Moving ahead with our 2020 Pittsburgh Steelers “what they look for” study. We’re looking at the defensive ends today. We have Isaiah Buggs in our updated history, all the DE/DT picks in the Mike Tomlin era, with updated criteria below. This list doesn’t count nose tackles.
2019: Isaiah Buggs
Height: 6’3’/1
Weight: 306
Arm Length: 30 5/8
40: 5.15
Bench: 20
Vert: 24.5
Broad: 8’0″
SS: 4.83
3C: 8.01
2015: L.T. Walton
Height: 6’5
Weight: 319
Arm Length: 32 1/4
40: 5.25
Bench: 25
Vert: 27
Broad: 8’7”
SS: 4.78
3C: 7.91
2014: Stephon Tuitt
Height: 6’5/4
Weight: 304
Arm Length: 34 3/4
2013: Nick Williams
Height: 6’4
Weight: 309
Arm Length: 34 1/8
40: 4.94
Bench: 28
Vert: 33
Broad: 9’3″
SS: 4.65
3C: 7.55
2011: Cam Heyward
Height: 6’5
Weight: 294
Arm Length: 34 1/4
Vert: 30
2010: Doug Worthington
Height: 6’5/1
Weight: 292
Bench: 19
Vert 35.5
Broad: 10’1”
2009: Ziggy Hood
Height: 6’2/7
Weight: 300
40: 4.97
Bench: 36
Vert: 34.5
Broad: 9’8”
SS; 4.55
3C: 7.5
Sonny Harris
Height: 6’4/3
Weight: 298
40: 4.99 40
Bench: 28
Vert: 25.5
Broad: 8’10”
SS: 4.87
3C: 8.18
2007: Ryan McBean
Height: 6’4
Weight: 286
Arm Length: 33 1/2
40: 5.05
Bench: 27
Vert: 28
Broad; 9’0”
SS: 4.46
3C: 7.79
We have heavily updated criteria. Here is what we’re using this season.
6’4+ (7 of 9)
290+ (8 of 9)
5.15 40 (5 of 6)
32+ inch arms (5 of 6)
20+ bench (6 of 7)
27+ vert (7 of 8)
8’5” broad (6 of 7)
8.10 3C (5 of 6)
4.85 SS (5 of 6)
Buggs really broke the mold, missing in several categories and ended up shifting much of the data. The 40 time drops from 5.05 to 5.15, arm length went from 33 to 32 inches, bench from 25 to 20, broad 8’10” to 8’5″, three cone 8.00 to 8.10 and short shuttle 4.80 to 4.85.
One player checked every box. I did look at all defensive linemen, ones listed at DE and DT, to give us as wide a scope as possible.
| Name/School | Height | Weight | Arm Length | 40 Time | Bench | Vert | Broad | SS | 3 Cone |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Windsor/PSU | 6’4/4 | 290 | 33 1/8 | 4.90 | 21 | 28.5″ | 9’3” | 4.44 | 7.47 |
Windsor is a Day Three selection, probably taken in the 5th-ish round.
There were three players who missed in just one category:
One Box Away
Raekwon Davis/Alabama: Short Shuttle (4.86)
Larrell Murchison/NC State: Height (6’2/4)
Jason Strowbridge/North Carolina: Weight (275)
Davis missed by literally the closest margin possible, .01 seconds away from the short shuttle threshold. Karl Dunbar should know him well. Murchison missed in height and Strowbridge missed pretty significantly in weight. He did have a really strong Senior Bowl week.
