Steelers hope Hargrave has nose for football

[stillers4me]

Javon Hargrave passed his first two big tests on the way to the NFL. He showed he could compete with players from bigger schools at the college all-star games, then showed that athletically, he was as good as, if not better than them at the NFL Scouting Combine.

The South Carolina State nose tackle will get his third opportunity to show he belongs in the NFL today, when he takes part in a rookie mini-camp with the Steelers. The rookie camp ends Sunday.


Pittsburgh’s third-round pick in last weekend’s draft can’t wait. He grew up a fan of the Steelers, and is well-versed in what will be required of him to be perhaps the missing piece on what is expected to be a much-improved defense.


“The trophies,” Hargrave said of the first thing that stood out to him about his first trip to the Steelers’ facility for a pre-draft visit last month. “Growing up and seeing the championships, I tried not to show how happy I was to be there, but it was just like, ‘I’m really here?’ It was crazy. I kept telling everybody that Pittsburgh was my best trip, but they all thought it was because that was my favorite team growing up.
“They made you feel welcome and at home, so that was great for me.”


Hargrave (6-1, 309 pounds) will be thrown into the defensive line mix. Though the Steelers are happy to have a player who recorded 37 1/2 sacks at South Carolina State, Hargrave must be ready for some tough love.


Defensive line-assistant head coach John Mitchell is a perfectionist when it comes to defensive line work and he breaks young players down the way a drill sergeant before building them back up.


Mitchell gushes about Hargrave’s potential and what it could mean to Pittsburgh’s defense. Once they hit the practice field, the compliments will vanish until Hargrave consistently does things to Mitchell’s liking.


“I told this kid, I want to be his worst nightmare,” said Mitchell, who has been with the Steelers since 1994. “When he wakes up at night, I want him thinking about Coach Mitchell. When he looks in the mirror, I don’t want him to see himself; I want him to see me. This guy has to be a good football player..........

read more @ http://www.observer-reporter.com/201...LdcbvM.twitter

[GBMelBlount]

Javon Hargrave passed his first two big tests on the way to the NFL. He showed he could compete with players from bigger schools at the college all-star games, then showed that athletically, he was as good as, if not better than them at the NFL Scouting Combine.

The South Carolina State nose tackle will get his third opportunity to show he belongs in the NFL today, when he takes part in a rookie mini-camp with the Steelers. The rookie camp ends Sunday.


Pittsburgh’s third-round pick in last weekend’s draft can’t wait. He grew up a fan of the Steelers, and is well-versed in what will be required of him to be perhaps the missing piece on what is expected to be a much-improved defense.


“The trophies,” Hargrave said of the first thing that stood out to him about his first trip to the Steelers’ facility for a pre-draft visit last month. “Growing up and seeing the championships, I tried not to show how happy I was to be there, but it was just like, ‘I’m really here?’ It was crazy. I kept telling everybody that Pittsburgh was my best trip, but they all thought it was because that was my favorite team growing up.
“They made you feel welcome and at home, so that was great for me.”


Hargrave (6-1, 309 pounds) will be thrown into the defensive line mix. Though the Steelers are happy to have a player who recorded 37 1/2 sacks at South Carolina State, Hargrave must be ready for some tough love.


Defensive line-assistant head coach John Mitchell is a perfectionist when it comes to defensive line work and he breaks young players down the way a drill sergeant before building them back up.


Mitchell gushes about Hargrave’s potential and what it could mean to Pittsburgh’s defense. Once they hit the practice field, the compliments will vanish until Hargrave consistently does things to Mitchell’s liking.


“I told this kid, I want to be his worst nightmare,” said Mitchell, who has been with the Steelers since 1994. “When he wakes up at night, I want him thinking about Coach Mitchell. When he looks in the mirror, I don’t want him to see himself; I want him to see me. This guy has to be a good football player..........

read more @ http://www.observer-reporter.com/201...LdcbvM.twitter

Mitchell is my kinda coach.

I hope he turns Hargrave into the beast that makes this defensive line dominant...

[Shoes]

Mitchell is my kinda coach.

I hope he turns Hargrave into the beast that makes this defensive line dominant...

Agreed!

[Born2Steel]

I'm thinking of the goal line implications. With Heyward, Tuitt, Big Mac, and now Hargraves. You put James and Bud sealing the edges. Damn near makes teams have to pass on the goal line now.

[steelreserve]

I have a lot more faith in Mitchell than some other coaches to develop talented players. We really need a disruptive DT in the worst way, so the only question is whether Hargrave can do in the pros what he did in college, simply because of the big jump in size and strength in the guys he'll be facing.

[Mojouw]

I think we can't forget about McCullers either. While he has not shown much yet, I do remember that Mitchell once said it takes 2-3 years to break a guy down and build him back up again. It has been 2 years...

[Hawkman]

Man, I didn't realize Mitchell had been with the team since 94.

[Psycho Ward 86]

I think we can't forget about McCullers either. While he has not shown much yet, I do remember that Mitchell once said it takes 2-3 years to break a guy down and build him back up again. It has been 2 years...

his game against the ravens 2 years ago in the playoffs had me so excited. hopefully we can see that again

[BlackAndGold]

Man, I didn't realize Mitchell had been with the team since 94.

Gonna suck when he retires. He's a great coach.