him from being drafted in the
first round.
That scout was correct, but the Steelers still had a first-round grade on Sweed and were ecstatic when Jacksonville fell for the Quentin
Groves smokescreen. The Bucs traded with receiver-starved Tampa to draft Groves, the 3-4 outside linebacker, just ahead of the Steelers.
But the Steelers wanted Sweed all along.
"Very surprised," said wide receivers coach Randy Fichtner, "and very ecstatic back in the back of the room. Really excited. I never
thought that he would still be at that slot."
Earlier in the day, Steelers director of football operations Kevin Colbert couldn't contain his delight in landing Mendenhall.
"We are very excited," Colbert said. "It was unexpected. I don't want his agent hearing that, but it's the truth."
The Steelers came into the draft wanting to trade down, but Colbert said he had a list of 15 players "and we said 'If these guys are there,
we're not trading down because they're that good and we want them.'"
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin has advocated a strong two-back approach since taking the job, and Mendenhall provides the perfect inside
complement to Willie Parker's outside skills. Mendenhall proved that in the Rose Bowl when he burst through the middle of the line and
ran 79 yards for a touchdown against USC. He finished the game with 155 yards on 17 carries for an average of 9.1 yards per carry. He
averaged 6.5 yards per carry in his three-year career.
"He showed up big on the big stage," said Tomlin, "and you like guys that show that characteristic - the ability to rise up at opportune
moments. But he's got a complete body of work. Any tape you turn on he's a force for that football team and one of the reasons that they
were able to get to that (Rose Bowl) game."
One of Mendenhall's blocking backs at Illinois was his older brother Walter. His blocking back in Pittsburgh will be former Illini runner
Carey Davis.
Mendenhall grew up in the Chicago suburb of Skokie as a Raiders fan. He left Niles West High School for the University of Illinois where
he became an Academic All-Big 10 honoree as a sophomore. Pro Football Weekly compares him to Herschel Walker because he's so
thickly muscled and is more of a straight-line runner. That's a drawback that possibly cost Mendenhall several spots in the first round.
"It was tough, I ain't going to lie," Mendenhall said of the draft-day wait. "I thought that I was going to be the one who was going to come
into the draft and not be nervous at all. As it started rolling, the sweat started rolling as well. I feel good about it right now."
Sweed, of course, is another weapon.
While Mendenhall was more reserved with reporters during his conference call, Sweed, who fell further in the draft, was giddy and
outgoing.
"Everything happens for a reason," Sweed said. "I am with the Pittsburgh Steelers and I am ready to get in and go to work."
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The Herald Standard - Sports - 04/27/2008 - Steelers decide to go for offense
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He was asked about Roethlisberger and the quarterback's request for a big receiver.
"He was looking for a big receiver and now he has one," Sweed said.
Fichtner told a story about Sweed's highly regarded deep-ball tracking skills.
"In Austin, at the indoor facility that's one of the bubbles, it has the lights that shine up on the side of the bubble so there's not roof
lighting. The lighting is actually kind of poor. It's awful hard to track the ball in there and he really went through and had a tremendous
workout. He did the things that he did at the combine even in tracking the ball. He's able to adjust to a ball coming to him and away from
him, put it on the outside shoulder and make a smooth transition catch. What he also does is finish. He can break tackles. He still has size
and a lot more room to get bigger."
Fichtner also enthused about Sweed's personality.
"When we were at the combine and you get a chance to see a lot of guys," Fichtner said. "He came through. It was kind of neat to start to
build a little relationship with him. He's a fun personality. He's a little bit country, but he's definitely a city kid."
©The Herald Standard 2008
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4/27/2008
The Herald Standard - Sports - 04/27/2008 - Steelers' picks surprising to say least
Page 1 of 2
04/27/2008
Steelers' picks surprising to say least
CommentaryBy Mike Ciarochi
PITTSBURGH - Wow, what a sexy draft.
Nobody thought coming in the Steelers would do anything close to what they accomplished in the first two rounds of the NFL Draft.
Coming into the weekend, most thought the Steelers needed better protection for quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and to improve an
aging run defense.
So, the mock drafts were full of offensive tackles and guards when pick No. 23 came up with the Steelers name on it. If it was OL in the
first round, it would likely be DL in the second. Or vice versa.
Instead, the Steelers bucked popular opinion and picked Illinois running back Rashard Mendenhall. They followed that pick by selecting
Texas wide receiver Limas Sweed in the second round.
Imagine that, a running back and a wide receiver in the first two rounds of a draft rich with offensive linemen and top-heavy at best along
the defensive line.
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, when asked how Mendenhall, a bigger running back at 5-11 and weighing in at 225, can be expected to
protect Roethlisberger He gave the perfect answer.
"You know there are two schools of thought on how to protect your quarterback," Tomlin said. "You can get a lineman or you can get him
weapons. Obviously, with this pick, we've gotten a weapon. What he is able to do on the football field will help our quarterback and our
football team."
Yes, Mendenhall can help Roethlisberger and, yes, he can help the Steelers in general. More to the point, he can help Willie Parker, not
make the Pro Bowl running back look over his shoulder.
That won't happen, Tomlin assured. Asked whether Mendenhall would compete for a starting job, Tomlin ended that speculation before it
could get started.
"No," the coach said quickly. "We have a Pro Bowl running back."
Director of Football Operations Kevin Colbert made the same point with a scenario all Steelers fans remember all too well from late last
season. In the process, Colbert put current backup running back Najeh Davenport on notice. It was Davenport, you'll remember, who didn't
get the job done down the stretch after Parker's injury.
"When Willie was injured, it was a difference," Colbert said. "When you go from a Pro Bowl running back to anybody, there's going to be
a drop off unless you have another Pro Bowl running back.
"You want to try to add something to that backfield. Willie's still going to be a great running back and we think Rashard will be a great
running back, as well. Most successful teams have two productive running backs that they can count on."
Meanwhile, receivers coach Randy Fichtner minced no words when asked whether Sweed is expected to contribute immediately.
"I don't think there's any question," Fichtner said. "We had a first-round grade on him."
When asked about the possibility of coaching a group that includes Hines Ward, Santonio Holmes and now Sweed, Fichtner's delight
could not be contained.
"It tickles you that a 3-group could be that strong," he said. "And Nate (Washington) is a pretty good 4."
So it was a very offensive first day of the NFL Draft for the Steelers. Sunday's last five rounds likely will address the offensive line and
the defense. But for now, sit back and think of how good the Steelers offense could be come football season.
"We got guys who put the ball in the end zone," Fichtner said. "That's pretty exciting."
Exciting, indeed.
Sports editor Mike Ciarochi may be reached at [email protected].
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4/27/2008
Indiana Gazette Online - Indiana Gazette Online :: NFL: Illinois RB unlikely pick
Page 1 of 2
NFL: Illinois RB unlikely pick
Written by Alan Robinson, AP Sports Writer
Sunday, 27 April 2008
PITTSBURGH - Illinois running back Rashard Mendenhall was linked to a number of teams before the NFL draft. The Pittsburgh
Steelers were almost never mentioned.
So imagine the Big Ten offensive player of the year's surprise when the Steelers, a team that hadn't met with him for weeks - and one
that already has a Pro Bowl running back in Willie Parker - made him the No. 23 pick in the NFL draft on Saturday.
"Throughout this whole process, I didn't have any idea that I was going to end up with the Steelers. .. The draft, you never know, it's a
poker game and you never show you what you're going to do," said Mendenhall, who ran for 1,681 yards and 17 touchdowns and
caught 34 passes last season. "Pittsburgh wasn't among them, Pittsburgh was out of nowhere."
The Steelers insisted that Mendenhall fell out of nowhere to them, even though a handful of the countless mock drafts had him lasting
until late in the first round. Director of football operations Kevin Colbert said the Steelers, seeking to add to the six picks they had going
into the draft, seriously considered trading their first-round pick - something they haven't done in 41 years.
However, the Steelers drew up a list of 15 players they would
choose if available, and Mendenhall was one of them, Colbert said.
The Steelers went all offense with their two picks, choosing Texas
wide receiver Limas Sweed on the second round. At 6-foot-4,
Sweed is the tall receiver that quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was
asking for.
"People were saying he was looking for a bigger receiver and now
he has one," said Sweed, whose senior season was ended after five
games by a wrist injury that required surgery. "Ben's a big, tall guy
with a big, strong arm and can definitely deliver the ball."
Knowing that Roethlisberger would be eager to hear the news, the
Steelers called him even before the pick was announced.
"Those two have probably already talked," wide receivers coach
Randy Fichtner said.
Both Mendenhall and Sweed are seen as playmakers who could add a big-play element to the Steelers' offense.
"We've got two guys who can put the ball in the end zone, and that's important, the last time I checked," Fichtner said.
The only surprise was that the Steelers rarely use a first-round pick at a position that already is a strength, and Parker was the NFL's
leading rusher with 1,316 yards when he broke his right leg Dec. 20 against St. Louis. Parker is healing on schedule and ran the ball
several times during voluntary offseason workouts last week.
"Most teams have two productive running backs they can count on," Colbert said. "This is one who's a little bigger than Willie, and
there's things he can do to complement Willie and that can only help us."
One factor that influenced the Steelers' decision is that they had virtually no running game after Parker was hurt, rushing for only 43
yards in their 31-29 wild-card playoff loss to Jacksonville. They also were worried what kind of offense they would have should Parker
get hurt again.
"In all honesty, when you look back at last year, once Willie was injured it made a difference," Colbert said. "Willie Parker is a Pro Bowl
running back, and when you go from a Pro Bowl running back to anybody else, there's going a dropoff unless you have another Pro
Bowl running back. You want to try to add something to that backfield.
"Willie Parker is still going to be a great running back. We think Rashard Mendenhall is going to be a great running back as well."
The Steelers hadn't selected a running back on the first round in 19 years, or since taking Tim Worley at No. 7 in 1989. The former
Georgia star gained only 1,338 yards in four seasons with them and was out of the NFL after the 1994 season.
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Indiana Gazette Online - Indiana Gazette Online :: NFL: Illinois RB unlikely pick
Page 2 of 2
The 5-foot-11, 224-pound Mendenhall averaged 6.4 yards per carry last season and 8.2 as a junior and has more than adequate speed
to go with his size.
"Most people see me as a power back," Mendenhall said. "I see me as more speed and mobility, with the ability to be a pass receiver."
One of Mendenhall's best games came in the Rose Bowl, when he ran for 155 yards and a touchdown and caught five passes for 59
yards in the Illinois 49-17 loss to Southern Cal. He finished his college career with 2,539 yards, 22 touchdowns and a 6.54 yards per
carry average.
"Any tape you turn on, he's a force for that football team," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said.
The 220-pound Sweed was rated as the top NFL receiving prospect by some scouts entering his senior season, after he caught 46
passes for 801 yards and 12 touchdowns as a junior. He made 20 TD catches in 3½ seasons. But he missed the Longhorns' last seven
games after injuring a ligament, and Fichtner is certain that hurt him in the draft.
"I don't think there's any question," Fichtner said. "But we reviewed it and everything looks good. He did all the drills and didn't show
signs of any lingering effects. I love his range ... and he's got an awful lot of talent."
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4/27/2008
Hall of a pick? Steelers think they got a steal in Illinois running back
Page 1 of 2
Hall of a pick? Steelers think they got a steal in Illinois running back
By Jim Wexell
For The Tribune-Democrat
PITTSBURGH— The Steelers went into draft day looking to fortify both lines, but they ended up with two of
the more recognizable offensive playmakers in the entire college crop – running back Rashard Mendenhall
and wide receiver Limas Sweed.
The star power made it quite an easy day for the reporters at the South Side headquarters.
“That’s why we took them, to make you guys happy,” team Chairman Dan Rooney joked.
With eight offensive tackles off the board before the Steelers drafted in the first round, and without a lineman
deemed worthy of the 23rd pick, the Steelers were ecstatic to find Mendenhall available.
A 5-foot-10, 225-pounder who ran a 4.45-second 40 at the combine, Mendenhall is a combination of power
and speed and scouts believe he’s a plus receiver as well.
He rushed for 1,681 yards last season as a junior at Illinois to become the Big 10 MVP. He won’t turn 21 until
June 19.
Sweed is the big receiver that quarterback Ben Roethlisberger hoped the Steelers would add this off-season.
The 6-4, 215-pounder from Texas ran a 4.54 40 at his pro day. He missed half of last season with a wrist
injury. He’d played with the injury for the first half of the season and caught 19 passes for 306 yards and
three touchdowns. The previous year, Sweed caught 46 passes for 801 yards (17.4 avg.) and 12 touchdowns.
Sweed’s a deep threat with exceptional tracking skills and has been called “driven” by scouts. His negative is
a lack of polish in his route-running. One scout said Sweed has a tendency to cut off his heels and that his
lack of polish would prevent him from being drafted in the first round.
That scout was correct, but the Steelers still had a first-round grade on Sweed and were ecstatic when
Jacksonville took Quentin Groves. The Jaguars traded with receiver-starved Tampa to draft Groves, the 3-4
outside linebacker, just ahead of the Steelers.
But the Steelers wanted Sweed all along.
“Very surprised,” said wide receivers coach Randy Fichtner, “and very ecstatic back in the back of the room.
Really excited. I never thought that he would still be at that slot.”
Earlier in the day, Steelers Director of Football Operations Kevin Colbert couldn’t contain his delight in
landing Mendenhall.
“We are very excited,” Colbert said. “It was unexpected. I don’t want his agent hearing that, but it’s the
truth.”
The Steelers came into the draft wanting to trade down, but Colbert said he had a list of 15 players “and we
said ‘If these guys are there, we’re not trading down because they’re that good and we want them.’ ”
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin has advocated a strong two-back approach since taking the job, and Mendenhall
provides the perfect inside complement to Willie Parker’s outside skills. Mendenhall proved that in the Rose
Bowl when he burst through the middle of the line and ran 79 yards for a touchdown against USC. He
finished the game with 155 yards on 17 carries for an average of 9.1 yards per carry. He averaged 6.5 yards
per carry in his three-year career.
“He showed up big on the big stage,” said Tomlin, “and you like guys that show that characteristic – the
ability to rise up at opportune moments. But he’s got a complete body of work. Any tape you turn on, he’s a
force for that football team and one of the reasons that they were able to get to that (Rose Bowl) game.”
One of Mendenhall’s blocking backs at Illinois was his older brother Walter.
His blocking back in Pittsburgh will be former Illini runner Carey Davis.
Mendenhall grew up in the Chicago suburb of Skokie as a Raiders fan. He left Niles West High School for the
University of Illinois where he became an Academic All-Big 10 honoree as a sophomore. Pro Football
Weekly compares him to Herschel Walker because he’s so thickly muscled and is more of a straight-line
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4/27/2008
Hall of a pick? Steelers think they got a steal in Illinois running back
Page 2 of 2
runner. That’s a drawback that possibly cost Mendenhall several spots in the first round.
“It was tough, I ain’t going to lie,” Mendenhall said of the draft-day wait. “I thought that I was going to be the
one who was going to come into the draft and not be nervous at all. As it started rolling, the sweat started
rolling as well. I feel good about it right now.”
As for the Steelers’ shaky offensive line and the harassment it caused Roethlisberger last season, Tomlin
offered another theory.
“There are two schools of thought to protect a quarterback,” he said. “You can get linemen or you can get him
weapons – people that people have to account for. Obviously with this pick, we’ve gotten a weapon. So what
he is able to do on a football field will help our quarterback and our football team.”
Sweed, of course, is another weapon.
While Mendenhall was more reserved with reporters during his conference call, Sweed, who fell further in the
draft, was giddy and outgoing.
“Everything happens for a reason,” Sweed said. “I am with the Pittsburgh Steelers and I am ready to get in
and go to work.”
He was asked about Roethlisberger and the quarterback’s request for a big receiver.
“He was looking for a big receiver and now he has one,” Sweed said.
Fichtner told a story about Sweed’s highly regarded deep-ball tracking skills.
“In Austin, at the indoor facility that’s one of the bubbles, it has the lights that shine up on the side of the
bubble so there’s not roof lighting. The lighting is actually kind of poor. It’s awful hard to track the ball in
there and he really went through and had a tremendous workout. He did the things that he did at the combine
even in tracking the ball. He’s able to adjust to a ball coming to him and away from him, put it on the outside
shoulder and make a smooth transition catch. What he also does is finish. He can break tackles. He still has
size and a lot more room to get bigger.”
Fichtner also enthused about Sweed’s personality.
“When we were at the combine and you get a chance to see a lot of guys,” Fichtner said. “He came through. It
was kind of neat to start to build a little relationship with him. He’s a fun personality. He’s a little bit country,
but he’s definitely a city kid.”
Copyright © 1999-2008 cnhi, inc.
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