Will Lawrence Timmons live up to the tradition of recent Steelers' LBs like Joey Porter and Jason Gildon?

1/15 Lawrence Timmons, OLB, Florida State
With Joey Porter packing his bags for South Beach, the Steelers needed to find the future of their pass-attack.  In 2006, Timmons tallied 79 tackles and five sacks for the Seminoles.  He’ll be asked to rush the passer in 3-4 sets, and if the Steelers move to a 4-3 as rumored, Timmons has the ability to play the weak-side backer – giving him some decent fantasy value.  James Harrison is currently ahead of Timmons on the depth-chart, but once the rookie is 100%, I’d expect this gap to close quickly.   

2/46 LaMarr Woodley, DE, Michigan
A defensive end in college, Woodley has been asked to transition to a linebacker.  As several media outlets are reporting, this transition is going very well for the former Wolverine whom recorded 12 sacks in 2006.  Clark Hagans is expected to start ahead of Woodley at the outside backer, but he’s having a very solid camp and may earn several snaps a game as the season draws near.  Hagans is in a contract year, so look for Woodley to earn full-time love come 2008-09.   

3/77 Matt Spaeth, TE, Minnesota
Heath Miller fans need not worry as Spaeth will be used primarily as a blocker.  His 6’7” frame will be difficult for opposing defensive ends and linebackers to get past as he’ll likely be leading the way for Fast Willie Parker.   

4/112 Daniel Sepulveda, P, Baylor
A second-team All-American in 2005, Sepulveda is coming off of a season that began with surgery to repair a torn ACL.  Obviously, no value for the fantasy owner, but this kid has the potential to be in Pittsburgh for quite some time. 

4/132 Ryan McBean, DT, Oklahoma State
McBean’s position on the team will depend on what format the Steelers run on defense.  Regardless, he’ll be a reserve and should only see snaps on occasion. 

5/156 Cameron Stephenson, OG, Rutgers
Stephenson is considered by scouts to be an across-the-board project.  He provides solid size at 6’4”, 306 lbs. but will need to add some more strength to succeed at the next level. 

5/170 William Gay, CB, Louisville
A fifth-round pick out of Louisville, and already the worst-selling jersey in Steelers history.  And while that’s a total assumption, what isn’t is fact that Gay is currently fifth on the cornerback depth chart and will likely struggle to see a single snap all season.  Needless to say, he won’t be drafted in any IDP formats this season. 

7/227 Dallas Baker, WR, Florida
Baker doesn’t provide a lot of quickness, but at 6’3”, he could emerge as a decent red-zone option for the Steelers as most DBs will struggle to jump over the former Gator.  The fact that he’s taller than current red zone favorite Nate Washington already gives Baker a check in the “pro” column.  Couple that with the 10 TDs he scored last season and Baker has a decent chance to catch a few balls in the ‘zone this season.

AFC NORTH ROOKIES TO WATCH IN 2007:

• Antawn Barnes, OLB, Baltimore Ravens
• Leon Hall, CB, Cincinnati Bengals
• Kenny Irons, RB, Cincinnati Bengals
• Brady Quinn, QB, Cleveland Browns
• Eric Wright, CB, Cleveland Browns
• Lawrence Timmons, OLB, Pittsburgh Steelers
• LaMarr Woodley, OLB, Pittsburgh Steelers
• Dallas Baker, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers