Ziggy Hood will sign later this week and become the final Pittsburgh Steelers draft pick to come to terms with the team.
Hood, a 6-4, 300-pound defensive tackle out of Missouri, is expected to play inside this season on the Steelers' pass-downs defense. However, his future lies at defensive end, where the team currently employs veterans Aaron Smith and Brett Keisel.
"He’s physical enough to play what we call the 5-technique, over the tackle, and he’s physical enough to take on tight ends," Steelers defensive line coach John Mitchell said on draft day. "This guy has great feet. I have no qualms about him covering a back or covering a receiver because he stays on his feet and he runs real well."
Mitchell was asked if Hood might add 20 or 30 pounds and become a nose tackle down the road.
"We’re not going to ask him to play nose tackle," Mitchell said. "But if we need a guy to finish a game and we lost a couple of nose tackles, here’s a guy who can go in and be a stop-gap for us until next week when we can see what direction you want to go."