No answers: If you were looking for names, if you were looking for what position the Steelers will focus on in this year's NFL Draft during the Coach Mike Tomlin and General Manager Kevin Colbert's pre-draft press conference on Monday, well, you were looking for the wrong thing.
The two do the annual press conference, but information on who they will draft is never free flowing. Even a question as simple as what is more valuable for you, a cornerback or a safety, isn't going to get you a rock solid response.
"It depends on the guys," said Tomlin. "I don't think we have any of the hypothetical conversations without talking about the people themselves. We are not going to get into the details of particular guys in this setting. All of those discussions involve the strengths and weaknesses of each individual guy in the equation as opposed to specifically looking at positional things."
- Painting it red: If all you heard was a line about painting a barn red from the press conference today, you might wonder what on earth was being talked about. To put it into perspective, though, it all makes sense. Tomlin was discussing with the evolution of the defense, if they look at 'scheme fits' as a key factor in the draft.
"We had had the analogy brought up several times in the draft room if you have red paint, paint the barn red," said Tomlin. "Scheme fits is an element of discussion, but also quality players and acquiring quality players and being flexible in what we do in an effort to bring the game to them is part of the discussion as well. It has to be."
- One team, one pick: There is no 'I' in team, and in the Steelers draft room, all that exists is team. Any decision that is made on who the team will select when they are 'on the clock,' is normally made in a discussion by the group leading up to the draft and is definitely a group decision.
"The nail biting decisions you imagine while on the clock don't occur in that manner," said Tomlin. "It occurs in a variety of forms over the course of several months in preparation. There isn't the angst or discussion you would imagine when we are on the clock. These decisions have been made and transpired over the course of the last several months."
Growth chart: Cornerback Senquez Golsen has been referred to as a bonus pick several times this offseason, as the team's second-round selection from last season is returning after missing all of last season with a shoulder injury. Only time will tell, though, how he has grown from being a spectator.
"I think we can sit around and speculate on what he has gained, but I don't think that will become evident until we start playing and we see the differences between him and the first exposure guys," said Tomlin. "He should stick out in that setting from the time spent, the knowing of the drill, how we go about doing business, the flow of the day, the input of information, and things of that nature. He is going to have an opportunity to display what has been learned once he gets going. Anything prior to that is simply speculation."
