From now until the 2017 NFL Draft takes place, we hope to showcase as many prospects as possible and examine both their strengths and weaknesses. Most of these profiles will feature individuals that the Pittsburgh Steelers are likely to have an interest in, while a few others will be top-ranked players. If there is a player you would like us to analyze, let us know in the comments below.
ArDarius Stewart/ Alabama WR – 5’11” 204 lbs.
The Good:
– Solid hands catcher that rarely uses his body to secure the ball
– Good vision and sense of when defense is going to make contact
– Seems to enjoy contact and would rather plow thru defender than avoid
– Can get off the line under press coverage with good footwork and nice jab
– Willing blocker who can seal opponents and continue holding block until runner has gone by
– Can run screens and jet sweeps that use his wiggle in tight spaces well
– Nice catch radius along with ability to time jumps well to snare pigskin at highest point
The Bad:
– Already 23 years old, will turn 24 in December
– More quick than fast, will not outrun many NFL defensive backs
– Sometimes gets carried away blocking, getting overly aggressive
– Limited route tree, but perhaps more by team design and QB situation
– Has a bad tendency to run east and west, instead of north and south to gain yardage
– 11 drops in the last 2 years and has some issues with contested throws
Bio:
– Consensus 4 star recruit
– Birmingham Player of the Year in high school
– Finished his high school career scoring 138 touchdowns as a QB and S
– Red-shirted his 2013 freshman season
– Finished his college career with 33 games played, 129 receptions for 1713 yards (13.