A Closer Look at the Steelers New Recruits - Part IV – Alameda Ta'amu (Xtreme Commentary)

A Closer Look at the Steelers New Recruits
Part IV - Alameda Ta'amu

By John Race
SteelersXtreme.com

For the past 11 seasons, Steelers fans have had little concern with opponents trying to run up the middle of their beloved defense. That's because Casey Hampton and his trusty backup, Chris Hoke, dominated the center of the line of scrimmage during those years. Double teams by the offensive line were required to handle the Steelers' nose tackles, which ensured at least one middle linebacker roamed free every play. Hampton, soon to be 35 years old, will attempt to return by the start of the upcoming season after undergoing another knee surgery. Hoke, who could have been a starter on practically any other team, retired this off-season after neck surgery. If this doesn't leave you feeling uneasy, then you failed to appreciate the monumental job those two players performed for the Steelers.

So how do the Steelers maintain domination in the middle of a top-rated defense? Drafting a mountain-of-a-man nose tackle in the fourth round is one key step. The Steelers traded up in the fourth round with the Redskins to draft Alameda Ta'amu from the University of Washington. He stands 6-foot-3-inches tall and is listed at 348 pounds. I stress the word listed because, like Hampton, his weight should be measured more in a range than an exact number … like 350 pounds to 375 pounds.

Ta'amu built a reputation in the PAC 12 as a guy who cloggs the middle of the field and almost always requires double teams to clear him out. He does an excellent job of moving offensive linemen backwards, thus disrupting plays. He usually accomplishes this by getting a big initial push that, combined with his weight, provides a tremendous amount of momentum. It all starts with a strong first step that helps give him an advantage when making contact or hitting a gap. His bullrush is good enough to drive almost any opponent backwards, and on occasion he can get a double team to give ground. When a nose tackle is able to move the line of scrimmage back, it hampers the ability of the offense to run in the middle.

Ta'amu also uses this same bullrush to collapse the pocket on passing plays. His push can be so strong that the opposing offenses often employed double teams on passing plays just to keep Ta'amu from collapsing the pocket in short order. In an attempt to beat the double team on obvious passing downs, he uses his quick first step to shoot the gap and chase the quarterback. Okay, he really is too big to "shoot" any gap and not fast enough to catch many by surprise. But he uses his large body to wedge between offensive linemen and continue his momentum into the backfield.

This big native of Samoa has tremendous upper body strength. Once he engages an opponent, he has the ability to use his weight as leverage and shove his man backwards or to the side with his powerful arms. However, he doesn't utilize his arms and hands as much as he should and instead relies on ramming his big body into the offensive linemen. It's a move he had a great deal of success with in college, but he will not be able to count on a pure power move on every play in the NFL. Today's offensive linemen in the NFL get a healthy dose of huge, powerful nose tackles on a consistent basis. Just think of those men who have to block the likes of Casey Hampton, Vince Wilfolk, and B.J. Ravi on a weekly basis. The attack that required a double team in college usually will require just a single lineman to counter in the pros.

One area Ta'amu will have to work on is his lower body strength. It took a while to notice this since one doesn't expect a man who excels in bullrushing to be lacking in lower body strength. Don't get me wrong, it takes a certain amount of leg-power to move a man of his size, so it's not like he has weak legs by any means. However, there were games in which he faced a strong offensive lineman (eg: David DeCastro) who would meet his initial push and bring the big man to a standstill or even begin to move him out of position. In these cases, Ta'amu didn't have the leg strength to drive the linemen backwards.

Basically, the Steelers look for their nose tackles to occupy as many blockers as possible. Ta'amu has the size and the style of play to fit this defense. With some effort on his part to better his technique and leg strength, the responsibility for carrying the Steelers' long tradition of stuffing the middle of the field could rest comfortably across his massive shoulders.

Another fantastic write-up, Captain.
I didn't know much about Ta'amu coming in to the draft. But I like everything I've heard since. A lot of mock drafts had us taking Poe, but I'm glad we got Ta'amu instead. He has a lot of upside. And with the emergence of McLendon, there's no need to rush him. You say that leg strength is an area of weakness. I'm sure they'll work on that.

Helluva write up there KR.

Keep them coming!

Is it just me or does Ta'amu seem to have a better motor than Hampton? He seems awfully quick for someone his size.

Another homerun, Capt. Kirk! Every write-up you do just gets me jacked about yet another new rookie. I agree with Wally that I'm glad we got Ta'amu instead of Poe. Poe had a lot of question marks for a guy who was drafted as high as he was. Ta'amu could have the potential to be better than Poe and a much greater value pick for us.

This draft couldn't have played out any better for us than it did unless Hightower had fallen to the 2nd or 3rd round. We not only seem to have reloaded, but also acquired a surplus of great value talent in this one. The rest of the league had best be on notice!

Wallace108 wrote:

Is it just me or does Ta'amu seem to have a better motor than Hampton? He seems awfully quick for someone his size.

Looks like it to me..... except for that time Snack fell down and was rolling after Indiana Jones In "Raiders of the Lost Ark".

Wallace108 wrote:

Is it just me or does Ta'amu seem to have a better motor than Hampton? He seems awfully quick for someone his size.

Well Big Snack has had his share of knee problems. Something that happens when you work in the trenches as long as he has ... and something that happens when you play the Ravens who like to practice the chop block. Hampton used to be very quick and agile for a big guy ... that was one of the reasons he was a first rounder. Ta'amu does have decent speed for his size, but I wouldn't put him in Hampton's category when he was in his prime.

All things considered, the Steelers got another steal in the draft. No way this guy should have been on the board in the 4th round and it was a no-brainer for the Steelers to move up and take him. I think a lot of teams saw this "drop off in production" from his junior to senior season and thought he went backwards. However, more opponents used constant double teams on him his last season.

One last note on this article ... showing my age as I called it the "PAC 10". I believe it's now the PAC 12.

kirklandrules wrote:

One last note on this article ... showing my age as I called it the "PAC 10". I believe it's now the PAC 12.

Fixed it for ya, old timer.

Another great article! Great job cap'n!

this guy is good!!!!! i need to buy Capt. Kirk a 30 pack of busch light

fer69 wrote:

this guy is good!!!!! i need to buy Capt. Kirk a 30 pack of busch light

GEESH! What did he ever do to you? Next you'll be having Truck cook him a steak dinner!

Buddha Bus wrote:

fer69 wrote:

this guy is good!!!!! i need to buy Capt. Kirk a 30 pack of busch light

GEESH! What did he ever do to you? Next you'll be having Truck cook him a steak dinner!

I have been known to work for booze and food!

another solid write up cap'n kirk

i think he is going to be a great nose guard. heres to another decade of superior nose guard play

kirklandrules wrote:

Buddha Bus wrote:

fer69 wrote:

this guy is good!!!!! i need to buy Capt. Kirk a 30 pack of busch light

GEESH! What did he ever do to you? Next you'll be having Truck cook him a steak dinner!

I have been known to work for booze and food!

what these guys are offering hardly passes for booze and food

Wallace108 wrote:

He has a lot of upside. And with the emergence of McLendon, there's no need to rush him.

Right on Wallace. McLendon seemed to fill in well last year and this could be a big year for him to prove himself a stud.

kirklandrules wrote:

Wallace108 wrote:

He has a lot of upside. And with the emergence of McLendon, there's no need to rush him.

Right on Wallace. McLendon seemed to fill in well last year and this could be a big year for him to prove himself a stud.

My ability to determine talent on the defensive line is about as bad as my ability to determine talent on the offensive line. So I have to rely on what others say. So far, I've read a lot of good things about McLendon during the past few months. Hopefully he can hold the line (pun intended) until the rookie is ready. If Big Snack can come back and reclaim the position from McLendon, all the better. It's a win-win situation. And it's good to know we have Ta'amu waiting and preparing in the wings.

KR, I hope you keep up with these. I'm really interested in reading your take on Toney Clemons. Of all the lower-round picks, he's the one I'm most excited about.

Wallace108 wrote:

KR, I hope you keep up with these. I'm really interested in reading your take on Toney Clemons. Of all the lower-round picks, he's the one I'm most excited about.

I also can't wait for an article on Chris Rainey from the Cap'n. I've become more and more intrigued by this this pick since the draft and have been hearing a lot of good things about him.

Keep rolling, KR! You're doing a helluva job!

Wallace108 wrote:

Is it just me or does Ta'amu seem to have a better motor than Hampton? He seems awfully quick for someone his size.

First let me say as always great stuff KR. You're not alone Wally. I think he fits us better than Poe would. I know it's to early to tell but I think it will show early and often. This young man is going to be special.