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Rashard Mendenhall taking in the whole Steeler thing

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Ok, Steeler fans, weren’t you supposed to take an offensive lineman?

Even RB Willie Parker was surprised the Steelers waited until the fourth-round to draft an offensive lineman.

“Everybody said what I need is an offensive lineman,” said Parker. “That wasn’t my call to pick an offensive lineman. It would have been good to get one, but we didn’t.”

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Isn’t your offensive line a mess?

Most mock drafts in cyberspace assumed the Steelers were focusing on adding an offensive lineman. But a furious run that saw six tackles come flying off the board in the first 21 selections was over by the time it was Pittsburgh’s turn to pick. “There was a panic attack on offensive linemen,” Arians says. “It just worked out that Rashard flew right into our laps.”

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Don’t you have to protect Big Ben Roethlisberger?

And what about a running attack?

That final question got answered on draft day. Offensive Coordinator Bruce Arians had this to say.

“I compare Rashard to Edgerrin James,” Arians says. “Except that Rashard is 10 pounds heavier and a tick faster than Edge was with the Colts.”

Arians served as the Indianapolis Colts’ quarterbacks coach from 1998 to 2002. James joined the team in 1999 as a first-round selection out of Miami.

One of James’ most underappreciated skills with the Colts (and now with the Arizona Cardinals) is his ability to pick up blitzes. One of the most worrisome duties that keep rookie running backs from seeing significant playing time early is pass protection.

That’s where Arians thinks the Steelers’ new Edge-like rusher is the exception to that rookie rule.

“The pass blocking is good with Rashard, and he’s got great hands,” Arians says. “You’re not afraid of letting him cover Ben’s back side in pass protection.”

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NFL Football Hines Ward factoid -

• Hines Ward was scheduled to make his second trip of the year to South Korea, where he was welcomed as a hero following his Super Bowl MVP in 2006. Since then, he’s made the trip twice a year to work on his foundation to aid bi-racial people in that country. Ward was born in South Korea, son of a Korean native mother and black U. S. serviceman father.

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Now if only that offensive line can hold!

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It is a great draft year for running backs. The 2008 NFL draft is loaded with running backs. If your team needs a running back and wants to use one of its first 4 picks, then odds are, your team will get their man.

Thanks to an influx of underclassmen, this year’s NFL draft has excellence and depth at running back. As many as five are projected as first-round prospects, and eight could hear their names called on the draft’s first day, according to ratings by NFLDraftScout.com. The top five are underclassmen, and only two of the top eight completed their college eligibility.

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Let’s take a look at some of the prospects.

1. *Darren McFadden, Arkansas, 6-1, 211, 1st: probably don’t need to say much here. Already enough has been written.

Darren McFadden has the speed to burn

Image details: SEC Football Championship: Florida v Arkansas served by picapp.com

2. *Rashard Mendenhall, Illinois, 5-10, 225, 1st: Mendenhall is moving to the NFL after a very productive junior season in 2007, when his 1,681 yards on the ground set a single-season school record. He was the Big Ten Conference offensive player of the year and ranked eighth in the nation and second in the Big Ten in rushing (129.3 yards a game).

Mendenhall is short, compact and runs with a low center of gravity. He shows a good instinct for knowing when to be patient behind blockers and when to use his explosive running ability. He gained more believers at the combine, where he ran a 4.41 in the 40, benched 225 pounds 26 times and had a 331/2-inch vertical jump.

Although he was featured for only one season in Champaign, Mendenhall was able to show traits beyond running that NFL teams like to see. As a receiver, he has good hands and seems to be able to adjust to poorly thrown balls. His ability as a blocker was evident on many assignments he had in Illinois’ spread-read offense.

For his career, Mendenhall started 14 of his 35 games and carried 388 times for 2,539 yards (6.5-yard average) and 22 touchdowns. That ranks seventh on the school’s career rushing yardage list. He also caught 59 passes for 564 yards and five scores.

(Some say the Lions will pick Mendenhall).

3. *Jonathan Stewart, Oregon, 5-10, 235, 1st: Has it all, but coming back from toe surgery.

4. *Jamaal Charles, Texas, 5-11, 200, 1st-2nd: Fast, but can he play every down?

5. *Felix Jones, Arkansas, 5-10, 207, 1st-2nd: Get this, Felix is the man behind Darren McFadden.

All five are underclassmen and all five may go in the first round.

Gentlemen, start your draft selections.

NFL Football special comment Will this be called the year of the running back?

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Rashard Mendenhall does the happy dance after Rivals ranks him number 2 after Darren McFadden

Rivals.com lists the running backs. Go there and learn about each one.

1. Darren McFadden, 6-1, 217, Arkansas
Arkansas’s best.

2. Rashard Mendenhall, 5-11, 225, Illinois
Only a junior. Dominated Big 10.

3. Jonathan Stewart, 5-10, 230, Oregon

4. Felix Jones, 5-11, 200, Arkansas

5. Chris Johnson, 5-11, 195, East Carolina
Fastest player at the NFL combines.

6. Kevin Smith, 6-0, 210, Central Florida

7. Jamaal Charles, 6-0, 200, Texas

8. Matt Forte, 6-1, 220, Tulane

9. Steve Slaton, 5-9, 195, West Virginia

10. Ray Rice, 5-9, 200, Rutgers

You know your team should take an offensive lineman first, but these guys are hard to pass up.

NFL Football Fan Question Will your team draft an offensive lineman?

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