PITTSBURGH -- Defensive tackle Evander "Ziggy" Hood and the rest of the Steelers' 2009 draft class are in Pittsburgh for a mandatory weekend minicamp at the team's South Side practice facility.
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Steelers MinicampHood said he's quickly learning that professional players are "a lot bigger, a lot faster, so, I mean, what I used to do at (the University of) Missouri, I can't do it no more, because we're not playing against the scout team. We're playing against high-level competition out there. Everybody's doing well of making sure everybody stays safe, but it's still high-level out there."
Hood could perform in situational roles this season but is "light years" away from playing as he adjusts to the switch to defensive end, position coach John Mitchell said.
Among the draft picks who could help the team as rookies are third-round wide receiver
Mike Wallace, third-round cornerback
Keenan Lewis, fifth-round running back
Frank "The Tank" Summers and fifth-round cornerback
Joe Burnett, who can return kicks, as can Wallace.
Slideshow: Photos Of Steelers' Draft Picks Through The YearsThere probably won't be much drama at the camp -- although starting linebacker
Larry Foote did not show up.
He's expected to be released soon if the team can't trade him.
Cornerback
Bryant McFadden, who signed with the Arizona Cardinals as a free agent, is the only other starter missing from last season.
Five veteran free agents signed with the Steelers prior to the start of minicamp Friday:
- Wide receiver Shaun McDonald was a fourth-round pick by the Rams in 2003 before signing with the Lions in 2007. He led Detroit with 79 catches for 943 yards and six touchdowns that season and had 35 catches and one touchdown last season.
- Cornerback Keiwan Ratliff was a second-round pick by the Cincinnati Bengals in 2004 before spending part of the 2007 and 2008 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts.
- Punter Dirk Johnson averaged 41.8 yards on 40 punts last season before being cut by Arizona in December. He has punted for the Saints, Eagles, Bears and Cardinals since 2002.
- Kicker Piotr Czech, from Wagner College, went to training camp with the Ravens last season but was cut.
- Wide receiver Jayson Foster spent time on the Steelers' practice squad last season.
Johnson and Czech aren't expected to pose a stiff challenge to Daniel Sepulveda or Jeff Reed, but the Steelers always sign a couple of players every year to compete with the starting punter and kicker in training camp.
Long snapper
Jared Retkofsky was cut before minicamp Friday. He signed after starter Greg Warren injured a knee at midseason last year.
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