Rookie Ziggy Hood Ready to Make an Impact for the Steelers D-Line

Steelers first-round pick Evander “Ziggy” Hood is signed and sealed, and is ready to make an impact in his rookie season with the Super Bowl champs.

“I think I fit in all right because Pittsburgh looks like a busy city where everybody’s working a whole lot,” Hood said Friday. “I’m no stranger to working out myself, so I think I’ll fit in pretty well where everybody’s just working together, pretty much.”

The Steelers are hoping that Hood will fit in on a D-line that has a couple players that are getting a bit long in the tooth – Casey Hampton, Aaron Smith and Brett Keisel. All three are hitting that 30 mark or more at some point in the 09 season, and that position needs some youth.

Hood says that Smith is a player that so far has helped him get his feet wet in the game. “My locker sits right next to his, so any little piece of technique he’s taught me, I took a lot of it, really learning from him because he’s been a vet in the game for so long that I have no choice but to listen to him,” Hood said.

“But really, I’m trying to get experience from everybody because each player brings something new to the table. If it’s from working hard or doing the certain steps to eating right, maybe I can take all of that and combine it and use it well for myself.”