Mocking The Draft offers a scouting report on Alabama linebacker Dont’a Hightower. Now that Memphis nose tackle Dontari Poe has priced himself out of the vicinity of the Steelers’ No. 24 pick with his ridiculous Combine performance, Hightower’s is the name that comes up most frequently as a possible Steelers selection in NFL mock drafts.
Here’s Mocking The Draft’s conclusion:
Hightower was the leader of the talented Alabama defense the past two seasons. He’s an excellent run defender because of his instincts and strength. He’s one of the surest tacklers in this year’s draft and NFL-ready from a physical standpoint.
It sounds like the Hightower could help the Steelers right away, and with the recent departure of James Farrior, they can certainly use him. He also doesn’t have any obvious red flags that would prevent the Steelers from drafting him. The Steelers can often be unpredictable in the first round, but the idea that Pittsburgh would pick Hightower makes a ton of sense. If he’s not available in the first-round, and someone like Poe or David DeCastro doesn’t miraculously fall to them, I wouldn’t be shocked to see them go off the grid and pick a player they like at a position where they don’t have an obvious need.
For more on the Steelers, check out Behind The Steel Curtain.