As we’ve continued to do, and I love you guys are digging the series, we are looking at the Pittsburgh Steelers’ draft trends and how they apply to this year’s throng of prospects. Today, we’ll break down the seven inside linebackers the team has drafted under Mike Tomlin. Let’s check it out.
2014: Ryan Shazier
Height: 6’1/1
Weight: 237
Arm Length: 32 3/8
Hand Size: 10
Bench Press: 25
40: N/A
Vert: 42
Broad: 10’10”
Short Shuttle: 4.21
Three Cone: 6.91
Jordan Zumwalt
Height: 6’4
Weight: 235
Arm Length: 31 1/4
Hand Size: 8 3/4
Bench Press: N/A
40: 4.76
Vert: 33
Broad: 9’8″
Short Shuttle: 4.25
Three Cone: 6.99
2013: Vince Williams
Height: 6’0/6
Weight: 233
Arm Length: N/A
Hand Size: N/A
Bench Press: N/A
40: N/A
Vert: 32.5
Broad: 9’3″
Short Shuttle: 4.67
Three Cone: 7.53
2012: Sean Spence
Height: 5’11/3
Weight: 231
Arm Length: 31 1/2
Hand Size: 9 1/4
Bench Press: 12
40: 4.71
Vert: 33.5
Broad: 9’11”
Short Shuttle: 4.28
Three Cone: 7.46
2010: Stevenson Sylvester
Height: 6’2/1
Weight: 231
Arm Length: 33 3/4
Hand Size: 10 1/8
Bench Press: 23
40: 4.78
Vert: 30.5
Broad: 8’9″
Short Shuttle: N/A
Three Cone: N/A
2008: Mike Humpal
Height: 6’2/4
Weight: 244
Arm Length: 31 1/4
Hand Size: 10
Bench Press: 20
40: 4.82
Vert: 38
Broad: 10’2″
Short Shuttle: 4.25
Three Cone: 7.07
2007: Lawrence Timmons
Height: 6’0/7
Weight: 234
Arm Length: 32 1/8
Hand Size: 9 5/8
Bench Press: 25
40: 4.7
Vert: 35
Broad: 10’3″
Short Shuttle: 4.32
Three Cone: 6.89
This is the critera I’ve come up with. An explanation for each will follow.
Be at least 6’0 and between 230 and 240 pounds
Have an arm length of at least 31 inches
Hand size of 9+ inches
20+ reps on bench press
Sub 4.8 40 time
30+ inch vertical
4.4 or better in the short shuttle
– Height: 6 of 7 at least 6’0
– Weight: 6 of 7 between 230-240
– Arm Length: 6 of 6 at least 31 inches
– Hand Size: 5 of 6 at least 9 inches
– Bench Press: 4 of 5 at least 20
– 40 Time: 4 of 5 sub 4.8
– Vert: 7 of 7 have 30+
– Broad: No Correlation
– Short Shuttle: 5 of 6 under 4.4
Only one inside linebacker checks every single box.
| Name | Height | Weight | Arm Length | Hand Size | Bench Press | 40 Time | Vertical | Short Shuttle |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blake Martinez | 6’1/5 | 237 | 31 5/8 | 10 7/8 | 22 | 4.71 | 34 | 4.20 |
Martinez jumped just 28 inches at the Combine but posted a 34 inch mark at his Pro Day, putting him all alone on this list. Though I didn’t love his tape, and didn’t really see the athleticism translate, he’s a prime selection with one of the Steelers’ 7th round picks.
Of course, we do want to expand this list a little bit more instead of leaving it as just one, lonely player. So let’s tweak things a bit and look at players between 230-239 pounds who only miss in one category.
| Name | Height | Weight | Arm Length | Hand Size | Bench Press | 40 Time | Vertical | Short Shuttle |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nick Vigil | 6’2/3 | 239 | 32 3/8 | 10 1/4 | DNP | 4.72 | 31.5 | 4.00 |
Remember, Vigil can still improve his bench number at his Pro Day and could jump in with Martinez as “ideal” linebackers. He is a projected 3rd to 4th round pick by NFL Draft Scout. That may feel a little too high to most fans but like most things in the draft, I don’t completely reject the idea. Still, the pool is thin. Two players, even when he take some liberties with the data.
I attempted to tweak things one more time and like we did for corers, throw the maximum weight out the window. If you can still show the same athletic traits at a heavier weight, good on you. But no player checks every box. West Virginia’s Nick Kwiatkoski comes the closest and if he puts up 20+ reps at his Pro Day, will make the list. He had 19 at the Combine.
We are now at 33 players who check all or most of the boxes. One position to go – outside linebacker, which will appear either tomorrow or Monday.
