Dwyer goes to Pittsburgh Steelers — updated with Dwyer quotes
After a wait that he described as humbling, former Georgia Tech running back Jonathan Dwyer said he’s excited to be a Steeler.
At one time projected to be a first-round pick, a combination of factors saw Dwyer tumble all the way to the sixth round of the NFL Draft, where Pittsburgh made him the 188th player selected.
“It was very hard [ to wait],” Dwyer said. “It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done in my life. It made me think about a lot of things. I’ve got to come in and be ready to work and that’s what I’m going to do.”
He wasn’t supposed to last that long. After rushing for 1,395 yards as a sophomore to earn ACC player of the year honors, he rushed for 1,395 more as a junior last season to help the Yellow Jackets win the ACC. When he submitted his early-entry paperwork to the NFL in December, coach Paul Johnson said it came back with a first- or second-round pick projection.
Instead, Dwyer became a polarizing player, with some draft analysts slotting him high and others very low. It seemed the more that analysts looked at him, the more they found they didn’t like. They questioned his weight and speed. They didn’t like his pass-blocking and pass-catching skills, neither of which he was asked to do at Tech because of the nature of the run-focused offense. In the end, he was the 12th running back taken behind notables from Kentucky and Southern Illinois.
“It could have been a lot of things, but it’s over now,” Dwyer said. “As long as the team’s winning, I’m fine.”
Dwyer played at around 242 pounds in Tech’s spread-option. A toe injury sustained in the Orange Bowl hampered his training and conditioning in the weeks leading up to the NFL Combine. As a result, he weighed 229 pounds, four more than his target weight, and ran a relatively slow 40 time. But the toe healed and a slimmer Dwyer (225 pounds) bounced back at Tech’s pro day a month later to run a 4.52, seven-hundredths faster than his time at the Combine and within the top-10 times posted there. NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock said on Saturday that he never saw a burst from Dwyer during workouts. He had 15 plays of at least 20 yards or more last season, including a pass, an indication that he is fast enough to run away from tacklers.
Analysts also wondered whether Dwyer could transition from lining up close to the line of scrimmage, as he did in Tech’s spread-option, to the deeper start required in a pro-style offense. Dwyer pointed out after Tech’s pro day that he was used in that formation during his freshman season at Tech when Chan Gailey was coach.
Lastly, a week before the draft, foxsports.com reported that Dwyer flunked a drug test at the Combine. However, Dwyer had previously alerted the NFL that he has been taking prescription mediciation for ADD since he was in the 5th grade. Dwyer said one of the doctors who reviewed the drug tests mistakenly omitted him from the list of previously cleared patients. Dwyer’s agent, Adisa Bakari, said every NFL team knew about the medicine before the draft, calling it a “non-issue.”
As Dwyer said, it’s over now. He will report to Pittsburgh’s mini-camp next week. He said Steelers coach Mike Tomlin wants him to learn the playbook as quickly as possible. The team features one running back who dominates the snaps, Rashard Mendenhall. Dwyer said he can be a third-down back, if not more.
“I will do whatever it takes to get on the field,” he said.
Should he make the squad, Atlanta fans can watch him when the Falcons open against the Steelers on Sept. 12 at Heinz Field.
Dwyer is the fourth Yellow Jacket taken in this year’s draft, following defensive end Derrick Morgan to Tennessee with the 16th pick, wide receiver Demaryius Thomas to Denver with the 22nd pick, and safety Morgan Burnett to Green Bay in the third round (71st overall) on Friday.
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185 comments Add your comment
UGA
April 25th, 2010
11:07 am
Some slip and end up on the All-NFL team decades later. There used to be 12 rounds of the draft so technically today’s 7th rounders are mid-rounders historically. Dwyer proved he can be a very good back but his injuries and lack of production against Miami, Clemson, Iowa, UNC and UGA certainly hurt his draft stock as well. The better defensive fronts had no problems limiting him even in a run based offense. He’d better hit the weight room and track often if he hopes to stay conditioned enough to be a star. If so, his paycheck will come after three years. He’d be stupid to sign for longer than three years! RB’s have a limited life in the NFL and his fourth year could be his lottery ticket.
recruitnick
April 25th, 2010
11:18 am
Hey Doug. Why don’t you do your job and the ajc does and be real journalist. I know you guys kiss tech’s butt, but an article on how the triple option hurt jonathan dwyer with his draft position would be a good thing to read about. I know you guys won’t say that because you don’t do real journalism. Steeler’s coach comments on the triple option and how it didn’t prepare dwyer for the nfl is news worthy even though you guys won’t follow up with a real hard hitting article on it.
WonderDawg
April 25th, 2010
11:30 am
Dwyer is the real deal, and got shafted. If he stays healthy, he’ll make a lot of teams pay on gameday for passing on him.
I tried and tried to tell y'all
April 25th, 2010
11:37 am
Dwyer is small but slow. He cannot receive the ball and his body is built like a pear. That fact scared off the scouts, because it showed that he has a tendancy to gain weight like a whale. He did gain after the Urange and so his market value plummetted. The market value is driven by skill and projected talent ……….not by Obama.
We now know why UGA steered clear of him. Compare where No Show Moreno was drafted and where Dwyer was FINALLY drafted. Caleb and Waushuan are far, far more talented than Dwyer. He gained 33 yards vs UGA and 0 yardage in first half vs mediocre Iowa. THESE FACTS damaged his market value, plus the weight gain.
This has done more to validate the claims that the Triple Broken Bone offense is not attractive to big boy running backs and if they desire one day to play in the NFL …………..steer CLEAR of tech and CPJ.
Tech and CPJ’s style of play hve been irreparably damaged by this NFL draft DISASTER.
Chan AVOIDED him too
April 25th, 2010
11:39 am
NO one wanted the PEAR. Chan the Man at Buffalo avoided him and HE RECRUITED Dwyer.
Sad
Coach Bud Kilmer
April 25th, 2010
11:58 am
Looks like the NFL scouts didn’t like the fact that Dwyer has been running the Wing T for the past few years at Tech. Excuse me, the “Spread Option”. Hope the word doesn’t get out to recruits. I mean I know a wing T when I see it. You don’t when 33 division championships without being able to spot a Wing T. I remember when the boys from Midland came to town running that Wing T. Moxon sent ‘em packing. Oh yeah and Tech Sucks.
blanks
April 25th, 2010
12:00 pm
Wow, only 4 draft picks for the ACC “champion?” And all their best players opted for the NFL? No wonder The Gobbler can’t get any recruits.
t_height
April 25th, 2010
12:07 pm
DO SOME OF YOU PEOPLE ON THIS BOARD EVER THINK ABOUT HOW LAME Y’ALL ARE WHEN YOU SAY SOMETHING ABOUT SOMEONE MISSPELLING A WORD OR THEIR GRAMMAR. SOUND LIKE A BUNCH OF GEEKS.
Americus Jacket
April 25th, 2010
12:22 pm
I loved birdman’s comment, “football dad sounds just like a….. football dad.” (OK, maybe because that was exactly what I was thinking. Interesting when someone agrees with you how smart and witty they become!)
I also like comments like, “I talked to a source on the inside, and he said…”
Who knows why players drop. When a pick comes up, there are always several players a team thinks about. Who has the biggest upside? Who fits our system and needs? etc… My jaw just drops, though, when people are saying Bey Bey would have been a “Calvin Johnson” type pick if Johnson was not his coach. Did ya’ll see Calvin? I like Bey Bey, I know Bey Bey, but he’s no Calvin. Calvin Johnson was just a freak.
There are SO MANY busts in football. I think of Johnathan Sullivan, a DT out of UGA, going in the top 10 with a huge contract from New Orleans. (This isn’t a UGA bashing, it’s just someone I remember.) Well, guess what: New Orleans won the super bowl. That same draft, and the next one, they picked up some real good players later in the draft. (If you told me Chris Reis would be more successful than Sullivan in NO, I would have laughed.)
It’s fun to talk about, it’s fun to talk trash, it’s fun to listen to “experts” who have sons play HS football. Hold it, I thought I had a point…
Dollarbill
April 25th, 2010
12:31 pm
Why are all the UGA people commenting about Tech stuff?? Seems like you guys need to worry more about UT, LSU and others before you start worrying about Tech. Hell even Auburn and FSU and UF are beating you guys for your recruits in State.
GT Fan...
April 25th, 2010
12:52 pm
Nice assumption “football dad” …… that your son is going to make the NFL! That’s a problem with way too many kids these days ….. they are good at the high school level so now they will get draft to the NFL b/c of the college they choose.
jasont13
April 25th, 2010
12:54 pm
Funny Tech fans have to mention Florida beating UGA 17 out of 20. Funny how they say UGA sucks in football and basketball. Last time I checked Tech lost to both recently. So go ahead bash UGA for loosing to Flordida since you can’t bash them cause your not beating them.
Howard signs with Buffalo | Georgia Tech
April 25th, 2010
1:00 pm
[...] Dwyer drafted by Steelers: http://blogs.ajc.com/georgia-tech-sports/2010/04/24/dwyer-goes-to-pittsburgh-steelers/ [...]
I get a kick
April 25th, 2010
1:04 pm
out of these Ga fans sitting on their fat asses with their beer bellies hanging three inches over their belt buckle talking about someone who has just been drafted by a NFL world champion team. They are not worthy of carrying Jonathan Dwyer’s jock strap and would not last one minute in one on one drills with him.
After the last two seasons the mighty bulldog nation has had to endure, you would think they would be a little more restrained in their denigration of other team’s players, but as usual they are classless.
As far as draft position
April 25th, 2010
1:10 pm
goes, Tom Brady was drafted in the 6th round. How has that worked out for him? It is not where you start but where you finish that counts.
Plus
April 25th, 2010
1:11 pm
look where all those five star recruits got the big bad bulldogs these last two years.
Bug Zapper
April 25th, 2010
2:43 pm
The GT high school offense ruins another player’s draft potential. Any NFL team would have to be very careful about drafting any offensive player out that system. I wonder how many current NFL starters played in the CPJ offensive system? Any from Navy, GSU, GT?
Bug Zapper
April 25th, 2010
2:45 pm
Plus,
Those five start recruits got GT a few butt whippings.
shane
April 25th, 2010
2:49 pm
Thats the 500lb Gorilla in the room no one wants to talk about.
Players coming out of Paul Johnsons offense are not going to be ready for the pros when the time comes. Not saying they cant adjust just that the road is made more difficult because of it.
shane
April 25th, 2010
2:50 pm
goes, Tom Brady was drafted in the 6th round. How has that worked out for him?
I hate when people try to make the exception the rule. Thats just dumb
shane
April 25th, 2010
2:52 pm
look where all those five star recruits got the big bad bulldogs these last two years.
Ill tell you where they have gotten us over the last 9 years.
6 Top Ten finishes
2 Sugar Bowl Wins ( we dont choke in the bowl game )
2 SEC Titles
8-1 vs Tech
Not too shabby eh?
Bulldog Richie
April 25th, 2010
3:40 pm
As a Dawg fan I’ve seen enough of Dwyer to believe that he will not only make the team but will eventually become a regular player. He will have to work on his pass blocking however. The Steelers got themselves a steal on this pick.
UGA Grad
April 25th, 2010
4:25 pm
Historically, the most obnoxious UGA fans are usually people that have never attended even one class at Georgia. Needless to say, yes, I’m proud of my alma mater, but I apologize for the goofballs that throw out the trash about this athlete that they don’t even know. However, this is all about celebrating the good news for Dwyer! JD could dig in and drag them all down the field. I can’t wait to see him contribute next year. The Longhorns back you all the way, JD!
jarvis
April 25th, 2010
7:19 pm
Tech better hope that CPJ’s system really can flourish with less-talented back because JD is the last stud you guys are going to see for a while.
Anyone with project NFL talent better take a long hard look at what happened to Dwyer. In 3 years of college he never learned to pass block or run a pass route. Those are skills the League expects our of backs.
robbiebob
April 25th, 2010
8:32 pm
Bug Crusher…where did you learn to spell? Could it be Athens??!!
SILLY UGA FANS
April 25th, 2010
10:31 pm
I love all of the experts on here. First the RB coach with the steelers never said that CPJs system hurt Dwyer and that it ill prepared him for the pros. He said that Dwyer would have to work on some aspects such as pass blocking, but that anybody from a spread option team would have to adjust to the pro-style. He also said “like most players” Dwyer had to work on parts of his game. Just for those that don’t know the #1 draft pick also came from a spread option package and it was mentioned he would have to work on some techniques. Yes it could hurt future RBs because of the system, but it could also help. Other RBs have a bruiser of a fullback paving the way for them where as our b-back has to learn to break initial tackles for the yardage. You also assume that more passing will not be placed in the system, when it ws painfully obvious that GT lacked the offensive line talent to hold off on pass rushing so CPJ went with his bread and butter. Plus getting drafted in the six is better than not at all like several other RBs.
SILLY UGA FANS
April 25th, 2010
10:59 pm
bug zapper,
Adrian Peterson RB was recruited by the bears while playing for CPJ at Ga. Southern and winning the NC. Trying not to insult you here but did you really put Navy on that list. Really think about that a bit and see if you can come up with a really clear reason why none of his Navy players got drafted out of the NAVY. Are you also asking how many starters are in the NFL from GT under CPJ when this is the first year players were drafted since they were freshman and sophmores when he took over.
Jarvis,
Look for Perkins, Jackson, Smith, Allen, Jones, Cox, Lyons, Drummond (next year if not switched to DB), To many to list but all will do fine next season and many after that. Also when people see Dwyer flourish in the Steeler smash mouth program it will only help future backs see what GT can prepare them for.
Just in the past week
April 26th, 2010
6:48 am
Woman robbed near Tech
Georgia Tech students carjacked, robbed at gunpoint early Friday
Man carjacked near Georgia Tech campus
Dwyer will run over people
April 26th, 2010
10:08 am
Pittsburgh newspaper quote days it all:
“The Steelers drafted another wishbone back well into the draft 20 years ago when Barry Foster of Arkansas came to them in the fifth round.
All Foster did was set the Steelers’ record with 1,690 yards rushing in 1992.
“Not often do you find 230-pound halfbacks with his ability with the ball in his hands,” Wilson said.
Dwyer averaged more than 6 yards a carry at Georgia Tech.
“This kid’s broken a lot of long runs,” said Kevin Colbert, the Steelers’ director of football operations. “We think there’s something there we all haven’t seen yet.”
Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10115/1053206-66.stm#ixzz0mDKVckCy
wow
April 26th, 2010
11:28 am
Yech’s greatest team in 20 years and with all their studs opting to leave yet they still have less players drafted than UGA? The recruits are taking notice. Dark days ahead on the Flats in the ghetto.
Jonathan Dwyer
April 26th, 2010
11:29 am
I guess I can tear up my Publix application now. Thanks anyway for the hook up Joey H. I’m sure I’ll be needing it again though in a couple of years.
Stinger
April 26th, 2010
2:09 pm
Wow, you are such a dumb ass. We only had 6 scholarship seniors last year. Paul Johnson owns Mark Richt and there is nothing you can do about it. No amount of suntan spray can change the situation. Mark Richt will be fired because he can not beat Paul Johnson. Johnson will beat him 9 out of 10. LMAO
Stinger
April 26th, 2010
2:11 pm
Jarvis, Did you mean out or our? What grade are you in son? 2nd???
those are skills the League expects our of backs.
wesleywhatwhat
April 26th, 2010
3:05 pm
dwyer is a great fit for the steelers.
too bad the falcons don’t have the same caliber of front office personnel. stunning that the falcons passed on several chances to pick up dwyer. i’m sure he will make them look silly for doing so.
Durka DAWG
April 27th, 2010
12:54 am
1st: CAREAR and GRAMMER are NOT little typos. Mostly, you can chalk it up to stupidity. Mixing up “e” and “a” cannot be a typo as those letters are on two different lines on every keyboard in existence. UGA fans and graduates are just morons.
2nd: Recruits and analysts are crazy if they think Dwyer isn’t strong because he runs out of bounds sometimes, but somehow Spiller is. Have they seen any Clemson footage? That guy is such a girl. He ALWAYS runs out of bounds. Dwyer on multiple occasions plowed through players and was hit on nearly every play. These recruiters and “analysts” must have attended U(sic)GA…notice how I didn’t say graduate, not that a graduate of that “school” is much better.
3rd: DURKA DAWWWWG. THWG and Go Jackets!