PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – The question asked in the Steelers pre-draft news conference-would the Steelers be willing to move up in the draft? They did, a fourth round pick next year to move into the fifth round to take a defensive lineman.
“I come from the south and they say defensive linemen are just like pretty women,” said Steelers defensive line coach Karl Dunbar. “There's not a lot of them and everybody wants them. When you find a big guy like that and you want to get him on your team. I think that’s the thing you do.”
“Mike T and Kevin Colbert did a great job of getting us some talent."
We assume he’s still talking about a football player. Wisconsin’s Isaiah Loudermilk is 6’7” and Dunbar said he’s a kid who can play wherever.
“Isaiah is a defensive lineman, he will play everything from a 5-technique to a 0 nose,” Dunbar said. “I think he fits the mold for what we want to do in Pittsburgh. He’s a big strapping young man. I know he lost some weight for his pro day. To get a kid with kind of size and this kind of height in the fifth round. I think it’s a really good get for the Steelers.”
“We’ve talked about me being back up to 280-290 pounds,” Loudermilk said. “Wherever they feel like they want me when I get there. I’m comfortable playing any position. I feel like that’s what helped me at Wisconsin. I was able to move along the line-inside, outside, 5-technique. I’m assuming D-line, but I will be ready for anything.”
Loudermilk says he’s been working to improve his pass rush, credited with 7.5 sacks in 40 games with the Badgers. He said he had a great talk with Mike Tomlin a few weeks ago and knew the team was interested.
The Kansas native, who played middle linebacker in high school because their league was 8-on-8 football, is aware of the Steelers defensive tradition. He also knows of the accomplishments of Cam Heyward and Stephon Tuitt.
“I’m super-excited to play with those guys,” Loudermilk said. “I will be able to come in and really be a sponge. I will be able to learn an amazing amount. Cam Heyward is someone I’ve been watching for a while. An incredible D-lineman and someone who I’m super-excited to learn from.”
The only thing he won’t be able to get from Heyward is his number, Loudermilk also wore 97 in college.
Steelers gave up a fairly high pick to get him. With an aging defensive line, they are banking on Loudermilk to be a part of the future.