Offense isn't the only area where the Pittsburgh Steelers had trouble scoring last season. Special teams wasn't exactly special, plus, now two of the three men who have been the Steelers kick and punt returners, Antonio Brown and Emmanuel Sanders, are the No. 1 and No. 2 receivers. Then, the third, Chris Rainey decided he liked gambling more than playing football. So, there is a vacuum at the position. But football, like nature, abhors a vacuum and an undrafted player could end up being the true steal of the draft: Reggie Dunn.
In a previous blog we told you the two rules associated with Reggie Dunn. The first rule is you don't kick it to Reggie Dunn. The second rule is you do NOT kick it to Reggie Dunn. (Word of caution: don't blink when watching his video highlights or you will miss him.) - http://youtu.be/nPBCPxYjgrI
The 5'10, 180 pounder may strictly be a special teams ace, but it's hard to ignore a 4.22 time in the 40-yard dash. As are the four touchdown returns of 100 yards or more...in only 10 attempts.
Iowa State was the first to learn the two rules back in 2010 as he returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown and averaged 29.6 yards per return. He didn't house anyone in 2011, but he still averaged 23.6 yards per return.
The All-Pac 12 first teamer had everyone exactly where he wanted them.
After nearly every opposing special teams coach on the early part of Utah's schedule instructed their teams to...well, to adhere to the two rules, the University of Cal decided to tempt the hand of fate. Bad idea. He housed them twice...each for 100 yards or more.
Then a week after returning those two touchdowns against Cal in the eighth game of the season, he had a 100-yard kickoff return against Washington State, and then had another 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against Colorado.
Dunn also holds the NCAA record for 100+ yard kickoff returns for touchdowns in a career with five, and had a gaudy 30.875 yards per return average for his career. He is a special player who is more than just speed. He flows like water through would-be tacklers and often looks like a human joystick out there. But Dunn is an Xbox 360 and all other are just Atari. - http://youtu.be/uUKjg7lTi6c
Tomlin likes players who are "position flexible," but, again, it's hard to ignore "Oh, sh*t" speed. Because, to paraphrase The Greatest, 'your feet can't catch what your eyes can't see'. Come September, it may just be the Steelers sideline where you'll hear, "Who they came to see?!?"
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