Old Panthers looking for new teams

For the second straight year, a former Pitt player will likely hear his name called in the… For the second straight year, a former Pitt player will likely hear his name called in the first round of the NFL Draft.

Jeff Otah, Pitt’s starting left tackle for the past two seasons, is a projected first-round selection for the draft that begins on Saturday at 3 p.m. on ESPN. Otah is a mountain of a man, standing at 6 feet 6 inches. He recently dropped his weight to 322 pounds, down from 336 in February.

An interesting prospect, Otah never played football until he was a senior in high school, focusing on basketball instead. He began his collegiate career at Valley Forge Military Academy in Wayne, Pa., in 2004.

Pitt recruited Otah from Valley Forge before the beginning of the 2006 season as a junior college transfer. He stepped into the lineup as a starter for the Panthers’ struggling offensive line right away and made an immediate impact. As a senior last season, Otah earned a place on the All-Big East squad as a left tackle. His play improved to the degree that his draft stock rose significantly to the status it is today.

An ankle injury hindered Otah’s workouts in late March, but he responded once healthier two weeks ago, running faster 40-yard dash times than his initial NFL Combine time.

Scouts love Otah’s size and power, but are concerned with a slight lack of instincts from the left tackle because of his limited football experience. However, that also means that Otah has plenty of potential waiting to break out in the NFL.

There is also a slight concern that Otah may need to begin his career at right tackle instead of on the left side to better acclimate himself to professional football.

Scouts Inc. rates Otah as the 16th-best player and fourth-best offensive lineman for the upcoming draft. But other scouting specialists rate Otah a bit lower and expect him to go behind Vanderbilt’s Chris Williams, another left tackle.

The newest Rivals.com mock draft has Otah going to the Washington Redskins with the 21st pick. Most mock drafts place Otah between the 18th selection to the Houston Texans and the 27th choice to the San Diego Chargers.

What team resides in the comfort of those picks? None other than the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are drafting with the 23rd selection. The offensive line is a major concern for the Steelers and many draft experts predict that they will go with a lineman, possibly Otah if he remains on the board.

But Otah isn’t the only Pitt player expected to enter the professional ranks this weekend. In fact, a fellow member of the offensive line will join him.

Senior Mike McGlynn has also raised his draft stock in the past few weeks to enter the discussion of being a first-day pick. However, McGlynn will probably be drafted somewhere in the third or fourth rounds instead.

McGlynn’s size is a plus at 6 foot 4 and 311 pounds. He mostly started at right tackle for Pitt, but also played at guard and most scouts see his future toward the inside of the line.

McGlynn is not as athletic as Otah, which means the concern of his effectiveness at tackle in the NFL might be warranted. However, he makes up for that with his football smarts, durability and versatility. McGlynn fought through a tough injury at Pitt, a torn labrum in his left shoulder suffered in 2006. He didn’t miss a contest even though the injury caused him to sit out of spring practice in 2007. Although he projects as a guard in the NFL, there is the possibility that McGlynn could also convert to center.

Defensive end Joe Clermond could be a second-day pick. Clermond was an All-Big East second team selection the past two seasons and is coming off of a spectacular senior season with the Panthers.

Clermond registered 10.5 sacks last year, while recording 13 tackles for losses and two forced fumbles. He started all 12 games as a senior and finished his career with 18 sacks.

Professional scouts love Clermond’s pass-rushing ability, but are concerned with his lack of size at the defensive end position. Clermond is expected to make the transition to linebacker in the NFL and projects to be a sixth- or seventh-round selection.

Perhaps the biggest wild card among former Panthers for this weekend’s draft is tight end Darrell Strong.

Strong’s athleticism at the position is unquestioned. At 6 foot 4, 268 pounds, Strong is a massive target, and at Pitt’s Pro Day, he registered a vertical jump of 34 1/2 inches.

A high school quarterback, Strong transformed into a big-play tight end at Pitt, but struggled with consistency and character problems in his first three seasons. In a game at South Florida in 2006, Strong caught a touchdown pass and made an obscene gesture to the South Florida fans and was suspended for the team’s final contest.

But Strong matured as a senior and his untapped potential has been noticed by scouts. Strong could go anywhere from the fourth to the seventh round.