Jump to content

Dri Archer to the Steelers


Spin

Recommended Posts

I don't really mind this pick. With his speed and elusiveness I can certainly see the potential for him to become a contributor at the professional level. I know he's been compared to Darren Sproles by some, hopefully the comparisons are warranted. We'll just have to wait and see how he pans out. Could be a bust or could be a diamond in the rough. Go Steelers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

BTSC does a nice job of explaining the potential of Dri in Haley's offense. Just as the writer, I worry about his durability. Everybody knows about his 40 time, but I remember at the combine he put up some impressive benching numbers, so the dude is "strong." Stronger than Carlos Hyde! I was impressed with his route running skills despite a bum ankle in the game he played against the Zips last year.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

PITTSBURGH -- Can't State coach Paul Haynes and Northern Illinois coach Rod Carey shared a memory -- and a laugh -- recently when they recalled Dri Archer's 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown last season in a game between the Mid-American Conference rivals.

"Dri went down his sideline and (Carey) said he was going so fast and he was just thinking, ‘We are so stupid for kicking to this guy,' " Haynes said. "They were the only team that kicked deep to us. Everybody else pooched."

That anecdote neatly distills why the Pittsburgh Steelers were enamored enough with Archer’s breathtaking speed and big-play ability to draft him in the third round -- yet also why taking him that high might be a luxury they couldn't afford after consecutive 8-8 seasons.

ncf_a_driats_400.jpg
AP Photo/G.M. AndrewsThe Steelers hope Can't State's
Dri Archer can cause matchup problems for opposing defenses.

Archer already had been compared with former great kick returners such as Mel Gray and Gerald "Ice Cube" McNeil, and that is just in the Steelers' building.

But with kickers able to boom the ball out of the end zone with regularity since kickoffs were moved to the 35-yard line, how much of a weapon will Archer be if teams simply decide to play keep away from him?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

But with kickers able to boom the ball out of the end zone with regularity since kickoffs were moved to the 35-yard line, how much of a weapon will Archer be if teams simply decide to play keep away from him?

Terrible draft for the Steelers. They break Rule 1 of the NFL draft...Never draft an OSU player in the first round. Couple that with drafting a second round player (the OSU player) in the first round, that's bad. Drafted a DLineman with a reputation for laziness in the second round and then a MAC player in the third.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Couldn't be happier with the Steelers draft. I've been saying for 3-years now. Mike Tomlin and co. are not that good, they are not superb football minds, they are not worthy of all the press. Tomlin has lived off of the successful building of previous teams, and the problems of poor management have been slowly rearing its heads over the past couple of years.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Couldn't be happier with the Steelers draft. I've been saying for 3-years now. Mike Tomlin and co. are not that good, they are not superb football minds, they are not worthy of all the press. Tomlin has lived off of the successful building of previous teams, and the problems of poor management have been slowly rearing its heads over the past couple of years.

Actually, the years of being good impacts the quality of player a team can bring in. Couple that with paying a guy $10 million a year for only averaging 17 TDs a year puts a limit on how creative a team can be.

After six seasons, Bill Cowher, between 1998 and 2000 went 7-9, 6-10 and 9-7 missing the playoffs all three seasons. I remember people saying similar things about him being overrated. They rebounded in 2001. After six seasons, Tomlin has gone 8-8 and 8-8 missing the playoffs both seasons in the last two. Not nearly the decline Cowher experienced. Going into next season, the Steelers are better at every position where they were lacking. Expect a playoff season. The divisions isn't good enough for them to miss three years in a row. The were bad last year and were one missed FG by the KC kicker from making the playoffs. They will at least be good next year and sadly, that's enough in the NFL to make the playoffs.

Cowher and Tomlin are both excellent coaches. However, I'm old enough to remember when Chuck Noll was the coach and the Steelers played in a great division that included what used to be a great Browns franchise, a very good Houston franchise and Cincinnati team that used to have a pulse. Cowher and Tomlin may be good, but they are not The Emperor.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks, I like the photo in that link.

I wonder if his helmet derives from the technology that Harrison was the first to start wearing in 2012?

It's called CRT (Concussion Reduction Technology,) and it is a sort of sandwich of military-grade kevlar and a foam which disperses energy. The sports applications are quite recent. Michael Vick wore a vest, adapted from the military style bullet-proof vests, so he could play a week after breaking his ribs. Last season after James Harrison had his orbital bone broken, he looked around for some additional protection. He read about Vick, looked into the material, and was one of the first NFL players to wear it in his helmet. He was impressed with it immediately, and said he hasn't had any "issues" since he began using it.

Does Dri look a little like this guy?

Screenshot2014-05-13at85939AM.png

rodneyharrison-4_3_r560.jpg?f061b7ce9937

Dri will wear #34 for a jersey number. Edit: he was #13 in his first preseason game.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...

Impact Rookie in the Steel City?

"Archer has had a big-plays of forty-plus yard receptions in each game this season. According to our notes, he's the only player in the pre-season with two plays of forty-yards or more, in 2014."

OI1t9xj.jpg

They break Rule 1 of the NFL draft...Never draft an OSU player in the first round.

I totally agree, but Shazier looked the part Saturday night. He doesn't seem like your typical Columbus State NFL'er to me...like Mike Adams .

EDIT: Gilbert’s signing likely means Adams does not have a long-term future with the Steelers. :cheers:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
  • 5 weeks later...

When the Steelers drafted Dri Archer in the third round this year, they had visions of him being a matchup nightmare.

Through five games of the season, Archer has yet to make an impact. An injury sidelined him for a couple of games, and the Steelers haven't found a way to use him properly.
That was evident against the Jaguars.
Archer was on the field for five snaps, touched the ball three times and gained 10 yards.
Here are what the five plays looked like:
• In an empty set, Archer was lined up as a receiver to the far right. Roethlisberger threw a quick pass to him for 7 yards.
• On a third-and-goal from the 4-yard line, Archer was part of a two-back look with Le'Veon Bell. Archer ran a swing out of the backfield, and Roethlisberger was sacked.
• On a second-and-16 from the Jags 46, Roethlisberger threw a quick screen out of the backfield for 1 yard.
• On a first-and-10 with the ball on the Steelers 12, Archer took a pitch out of a two-back set. He gained 1 yard.
• On a third-and-1 in the fourth quarter, Archer lined up in the I-formation with Will Johnson in front of him. The run went to Johnson up the middle.
The Steelers tried a variety of different ways to get Archer the ball, but none were successful against statistically the worst defense in the league.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
  • 9 months later...
  • 1 month later...
  • 4 months later...

The Jets on Wednesday announced that they signed Dri Archer, a wide receiver/running back/return specialist most recently with the Steelers, to a reserve/futures contract. Archer finished the 2015 season out of football after being waived in early November. The Steelers drafted him in the 2014 third round, but he never found a place within their crowded receiving corps and didn't stick as a running back.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...