Before he was drafted by the Steelers, before he went to the NFL Combine, and before he even played a down of college football, cornerback Senquez Golson made a decision he said he doesn't regret for a minute.
Golson was drafted by the Boston Red Sox right out of high school, but turned down a $1 million plus signing bonus because he loved football and wanted to play in the NFL one day.
After three weeks of OTAs, Golson knows he did the right thing.
"It's funny you ask that, because I was talking to my mom yesterday and I told her I definitely made the right decision," said Golson. "Just being out here every day I am loving it."
Golson said he is growing and developing every day, noticing a big difference from the first time he took the field for rookie minicamp until now.
"I think mentally everything is starting to slow down for me," said Golson. "In my playbook I am trying to learn all of my plays. That is what I have been focusing on so far."
One of the biggest changes for him, though, has been the added responsibility of working at the nickel slot and picking up on all of the nuances involved with it.
"Playing corner is kind of easy as far as the concepts, but I am working with the corner and the nickel," said Golson. "I am adjusting to the formations and motions, trying to digest it. I didn't play a lot of slot in college. It's new, not much different as far as covering receivers but new as far as the terminology."
Apparently he is adjusting well enough that receiver Antonio Brown singled him out as one of the young defensive backs showing something during OTAs.
"I couldn't ask for better praise," said Golson. "He is the best receiver in the league. We talked a little bit. I just love the challenge as far as guarding him, the other receivers. I love it.
"He is different. All the tendencies you get from receivers, he doesn't show those. He has his own way of running his routes and doing things. He is a lot different. It's challenging."
Golson is relying heavily on the help of the veteran defensive backs to make those challenges easier as he adjusts to the NFL, and was pleasantly surprised to see how willing they are to help.
"All of the vets welcomed us in, if we need anything we can ask questions," said Golson. "If they see us mess up they come up to us and try to correct us. I don't hesitate at all to ask some of the vets around me about this situation or that situation, different things like that.
"Will Gay, I have been trying to stay in his pocket as much as I can and learn as much as I can."
