Steelers Center Maurkice Pouncey Hopes to Show He is Better Than His Brother
By Danny Cox
Maurkice Pouncey, C, #53
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 304 lbs.
Age: 23
Hometown: Ardmore, OK
College: Florida
Experience: 3 years
Maurkice Pouncey was drafted to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft and taken with the 18th pick overall. With such a high pick, the Steelers obviously thought that he was well worth taking and they had hope that Pouncey could shore up their offensive line.
Perhaps, they also didn't want to wait one more year to take a Pouncey in the draft. You see, Maurkice's brother, Mike Pouncey, is another center out of the University of Florida. He was taken by the Miami Dolphins with the 15th pick of the first round in the 2011 draft.
Yes, they are on the same side of the ball of different teams and will never actually have to play head-to-head with one another, but that doesn't mean they don't want to do better than the other.
The identical twin brothers seem to have been competing ever since the day they were born. It appeared as if they were fighting to come out of the womb in hopes of being better and faster than the other. Mike Pouncey got the better on Maurkice as the former was born just one minute earlier than the latter.
Mike may have one extra minute on his brother, but Maurkice will always have one year in the NFL on his brother. None the less, it really is hard to say which one is more talented.
Looking back at their college careers, Maurkice certainly was no slouch for the Gators. He was named:
- First Team All-SEC in 2009
- Consensus All-American in 2009
- Awarded the Rimington Trophy in 2009
- Won an SEC Championship in 2008
- Won a BCS National Championship in 2009
Mike Pouncey has almost the exact same resume as his brother in college, but he was a First-Team All American in 2009.
It is the NFL that shows the differences between the two, and while both talented; Maurkice seems to have the upper-hand so far.
So far, Mike Pouncey was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team in 2011. That is one incredible feat for anyone so it is nothing to be overlooked and he should be commended on it.
During his time in the NFL, Maurkice Pouncey's accomplishments seem to outweigh that of his brother and many other players in the league.
- Pittsburgh Steelers Rookie of the Year in 2010
- Pro Bowl selection in 2010 and 2011
- All-Pro selection in 2010 and 2011
- AFC Champion in 2010
- Ranked #49 on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2012
Maurkice Pouncey hasn't even played through his first ever contract, and already he is generating great accomplishments in the league and the full fledged respect of his peers. His work at center is phenomenal and his relationship with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is one that any quarterback wishes he could have with his center.
While Maurkice may never rack up a lot of numbers as far as stats go, he plays at one of the few positions in the NFL that people judge by pure talent. He won't record a tackle. He won't gain a yard. He won't catch a pass. He may recover a fumble or two during his career…if he's lucky, but that's about it.
When it comes to talk about the offensive line of the Pittsburgh Steelers though, the name of Maurkice Pouncey will always be mentioned and looked at as the anchor. He will also be looked at as one of the premiere players in the NFL.
In his mind? He will also always be looked at as being better than his brother, Mike.
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Danny Cox knows a little something about the NFL, whether it means letting you know what penalty will come from the flag just thrown on the field or quickly spouting off who the Chicago Bears drafted in the first round of the 1987 draft (Jim Harbaugh). He plans on bringing you the best news, previews, recaps, and anything else that may come along with the exciting world of the National Football League. His work can be found on Examiner.com.
