Steelers believe 'play speed' is all that matters in rookie punt returner Ayers

Steelers believe 'play speed' is all that matters in rookie punt returner Ayers

May 12, 2016
By Ray Fittipaldo / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette



Steelers' seventh-round draft pick Demarcus Ayers is vying to become the team's next punt return specialist.

Steelers special-teams coach Danny Smith is a throwback to another NFL era. When he communicates he prefers — no, demands — a personal connection, a point that is driven home by the fact that he doesn’t use email.

When it comes to scouting, Smith is old-school as well. The meat market that is the NFL scouting combine, where players run through drills in nothing more than spandex, is an exercise Smith would rather do without.

The way Smith sees it, a football player ought to be judged by his on-field performance, and he explained his methodology late last month when discussing the decision to draft University of Houston punt-returner Demarcus Ayers in the seventh round. Ayers isn’t fast, as evidenced by the 4.72 40-yard dash time he ran at the combine, but Smith wasn’t scared off by his timed speed.

“Forty times matter, but maybe they matter too much,” Smith said. “There’s a play speed in this league. This kid plays fast. If I showed you the tape I put together on this kid, you wouldn’t think that that’s a matchup of the time he [runs]. To be honest with you, and I’m a little bit old-fashioned in a lot of ways. I don’t know where/when we started in one of the craziest things in all of football, whether it’s in high school or college or professional football. … We wear about 15 pounds of pads with helmets, shoulder pads and pads and girdles and thighs and knee [pads] and then we time these guys in track shoes and their underwear. I don’t know where we went wrong with that.

“If I had to do it, I’d time them in full pads. I’m just trying to translate. That’s what I mean by play speed. This kid plays faster than his 40 time. Maybe that’s his vision. Maybe that’s quicker decisions. I think if we took a lot of guys at 7/11, they would run fast, but, if the cop is chasing them, they would be a little faster. I think some of our players are like that.”

Publicly, the Steelers are saying they’re not looking to relieve All-Pro receiver Antonio Brown of his punt-return duties. Their actions say something else.

The decision to draft Ayers wasn’t the first time the Steelers moved to replace Brown as punt-returner. When the Steelers signed Jacoby Jones in the middle of last season to replace Dri Archer as kick-returner they also inserted him as the punt-returner.

That was a short-lived experiment after Jones fumbled on kick and punt returns in a game against Indianapolis late in the season. The Steelers went back to Brown, and that worked out fine until he was injured in the AFC wild-card game against Cincinnati. Brown missed the playoff game at Denver the next week with a concussion, and the Steelers had to use Markus Wheaton on punt returns. He muffed a punt and nearly gave the Broncos the ball at the goal line.

Enter Ayers, an accomplished college returner who might be able to land a roster spot in wake of Martavis Bryant’s year-long drug suspension.

“You can never have enough punt-returners,” Smith said. “We are not ready to give this kid the position by no means. He is a seventh-round draft choice, but I think he has an excellent skill level. He will be competitive at the position.”

Ayers, who left Houston with one year of college eligibility remaining, wasn’t drafted until the seventh round because of his size (5-9, 182) and his unspectacular combine numbers. Ayers said he is faster than his posted 4.72 and blamed his poor time on a fractured bone in his hand that limited the amount of training he could do before the combine.

The Steelers have kept one-dimensional return specialists on their roster in recent years, most notably Archer and Jones, neither of whom contributed to the offense. Then again, perhaps that’s the reason they were jettisoned so quickly when their returns didn’t produce the results the Steelers expected.

Ayers would have a better chance to make the roster if he could contribute to the offense. That wasn’t a problem at Houston, where he caught 97 passes for 1,221 yards and six touchdowns last season. He also had 26 rushes for 148 yards and was 2 for 3 with two touchdown passes on gadget plays.

to read rest of article:

http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2016/05/12/Steelers-believe-play-speed-is-all-that-matters-in-rookie-punt-returner-Ayers/stories/201605120023

watching his highlights, this kid's vision is what's the most impressive. the guy is extremely good at reading blocks and reacting. Almost looks like a mini version of leveon bell but with quicker short-area speed and while his top speed isn't the most impressive, he can go from zero to top speed quicker than the guys chasing him. I think he'll be perfect as a punt returner

also i think the kid is more of a 4.5 speed guy. I hear his combine run was slowed down cause he had a broken finger or something, and couldnt push off as well. he definitely plays much faster than his 40 time says.

Hopefully we have a player that can relieve AB of the punt return duty......based on merit.

Losing AB to a freak injury on a return would really suck for us especially with Martavis suspended for the year.

Demarcus Ayers has a chance to do something for the Steelers as a return man

By Anthony Defeo on May 17, 2016



For Demarcus Ayers, perhaps his only shot at making the Steelers' roster next season will be taking the punt return duties off of Antonio Brown's hands.

Here we are again: Another draft has come and gone, and the Steelers have selected a little guy who can do a lot of different things on offense, but could really make a name for himself as a return man on special teams.

Four years ago, it was Chris Rainey, the 5'9", 180 pound running back out of Florida that Pittsburgh nabbed in the fifth round of the 2012 NFL Draft. Rainey was fast in college (4.4 speed) and fairly productive. People were excited about what he would be able to do out of the backfield -- both as a runner and receiver -- and as a return man. Unfortunately for the youngster, he only posted 102 rushing yards on 26 attempts and another 60 receiving yards on 14 catches. As for special teams, Rainey did a decent job returning kicks, averaging 26.4 yards a pop. But on punts? Like most Steelers in recent years not named Antonio Brown, Rainey was a non-factor, totaling 16 yards on just three returns.

Sadly, after an underwhelming rookie year, Rainey was let go shortly after the regular season, following a domestic dispute involving his girlfriend.

Fast-forward two years. The Steelers selected Dri Archer out of Kent State in the third round of the 2014 NFL Draft. At 5'8" and 175 pounds, Archer was even smaller than Rainey. However, with sub-4.3 speed (at least at the Combine), Archer possessed at least one attribute that could make him a difference-maker in the NFL -- as long as he was in open space. Like Rainey, Archer was productive in college and just an all-around weapon. Only problem was, that open space he needed to find himself in, that pretty much never happened. In a little under two seasons, Archer barely showed a pulse on offense, totaling 63 yards. As for the return game (a place he probably needed to excel more than anywhere else), he was pedestrian overall and way less than that returning punts (just one attempt for two yards).

Because of Archer's less than stellar body-of-work in the return game, he was released last November, and Jacoby Jones, a great return specialist at one point during his career, was signed to take his place. Sadly, it was quickly discovered that Jones' good return skills weren't available at the point of his career when the Steelers really needed them, as he recorded just 19 yards on six punt returns after coming to Pittsburgh.

As you might have guessed, after averaging just over three yards per punt, Jones is no longer a Steeler.

With Rainey, Archer and Jones no longer around, I guess it's safe to assume head coach Mike Tomlin won't be living in his fears again next season and will allow Brown, one of his most-prized and valuable offensive charges, to return punts. I have no problem with that. After all, Brown averaged nearly 10 yards a return and scored the team's only touchdown on the season, when he went 71 yards against the Colts on Sunday Night Football--and then proceeded to assault the goalpost.

If Brown doesn't return punts in 2016, who will?

I don't know, maybe a little running back/receiver/return specialist out of Houston that Pittsburgh just selected in the seventh round of the 2016 NFL Draft? That would be Demarcus Ayers who, at 5'11 and 190 pounds, is a little bigger than both Rainey and Archer, but with a 4.7 40 time, is a little slower.

The 1,838 yards from scrimmage Ayers accumulated during his college career are a bit enticing, but who are we kidding? With so many offensive weapons at Todd Haley's disposal (even without Martavis Bryant), how much of an impact could Ayers make in his rookie season--if he even makes the team?

Much like Vince Papale found out in the movie Invincible, Ayers route to an NFL career will have to be on special teams -- and most likely as a returner. With regards to punt returns, Ayers averaged 9.6 yards over his final two seasons in college -- including 10.5 last year.

Will that translate to the NFL? Will Ayers succeed where so many others not named Antonio Brown have failed in recent years?

It remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure: The canvas is clean for Demarcus Ayers.

Sure, Antonio Brown can do it all, and as he found out last year, playing in the NFL is dangerous, no matter if you're returning a punt or going over the middle to catch a high pass. But if some rookie can come along and take at least the punt returns duties off of Brown's hands, he'll surely find himself employed by the Pittsburgh Steelers next year.

http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/pittsburgh-steelers-opinions-reactions-news-updates/2016/5/17/11680832/demarcus-ayers-has-a-chance-to-do-something-for-the-steelers-as-a

I think its going to come down to Eli Rogers vs Ayers for that last WR spot and KR opportunity. To me, Rogers looks to be the better slot WR and has a knack for finding seams, plus I think his quickness is better. Ayers seems a bit bigger and may have better vision in the kick return game. Will be one of the fun preseason competitions to watch.

If both Rogers and Ayers look good, they may keep both.

With Bryant's future in question and Wheaton being a FA after the season, we'll need WR's.

BlackAndGold wrote:

If both Rogers and Ayers look good, they may keep both.

With Bryant's future in question and Wheaton being a FA after the season, we'll need WR's.

Thing is, they are both kind of the same guy. 5-10" or 5-11" guys that are quicker than fast slot receivers. I think they put 1 on the 53 and the other ends up on the PS.

Wheaton gets paid in free agency, they get the compensatory pick and play 2017 with Brown, Bryant, Coates, Rogers and a rookie draft pick or another vet like DHB again.

Jacob Klinger ✔‎@Jacob_Klinger_

Levi Norwood, Eli Rogers & Demarcus Ayers fielded punts today for the #Steelers, Norwood said. Antonio Brown finished up #DWTS last night

25 May 2016

http://www.steelersdepot.com/2016/05/ayers-rogers-get-work-return-line/

Rookie Ayers May be More Than Return Man

The Steelers may have drafted Demarcus Ayers in the seventh round more than to serve as a return man. Maybe he will be able to do that, but he also looked good this spring as a receiver. He’s tough too, someone who can take a hit and bounce right back up and get back to the huddle. He runs precise routes, cuts crisply and catches most everything thrown near him. Of course, this is all without pads but he does not seem to be someone who will be shy going over the middle or taking a hit.

And maybe he should know his way around a secondary – Ayers was sixth in the country last season with 98 receptions in 14 games, for 1,222 yards for Houston. He returned 28 punts for a 10.4-yard average. He would not be the first seventh-round pick to become a success with the Steelers (Kelvin Beachum, Brett Keisel), nor a late-round receiver who made it (a certain All-Pro).

Read more from minicamp here: http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/Steelers-Blog/2016/06/16/Rookie-Ayers-May-be-More-Than-Return-Man/stories/201606160139

changed thought process since drafting archer, eh?

muncher wrote:

changed thought process since drafting archer, eh?

Yup, they now think its better to draft a kick return specialist that wont make the 53 in the 7th round instead of the 3rd. I like the new thinking.

El-Gonzo Jackson wrote:

muncher wrote:

changed thought process since drafting archer, eh?

Yup, they now think its better to draft a kick return specialist that wont make the 53 in the 7th round instead of the 3rd.  I like the new thinking.

they might want to wait and do the UDFA thing next

muncher wrote:

El-Gonzo Jackson wrote:

muncher wrote:

changed thought process since drafting archer, eh?

Yup, they now think its better to draft a kick return specialist that wont make the 53 in the 7th round instead of the 3rd.  I like the new thinking.

they might want to wait and do the UDFA thing next

Eli Rogers is a UDFA that can return kicks and seemed to have a knack for finding space in zones when he played at Louisville. Ayers looked to play in a WR screen offense and while he shows good vision, he didn't appear to have decent acceleration on film. My bet is on Rogers making the 53.

I'll take either one of these guys over gambling on AB continuing to return kicks. We can't afford to have a serious injury to AB when we have guys capable of filling the slot.

Diamond in the rough?