Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was among the over 600 students to receive a bachelor’s degree in education.

Big Ben left Miami (OH) early in order to enter the NFL draft in 2004. The associate dean of the College says that Roethlisberger was four courses short of meeting the requirements to graduate. Ben completed those courses and was finally able to earn his degree.

This gesture from a two time Super Bowl champion should not go unnoticed. In a day and age where many young athletes (particularly basketball players due to college football’s three year rule) only attend college for a year and jump ship to the pros without the slightest intent of getting an education. Even in college football many stars who are bound for the NFL take classes such as ball-room dancing just to meet the eligibility requirements.

It is rare that such a decorated athlete would choose to finish out their education. However, another star athlete has recently done the same thing. Basketball Legend Shaquille O’Neal received a doctorate in education from Barry University. Shaq also left college early to enter the pros, but promised his parents that he would get a degree.

Roethlisberger and O’Neal should be revered for their will and determination to fulfill what each of them started out to do before they reached a high level of success in their respective sports.

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DeCastro was arguably the second best offensive lineman in the entire draft and was a sure-fire top 20 pick, but with many teams making deals (eight trades in the first round), the cards were in the Steelers corner. DeCastro was an anchor on a Stanford line that was among the leaders in rushing during his tenure at Stanford.

The Ohio State University has a history of producing very talented NFL players. The Steelers can only hope that this tradition continues with the selection of Adams. Pittsburgh is in desperate need of depth at the tackle position and Adams should be able to fill that void.

Pittsburgh’s front-office obviously knew that they had to improve the offensive line due to the recent inability to protect the quarterback and the amount of injuries sustained. Never in their wildest dreams could they imagine DeCastro falling to them in the late part of the first round. Same goes for Adams. It is a mystery how he lasted until the 56th overall pick.

The 2012 NFL draft will come to a close on Saturday with rounds 4-7. The Steelers may look to add a running back due to the loss of Rashard Mendenhall, or they could look to add someone in the secondary to help an aging group.

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However, Wallace told someone within the Steelers organization that he will not sign his tender until he has to. This could mean that Wallace will not be with the team until after training camp begins. Wallace isn’t happy with the 1st round tender that Pittsburgh is offering him, $2.7 million, and is seeking a long-term deal.

One can’t fault Wallace for wanting to get paid after he outplayed his initial rookie contract. Wallace is a top 10 receiver in the NFL and wants to be paid as one. The problem for Wallace is that Pittsburgh has never overpaid a player who they think is replaceable. The Steelers have two very good up and coming receivers in Antonio Brown and Emmanuel Sanders, and have other needs that they could use the money on.

It would be nice if both parties set aside their differences to on focus on football matters, but this is the business of the NFL. Teams don’t want to pay players unless they absolutely have to, and players want to get the maximum amount of dollar signs when they can because of the high risk of injury.

The next date to keep an eye on is June 15. Wallace has until that date to sign the tender for $2.7 million; if he doesn’t sign by that date Pittsburgh has the option to reduce the tender to $577,000. Surely Wallace will hold out as long as possible if that is the case.

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The four teams of the AFC North will play against the four teams from the AFC West and NFC East.

The highlights of the Steelers schedule include a home game against fellow keystone state member Philadelphia Eagles, a date with the Dallas Cowboys in late December, and of course two battles with the Baltimore Ravens. Pittsburgh begins the 2012 season with a date with Peyton Manning and his new team, the Denver Broncos. It is ironic that the Steelers start play at the very site their season ended last season.

Whenever Pittsburgh and Baltimore get together it is arguably the hardest hitting game of the season. This is the perfect game for fans who appreciate great defenses and a low scoring affair. NFL fans are lucky that these two teams meet twice every season, and occasionally a third in the postseason.

The Steelers will also travel to New York City to play the defending Super Bowl Champion New York Giants. That game will surely be an entertaining duel between fellow 2004 draftees, Ben Roethlisberger and Eli Manning. Both teams have similar personalities and could potentially be a preview of Super Bowl XLVII.

The Steelers schedule appears to be quite difficult on the surface, but the NFL is the one professional league that teams can go from the basement to the penthouse in little to no time. The draft will change the face of many teams and trades are still a possibility. The only thing that is certain is that NFL fans across the country will be treated to many great games this season.

WK DATE OPPONENT TIME (ET)
1 Sun, Sep 9 at Denver 8:20 PM
2 Sun, Sep 16 NY Jets 4:15 PM
3 Sun, Sep 23 at Oakland 4:15 PM
5 Sun, Oct 7 Philadelphia 1:00 PM
6 Thu, Oct 11 at Tennessee 8:20 PM
7 Sun, Oct 21 at Cincinnati 8:20 PM
8 Sun, Oct 28 Washington 1:00 PM
9 Sun, Nov 4 at NY Giants 4:15 PM
10 Mon, Nov 12 Kansas City 8:30 PM
11 Sun, Nov 18 Baltimore 8:20 PM
12 Sun, Nov 25 at Cleveland 1:00 PM
13 Sun, Dec 2 at Baltimore 4:15 PM
14 Sun, Dec 9 San Diego 1:00 PM
15 Sun, Dec 16 at Dallas 4:15 PM
16 Sun, Dec 23 Cincinnati 1:00 PM
17 Sun, Dec 30 Cleveland 1:00 PM

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He will be golfing at some of the world’s most challenging courses this summer. He hopes this will prepare him mentally for the grueling times of a 16 game NFL schedule. Roethlisberger is heading overseas sometime in June to play in Ireland and Scotland. He will be teeing up on the prestigious courses of St. Andrews and the K Club, among many others.

Ben said in an interview with Yahoo sports, “I will be playing something like 12 courses in 10 days and they are some of the very best ones that you can find. I’m going to the K Club, St Andrews, and a bunch of others.”

That is an impressive schedule for someone who is accustomed to avoiding 250 pound linebackers, not having to decide whether to lay-up or go for the green. Golf is a game that challenges the player both mentally and physically. The game can get you down just as fast as it can pick you up.

“Playing some great courses in a setting like Ireland and Scotland will be pretty awesome, but it is also a great way to keep your mind sharp.

Pittsburgh fans can only that this peculiar off-season regiment proves to be a valuable asset to their quarterback. Maybe Big Ben can hit some balls with Masters Champion, Bubba Watson, whose golf motto is “grip and rip”.

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With that being said, Pittsburgh has greater needs on the defensive side of the ball. The Steelers would like to get younger on the both sides up the ball, but defense is a greater concern.

Linebacker Dont’a Hightower would be a perfect fit in Pittsburgh’s defensive scheme and he’s the 24th overall pick in the Rant Sports 2012 NFL Mock Draft. The Steelers released James Farrior earlier this month, and management needs to think of how to replace him. Hightower is a versatile player and can play both inside and outside linebacker. Pittsburgh should use the 24th overall pick on Alabama linebacker, Dont’a Hightower.

Alabama’s defense dominated this past season, and Hightower was a major part of their success. The unit held opposing offenses to 8.8 points per game, including a shutout victory over LSU in the national championship game. Although Hightower wasn’t as well-known as fellow linebacker Courtney Upshaw, cornerback Dre Kirkpartick, or safety Mark Barron; he was just as important and his presence allowed his teammates to shine. He fits very well alongside Lawrence Timmons and James Harrison. They would be a fearsome trio of linebackers.

Hightower stands at 6’4” and weighs roughly 260, the ideal size you want for a linebacker. He brings strength and the physical presence to a defense that already has a very intimidating player. Hightower is big enough to play the run and has the ability to cover tight ends in the passing game.

With Hightower being the Steelers’ first round selection, they can shift their focus to improving the offensive line with their later picks in the draft. They could also use a running back to add depth to a depleted core with the loss of Rashard Mendenhall. Pittsburgh still has some issues at other positions, but Hightower will be a great fit for the team and will have no problem stepping in and replacing James Farrior.

Hightower has the potential to be a 10 year starter in the league and provide great leadership to the defense.

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Pittsburgh will be without starting running back Rashard Mendenhall for the majority, if not all, of the 2012 season. Mendenhall suffered an ACL injury in the season finale of the 2011 season. He did not play in the Steelers’ playoff loss against the Denver Broncos, and his absence showed on the field. Pittsburgh should look to add a running back in the 2nd or 3rd round of the draft. They have greater needs on the defense and on the offensive line to take a running back in the 1st round, but there are some good backs that should fall to them in the later rounds.

Trent Richardson is the best back of this year’s class and will be long gone by the time Pittsburgh is on the clock. The next best back is probably Virginia Tech’s David Wilson. He will most likely be gone when Pittsburgh is up in the 2nd round. Lamar Miller, Bernard Pierce, and Chris Polk have a chance to be on the board when Pittsburgh is up in the 2nd round. One of those three would be a solid choice for the Steelers.

There is also the possibility of trading out of the first round to accumulate more draft picks. If the Steelers aren’t high on the players who are on the board when it is their turn; it could be wise to trade away the 24th pick.

It is difficult to predict exactly who will be available when the Steelers are on the clock. One thing is certain though, Pittsburgh must add a running back in the draft to add depth to that position.

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Wilson was severely burned days before the Steelers playoff game against the Denver Broncos. He sustained burns to 45% of his body and suffered smoke inhalation. He was placed into a medically induced coma to aid in his recovery.

Wilson is one the of players favorite coaches. He is always seen with a smile on his face and he has a tremendous work ethic that resonates with all players. Wilson’s role with the team is even more important this season with the loss of Rashard Mendenhall. The Steelers are left with a group of talented, but very inexperienced running backs. The Steelers may also look to add another running back through the draft. Wilson will surely have his work cut-out for him when he returns to his full-time duties.

An article on ESPN reported that Wilson was in line to succeed Bruce Arians as the team’s new offensive coordinator prior to the accident. The team chose to hire Todd Haley instead, but Wilson will still play a major role in the offensive game-plan. Wilson has been on the Steelers staff for five seasons.

Although there is no timetable for when Wilson will fully return to the team, his visit provides some inspiration to the players. If Wilson can survive and return from severe burns then surely his team can overcome minor bumps and bruises in the off-season.

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Imagine the Steelers last season without the presence of Mike Wallace. Sure, Emmanuel Sanders and Antonio Brown each had great seasons and are turning into fine young receivers themselves, but without Wallace’s deep threat ability the defense would be able to have more defenders playing up tight. Defenses must keep a safety back at all times when they are playing against Wallace, or they will surely get burnt one or more times during the game.

The franchise tag was implemented by the NFL as tool for teams to keep a player who is scheduled to become a free-agent. Last year, the likes of Peyton Manning, Michael Vick, and Haloti Ngata were designated by their respective teams as the franchise player. Some teams use the tag as insurance to keep that player and hope to resign them the following off-season. This could perhaps be the strategy the Steelers are thinking; Pittsburgh is about $11 million over the salary cap, and the tag would allow them to keep him for at least one more season and free up room to sign him next year.

The Hiring of Todd Haley as offensive coordinator could mean that the offense will start to run the ball more, which translates into not needing the wide receivers to be as involved as they were in the past few seasons. Still, the speed of Wallace cannot be undervalued.

Pittsburgh must do all they can to make sure Mike Wallace is around for years to come. It would be nice if they sign him to a long-term deal, but that is probably wishful thinking due to their salary cap situation.

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Ward was not much of factor this past season. The emergence of the Antonio Brown and Emmanuel Sanders limited his role in the offense. Ward’s age could have also been a reason why he wasn’t on the field that much. He has surely has lost a step or two.

Despite Ward’s past success and contribution, the NFL is all about what have you done for me now. In 2011, Ward’s numbers were the lowest since his rookie season. He only caught 46 passes for 381 yards with 2 touchdowns.

Ward was scheduled to make $4 million in the last two years of his contract. The fact is no team in the league is willing to pay this kind of money for a receiver who cannot contribute on every down.

If the report is indeed true, it will be a sad day for Steelers fans across the country. Ward has been one of fan favorites ever since he arrived in the Steel City. He will go down as one of the best Steelers in the franchise’s history.

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