Let's get to it:
STEVE GREJDA FROM ROCHESTER, MI: I recall early last season that Keeanu Benton was receiving praise for his great potential. Then the run defense was horrid. Was he out of position or just still developing?
ANSWER: I believe it's a mistake to claim Keeanu Benton, a second-year player, was solely responsible for the Steelers defense allowing 618 yards rushing in the December regular season games vs. Baltimore and Kansas City and then in the Wild Card Round vs. the Ravens.
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RANDY HAMONKO FROM JOHNSTOWN, PA: I thought compensatory draft picks could not be traded?
ANSWER: That once was true, but that rule was changed starting with the 2017 NFL Draft.
ROBERTO MONTEMAYOR FROM MONTERREY, NUEVO LEON, MEXICO: How much value is given to a player's leadership, compared to his qualities as a player on the field?
ANSWER: Let me put it to you this way: Being a team captain or being recognized as an example for his college teammates certainly doesn't hurt in the overall evaluation, but just because a player never was voted captain or isn't a vocal personality in the locker room doesn't lower his overall evaluation. If the player is talented and acts responsibly in conducting his business, that's what a team wants to learn during the evaluation process.
PATRICK FUCHS FROM ZEZIKON, SWITZERLAND: There has been a lot of talk in the media about draft prospect Travis Hunter playing both offense and defense. How realistic do you think it is for him (or any player) to successfully play both positions in the NFL?
ANSWER: If you're talking about being a starter on both offense and defense, my answer would be, no. In the Eagles win over the Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX, there were 119 plays run, and for any player to go both ways that is an extremely heavy workload. Also, the Super Bowl was the 20th game of the season for Chiefs and the 21st game of the season for the Eagles. That's a lot of wear-and-tear even on a young man's body. My guess as to how things evolve for Travis Hunter is that whichever team drafts him has an idea whether it's offense or defense where it believes he will provide the most on-field value when it comes to winning games. Then there could be a package installed for him for the other side of the ball if/when he shows a grasp of his "primary" position. At Purdue, Rod Woodson was a cornerback, kick-returner, running back, and wide receiver, and in his final college game he posted over 150 yards rushing and receiving, 10 tackles, and 1 forced fumble. Once Woodson was established as a cornerback with the Steelers, he lobbied Coach Bill Cowher for some playing time on offense. Cowher eventually relented and Woodson played maybe a handful of snaps on offense, and he ended up with 1 carry for 0 yards rushing and no catches as a receiver. And Woodson's credentials as a world-class athlete were cemented when he qualified for the 1984 Olympic Trials in the 110-meter hurdles and set an NCAA record in the 60-meter hurdles that he held for 10 years.
BRANDON BEISTEL FROM GREENSBURG, PA: Do you think Travis Hunter playing two different positions hurts or helps him when it comes to teams evaluating/drafting him?
ANSWER: I believe the best way for a team to approach the package that Travis Hunter presents as a player about to enter the NFL is through communication with him regarding its plan for him. There is enough game video to watch and there was enough testing done at the Combine and/or his Pro Day to make the case for him being one of the premier athletes/prospects available in many years. I just think that him knowing which playbook to learn, which meetings to attend, which jersey color to wear at practice, is going to help his transition to the NFL. There should be no question in anybody's mind that he's among the top 5 players available in the upcoming draft, regardless of position group.
EDWARD UMLAUF FROM WELLINGTON, OH: Have you looked at QB Tyler Slough and if so, what is your opinion of his potential as a future starter in the NFL?
ANSWER: My only exposure to a lot of the players who will be drafted on April 24-26 comes from watching college football on Saturdays in the Fall, and watching a game or two as a fan on television is no basis for an evaluation. And so I will offer the report written by NFL Draft Analyst Lance Zierlein for NFL.com:
OVERVIEW
Pocket passer with a seven-year college career prompted by three consecutive years of injuries while at Texas Tech. Shough will turn 26 in September, was in the same recruiting class as Trevor Lawrence and backed up Justin Herbert at Oregon. He's a talented passer with a live arm who is capable of making pro throws both intermediate and deep but battles inconsistency. He plays with good field vision, using his eyes to hold defenders and set up his throwing windows. Shough is confident and accurate when protected, but will flinch when pressure mounts, leading to spotty decision-making and big sacks. His size and passing talent will be enticing, but durability and mobility concerns are impediments he will need to overcome.
STRENGTHS
Displays good command and full-field passing talent when protected.
Adequate timing getting through his progressions.
Effective use of eyes to hold linebackers and safeties.
Splashy arm talent throws are all over his tape.
Can sit down and crank up drive throws when needed.
Pushes deep ball with effortless release and flick of the wrist.
More naturally accurate thrower than stats might indicate.
Can come off his primary target suddenly after spotting danger.
WEAKNESSES
Sluggish operation time working quick-game throws.
Lacks poise and mobility to overcome turbulent pockets.
Occasional issues allowing routes to unwind and develop.
Falls way off delivery when pressure is mounting in front of him.
Gunslinger mentality brings occasional lapses in decision-making.
Not enough "extend and win" when flushed from the pocket.
Missed substantial time due to injury in 2021, 2022 and 2023.
JOHN MURRELL FROM TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA: Mine is a quick question as a lifelong Steeler fan. Would it be viable for the team to pursue Ryan Tannehill? He seems to be a good fit for the team in my opinion.
ANSWER: I imagine your opinion is based on Ryan Tannehill's time in Tennessee when Arthur Smith was the Titans' offensive coordinator. And while Tannehill was individually successful as the starting quarterback and the offense was productive overall, he was out of football for all of 2024 after playing in 155 regular season games over 11 NFL seasons.
ED JOHNSON FROM GERMANTOWN, OH: That was a great explanation in the April 3 Asked and Answered about Terry Bradshaw calling his own plays and the offensive coordinator not really existing during the 1970s. Can you list the starting quarterbacks for the Steelers between Terry Bradshaw's retirement after the 1983 season and Chuck Noll's after the 1991 season?
ANSWER: Because an elbow injury limited Terry Bradshaw to only 1 game in 1983, Cliff Stoudt was the de facto starter that season. In 1984, David Woodley (7 starts) and Mark Malone (9 starts) split the job; and then in 1985-87 Malone was the primary starter. In 1988, Bubby Brister started 13 games and Todd Blackledge started 3, and Brister retained the job through 1989 (14 starts) and 1990 (16 starts). Brister opened the 1991 season as the starter, but after 6 games Noll switched to Neil O'Donnell, who started the next 8 games, and then Noll went back to Brister to start the final two games of that season.
JUSTIN HENNEBERRY FROM HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA, CANADA: Has there ever been any talks about hosting the NFL Scouting Combine in a location other than Indianapolis?
ANSWER: As of now, Indianapolis will remain the host of the Scouting Combine through 2026. Said Peter O'Reilly, executive vice president, club business, international, and league events at the NFL, "Indianapolis and the NFL Combine have a proud history together, so we're thrilled to continue our longstanding partnership with Visit Indy, the Indianapolis Colts, and the local community for this 2026 event. Our partners in Indy have successfully hosted the football evaluation process for decades, and recently, we've collectively worked to grow and evolve the in-person fan experience, bringing tens of thousands of fans closer to the league's future stars." I imagine there will be some kind of negotiations to continue there beyond 2026, but in my years of attending the Combine I always believed the layout of Downtown Indianapolis and the proximity of the city to so many NFL franchises makes it the best possible location for this event.
CHUCK GRUBER FROM QUINCY, MA: In the April 3 installment of Asked and Answered, you were asked by Sam Mikhail about team's needs at pick No. 21 in the upcoming draft. My question from your response is, presumably you do not know much about Sam, but how come you get to be the next Ben Roethlisberger as the QB prospect and not Sam?
ANSWER: If you had ever seen my moonball, you'd know the answer to that question
