Cody Potanko | May 15th, 2019
In the next edition of the Steelers’ draft picks we look at Ulysees Gilbert III, an exciting prospect that has the potential to crack the starting rotation in as early as 2-3 years. This 6″1 225 pound linebacker out of Akron could be another great addition at the very least on special teams. If the Steelers can tap into his full potential, there is no stopping this young man.
Gilbert is a tackling machine. In his four years with the Zips, Gilbert accrued a total of 357 tackles (184 solo, 173 assisted.) To complement his tackling ability, Gilbert is proficient at forcing turnovers with a total of six (3 INTs 3 forced fumbles.) Something the Steelers lacked in last year was forcing turnovers with only 15 and a -11 differential. Gilbert may be a breath of fresh air the Steelers need.
Another area Gilbert excels in is his pure athleticism and his initial burst of speed to get downhill quickly. With his quickness, I would love to see him cover running backs and tight ends, another area the Steelers desperately need to address. If he can improve on his play reading and flip the switch a little earlier, this could spell problems for the opposing team.
When you take a look at all of Gilbert’s initial qualities, you see a young man with a multitude of energy and drive to excel at what he does. On the field, you will never question his heart and motor as this guy should be called the Energizer Bunny once he is engaged and focused. Overall, I love this sixth-round pick. There is a lot of upside and very minimal risk involved. It was an excellent pick by GM Kevin Colbert.
Questions and comments?
thescorecrowsports@gmail.com
Follow Us on Twitter @thescorecrow
Follow Us on Reddit at u/TheScorecrow
Follow Us on Facebook at The Scorecrow
Follow Us on Instagram at The Scorecrow
Follow Cody Potanko on Twitter @Tankotanko013
Main Credit Image: https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fstatic.clubs.nfl.com%2Fimage%2Fprivate%2Ft_editorial_landscape_12_desktop%2Fsteelers%2Fu8v8jnoprhqopelwx26t&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.steelers.com%2Fnews%2Fhe-could-really-cover-a-lot-of-ground&docid=2WrEG-kfVCWhSM&tbnid=uaiDVjrIqi2rGM%3A&vet=10ahUKEwi82_Pn7JziAhVph-AKHVE8BLYQMwhpKBswGw..i&w=1280&h=720&bih=937&biw=1920&q=free%20pics%20of%20ulysses%20gilbert&ved=0ahUKEwi82_Pn7JziAhVph-AKHVE8BLYQMwhpKBswGw&iact=mrc&uact=8
