Willie Colon is an offensive tackle for the NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers. He was a fourth-round 2006 draft pick out of Hofstra University.

In his first season, he played in just two games. On December 21, 2006, Colon got his first start for the Steelers at right tackle, replacing Max Starks. Starks was out with a torn meniscus in his right knee and underwent arthroscopic surgery a few days before.

After seeing spotty play in his first season, Colon was active in all 16 regular season contests in 2007. He was used enough to earn a $309,534 from the NFL’s performance-based pay distribution system. The system was created to give players with low salaries who have put in a lot of playing time an up-tick in their earnings.

In his first two seasons, Colon exhibited some game smarts and skills that resulted in his getting more playing time as the season progressed. He’s shown good lateral movement and has quick, strong hands that can hamper charging defensive linemen. Colon possesses good lower body strength, better than average balance and a compact frame. Although he’s more suited for offensive guard, he’s able to use his skills and athleticism at right tackle. As he continues to develop, look for him to become a primetime player for the Pittsburgh Steelers.