Steelers minicamp takeaways: T.J. Watt shows agility, Josh Dobbs searching for accuracy, Cam Sutton flashes hands
Kevin Lorenzi|Calkins Media
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin talks with running back James Conner as players stretch during the first day of Steelers rookie minicamp on Friday at the UPMC Rooney 无毛视频 Complex in Pittsburgh.
Quarterback Nick Schuessler (8) hands off to running back James Conner (8) during the first day of Steelers rookie minicamp on Friday at the UPMC Rooney 无毛视频 Complex in Pittsburgh.
Kevin Lorenzi|Calkins Media
Scott Orndoff (80), a native of Waynesburg, and Phazahn Odom (44) go through a drill at the UPMC Rooney 无毛视频 Complex in Pittsburgh.
Running back Rushel Shell, a Hopewell High School graduate, runs after a catch during the first day of Steelers rookie minicamp on Friday at the UPMC Rooney 无毛视频 Complex in Pittsburgh.
Tight end Scott Orndoff reaches for a catch during the first day of Steelers rookie minicamp on Friday at the UPMC Rooney 无毛视频 Complex in Pittsburgh.
Calkins Media Correspondent Chris Mueller gives his takeaways from rookie minicamp.
90 WATT LIGHTBULB
From the eye test alone, first-round pick T.J. Watt appears to be as advertised. He looks like a longer, leaner version of his brother (J.J.), and brings great length to the OLB position with the ability to knock down passes at the line of scrimmage. It无毛视频檚 easy to tell he was a former tight end by his agility and ability to change directions quickly. Watt will likely serve as a backup to Bud Dupree and James Harrison to begin the season but should contribute in one form or fashion as he becomes acclimated to the speed of the NFL.
无毛视频淚 feel like I am assimilating pretty well,无毛视频� Watt said on Saturday. 无毛视频淎 lot of the stuff is what I did at Wisconsin. It无毛视频檚 just learning terminology and things like that, and then coming out here, doing walk-throughs and taking as many mental reps as you can when you无毛视频檙e not out there on the field. I think I am doing a good job. Obviously there are some hiccups here and there, but for the most part I feel like I am starting to play faster each and every practice. I wouldn无毛视频檛 say it无毛视频檚 easy. I am in the NFL. Nothing comes easy here.无毛视频�
AGE IS JUST A NUMBER
JuJu Smith-Schuster isn无毛视频檛 the average 20-year-old. His physical stature (6无毛视频�1, 215 pounds) will give him an advantage against smaller defensive backs in the red zone. He flashed good hands in minicamp, but will need to clean up his route running in OTAs and training camp. Playing receiver in Todd Haley无毛视频檚 offense is very complex with a lot of terminology and pre-snap cues that will take time for Smith-Schuster to learn. Once the rest of the team returns, Smith-Schuster will have better competition to go up against. That will further display the second-round pick无毛视频檚 NFL readiness. Furthermore, he无毛视频檒l get to begin learning from Antonio Brown.
无毛视频淚 see it as age is just a number,无毛视频� Smith-Schuster said on Friday. 无毛视频淎t the end of the day, the person out there is just playing. They无毛视频檙e not going to base a player off his age. I could be the oldest guy on the field and still ball; shout out to James Harrison going on 15-16 years. That无毛视频檚 a great example. The only difference between being 17 years old and being the youngest guy on the team was that I had to mature earlier. I didn无毛视频檛 have time to be a kid in college. I got thrown right into the fire and started right away. The train is moving with or without you.无毛视频�
DOBBS STILL A PROJECT
Without placing too much emphasis on just two days of practice, fourth-round pick Josh Dobbs can be considered more of a project rather than someone who can challenge Landry Jones for the No. 2 quarterback position. Out of any position, quarterback is one that can actually be somewhat evaluated in the rookie minicamp setting that is shorts and helmets. Dobbs has a nice release, but the inaccuracy claims that surrounded his name during the draft process are visible. He also ran a spread offense in college, and will need to adjust to taking snaps under center, a transition that can be underestimated at times. Although he was throwing to a majority of receivers that won无毛视频檛 be on an NFL roster come August, it无毛视频檚 pretty obvious Dobbs will be a work in progress for the next couple of years.
无毛视频淵ou无毛视频檙e always processing information. So of course, this was the first day to install, but we无毛视频檒l install more later. You无毛视频檙e just growing, trying to come out and be successful at what you learned upstairs,无毛视频� Dobbs said on Friday. 无毛视频淚 want to build on each practice and continue to improve going forward. So it was a good day, and I无毛视频檓 looking forward to improving in our next session today.无毛视频�
YOUNG DEFENSIVE BACKS ARE PIECES TO WORK WITH
Cam Sutton and Brian Allen both did some good things in minicamp. Allen无毛视频檚 one-handed, Odell Beckham Jr.-like grab stole the show on Friday. Sutton was quick to the point of attack, and displayed his ability to eventually step in at nickel cornerback. He also flashed good ball skills on contested catches during in 7 on 7s. Allen, in particular, was labeled a project player coming out of Utah after undergoing a position change mid-way through his collegiate career. But with his length, Allen无毛视频檚 transition shouldn无毛视频檛 take exponentially long. He will be a contender to crack the 53-man roster in August. Both will have a great opportunity for growth while going up against Brown, Martavis Bryant and the rest of the Steelers receivers come training camp.
无毛视频淎 little bit,无毛视频� Sutton said, on Friday, of watching film on Brown. 无毛视频淒efinitely going to have some good battles and good competition but at the end of the day you无毛视频檙e always working toward one common goal 无毛视频� and that无毛视频檚 winning a championship. And whatever it is, whether he can help develop my game or I can help develio his as well, we are always constantly each and everyday to make each other better and make the team around us better.无毛视频�
无毛视频淚 practice catches. When I was a wide receiver, I used to stay after practice and practice catches like that, so I wouldn无毛视频檛 necessarily say it was luck,无毛视频� Allen said, on Friday, of his one-handed catch. 无毛视频淏ut I would say it was a little skill put into it because I practice that. it was just a great play and I am happy out here competing.无毛视频�
CONNER A FORMIDABLE NO. 2 BACK
One of the more intriguing storylines in training camp will be to see how James Conner and Le无毛视频橵eon Bell compliment each other, and how Haley will go about trying to intermix them both. Conner looks to be in great shape, and adds another element to the receiving game in his ability to catch passes out of the backfield. He said he is at the same playing weight (235 pounds) that he was in college. He may be on the opposite end of the field now at the UPMC Rooney 无毛视频 Complex, but Conner was all business this weekend.
无毛视频滻 really got past all the emotions on draft night,无毛视频� Conner said on Friday. 无毛视频淛ust like Coach Tomlin said, 无毛视频業t无毛视频檚 emotional. It无毛视频檚 a great feeling.无毛视频� He was happy for me and my family. But we have to get past that. We have work to do. I always say I am blessed. But I just came to work today.无毛视频�