Alameda

Ta'amu

Gilreath had a cup of coffee with the Steelers earlier in the year, playing in three games and catching one pass for seven yards. Ta’amu was a fourth-round pick out of Washington in this past year’s draft, but he later got arrested for allegedly driving while intoxicated and was waived in October. Both players will fight for roster spots this upcoming offseason.

The Steelers add another huge body in Ta’amu, who plays like a penetrator in a nose tackle’s body. He lacks exceptional strength for such a massive frame and struggles to anchor versus a double team, but Ta’amu excels when fighting upfield to disrupt the backfield. He is an interesting project for the Steelers and should be in the rotation as a rookie.

Hampton tore his left ACL the playoff loss in Denver and his status for the 2012 season is unknown. Steelers coaches compare the two players, but Ta’amu is actually bigger and wider. Steve McLendon will also be in the mix for reps.

As explained previously, Ta’amu fell due to medical worries about his knees and shoulders. He was still a value pick at No. 109. Per Lande, Ta’amu is “extremely long and powerful.” At 6-foot-3 and 348 pounds, Ta’amu certainly has size for the position. He’ll be a legitimate candidate to start as a rookie.

With incumbent NT Casey Hampton recovering from his third knee surgery, Ta’amu is already being talked up as a possible Week 1 starter. Sporting News’ Russ Lande recently called Ta’amu the best nose tackle in this year’s draft. He’ll see competition from Steve McLendon, but expect Ta’amu to emerge.

For comparison, Ta’amu was listed at 337 during his time at Washington and weighed 341 pounds at the Senior Bowl. Despite his massive size the nose tackle plays like a penetrator, possessing a quick burst off the snap. Ta’amu could be adding size in the hopes of improving his anchor versus the run when facing double teams, one of his weaker areas. The Bengals sent their defensive line coach to personally work out Ta’amu during his Pro Day drills.

“He’s a big, strong nose tackle who’s had a very productive career,” said Lande. “We’ve always viewed him as a sort of mid first-rounder to high second-rounder. But when he went down to Mobile he displayed more athleticism than most NFL teams thought he had.” Lande believes “the best nose tackle is going to go in the top ten,” and it will either be Ta’amu or Memphis’ Dontari Poe. At 6-foot-2 1/2 and 341, Ta’amu is an athletic behemoth on the interior.

Hampton will be 35 next month and is in the final year of his contract. His knee is also no lock to be ready for Week 1. The Steelers have protected themselves at the nose tackle spot by developing Steve McLendon and drafting Alameda Ta’amu.

Steve McLendon has played well enough that he’s emerged as the favorite to succeed aging Casey Hampton in the long run. Ta’amu figures to be a game-day inactive in 2012 so long as both Hampton and McLendon are healthy.

Hampton will have to be healthy for that to be the case, as GM Kevin Colbert recently opined he was likely to begin the year on the PUP list. Six games could be all the opening Ta’amu needs to run with the starting job. For what it’s worth, Hampton expects to be ready for camp.