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By Teresa Varley
May 4, 2007
During the Steelers pre-draft press conference director of football operations Kevin Colbert said there were two positions that you could be certain the team would not go to in the first round – quarterback and tight end.
But he didn't say anything about ruling either position out completely.
So that's why when they were on the clock in the third round the Steelers could not pass on a tight end who was on the board and selected Matt Spaeth, who played college ball at Minnesota.
"I think that was the time that we wanted one," said offensive coordinator Bruce Arians of selecting Spaeth in the third round. "And this was a guy that we had targeted and really liked. We were ecstatic that he fell to us."
Spaeth, 6-7, 270 pounds, is someone who intrigued the Steelers so much before the draft that they brought him in as one of their allowed visits in the weeks prior to the draft. They liked what they saw of him before that, and even more after his visit.
"He is big, tall and fast," said Arians. "He can block; he is an outstanding, prototypical tight end. He can help stretch the field and he can also handle the point of attack."
