Apr 21, 2002 By Jim Wexell For The 6 min read

PITTSBURGH – His arms – if not his entire body – are too short. And he’s not strong enough, if strength is to be measured by the bench press. He also suffered through ankle problems severe enough to require double surgery after his sophomore season. For all of his perceived defects, though, Kendall Simmons was somehow able to keep Julius Peppers off of his quarterback.

And Dwight Freeney.

And Charles Grant.

And Alex Brown.

If any other defensive end was drafted yesterday, Simmons has probably blocked him, too, and blocked him well. For his efforts, the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted the Auburn left tackle in the first round of the NFL draft Saturday and will move him inside to guard.

“That’s fine,” said the 6-feet-2 5/8, 311-pound Simmons. “Wherever they think that they need me inside, I’m willing to do it.”

For the record, the Steelers are saying they’re not sure which guard spot Simmons will play, but common sense dictates he’ll play right guard. Oliver Ross will, in all probability, start the season at the spot, but Ross is a natural tackle while Simmons is a natural right guard in the Larry Allen mode.

“You just don’t see a lot of 6-2 1/2 tackles,” said Steelers line coach Russ Grimm. “It gives you a little bit of an advantage of leverage in the run game and he is a good run blocker. He is a good pass protector, too, but most people projected him moving inside.”

Simmons played guard early in his career at Auburn before sitting out the 1999 season after double-ankle surgery. He returned to start every game his junior and senior seasons at left tackle, and won the Jacobs Award last season as the most outstanding blocker in the SEC. Simmons allowed only two sacks in his career at Auburn – one in his first game and the second in his last regular-season game against Alabama.

He wrapped up his college career in the Peach Bowl, and before facing Peppers and North Carolina, the game’s color analyst, Bill Curry, said that Simmons would whip Peppers like a “tied-up goat.”

Peppers did make six tackles and declared himself the winner of the celebrated match-up, but after reviewing game film it was declared a big win for Simmons.

Simmons then moved on to the combine and Senior Bowl, where he impressed scouts as an inside player.

“He’ll be an early pick,” said one NFL scout at the time. “He’ll be a guard. He’ll remind people of a (Cowboys OG) Larry Allen-type guy – real squared cut, strong, powerful, explosive guy – but kind of a poor man’s Larry Allen.”

Simmons was the first guard picked in the draft.

“He finishes plays,” said Steelers Coach Bill Cowher. “That’s the thing. To me, he’s one of those guys that will finish a block. He’s going until the whistle blows and that’s the thing. Sometimes you see guys who hit you the first time and they knock you down, but sometimes they don’t sustain it. This guy has the demeanor with which he’s playing until the whistle blows. He’s start to finish. What you see is what you get. And he tries to punish the player. He’s got a very aggressive demeanor. I think when you look at how we play the game, that makes him a good fit.”

Simmons will fit into a line that already consists of three first-round picks (Wayne Gandy, Alan Faneca, Jeff Hartings) and a second-round pick (Marvel Smith). If it’s not yet an all-star cast, it’s an expensive one.

“I think we can be as good as the group wants to be. I think they are talented and athletic,” said Grimm. “The chemistry was good last year. Their work habits were good. Hopefully, we’ll be a little bit better this year.”

In the second round, the Steelers drafted another player who will switch positions. Indiana University quarterback Antwaan Randle El is now in line to become a professional wide receiver, specifically a slot receiver to replace the departed Bobby Shaw.

“I can do a lot of different things in that slot, especially with all the motion,” said Randle El, who also joked about fitting into a lineup that includes quarterback Kordell Stewart and another ex-quarterback, Hines Ward.

“It will be the first time people have three quarterbacks in the history of the NFL,” Randle El said. “We’ll get something done, believe me.”

He proved that in college. The 5-9 1/2, 191-pounder is the only player in NCAA Division One history to pass for over 6,000 yards and rush for over 3,000. He’s also the only player to pass for over 40 touchdowns and score 40 touchdowns.

Randle El started the 2001 season at Indiana as a wide receiver, but returned to quarterback after only one game. He remained at the position the rest of the season but was moved back to wide receiver for pro scouts at the East-West Shrine game and then the Senior Bowl, where he turned heads with his skills as a runner, receiver and return man.

“The wheels are spinning already,” offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey said of his plans for Randle El. “Stay tuned.”

The Steelers won’t change the position of their third-round pick. Chris Hope (5-11 5/8, 210) played strong safety at Florida State and will work at the position in Pittsburgh.

“He’s very smart, he’s athletic and he can hit you. He’s very physical,” said Steelers secondary coach Willy Robinson.

Hope was a first-team All-ACC safety last year when he made 76 tackles, broke up nine passes and had three interceptions. He also won a number of academic awards, including Academic All-America honors and a post-graduate scholarship award to continue his studies.

“The scouts have been working on him about two years,” Robinson said. “He was brought to our attention right away because he’s the kind of person we look for in our organization. He’s a fine young man and will be a good fit.”

“I’ve got a big chip on my shoulder,” Hope said after his all day wait. “I can make all the plays (first-rounder) Ed Reed can make. In our defense you didn’t get a chance to stand out because we had so many good athletes at Florida State. I’m coming in there with a lot to prove.”