Steelers notebook
Offensive tackle Starks makes ‘big’ splash as 3rd-round pick PITTSBURGH – He’s the next heavyweight contender for the right tackle job with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He’s Max Starks and he stands 6 feet 7, 359 pounds.
“You need a cab to get around this guy,” said Steelers line coach Russ Grimm.
The Steelers’ third-round pick, out of the University of Florida, Starks may need a cab to reach the field next season. He was timed in the 40 at 5.65 seconds. Scouts generally agree that the former left tackle lacks foot quickness and must play right tackle, or even guard, in the NFL.
The Steelers agree he’ll play right tackle, but disagree on the assessment. “I don’t think his feet are slow by any stretch, not for his size,” said director of operations Kevin Colbert. “Sometimes the mass makes up for it. When you’re going to be that big, you’re not going to be a ballerina.”
Colbert believes a high ankle sprain slowed Starks the last two seasons. He injured the ankle in August, 2002 and re-injured it throughout the rest of his college career.
“He kept playing, which was impressive to us,” Colbert said. “We double-checked it and he’s been playing basketball at the University of Florida.”
The Steelers checked with their fourth wide receiver, Chris Doering, on Starks and Doering gave a thumbs up.
“He played very well in the Senior Bowl,” Colbert said. “It was an indication of what he might be like when he’s 100 percent.”
Good bloodlines
Starks is the son of former Notre Dame standout Ross Browner, but wasn’t told until 1999, when he was 17 years old.
Starks’ mother, Elleanor Starks, called Browner on Valentine’s Day to tell him about his son. Browner played in the NFL for nine seasons and won the Lombardi and Outland trophies while at Notre Dame.
Starks, who weighed 385 pounds as a freshman, wears a size 19 shoe and has a Wonderlic intelligence score of 35. He was a three-year starter at Florida.
Sleeping in
The Steelers traded today’s fourth-round pick to move up six spots in the second round in order to draft Ricardo Colclough. He’ll play outside in the sub packages and possibly return kickoffs.
“We had Ricardo rated high enough that we could justify doing that,” said Colbert. “We’d much rather do that than reach back for somebody not rated as high. That and the fact there was going to be a drop-off to the next level at that position.”
Colclough was recruited by several Division One schools, including Florida State, South Carolina, Texas A&M, Georgia, among others, but poor grades forced him to attend Kilgore (Tex.) Junior College. He transferred to Tusculum and set a school record with 15 interceptions, including 11 last season. He also averaged 14.4 yards per punt return and 28.7 yards per kickoff returns to set school records. He’ll be the first player from Tusculum to play in the NFL.
“I never heard of the place. I did not know where it was,” said Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau. “I say that unashamedly because I don’t know if anybody in the building knew where it was.”
LeBeau was asked for specifics on how Colclough will fit into the lineup.
“As you know, a lot of teams play three and four every snap,” LeBeau said. “So you are going to have three and four corners out there. You need numbers at that position.
“This young man has the athleticism, I think, to come in and maybe not carry the load his first year but certainly contribute in those situations.”