April 29, 2025 • 26 mins
Labs and Tom break down the Steelers draft and then get into this week’s questions
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Speaker 1 (00:02):
This is asked and answered questions with Tom Upferman and
Steelers Digest editor Bob Labriola.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Several young men heard their names called on television this
past weekend and became Pittsburgh Steelers officially labs. The twenty
twenty five draft is in the books, and I was
extremely pleased with the hall that the Steelers took. I'm
gonna ask you about some of the specific players in
just the second here, but you know, kind of looking
(00:32):
at it from that thirty thousand feet view, I mean,
I don't know how you can't walk away with this
draft being like our d lineman, we got two of those.
Got a running back, I like the Sawyer guy, little
little luxury value pick there, nice little quarterback sprinkled in
like it just felt like they hit all the right
notes to me.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
Yeah, it made sense in a lot of in a
lot of those kinds of ways. And you know, I
think when you look at it, you put it together
with you know, some of the things they did in reagency.
You know the Brandon Eccles and Darius Slay cornerback signings.
You know, the DK Metcalf thing, that signing, because you know,
(01:13):
you when you look at how the Steelers typically have
approached wide receiver. You know, the second third round is
usually when they've you know, gone shopping for that position.
And so you gave the second round pick, you signed
DK Metcalf, and so you know you can kind of
look at that as a as a one of the
(01:34):
draft picks too. So yeah, I like and I like
the you know, the the Jack Sawyer pick. You know,
he's being called a luxury, but I don't know about
that him being a luxury. I like that pick too.
This is a guy who you know, he made big
(01:55):
plays at critical moments on defense. When you know that
strip sack, scoop and score against Texas that clinched that
game in the college football playoffs, I mean, that's a
that's an extremely dynamic defensive play in a critical moment
in a huge game. And you know, those those are
the kinds of guys who that you're looking for on
(02:17):
that defense. And you know, the Steelers have had to
go shopping for depth and outside linebacker kind of sometimes
in the bargain bin. Marcus Golden, Preston Smith are a
couple of the recent names. You know, now they don't
have to do that, and this guy's two hundred and
(02:39):
sixty pounds six' Five and you, Know Nick herbig is
a very good pass rusher in in in, spurts but you,
KNOW i don't know that he can you can count
on him as a full, time semi full time player
(03:03):
because he's too, light, uh you, know to handle the,
running running game responsibilities of that. Position And i've said
this a bunch of. Times offenses don't cooperate anymore with you,
know what you think they should be doing in certain,
situations downs and, distances locations on the, field you know
(03:24):
that kind of. Stuff when you come out in a certain,
package they'll do the other. Thing. Uh and you, know
The ravens are certainly are a problem in that area
because you, know you may Have Nick. Kirbig And i'm
not Ripping Nick. KIRBIG i think he's a really good.
(03:45):
Player he's just you, know he's physically what he.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
IS i, mean he's alayer Than sawyer is just feah,
right different kind of, type right body.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
Type so you, know The, ravens when you, think, okay
we need to get After Lamar, jackson well he could
just turn and hand the ball to number twenty two
and then you got. Problems SO i like That sawyer.
Pick and you, Know Will, howard Another Ohio state, guy
(04:18):
played his best football for that team in their most
critical games of that, season and you, know you like
a quarterback who helped his team win a. TROPHY i
JUST i believe in, that especially at that. Position so,
yeah there was a lot to like about it in
(04:40):
a lot of different. Ways.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
Yeah just another thing with That sawyer, pick when the
fourth round rolled around and he was still on the,
board it was just he's too good to pass, up
even though we have three really good edges already on our.
Roster but one thing THAT i kept thinking of when
they Picked sawyer labs was as great as that trio
of outside linebackers of edge rushers IS, Tj Alex heismith And.
Herbig we haven't seen all three of them on the
(05:04):
field consistently enough over the past couple of. Years there's
an injury popping up with one or two of them
throughout a. Season this is a big time boost to
that room where you can weather an injury like that
a little bit.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
Easier, Yeah and if you if you decide to put
all of them on the, field And sawyer's one of,
THEM i think that you, know with his size and,
bulk you have a better chance of, that you, know
being a package you could stick with a little bit
as opposed, to you, know only putting it out there
on you, know third and eighteen or, something because AS i,
(05:39):
said you, know other, teams other offenses will run the
ball in those, situations The, eagles The, bills The. Ravens so,
YEAH i think you need to be more versatile in
terms of being multiple, defense so that you know you're
(06:05):
not putting a package out there and then holding your breath,
saying Please, god don't don't run if we got the
pass group out, there or Please, god don't throw if
we got the run group out. There this gives you
a little bit more flexibility with, that AND i think
when you add you, Know Derek harmon to it as,
well you might be able to free up some of your.
(06:25):
Playmakers mink Of fitzpatrick as one to be that instead
of relying on him to please don't let anybody get, deep.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
Let's stick With Derek harmon and throw Why You're black
in there as. Well the two defensive tackles that The steelers.
Picked Derek harmon obviously the first round pick but the
premium crown jewel pick of this draft For, pittsburgh and
they invested heavily into the trenches on the offensive side
of the ball the past two, Drafts. Labs now you
(06:58):
start to see that investment start to happen on the
defensive side of the. Trenches and we just talked about
that Team baltimore and handed it off to that number
twenty two running back and him bowling all over The
steelers in that playoff. Game the defensive, line despite having
An All pro and a Future hall Of famer on,
it just needs to have an injection of talent and.
Youth and now you've Got, Harmon you've Got, black you
(07:20):
still Have benton who has youth on his. Side you're
starting to see.
Speaker 1 (07:23):
That, Yeah AND i Think black he could be seen
as kind of a run stuffing nose. Tackle but since
you Have harmon also to go With Cam hayward And,
BENTON i think you could allowed the team to add
(07:45):
one of those run STUFFING i won't say he's one,
dimensional but that's His he has a particular strength in
that area because you, know AS i was just talking,
about if you put your you, know your run stuffers out,
there you can't rush the, passer then they're gonna. Throw
but you, know so since you have, that you, know
you Have Cam hayward and you Have Derek harmon defensive
(08:09):
lineman who you know you can't fall asleep on them
in terms of pass. Protection well if you Have black
out there as, well that's okay too because you have
the other. Guys and so you, know we go back,
to you, know with With harmon And cam and maybe
they would a team would run opposite where they were
(08:32):
lined up as an. Example, well now you Got black,
two and so that's another problem for the offense has
to deal. With so, yeah a lot of AS i
said when we, STARTED i thought a lot of the
picks made, sense and this is another example of WHAT
i meant by.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
That, now before we get to the questions, Today, LABS
i got to touch on my favorite pick of this.
Draft it's the third round running Back Caleb johnson out Of.
IOWA i think a lot of, people including, myself were
sitting there Between thursday And, friday, Wondering, steve what's gonna
get back into the second. ROUND i feel like there's
gonna be some decent running backs start flying off the
board in that second. Round there's some nice talent out
(09:09):
there That i'd like to get my hands, on like
to have a chance to draft and lo and behold
one of these running backs THAT i thought might get
taken in the second. Round Caleb johnson ends up falling
in your lap in the third. Round you don't have
to move up at. All this guy faced the stacked
box At iowa labs like eight nine men box like
basically ninety percent of the time he touched the. Ball
iowa sucks at passing the, football and they have been
(09:30):
for about a. Decade all they do is, run and
he ran for fifteen hundred yards against eight nine men.
Boxes And Matt, williamson who is ON snr we all hear.
From he pointed this out during the draft. Coverage when
he didn't face a stack, box he averaged nine yards of,
carry almost averaging a first down every time he touches the.
BALL i Love Caleb. Johnson he's built like a workhorse
(09:53):
type of. Back he's got the speed that Maybe nausey
was lacking a little. BIT i think this is my favorite.
Speaker 1 (09:58):
Pick and the other thing about, him just TO i
agree with everything you, said and just here's another one
of those statistics that really jumped out of. Me his
yards per carry average in the fourth quarter he didn't
wear the sack, right, well it's it was significantly higher
than what his yards per carry average was in the
(10:20):
other parts of the. Game and so you know he's
a closer or he certainly has that potential to. Be
and you Know Arthur smith always talks, about you, know
you want to play four minute offense and what that
means in THE nfl is you have a lead and
you're trying to protect, it and so you need a
guy like. That you, know you meant you take The
(10:41):
Matt williamson's stat about the stack boxes how good he
is in that, area because you're going to see that
if you have a lead in THE nfl and you
have the. Ball and then the other thing is the
time of the game when he was also extremely, effective
was in the fourth. Quarter so, YEAH i like that
pick as. Well he's a very, young uh you, know
(11:04):
young human being twenty one years, old and so you, know,
yeah you have the you have to go in with
the thought the belief anyway that you know his body
is not as beat up As Naujie harris's body. Is
after four seasons in THE nfl and his time In alabama.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
Too, Yeah i'm glad you actually went there BECAUSE i
heard our Buddy Mike persuda actually bring this. Up you,
know you look at college running backs. Nowadays sometimes these
guys have been running the ball and being run into
the dirt by these college coaches for three. Years Cale
johnson was really only a starter from one year last
year At, iowa so there should be a pretty decent
amount of tread still on those. TIRES i wouldn't really
(11:48):
run him into the ground, much.
Speaker 1 (11:50):
Right and that's you know that that's worth looking at.
Him mean you when when you're evaluating these guys and,
you're you, know weighing their college, career you certainly want
to see production and, everything but when it comes to
the running back, position you don't want a guy who
has you, know one thy twelve hundred carries on his
body at a major college, level and especially for a
(12:13):
program Like, iowa which you said hasn't been able to
throw the ball well for a. Decade and so you,
know if you're A iowa running, back they used to
be Like wisconsin running, backs you, Know Ron daane and those.
People you know that that's excuse, me run the, ball
(12:34):
and so these, guys you, know had a lot of
wear on. Them so, yeah he doesn't he doesn't have.
Speaker 2 (12:40):
That, well let's get to this week's batch of. Questions
we've got our first one coming From North, HUNTINGTON, pa
and it's From Paul, calisar who wants to know If
Dwayne haskins wouldn't have passed away were The steelers still
considering a quarterback in the twenty twenty two.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
Draft, well the twenty twenty two draft was the first
one After Ben roethlisberger, retired and it was the one
when The steelers used their first round pick On Kenny. Pickett,
okay just to kind of catch everybody, up you, Know Dwayne,
haskins he he had been on the on the, team
(13:18):
but he was still very much an unknown quantity to The.
STEELERS i, mean, yes he had had a part of
a career with The washington, team but in terms of
him being seen as the guy for the, future you,
know maybe that it would have ended up, happening BUT
(13:40):
i don't think that you go into the draft in
the situation THAT i just. Described where was the first
one you were conducting Without Ben, roethlisberger since you, know
two thousand and three and you're going, to you, know
hang your hat on a guy that you really haven't
(14:00):
had seen much of and do anything in your. Uniform
and just to put the dates into, Perspective Dwayne haskins
died On april, ninth twenty twenty. Two THE Nfl draft
was held On april twenty eighth to, thirtieth twenty twenty,
two so that was almost three weeks before the. DRAFT
(14:21):
i think when you look at ANY nfl team three
weeks before particular draft and ask, them you, know what
positions are you not going to, PICK i don't know
that you'd get a very good, answer certainly not a realistic.
Speaker 2 (14:37):
One Greg smith From, Gainesville. FLORIDA i Loved Dan krider
as The steelers. Fullback he was hard nos rank the
best fullbacks For, pittsburgh enlist their.
Speaker 1 (14:48):
Stats, well you, know the best fullback In steelers history
Was Franco ferris because at the, time well right at the,
time that was his, position and at the Time i'm
in THE, NFL i, mean the full back was the main.
Guy uh in terms of carrying the. Ball Franco harris
(15:08):
was a full Back Jim brown was a full, Back
Larry zonka was a full, Back Jim taylor was basically, then,
yes that's what it. Was so talking about The, Steelers
Franco harris would be the greatest. One John Henry johnson
would be. Second both of those guys are in The
hall Of fame because you, know at that, time certainly
(15:31):
in The Chuck noll area era In, pittsburgh The steelers
used a split backfield in the on, offense and the
split backfield Was franco And Rocky. Blyer Rocky blyer was a,
halfback so the way that worked, was, uh, generally the split.
(15:52):
Backfield Like Paul horning And Jim taylor might have been
the greatest example of a split. Backfield both of those
guys carried the ball and both of them were dangerous running,
backs productive, backs but they were used in different. Ways
and you, know one guy was supposed to block for
(16:12):
the other guy depending upon who got the. Ball, now
with The, steelers in particular With blyer And, harris you,
Know franco became, obviously you, know all due respect To Rocky,
blyer obviously the main guy with the ball in his.
Hands So Rocky blier became known as a blocking, back
(16:35):
but he was actually a. Halfback, Okay So Chuck noll
used AS i, mentioned the split backfield through in his
final season with the team was nineteen ninety. One So
Bill kauer was the first, coach really That steelers coach
that used the you, know blocking back running back, concept and,
(17:00):
so in my, opinion the notable blocking backs Once Bill
cower was. Hired Tim, Lester Dan, krider As greg, mentioned
and then Also John. Whitman Tim, lester he was so
good at it, that you, Know Jerome bettis was known
as the bus Tim lester became known as the bus
(17:23):
driver because of the work he. Did you, Know Dan
crider uh and had some memorable collisions With Ray lewis
for years in those in those blood bath. Rivalries, so you,
know just to give some idea of their, stats AND
(17:47):
i use that word very, Generally Tim lester never had
more than eight carries in a season with The. Steelers
Dan crider in his year his, career excuse, me he
had thirty one carries for one hundred and forty four
yards in six seasons with The. Steelers John whitman had
(18:07):
thirty seven carries for one hundred and twenty nine, Yards
so you can see that you're looking for a gadget
play in The steelers. Offense in those, days it was
given the ball to the, Fullback chris excuse, me, yes the, Fullback.
Speaker 2 (18:21):
Yes Christopher gibson From, Manilapa New. Jersey i'm interested in
the backstory On Antoine Randall. All how does it happen
that after four years as a quarterback In indiana The
steelers draft him as a wide receiver in the second
round of the two thousand and TWO nfl. Draft and
he was good other than that brilliant heave In Super bowl?
Forty was there ever any consideration of him playing quarterback
(18:43):
when he was?
Speaker 1 (18:44):
Drafted ANTOINE randallll was an option quarterback At indiana in
The Big ten AND i remember in a game Against
Penn state when he was in. College, afterwards you, Know
Joe paternod him as The hoosiers whole. Offense But Antoine
(19:04):
randall was a smart. Guy he was, savvy and he
knew that if he wanted to play in THE, nfl
he was not going to make it as a. Quarterback
he did not have those drop back kind of. Skills
he didn't have the, size the prototypical pocket. PASSER i,
mean he wasn't any of those. Things so Randal ll
(19:28):
completely embraced the switch to wide. Receiver he played that
position in The Senior bowl on all the. Practices in the,
game he was voted To north TEAM'S mvp after catching
two touchdown passes in the. Game Randal ll went to
the combine worked out with the wide, receivers didn't work
out with the. Quarterbacks so, he AS i, said he
(19:52):
embraced that and because and it really helped, Him i'm
sure in the meetings that he had with. Teams he
also expressed himself as you, know a guy who understood
what his role or future was going to be in
the pros and he was willing to do that without you, know.
Complaint so when he came to The, steelers you know
(20:15):
his niche was a he was a slot receiver on.
Offense they would use him an occasional gadget play obviously
he had the skills for. That and he was a
returner special. Teams he was very good. Returner so five
seasons eighty games with The, Steelers randellll had twenty two
hundred and fifty six receiving yards and four. Touchdowns on
(20:38):
The gadget, plays he was sixteen of eighteen passes, passing
and he scored five more touchdowns on. Returns he returned
four punts for a, touchdown one kick off for a.
Touchdown and, ALSO i don't know. That no disrespect To Hines,
ward BUT i thought randellll was right up there too
(20:58):
and had voted For super FORTY. Mvp how could he not.
Speaker 2 (21:02):
BE i, mean it was really a perfect pass that
a receiver let rip and. Labs the fact that he
was taking him the second round after playing quarterback in,
COLLEGE i mean that just goes to show you that
if he, played he was a first round talent in people's.
Minds as far as a wide receiver was. Concerned you
just can't really take him in the first round because
he hasn't played the position. YET i, mean second round
is so impressive for him to be taken, there and
(21:24):
you mentioned how smart he. Was he's still putting that
big brain to good. Use he Is Ben johnson's assistant
head coach right now In chicago and also coaching up
the wide. Receivers he had coached the wide receivers In
detroit Under Ben johnson, previously So randall l is still
a big part of THE. Nfl Terry brown From, Norwalk.
California The browns And dolphins often playing their white jerseys at.
(21:47):
Home The dolphins usually do it to make opponents where
dark jerseys In miami's. Heat my question, is have The
steelers ever played a preseason or regular or early regular
season game at home in their road white uniforms to
beat the?
Speaker 1 (22:00):
Heat, well you, know back in the, day you, know fifties,
sixties a lot OF nfl teams wore white at home
because that was the way professional sports did. It you.
Know for, example baseball teams were white at, home gray
on the, road basketball, TEAMS nba, teams hockey, teams they
(22:26):
were white at. Home so it didn't really become commonplace
for teams to wear dark jerseys at home until you,
know the seventies, maybe and then from there it was
kind of it became the. Protocol in, fact The steelers wore,
(22:51):
white you, Know Chuck noll was hired in nineteen sixty.
Nine in the first, game the nineteen sixty nine, opener
which was At Pitt, stadium The steelers wore white. Jerseys
they beat The lions sixteen to. Thirteen and that was
their only win in sixty, nine when they finished one in.
Thirteen but Once Three River stadium opened in nineteen, seventy
(23:12):
The steelers have worn black jerseys for all of their home.
Games they've never, gone you, know let's wear white at
home because of the. HEAT i guess in some way
they maybe they thought of it as showing. Weakness maybe
they thought of it as a way of showing the
(23:32):
opponent the heat doesn't bother, us you know. Whatever But
steelers Since Three rivers opened in nineteen seventy have worn
black at. Home and just to throw, in you, Know
terry mentioned The browns and The dolphins often playing white at.
Home dallas as another team that traditionally prefers to wear
(23:54):
white jerseys at. Home i'm NOT i don't know that
The cowboys are doing it because of the. HEAT i
think they, just, YEAH i think they just liked the.
Speaker 2 (24:04):
Look William stokes From, Sanston minnesota has our last question
of the. Day what years did The steelers draft in
the top ten and who did they? Select?
Speaker 1 (24:17):
WELL i, mean you know again means what all? Time you,
know what did The steelers do all? TIME i, mean
The steelers have participated in every. Draft the first draft
IN nfl history was in nineteen thirty, six and there
were only ten teams in the league until After World War.
Two so what years did they draft in the top? Ten,
(24:38):
well probably for the first fifteen years you know of
their existence because there were only ten. Teams SO i
kind Of i'm going to kind of interpret this question
and move it into the modern. Era so let's start
With Chuck knowles hiring in nineteen sixty. Nine The steelers
have drafted in the top ten eight.
Speaker 2 (25:00):
Time it's amazing lives before you get, there since only
eight times in the top.
Speaker 1 (25:04):
Ten, yeah nineteen sixty. Nine it Was Joe green fourth,
overall nineteen seventy first. Overall that quarterback was his? Name
helped me.
Speaker 2 (25:16):
Out T, yeah, yeah, Right, louisiana.
Speaker 1 (25:21):
The ORIGINAL tb. TWELVE i guess you could call him
nineteen seventy, one eighth overall wide, Receiver Frank lewis nineteen eighty,
six ninth overall, Guard John reenstrup nineteen eighty, seven tenth,
Overall Rod woodson the guy who's better Than Dion sanders eighty,
(25:42):
nine seventh. Overall Tim worley two, thousand eighth Overall Plexico
burris and then twenty nineteen tenth overall after a trade
Up Devin.
Speaker 2 (25:54):
Bush, hey you got Three hall Of famers out of
those eight top ten. Picks it's a pretty good, hit.
Right most teams in THE nfl don't even get, one
and they pick in the top ten every single.
Speaker 1 (26:04):
Year, yep, yep that'll do it.
Speaker 2 (26:08):
For us today On asden, answered thanks has always forgiven
us a. Listen, OH i guess we should also Mention
labs to close. Up The steelers did make a signing
at wide. Receiver nice little one year deal thrown To Robert.
Woods nice little depth piece, there.
Speaker 1 (26:22):
Veteran, yeah and again a not a big. Contract so
if he makes the team, Great if he, doesn't you,
know there's not going to be any dead cap hit
or any of that kind of stuff.
Speaker 2 (26:37):
Either, well we'll see if some more free agent news
comes trickling in over the next couple of, Weeks. Quarterback
but until, then we will talk to you next week
with some more. Questions if you have questions that need,
answer to get them To labs now and maybe you'll
hear them on a future edition of Askedon answered
This is asked and answered questions with Tom Upferman and
Steelers Digest editor Bob Labriola.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Several young men heard their names called on television this
past weekend and became Pittsburgh Steelers officially labs. The twenty
twenty five draft is in the books, and I was
extremely pleased with the hall that the Steelers took. I'm
gonna ask you about some of the specific players in
just the second here, but you know, kind of looking
(00:32):
at it from that thirty thousand feet view, I mean,
I don't know how you can't walk away with this
draft being like our d lineman, we got two of those.
Got a running back, I like the Sawyer guy, little
little luxury value pick there, nice little quarterback sprinkled in
like it just felt like they hit all the right
notes to me.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
Yeah, it made sense in a lot of in a
lot of those kinds of ways. And you know, I
think when you look at it, you put it together
with you know, some of the things they did in reagency.
You know the Brandon Eccles and Darius Slay cornerback signings.
You know, the DK Metcalf thing, that signing, because you know,
(01:13):
you when you look at how the Steelers typically have
approached wide receiver. You know, the second third round is
usually when they've you know, gone shopping for that position.
And so you gave the second round pick, you signed
DK Metcalf, and so you know you can kind of
look at that as a as a one of the
(01:34):
draft picks too. So yeah, I like and I like
the you know, the the Jack Sawyer pick. You know,
he's being called a luxury, but I don't know about
that him being a luxury. I like that pick too.
This is a guy who you know, he made big
(01:55):
plays at critical moments on defense. When you know that
strip sack, scoop and score against Texas that clinched that
game in the college football playoffs, I mean, that's a
that's an extremely dynamic defensive play in a critical moment
in a huge game. And you know, those those are
the kinds of guys who that you're looking for on
(02:17):
that defense. And you know, the Steelers have had to
go shopping for depth and outside linebacker kind of sometimes
in the bargain bin. Marcus Golden, Preston Smith are a
couple of the recent names. You know, now they don't
have to do that, and this guy's two hundred and
(02:39):
sixty pounds six' Five and you, Know Nick herbig is
a very good pass rusher in in in, spurts but you,
KNOW i don't know that he can you can count
on him as a full, time semi full time player
(03:03):
because he's too, light, uh you, know to handle the,
running running game responsibilities of that. Position And i've said
this a bunch of. Times offenses don't cooperate anymore with you,
know what you think they should be doing in certain,
situations downs and, distances locations on the, field you know
(03:24):
that kind of. Stuff when you come out in a certain,
package they'll do the other. Thing. Uh and you, know
The ravens are certainly are a problem in that area
because you, know you may Have Nick. Kirbig And i'm
not Ripping Nick. KIRBIG i think he's a really good.
(03:45):
Player he's just you, know he's physically what he.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
IS i, mean he's alayer Than sawyer is just feah,
right different kind of, type right body.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
Type so you, know The, ravens when you, think, okay
we need to get After Lamar, jackson well he could
just turn and hand the ball to number twenty two
and then you got. Problems SO i like That sawyer.
Pick and you, Know Will, howard Another Ohio state, guy
(04:18):
played his best football for that team in their most
critical games of that, season and you, know you like
a quarterback who helped his team win a. TROPHY i
JUST i believe in, that especially at that. Position so,
yeah there was a lot to like about it in
(04:40):
a lot of different. Ways.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
Yeah just another thing with That sawyer, pick when the
fourth round rolled around and he was still on the,
board it was just he's too good to pass, up
even though we have three really good edges already on our.
Roster but one thing THAT i kept thinking of when
they Picked sawyer labs was as great as that trio
of outside linebackers of edge rushers IS, Tj Alex heismith And.
Herbig we haven't seen all three of them on the
(05:04):
field consistently enough over the past couple of. Years there's
an injury popping up with one or two of them
throughout a. Season this is a big time boost to
that room where you can weather an injury like that
a little bit.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
Easier, Yeah and if you if you decide to put
all of them on the, field And sawyer's one of,
THEM i think that you, know with his size and,
bulk you have a better chance of, that you, know
being a package you could stick with a little bit
as opposed, to you, know only putting it out there
on you, know third and eighteen or, something because AS i,
(05:39):
said you, know other, teams other offenses will run the
ball in those, situations The, eagles The, bills The. Ravens so,
YEAH i think you need to be more versatile in
terms of being multiple, defense so that you know you're
(06:05):
not putting a package out there and then holding your breath,
saying Please, god don't don't run if we got the
pass group out, there or Please, god don't throw if
we got the run group out. There this gives you
a little bit more flexibility with, that AND i think
when you add you, Know Derek harmon to it as,
well you might be able to free up some of your.
(06:25):
Playmakers mink Of fitzpatrick as one to be that instead
of relying on him to please don't let anybody get, deep.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
Let's stick With Derek harmon and throw Why You're black
in there as. Well the two defensive tackles that The steelers.
Picked Derek harmon obviously the first round pick but the
premium crown jewel pick of this draft For, pittsburgh and
they invested heavily into the trenches on the offensive side
of the ball the past two, Drafts. Labs now you
(06:58):
start to see that investment start to happen on the
defensive side of the. Trenches and we just talked about
that Team baltimore and handed it off to that number
twenty two running back and him bowling all over The
steelers in that playoff. Game the defensive, line despite having
An All pro and a Future hall Of famer on,
it just needs to have an injection of talent and.
Youth and now you've Got, Harmon you've Got, black you
(07:20):
still Have benton who has youth on his. Side you're
starting to see.
Speaker 1 (07:23):
That, Yeah AND i Think black he could be seen
as kind of a run stuffing nose. Tackle but since
you Have harmon also to go With Cam hayward And,
BENTON i think you could allowed the team to add
(07:45):
one of those run STUFFING i won't say he's one,
dimensional but that's His he has a particular strength in
that area because you, know AS i was just talking,
about if you put your you, know your run stuffers out,
there you can't rush the, passer then they're gonna. Throw
but you, know so since you have, that you, know
you Have Cam hayward and you Have Derek harmon defensive
(08:09):
lineman who you know you can't fall asleep on them
in terms of pass. Protection well if you Have black
out there as, well that's okay too because you have
the other. Guys and so you, know we go back,
to you, know with With harmon And cam and maybe
they would a team would run opposite where they were
(08:32):
lined up as an. Example, well now you Got black,
two and so that's another problem for the offense has
to deal. With so, yeah a lot of AS i
said when we, STARTED i thought a lot of the
picks made, sense and this is another example of WHAT
i meant by.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
That, now before we get to the questions, Today, LABS
i got to touch on my favorite pick of this.
Draft it's the third round running Back Caleb johnson out Of.
IOWA i think a lot of, people including, myself were
sitting there Between thursday And, friday, Wondering, steve what's gonna
get back into the second. ROUND i feel like there's
gonna be some decent running backs start flying off the
board in that second. Round there's some nice talent out
(09:09):
there That i'd like to get my hands, on like
to have a chance to draft and lo and behold
one of these running backs THAT i thought might get
taken in the second. Round Caleb johnson ends up falling
in your lap in the third. Round you don't have
to move up at. All this guy faced the stacked
box At iowa labs like eight nine men box like
basically ninety percent of the time he touched the. Ball
iowa sucks at passing the, football and they have been
(09:30):
for about a. Decade all they do is, run and
he ran for fifteen hundred yards against eight nine men.
Boxes And Matt, williamson who is ON snr we all hear.
From he pointed this out during the draft. Coverage when
he didn't face a stack, box he averaged nine yards of,
carry almost averaging a first down every time he touches the.
BALL i Love Caleb. Johnson he's built like a workhorse
(09:53):
type of. Back he's got the speed that Maybe nausey
was lacking a little. BIT i think this is my favorite.
Speaker 1 (09:58):
Pick and the other thing about, him just TO i
agree with everything you, said and just here's another one
of those statistics that really jumped out of. Me his
yards per carry average in the fourth quarter he didn't
wear the sack, right, well it's it was significantly higher
than what his yards per carry average was in the
(10:20):
other parts of the. Game and so you know he's
a closer or he certainly has that potential to. Be
and you Know Arthur smith always talks, about you, know
you want to play four minute offense and what that
means in THE nfl is you have a lead and
you're trying to protect, it and so you need a
guy like. That you, know you meant you take The
(10:41):
Matt williamson's stat about the stack boxes how good he
is in that, area because you're going to see that
if you have a lead in THE nfl and you
have the. Ball and then the other thing is the
time of the game when he was also extremely, effective
was in the fourth. Quarter so, YEAH i like that
pick as. Well he's a very, young uh you, know
(11:04):
young human being twenty one years, old and so you, know,
yeah you have the you have to go in with
the thought the belief anyway that you know his body
is not as beat up As Naujie harris's body. Is
after four seasons in THE nfl and his time In alabama.
Speaker 2 (11:27):
Too, Yeah i'm glad you actually went there BECAUSE i
heard our Buddy Mike persuda actually bring this. Up you,
know you look at college running backs. Nowadays sometimes these
guys have been running the ball and being run into
the dirt by these college coaches for three. Years Cale
johnson was really only a starter from one year last
year At, iowa so there should be a pretty decent
amount of tread still on those. TIRES i wouldn't really
(11:48):
run him into the ground, much.
Speaker 1 (11:50):
Right and that's you know that that's worth looking at.
Him mean you when when you're evaluating these guys and,
you're you, know weighing their college, career you certainly want
to see production and, everything but when it comes to
the running back, position you don't want a guy who
has you, know one thy twelve hundred carries on his
body at a major college, level and especially for a
(12:13):
program Like, iowa which you said hasn't been able to
throw the ball well for a. Decade and so you,
know if you're A iowa running, back they used to
be Like wisconsin running, backs you, Know Ron daane and those.
People you know that that's excuse, me run the, ball
(12:34):
and so these, guys you, know had a lot of
wear on. Them so, yeah he doesn't he doesn't have.
Speaker 2 (12:40):
That, well let's get to this week's batch of. Questions
we've got our first one coming From North, HUNTINGTON, pa
and it's From Paul, calisar who wants to know If
Dwayne haskins wouldn't have passed away were The steelers still
considering a quarterback in the twenty twenty two.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
Draft, well the twenty twenty two draft was the first
one After Ben roethlisberger, retired and it was the one
when The steelers used their first round pick On Kenny. Pickett,
okay just to kind of catch everybody, up you, Know Dwayne,
haskins he he had been on the on the, team
(13:18):
but he was still very much an unknown quantity to The.
STEELERS i, mean, yes he had had a part of
a career with The washington, team but in terms of
him being seen as the guy for the, future you,
know maybe that it would have ended up, happening BUT
(13:40):
i don't think that you go into the draft in
the situation THAT i just. Described where was the first
one you were conducting Without Ben, roethlisberger since you, know
two thousand and three and you're going, to you, know
hang your hat on a guy that you really haven't
(14:00):
had seen much of and do anything in your. Uniform
and just to put the dates into, Perspective Dwayne haskins
died On april, ninth twenty twenty. Two THE Nfl draft
was held On april twenty eighth to, thirtieth twenty twenty,
two so that was almost three weeks before the. DRAFT
(14:21):
i think when you look at ANY nfl team three
weeks before particular draft and ask, them you, know what
positions are you not going to, PICK i don't know
that you'd get a very good, answer certainly not a realistic.
Speaker 2 (14:37):
One Greg smith From, Gainesville. FLORIDA i Loved Dan krider
as The steelers. Fullback he was hard nos rank the
best fullbacks For, pittsburgh enlist their.
Speaker 1 (14:48):
Stats, well you, know the best fullback In steelers history
Was Franco ferris because at the, time well right at the,
time that was his, position and at the Time i'm
in THE, NFL i, mean the full back was the main.
Guy uh in terms of carrying the. Ball Franco harris
(15:08):
was a full Back Jim brown was a full, Back
Larry zonka was a full, Back Jim taylor was basically, then,
yes that's what it. Was so talking about The, Steelers
Franco harris would be the greatest. One John Henry johnson
would be. Second both of those guys are in The
hall Of fame because you, know at that, time certainly
(15:31):
in The Chuck noll area era In, pittsburgh The steelers
used a split backfield in the on, offense and the
split backfield Was franco And Rocky. Blyer Rocky blyer was a,
halfback so the way that worked, was, uh, generally the split.
(15:52):
Backfield Like Paul horning And Jim taylor might have been
the greatest example of a split. Backfield both of those
guys carried the ball and both of them were dangerous running,
backs productive, backs but they were used in different. Ways
and you, know one guy was supposed to block for
(16:12):
the other guy depending upon who got the. Ball, now
with The, steelers in particular With blyer And, harris you,
Know franco became, obviously you, know all due respect To Rocky,
blyer obviously the main guy with the ball in his.
Hands So Rocky blier became known as a blocking, back
(16:35):
but he was actually a. Halfback, Okay So Chuck noll
used AS i, mentioned the split backfield through in his
final season with the team was nineteen ninety. One So
Bill kauer was the first, coach really That steelers coach
that used the you, know blocking back running back, concept and,
(17:00):
so in my, opinion the notable blocking backs Once Bill
cower was. Hired Tim, Lester Dan, krider As greg, mentioned
and then Also John. Whitman Tim, lester he was so
good at it, that you, Know Jerome bettis was known
as the bus Tim lester became known as the bus
(17:23):
driver because of the work he. Did you, Know Dan
crider uh and had some memorable collisions With Ray lewis
for years in those in those blood bath. Rivalries, so you,
know just to give some idea of their, stats AND
(17:47):
i use that word very, Generally Tim lester never had
more than eight carries in a season with The. Steelers
Dan crider in his year his, career excuse, me he
had thirty one carries for one hundred and forty four
yards in six seasons with The. Steelers John whitman had
(18:07):
thirty seven carries for one hundred and twenty nine, Yards
so you can see that you're looking for a gadget
play in The steelers. Offense in those, days it was
given the ball to the, Fullback chris excuse, me, yes the, Fullback.
Speaker 2 (18:21):
Yes Christopher gibson From, Manilapa New. Jersey i'm interested in
the backstory On Antoine Randall. All how does it happen
that after four years as a quarterback In indiana The
steelers draft him as a wide receiver in the second
round of the two thousand and TWO nfl. Draft and
he was good other than that brilliant heave In Super bowl?
Forty was there ever any consideration of him playing quarterback
(18:43):
when he was?
Speaker 1 (18:44):
Drafted ANTOINE randallll was an option quarterback At indiana in
The Big ten AND i remember in a game Against
Penn state when he was in. College, afterwards you, Know
Joe paternod him as The hoosiers whole. Offense But Antoine
(19:04):
randall was a smart. Guy he was, savvy and he
knew that if he wanted to play in THE, nfl
he was not going to make it as a. Quarterback
he did not have those drop back kind of. Skills
he didn't have the, size the prototypical pocket. PASSER i,
mean he wasn't any of those. Things so Randal ll
(19:28):
completely embraced the switch to wide. Receiver he played that
position in The Senior bowl on all the. Practices in the,
game he was voted To north TEAM'S mvp after catching
two touchdown passes in the. Game Randal ll went to
the combine worked out with the wide, receivers didn't work
out with the. Quarterbacks so, he AS i, said he
(19:52):
embraced that and because and it really helped, Him i'm
sure in the meetings that he had with. Teams he
also expressed himself as you, know a guy who understood
what his role or future was going to be in
the pros and he was willing to do that without you, know.
Complaint so when he came to The, steelers you know
(20:15):
his niche was a he was a slot receiver on.
Offense they would use him an occasional gadget play obviously
he had the skills for. That and he was a
returner special. Teams he was very good. Returner so five
seasons eighty games with The, Steelers randellll had twenty two
hundred and fifty six receiving yards and four. Touchdowns on
(20:38):
The gadget, plays he was sixteen of eighteen passes, passing
and he scored five more touchdowns on. Returns he returned
four punts for a, touchdown one kick off for a.
Touchdown and, ALSO i don't know. That no disrespect To Hines,
ward BUT i thought randellll was right up there too
(20:58):
and had voted For super FORTY. Mvp how could he not.
Speaker 2 (21:02):
BE i, mean it was really a perfect pass that
a receiver let rip and. Labs the fact that he
was taking him the second round after playing quarterback in,
COLLEGE i mean that just goes to show you that
if he, played he was a first round talent in people's.
Minds as far as a wide receiver was. Concerned you
just can't really take him in the first round because
he hasn't played the position. YET i, mean second round
is so impressive for him to be taken, there and
(21:24):
you mentioned how smart he. Was he's still putting that
big brain to good. Use he Is Ben johnson's assistant
head coach right now In chicago and also coaching up
the wide. Receivers he had coached the wide receivers In
detroit Under Ben johnson, previously So randall l is still
a big part of THE. Nfl Terry brown From, Norwalk.
California The browns And dolphins often playing their white jerseys at.
(21:47):
Home The dolphins usually do it to make opponents where
dark jerseys In miami's. Heat my question, is have The
steelers ever played a preseason or regular or early regular
season game at home in their road white uniforms to
beat the?
Speaker 1 (22:00):
Heat, well you, know back in the, day you, know fifties,
sixties a lot OF nfl teams wore white at home
because that was the way professional sports did. It you.
Know for, example baseball teams were white at, home gray
on the, road basketball, TEAMS nba, teams hockey, teams they
(22:26):
were white at. Home so it didn't really become commonplace
for teams to wear dark jerseys at home until you,
know the seventies, maybe and then from there it was
kind of it became the. Protocol in, fact The steelers wore,
(22:51):
white you, Know Chuck noll was hired in nineteen sixty.
Nine in the first, game the nineteen sixty nine, opener
which was At Pitt, stadium The steelers wore white. Jerseys
they beat The lions sixteen to. Thirteen and that was
their only win in sixty, nine when they finished one in.
Thirteen but Once Three River stadium opened in nineteen, seventy
(23:12):
The steelers have worn black jerseys for all of their home.
Games they've never, gone you, know let's wear white at
home because of the. HEAT i guess in some way
they maybe they thought of it as showing. Weakness maybe
they thought of it as a way of showing the
(23:32):
opponent the heat doesn't bother, us you know. Whatever But
steelers Since Three rivers opened in nineteen seventy have worn
black at. Home and just to throw, in you, Know
terry mentioned The browns and The dolphins often playing white at.
Home dallas as another team that traditionally prefers to wear
(23:54):
white jerseys at. Home i'm NOT i don't know that
The cowboys are doing it because of the. HEAT i
think they, just, YEAH i think they just liked the.
Speaker 2 (24:04):
Look William stokes From, Sanston minnesota has our last question
of the. Day what years did The steelers draft in
the top ten and who did they? Select?
Speaker 1 (24:17):
WELL i, mean you know again means what all? Time you,
know what did The steelers do all? TIME i, mean
The steelers have participated in every. Draft the first draft
IN nfl history was in nineteen thirty, six and there
were only ten teams in the league until After World War.
Two so what years did they draft in the top? Ten,
(24:38):
well probably for the first fifteen years you know of
their existence because there were only ten. Teams SO i
kind Of i'm going to kind of interpret this question
and move it into the modern. Era so let's start
With Chuck knowles hiring in nineteen sixty. Nine The steelers
have drafted in the top ten eight.
Speaker 2 (25:00):
Time it's amazing lives before you get, there since only
eight times in the top.
Speaker 1 (25:04):
Ten, yeah nineteen sixty. Nine it Was Joe green fourth,
overall nineteen seventy first. Overall that quarterback was his? Name
helped me.
Speaker 2 (25:16):
Out T, yeah, yeah, Right, louisiana.
Speaker 1 (25:21):
The ORIGINAL tb. TWELVE i guess you could call him
nineteen seventy, one eighth overall wide, Receiver Frank lewis nineteen eighty,
six ninth overall, Guard John reenstrup nineteen eighty, seven tenth,
Overall Rod woodson the guy who's better Than Dion sanders eighty,
(25:42):
nine seventh. Overall Tim worley two, thousand eighth Overall Plexico
burris and then twenty nineteen tenth overall after a trade
Up Devin.
Speaker 2 (25:54):
Bush, hey you got Three hall Of famers out of
those eight top ten. Picks it's a pretty good, hit.
Right most teams in THE nfl don't even get, one
and they pick in the top ten every single.
Speaker 1 (26:04):
Year, yep, yep that'll do it.
Speaker 2 (26:08):
For us today On asden, answered thanks has always forgiven
us a. Listen, OH i guess we should also Mention
labs to close. Up The steelers did make a signing
at wide. Receiver nice little one year deal thrown To Robert.
Woods nice little depth piece, there.
Speaker 1 (26:22):
Veteran, yeah and again a not a big. Contract so
if he makes the team, Great if he, doesn't you,
know there's not going to be any dead cap hit
or any of that kind of stuff.
Speaker 2 (26:37):
Either, well we'll see if some more free agent news
comes trickling in over the next couple of, Weeks. Quarterback
but until, then we will talk to you next week
with some more. Questions if you have questions that need,
answer to get them To labs now and maybe you'll
hear them on a future edition of Askedon answered
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