Why you should be excited about third-round pick Javon Hargrave:

• He had 63 career tackles for a loss and 37 career sacks in four seasons at South Carolina State (46 TFL and 29.5 sacks over the last two seasons, when he was named to the FCS All-America team each season).

• Hargrove separated himself, according to draft analyst Dane Brugler, as the best player invited to the East-West Shrine Game and eventually earned an invitation to the Senior Bowl.

• His college coach, Oliver Pough, has had this to say about Hargrave: "Javon is a special player. We can't block him in practice."

• Hargrave sat out the 2011 season due to academic issues and then enrolled at South Carolina State after not having received any offers from FBS schools. Steelers defensive line coach John Mitchell called Hargrave a "self-made man."

• Mitchell said former super scout Bill Nunn, legendary for his ability to find talent in obscure places, "would really like this pick."

• Hargrave has the ability to play nose tackle and to remain on the field in passing situations to help with the pass rush. "I'm looking for some guys that can come in and help us where (defensive end Cam) Heyward and (defensive end Stephon) Tuitt don't have to play 65 to 70 plays a game," Mitchell said.

• Mitchell perceived Hargrave as a player who always played up to his ability rather than down to the level of competition at South Carolina State.

• Former Steelers safety Donnie Shell also played at South Carolina State.

• Mitchell had many nice things to say about Hargrave, and Mitchell rarely if ever has anything nice to say about rookies.

• Hargrave ran a sub-5.0 40-yard dash at the combine (4.93) at 6-foot-1 and 309 pounds.

• After seeing him at the combine, Mitchell went to South Carolina State to visit with Hargrave and to work him out and then campaigned for the Steelers to draft Hargrave upon returning to Pittsburgh.