Rookie LB Ryan Shazier Adds New Element to Aging Pittsburgh Steelers Defense

August 17, 2014   ·   Andrea Hangst   ·   Jump to comments

It wasn't long after the Pittsburgh Steelers selected inside linebacker Ryan Shazier with the 15th overall pick of the 2014 NFL draft that the "S-word" was being thrown around: Starter.
Partly because of need and partly because of Shazier's talent, much was immediately expected of him. This was true, despite the Steelers having a long history of rookie defenders sitting out their first season in order to learn coordinator Dick LeBeau's complicated scheme.
However, based on the first look at Shazier in a live game, it appears that he's better prepared than Steelers defensive rookies who preceded him and on a fast track to start alongside Lawrence Timmons. He's already listed as a starter on Pittsburgh's depth chart.
To be a successful inside linebacker in LeBeau's system, multidimensionality is a must. It's not just about occupying offensive linemen up the middle—it's about pressuring quarterbacks and blitzing from the interior, stopping the run and working in cover...

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