Steelers rookie Hawkins drawing comparisons to Beachum

Steelers rookie Hawkins drawing comparisons to Beachum

Not many players on the Steelers in recent years were held in higher regard by their teammates than Kelvin Beachum.

Not many veteran Steelers are more reluctant than Cameron Heyward to compliment a rookie all that much.

Those facts are what made Heyward's praise of rookie offensive tackle Jerald Hawkins so noteworthy Saturday.

“I think of him almost as a taller Beachum,” said Heyward, who as the Steelers' starting left defensive end has matched up often against Hawkins during training camp. “Just the way he's got long arms. That's not to say you're ‘Beach,' because that's a helluva statement. I'm not saying he's there yet. But he's got tools where he could learn to be like that.”

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I think he was a great pickup in the draft. Not for what he can do this season, but rather consider this year a red shirt year for him and by next year in camp he will be competing for a starting position.

He has the size, feet, arm length and can run block. Give him a year or 2 under Munchak and he can start in the league.

El-Gonzo Jackson wrote:

I think he was a great pickup in the draft.  Not for what he can do this season, but rather consider this year a red shirt year for him and by next year in camp he will be competing for a starting position.

He has the size, feet, arm length and can run block.  Give him a year or 2 under Munchak and he can start in the league.

Unfortunately, the way injuries to the OL have gone in recent years, his redshirt could very easily get pulled.

DesertSteel wrote:

El-Gonzo Jackson wrote:

I think he was a great pickup in the draft.  Not for what he can do this season, but rather consider this year a red shirt year for him and by next year in camp he will be competing for a starting position.

He has the size, feet, arm length and can run block.  Give him a year or 2 under Munchak and he can start in the league.

Unfortunately, the way injuries to the OL have gone in recent years, his redshirt could very easily get pulled.

Maybe, but with AV, Gilbert, Harris and if Hubbard makes it, he can even play OT. Have to be a lot of injuries before he was needed. If Hawkins stayed, he likely would have started at LT at LSU this year and been a top 50 pick IMO.

El-Gonzo Jackson wrote:

DesertSteel wrote:

El-Gonzo Jackson wrote:

I think he was a great pickup in the draft.  Not for what he can do this season, but rather consider this year a red shirt year for him and by next year in camp he will be competing for a starting position.

He has the size, feet, arm length and can run block.  Give him a year or 2 under Munchak and he can start in the league.

Unfortunately, the way injuries to the OL have gone in recent years, his redshirt could very easily get pulled.

Maybe, but with AV, Gilbert, Harris and if Hubbard makes it, he can even play OT.  Have to be a lot of injuries before he was needed.  If Hawkins stayed, he likely would have started at LT at LSU this year and been a top 50 pick IMO.  

Agreed, he was ready to have a great NCAA year. I think he was advised to stay at LSU because his draft position would be that much higher next year. But I'm glad he's a Steelers working under Munchak.

OL seems really strong right now, I'm even hearing a lot of positives from BJ Finney in camp

Fire Arians wrote:

OL seems really strong right now, I'm even hearing a lot of positives from BJ Finney in camp

Finney looked good to me last year in preseason. I guess they thought they could stash him on the PS and it worked out. He is a replacement for Wallace, but not sure they will do it this year or not. He's a big mauler that is strictly a C/G but wont play out in space.