Steelers fill needs with Gilbert, Brown in NFL draft's second day
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Marcus Gilbert, 76, of the Florida Gators celebrates with teammate Frankie Hammond, 85, after scoring a touchdown aganst the Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium on September 18, 2010 in Knoxville. -
Curtis Brown of the Texas Longhorns prepares for a game against the UCF Knights on November 7, 2009 in Austin.
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The Steelers never came close to drafting the twin brother of center Maurkice Pouncey in the first round, so they did the next best thing by drafting one of his best friends in the second round -- and they got their cornerback from Texas on the third.
Addressing two desperate needs on the second day of the draft, the Steelers took tackle Marcus Gilbert of Florida in the second round and cornerback Curtis Brown of Texas in the third.
Gilbert, a strapping offensive tackle and former Pouncey twins linemate, is a 6-foot-6, 330-pound blocker who started the past two years for the Gators, 27 times at right and left tackle and three times at guard.
"He's a high energy player, he's athletic, he plays the game physical the way we like here, and we feel like he can play different positions for us," said Steelers offensive line coach Sean Kugler. "It's also an added bonus that he and Maurkice are best buds. There is chemistry there, and that chemistry is a big thing in the offensive line room."
Brown became their third-round pick after many predraft opinions pegged Longhorns cornerback Aaron Williams to go to the Steelers in the first round.
Surprisingly, new Steelers secondary coach Carnell Lake said Brown was the more polished of the three Texas cornerback prospects in this draft.
"Probably the best cover corner coming out" of Texas, Lake said. "Aaron Williams was the first [Texas] corner taken. Aaron's bigger, but we thought he was more of a safety.
"We thought Curtis definitely is a cover corner who can play the nickel as well as the outside."
The Steelers added another cornerback to an undistinguished list that, at the moment, does not include their best, Ike Taylor, an unrestricted free agent who remains in limbo during the league work strife.
"If we can somehow find a way to get Ike back and get Curtis involved, it would only strengthen an already strong secondary," Lake said.
The Steelers have uncertainty at offensive tackle as well as cornerback. Two are coming off surgeries, another Florida product in Max Starks (neck) and Willie Colon (Achilles).
First Published April 30, 2011 12:00 am
