Steelers 2013 Draft Prospect Profiles: OLB Barkevious Mingo – LSU

As promised, we will be highlighting several 2013 draft prospects of the Pittsburgh Steelers leading up to the draft for discussion. The Steelers will most certainly draft an outside linebacker at some point in the top half of the draft so we will start by looking at the often discussed Barkevious Mingo out of LSU. Below is my quick profile on Mingo along with his college stats and a few videos on him. In the comments below please add the strengths and weaknesses that you feel that he has and why you think that he is or isn\’t a prospect for the Steelers.

Mingo is a peculiar first round draft prospect that might be seen as a fit in some defensive systems as a defensive end or an outside linebacker in a 3-4 like the Steelers use. Mingo measures in right now at 6 foot, 4 inches and weighs 240 pounds, which might be considered a bit light by most standards for either of the two positions. He should be able to put on some bulk, especially on his lower half, by the time the NFL combine rolls around and it will be interesting to see how it affects his speed if indeed he does.

Mingo is long-limbed, athletic and possesses a very quick twitch and first step. He will come off of the snap a bit high at times, however, which opens up his chest for arms inside and on his upper torso.

At LSU Mingo predominantly lined on the left side of the defense in a down 3 point stance in the 7-technique, but there is a little tape of him playing without his hand in the dirt as a standup rush linebacker. Mingo also is not foreign to dropping into coverage every now and again, but it certainly is not what you would regard as a selling point right now on him. Like all college defensive ends that convert to outside linebackers, this will be the thing that he will need to work on most if drafted by the Steelers as an outside linebacker prospect. Playing without a hand in the dirt forces a player to see the game in a whole different light.

Mingo has a great motor, a great spin move and shows good ball awareness. He is strong at pushing the pocket off the edge straight up or dipping around the outside edge. A strong performance at the combine could cement him as a top 10 pick, however, and thus out of the range for the Steelers unless they were to move up to get him.

Mingo sort of reminds you of Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Manny Lawson.