Skip to main content

Steelers pick DE Tuitt from Notre Dame

By WTOP Staff

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau admits he had some anxiety entering this year’s NFL draft.

Normally, the Steelers don’t need to rely on the draft to produce immediate defensive starters. This year, they didn’t have that luxury.

His fears were quickly eased, he said, when Pittsburgh used its first two picks on defensive players, adding Notre Dame lineman Stephon Tuitt in the second round Friday night. The team then grabbed wide receiver/running back Dri Archer from Kent State in the third round.

Tuitt joined first-round pick linebacker Ryan Shazier as another young defensive player LeBeau expects will start this upcoming season and bolster an aging defensive roster. The Steelers ranked 25th in the NFL with 34 sacks last year and finished outside the top 10 in yards allowed for the first time since 1999

“The history of that defense is tremendous, and I can’t wait to help put it back up there,” Tuitt said.

The 6-foot-5, 303-pound Tuitt recorded 127 tackles and 21.5 sacks in three seasons. He was an All-American as a sophomore, recording 47 tackles and a team-high 12 sacks and helped lead the Fighting Irish to a national championship game appearance.

An offseason hernia limited his conditioning heading into his junior year and caused Tuitt to gain weight, said Steelers assistant head coach John Mitchell.

Without the injury, and the extra weight, Mitchell believes Tuitt would have been a top-10 pick.

“We feel like we got a steal in the second round at our pick,” Mitchell said.

He finished his junior year with 50 tackles, 7.5 sacks and one interception and fell to the Steelers at the 46th overall pick.

“He’s a guy that can do a lot of things for us,” Mitchell said. “He can push the pocket. He can play the run. He can get off blocks, and he can get to the ball. We got a good football player tonight.”

He pulled out of the combine and was unable to participate in the Fighting Irish pro day after a medical scan revealed a left foot fracture that required surgery. The Steelers worked him out privately in Atlanta ahead of the draft.

“My foot is great,” said Tuitt, who had a screw installed in his foot to repair the stress fracture.

Shazier, who posted a time of 4.40 seconds in the 40-yard dash at Ohio State’s Pro Day, gives the Steelers speed. Tuitt gives Pittsburgh some girth.

“You’ve got to have some big guys out there, no matter how much of a speed package you put out there,” LeBeau said.

Tuitt is somewhat familiar with Heinz Field, having played their twice with the Fighting Irish. He was ejected from the second quarter of the 2013 game after a helmet-to-helmet hit on Pittsburgh Panthers quarterback Tom Savage.

“As a defensive player, I think that’s the worst call in America,” he said with a laugh.

He expects to visit Pittsburgh on Saturday, one day after the Steelers welcomed Shazier, the 15th overall pick, to team headquarters, complete with a tour that took him past six Lombardi Trophies.

“It was amazing just to see the trophies in person, seeing them right there by each other,” Shazier said. “The plan is to come here and get a seventh trophy.”

The Steelers entered the draft with stated needs at wide receiver and cornerback and waited until the 97th overall pick to address either. The 5-foot-8, 173-pound Archer posted a combine-best 4.26-second 40-yard dash, and Steelers running backs coach James Saxon said Pittsburgh scouts clocked him even faster.

“The kid can run,” Saxon said.

Archer caught 99 passes for 1,194 yards and rushed for 2,342 yards in four seasons at Kent State. He also returned four kickoffs for touchdowns in his career, and the Steelers could use him as a rusher, a receiver and a returner, Saxon said.

“Whatever way we can find to get this kid the ball or have him involved in our offense, we’re going to do that,” he said.

Archer’s 40-career college touchdowns are one shy of the school record, set by another multifaceted player, Josh Cribbs.

“I landed in a great city, and I know I’m going to be with a great organization,” Archer said.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote