Steelers first-round pick T.J. Watt looking right at home in Pittsburgh
PITTSBURGH 无毛视频� T.J. Watt is starting to get this Pittsburgh thing down pat.
The Steelers无毛视频� first-round pick has already made pilgrimages to Primanti Brothers and Pamela无毛视频檚, even made a trek atop Mount Washington.
Judging by Watt无毛视频檚 performance during the Steelers无毛视频� two-day minicamp on the South Side, this football thing is coming along pretty well, too.
无毛视频淚 wouldn无毛视频檛 say easy. I无毛视频檓 in the NFL; nothing comes easy here,无毛视频� Watt said Saturday. 无毛视频淎t the same time, I无毛视频檓 just trying to stay in my (play) books as much as possible, make this transition as fluid as possible, and try to come out here and make as many plays as I can here early on.无毛视频�
Watt did just that this weekend, saying he felt more comfortable as the camp progressed.
The 6-foot-4, 252-pound outside linebacker无毛视频檚 athleticism is obvious for all to see, particularly when compared to the undrafted free agents and tryout players who largely made up the rookie camp roster. But, no offense to Dylan Colucci and Kendall Pace, the competition Watt will see during organized team activities in a couple of weeks, let alone in the fall, will be a truer test.
A one-year starter at the University of Wisconsin, Watt is a bit of a project. He无毛视频檚 a former tight end who is still learning the nuances of defense, though, fortunately for the Steelers, Watt came from a program that played a 3-4 defense.
无毛视频淚无毛视频檓 assimilating pretty well just because a lot of the stuff I无毛视频檝e been doing at Wisconsin,无毛视频� he said. 无毛视频淛ust learning terminologies and things like that and coming out here and doing walk-throughs and just taking as many mental reps as you can when you无毛视频檙e not out the on the field. I think I无毛视频檓 doing a good job. Obviously, a few hiccups here and there, but for the most part, I think I无毛视频檓 playing faster each and every practice.无毛视频�
Before Watt gets ahead of himself, it无毛视频檚 important to note that the Steelers still have another outside linebacker ahead of him on the depth chart that you may have heard of. That, of course, would be James Harrison. Though he无毛视频檚 39, Harrison was the Steelers无毛视频� most consistent player and sacks leader at the position last season.
While Watt might be the future, Harrison is still very much the present. But Watt says he does plan to glean as much knowledge as he can from the Steelers无毛视频� all-time sacks leader.
无毛视频淥bviously, anytime you无毛视频檙e behind a guy who无毛视频檚 been in the league for this many years and is a workhorse year in and year out, it无毛视频檚 awesome to learn from,无毛视频� Watt said. 无毛视频淎nd, obviously, I无毛视频檝e had (older brother and Houston Texans star J.J. Watt) to learn from a lot, but it无毛视频檚 good to get a new perspective in James Harrison.无毛视频�
While Watt无毛视频檚 physical gifts are evident, it无毛视频檚 his work ethic, a family tradition, that has helped set him apart, becoming the 30th overall pick in last month无毛视频檚 draft. At Wisconsin, Watt says, he eschewed the many temptations of Madison, one of the nation无毛视频檚 best college towns. Watt is a notorious hard worker, which should mesh well with Harrison.
无毛视频淚 just feel like I put in a lot of work,无毛视频� Watt said. 无毛视频淚t does come naturally to me a lot, but I do put in a lot of work in film. I无毛视频檒l go back after meetings and study a lot of tape and a lot of the playbook to play fast. You have to come out here and play fast. You don无毛视频檛 have room to make a lot of mistakes.无毛视频�
Though Watt seems to be assimilating himself quite nicely to the Steelers and to his new surroundings, he did make one glaring mistake Saturday. Asked if there was one quarterback he无毛视频檇 like to sack most, Pittsburghers might be disappointed to learn that Watt didn无毛视频檛 immediately answer Tom Brady or even Joe Flacco.
无毛视频淣ah, doesn无毛视频檛 matter to me,无毛视频� Watt said with a laugh.
Steelers fans might have to forgive Watt on that one. He无毛视频檚 still learning.