The Steelers didn’t really need LenDale White

By Darrell Laurant  |   Wednesday, May 24, 2006  |  Comments( 5 )

Pittsburgh Steelers
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Throughout the weeks leading up to the NFL draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers were primarily linked with two players -- Southern Cal TB LenDale White and Ohio State C Nick Mangold. They wound up drafting neither, instead trading up in the first round to snag Ohio State WR Santonio Holmes.

But what about the empty parking space left by The Bus? For years, Jerome Bettis was a fearsome battering ram in the red zone for Bill Cowher's team, an industrial-strength force for moving piles of defenders. Now, he's retired to the broadcast booth.

No problem. Let Willie Parker handle the pretty boy stuff, the outside work that yanks the crowd to its feet. Let Verron Haynes back him up. The Steelers still have two big backs to step in where Bettis left off.

One of them, of course, is Duce Staley, who missed most of last season after knee surgery in August. Acquired as a free agent from Philadelphia prior to the 2004 season, the University of South Carolina product rushed for 707 yards in his first seven games as a Steeler before suffering a hamstring injury. Late in that season, he returned only to have a tear in the lateral meniscus of his right knee.

At the moment, though, Staley seems to be relatively healthy and ready to use his 5-11, 242-pound frame for serious leverage.

"The knee feels better, a lot better," he said during mini-camp.

Should that be overly optimistic, however, the Steelers still have another option -- seventh-round draft pick Cedric Humes, who just might be this year's Willie Parker.

Listed at 6-0, 233, Humes ran a 4.52 at Virginia Tech's pro day and has been timed as quick as 4.42 on the school's indoor rubber track. The team's draft report noted: "Humes ... is built along the lines of a fullback, but has outstanding timed speed for a player his size."

A mini-bus, perhaps. In fact, eight of Humes' 11 touchdowns for Virginia Tech last season came near the goal line.

Humes' problem at Virginia Tech was the same as Staley's in Pittsburgh -- injuries. He broke a bone in his right leg as a Tech junior, then lost a few games as a senior with a broken bone in his left arm. Both injuries were freakish, however, and tagged Humes more as being unlucky than fragile.

There are reasons why the Pittsburgh Steelers are perennial Super Bowl contenders, and astute scouting of the college talent pool is one of them. They did think seriously about White, said director of football operations Kevin Colbert, but felt the need at wide receiver was more acute. Then they picked up a poor man's White -- Cedric Humes -- very late in the draft.

"I always thought the Steelers would be a good fit for me," said Humes. "I definitely believe I can be the short yardage guy."

Duce Staley would undoubtedly disagree. It's a nice problem to have.
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