Steelers select Hargrave in third round

Apr 30, 2016 - 3:09 AM (STATS) - The longer NFL teams looked, the more they couldn't deny South Carolina State defensive tackle Javon Hargrave's ability to disrupt opposing offenses.

The Pittsburgh Steelers selected Hargrave in the third round of the NFL Draft on Friday night with the 89th overall pick.

There were concerns about the 6-foot-1, 309-pounder's small school background, but he continued to climb draft boards as he validated how he was one of the more dominating linemen in Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference history.

The STATS first-team All-American registered 29 1/2 sacks and 43 tackles for loss over the past two seasons, including an FCS record-tying six sacks against Bethune-Cookman in 2014. He won MEAC defensive player of the year honors both years.

Hargrave had a sensational week leading up to the East-West Shrine Game and it led to him getting an invitation to the Senior Bowl the following week. He went on to the NFL Combine and solidified himself as a sleeper pick.

But the word was out already about Hargrave, who is agile and quick to move into holes into backfields with 4.93-second speed in the 40-yard dash.