Pittsburgh Steelers Draft Watch: Michigan DE Chris Wormley

Weaknesses

In terms of weaknesses, Wormley’s stock will be negatively affected by his currently limited pass rushing arsenal. Sometimes Wormley wins initial contact but fails to find a way to get to the QB, failing to utilize any counter moves or changing his plan of attack. The Steelers need to draft players to help them drastically pick up their production in sacks, and Wormley may not be the man for the job. He is more likely to fill in as a 3 or 4 sacks per season player who will perform admirably against the run.

Also, there is certainly room for improvement in terms of Wormley’s hand usage. He rarely displays active hands at the point of attack and has issues shedding blocks in the pass game. As I noted above, he will often get stuck once his initial rush is stalled. However, Wormley still produces above average sack production for Michigan and has several traits, including his power and frame, that lead me to believe he can improve in this area with proper coaching.

Fit

One major issue I have with Wormley is that I don’t see any dominant traits. He isn’t the splashiest of players and doesn’t always jump off the tape like you would expect out of a possible early-round selection. While he may not be an early-round surefire star in the NFL, Wormley has plenty of traits that will excite NFL scouts and he will definitely carve out a role on an NFL team.

Next: Steelers Power Rankings: Week 6

In my opinion, Wormley would be an ideal selection for Pittsburgh if he is still available in the middle rounds. I can easily envision him spelling Heyward and Tuitt for snaps and filling in as a starter when injuries occur, similar to the role Vince Williams has played in the linebacking core.