2012 NFL Mock Draft: Steelers Pick Up Offensive Lineman From Midwestern State

You must be good if you’re a second round pick out of little Midwestern State. Silatolu fits in well with the Steelers offense and would be a good pick here.

SB Nation’s Behind The Steel Curtain explains the pick:

After restocking at linebacker with the selection of Dont’a Hightower, it’s time to turn attention back to the Steelers’ most obvious area of need -- along the offensive line. Outside of Maurkice Pouncey, the two-time Pro Bowl center who has already cemented his status as one of the game’s very best, the Steelers could upgrade any and all other positions. None more so than at guard where the team has received average, and at times awful, play for several years now.

Enter Amini Silatolu, the raw but promising guard out of unknown Midwestern State. Despite having played against lesser competition, Silatolu’s upside and potential is easy to identify. The fact that he could potentially develop into a competent right tackle makes him even more intriguing considering the uncertainty of Willie Colon’s ability to stay healthy. I suppose the Steelers might be taking a big gamble on a prospect that has yet to show his mettle against the country’s best athletes, but the need is certainly there and the possibility of him blossoming into something special makes Silatolu worth the gamble in my mind.

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