UPDATED 4/19 Players the Steelers should avoid

Every year around this time I begin to make a short list of players that are either over hyped, a poor fit, or just plain ole avoid at all cost.  Here is the beginnings of that list.

Dont'a Hightower, ILB Alabama- Here's the 1st of 2 players at the top of my Poor Fit header.  The NFL has begun to follow the trail blazed by college football, using a more wide open spread offense, with a heavy lean on the passing game.  Linebackers used to be the primary defenders vs the running game.  But while the passing game has gained ground offensively, the running game has lost it.  Enter Hightower.  Now graded as a high 2nd rounder, and no longer a low 1st, his primary use is as a run stuffer.  And nothing more.  At 6'2 265 he is a beast of a man.  But a mild 4.68 40 and what looks to be an inability to pivot his hips, and change direction- HE CANNOT COVER.  He himself (and Saban) admitted that while he does remain on the field in passing downs, he merely backs up to the 1st down marker and sits.  And waits.  He watches the RB and for WRs to run crossing routes.  But he covers (chases) no one.  At best he used to be considered a 2 down LB, but even in todays league, there arent many teams that run on 1st and 2nd downs.  IE, He'd be great vs the Jets... for 16 games.  But the Pats, and just about every other team, will abuse him.

Mike Adams, LT Ohio State- HAD MARIJUANA IN HIS BLOOD TEST AT THE COMBINE.  DOES THIS KID NOT GIVE A DAMN ABOUT HIS FUTURE, CAUSE IT SURE ISNT WITH THE STEELERS!!!  And I mean that- LT.  Left Tackle ONLY.  Scratch that.  MAYBE a LT.  Boom or bust is a favorite review of Adams.  Here is my 2nd Poor Fit player.  He was one of the weakest OT at the combine benching only 19 times.  It almost looked like he spent the offseason sitting on the couch playing Madden.  We dont need to go into the suspensions (yeah, plural) but what really throws me for a loop is the fact that Tomlin and Co. drooled all over him at his pro day.  Yes, there are times when he looks the part.  But yes, there are times when he looks like he needs to be cut.  He overextends his body over his arms, almost leaning over way too far to meet the defender.  His kick-slide is very good, but if youre a betting man play the over that he takes just 1 step too many and gets too deep allowing the defender an easy access to the inside.  On top of all of that he looks to have zero position flexibility.  He cant play inside- far too big, no real power, arms too long, very little in space mobility.  And he doesnt look to be able to play RT.  See 19 bench reps.  Tomlin has an unwritten rule when it comes to his olinemen- be from the SEC (thats a preference), be a starter at both OG and OT due to filling in for an injury or otherwise, be over 6'4 300 (Bruno is the exception but he was UDFA), be strong (over 25 reps) and athletic.  Adams passes only a very few of those requirements.  If you read the "beware of the Smokescreen" post, youll see the Chiefs are referenced.  Its funny how our new OC was the Chiefs HC at the time of those events.  Could Todd have showed Tomlin a draft trick?  After reading that post I think its very possible that we're hoping the Lions go for the "pure LT" Mike Adams, and let the Steelers draft Cordy Glenn, OL Georgia at 24.  Long story short- we have a LT, Marcus Gilbert.  What we dont have are OGs, especially LG.  Yes, Willie Colon is not dependable, but keeping Gil at RT only to have an inflexible Adams at LT could not only end our season, but end Ben's career.

Vontaze Burfict, ILB Arizona State- At one point he was graded as the best ILB in the draft.  Then the scouts opened their eyes and he's fallen to 168 overall.  Thats a 5th rounder... at best.  Lazy, disinterested, disappointing are just a few words to describe him.  Believe it or not he's even slower than Dont'a.  He's kind of a poor mans Hightower, with severe anger management issues.  These are the types of guys that the Steelers generally ignore.  And we will.  But there are too many mock drafts that still have this slug show up.

Janoris Jenkins, CB North Alabama- For those of you that know me you know Im a huge Gator fan.  And at one time I was a big fan of JJ.  He was a real shut down CB.  He is a fast, quick twitch, amazing cover CB (give him a double move like a corner post and he's yours) but when his reviews use words like "suspended, ejected, arrested", drug possession" and finally "kicked off" the red lights cant shine bright enough.  But since the Bengals staff think red means go, welcome to Cincy JJ.  But for guys that I admire like Pat Kirwin to select JJ for the Steelers in his Sirius radio mock drafts... it makes me sick.

Those are off the top of my head.  im sure 1 or 2 more will follow and I'll update accordingly.