It’s never a surprise when the Pittsburgh Steelers opt to upgrade their defense, and their first pick in the 2011 NFL Draft is no exception; they took defensive tackle Cam Heyward of Ohio State with the 31st pick of the first round, adding some young talent behind aging linemen like Brett Keisel and Aaron Smith. The son of Craig “Ironhead” Heyward, was a Behind the Steel Curtain favorite heading into the draft, and they got their man. Heyward is a smart athlete and former team captain who has good size for his position; worries about his consistency are what have held him back so far.

Heyward, unlike most of the defensive talent in this draft, ended up exactly where he was forecast, late in the first round; apparently the swell in defensive talent caused by the Tennessee Titans’ early run on quarterbacks has finally abated. But Steelers fans show no signs of complaining about this one.

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