Holliman willing to do whatever it takes to make the team

[stillers4me]

Gerod Holliman (http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/players/254631/gerod-holliman) has heard it all before, and he acknowledged that tackling isn't among his top skills.

But the speedy safety from Louisville, who the Pittsburgh selected in the seventh round during the NFL Draft (http://www.sbnation.com/nfl-draft) last week, displayed enough talent and productivity to receive the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation's top leading defensive back. Holliman also was an All-American selection by the college football writers and Walter Camp Foundation.


"I don't pay attention to what anyone says,'' Holliman said Friday after the first rookie mini-camp practice. "I know that I'm a great player, and I just take the criticism from my coaches and use it to make myself a better player.........

read more @ http://trove.com/a/Steelers-7th-round-pick-Gerod-Holliman-willing-to-do-whatever-it-takes-to-make-the-team.H6NRI?utm_campaign=hosted&utm_medium=twitter&utm_source=sns

[GBMelBlount]

This guy is very interesting.

Worst in the country in tackling yet lead the country with 14 interceptions.

4.65 is also a REALLY slow 40. He must be incredibly quick and instinctive.

Would love to see him learn how to tackle and turn into a serviceable starter.

[JayC]

i like how this article has 5'10, nfl.com says 6'0, and wikipedia has 6'2. which is it?

[hawaiiansteeler]

HOLLIMAN WON'T LET DRAFT SLIDE DEFINE HIM

Jim Wexell
Publisher SteelCityInsider.net
May 09, 2015

http://imgix.scout.com/144/1440974.jpg?w=600&h=360&fit=max

Steelers' rookie seventh-rounder continued his ballhawking ways at first practice, and admitted that old shoulder injury at root of tackling woes.

PITTSBURGH -- Gerod Holliman had never heard of Mike Wagner or Darren Perry. He had heard of Ryan Clark.

Those are former free safeties for the Pittsburgh Steelers. They were outstanding players who started for great Super Bowl teams. And they came into the league with little pedigree:

* Wagner was drafted in the 11th round in 1971.

* Perry was drafted in the eighth round in 1992.

* Clark entered the league in 2002 as a free agent.

So already Holliman has those three beat. Last week he was drafted by the Steelers in the seventh round.

"That's something to really think about right there," said Holliman, who after his first practice with the Steelers had been answering one question after another about his crashed draft stock.

At one point in the draft season, experts were slotting Holliman to the Steelers as a first-rounder. His nation-high 14 interceptions -- experts such as Daniel Jeremiah surmised -- had made Holliman an elite ballhawk.

But the 5-11 3/4, 218-pound free safety with the 4.62 40 time fell all the way to the 239th pick, 17 from the bottom.

"God has a plan for me," Holliman said Friday. "It's better I went this way. I get to come in with a chip on my shoulder."

Well, it's the shoulder that just might be the cause of all of this.

Holliman tore the labrum in his left shoulder before entering Louisville, and then re-injured it his first season. Holliman admitted it caused problems with his tackling.

to read rest of article:

http://pit.scout.com/story/1545180-holliman-won-t-let-draft-slide-define-him?s=68

[ALLD]

The kid is from Miami, and Florida is the new base from where NFL players are born. The Pittsburgh to Florida circuit runs deep in my family. Growing up I played baseball and football with a kid like Holliman. We played on different baseball teams in the same league, but were each MVPs as 3rd and 1st basemen respectively. We used those baseball instincts on the football field too, but he was simply faster and shiftier than I was. I played OL and TE while his running skills got him the ball most of the time.

I can tell you Holliman will be a starter as long as he remains healthy. The other knocks on his play are noise. Don't forget the last Super Bowl MVP on the Steelers was also from Florida.

[86WARD]

Maybe I'm forgetful, but I don't recall this many "positive" rookie articles about a single rookie class like we've seen this year.

[Steeldude]

This guy is very interesting.

Worst in the country in tackling yet lead the country with 14 interceptions.

4.65 is also a REALLY slow 40. He must be incredibly quick and instinctive.

Would love to see him learn how to tackle and turn into a serviceable starter.

I get the feeling he is more about trying to get INTs at all costs than playing a well-rounded game.

[fansince'76]

I get the feeling he is more about trying to get INTs at all costs than playing a well-rounded game.

Well, he was a 7th rounder...

[Steeldude]

Well, he was a 7th rounder...

Not knocking the pick at all. I think it is a good pick.

[hawaiiansteeler]

New Steelers safety Gerod Holliman a polarizing player

May 10, 2015
By Ray Fittipaldo / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

After a record number of underclassmen declared for the 2014 draft the NFL set out to educate players about the dangers of coming out early. Last year, 38 of the 102 underclassmen (37 percent) who left college with remaining eligibility went undrafted. This year, 24 of the 84 underclassmen (29 percent) went undrafted.

That is a small improvement, but there are players every year such as former Louisville safety Gerod Holliman, who overestimate their draft stock and wait longer than expected to hear their name called.

Holliman, who left Louisville with two years of eligibility remaining, was drafted by the Steelers in the seventh round, the 239th of 256 players selected.

“I was a little surprised I didn’t get drafted earlier, but that’s not something I had any control over,” Holliman said Friday after his first rookie minicamp practice with the Steelers. “God has a plan for me. I ended up being in the right place, so I’m happy.”

There might not have been a more polarizing player in the NFL draft than Holliman...

to read rest of article:

http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2015/05/10/New-Steelers-safety-Gerod-Holliman-a-polarizing-player/stories/201505090044

[hawaiiansteeler]

Rookie safety Gerod Holliman the 'ball hawk' the Steelers' secondary needs

By Jeff.Hartman on May 23, 2015

https://cdn1.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/aoua2QVTTFrYVZwdy7byXU3Ha1w=/7x0:3084x2051/500x333/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/46383250/GettyImages-459721120.0.jpg

Rookie safety Gerod Holliman out of Louisville has certainly been criticized for his tackling, but he could be the 'ball hawk' the Steelers need on the back end of their secondary.

When the Pittsburgh Steelers selected Gerod Holliman out of Louisville with their 7th round draft choice in the 2015 NFL Draft, they knew what they were getting. A ball hawk in the back end with 14 interceptions in 2014, but a player who isn't known for his physicality and tackling skills.

Some think his lack of tackling could keep him off the field (possibly off the team), but could the Steelers use his ball skills in the back end to help move the turnover ratio in their favor? The answer to that question is a resounding yes. Will Holliman be an impact player as a rookie, probably not, but could he be a safety the team could develop into an Ed Reed type player? I believe it isn't without reason.

to read rest of article:

http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/pittsburgh-steelers-nfl-features-news-blog-long-form/2015/5/23/8648237/rookie-safety-gerod-holliman-the-ball-hawk-the-steelers-secondary

[st33lersguy]

If this guy can learn to tackle and keep up with the INTs he will be a steal.

[Count Steeler]

If this guy can learn to tackle and keep up with the INTs he will be a steal.

Tackling wasn't exactly our strong suit last couple of years. Our INTs haven't done well either, so at least he adds some positive ball hawk skills. If Lake can coach him up, Bonus.

[Chidi29]

Giving good, consistent effort would be a great start for him.

[hawaiiansteeler]

Alex Kozora ‏@Alex_Kozora -

NEW: Steelers sign 7th Round pick Gerod Holliman. #Steelers

http://www.steelersdepot.com/2015/05/steelers-sign-7th-round-draft-pick-s-gerod-holliman/ …

[hawaiiansteeler]

James C Wexell ‏@jimwexell -

Gerod Holliman ended #Steelers minicamp picking off Ben in endzone. Rookie FS w 1st, last picks of spring.

https://twitter.com/jimwexell