The NFL Scouting Combine kicked off on Wednesday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, and for the players who have been invited to participate this year, that means they will be evaluated on everything, from their 40-yard dash time to how they answer questions in interviews with teams.
The offensive line is among the first group of players taking part in the Combine, and some of the top ones at each position weighed in on the experience so far, and shared their take on a few current Steelers.
- Josh Garnett – Guard – Stanford
On what he knows about former Stanford and current Steelers guard David DeCastro, who he didn't play with in college but knows all about:
"I know a lot about David DeCastro. That was kind of the guy I liked to model myself after at Stanford. That's a guy who was a mauler, a finisher. When he punches you, you're going to feel it. That was a guy I really liked to watch film of, just the way he finished. I modeled my play after that. I really wanted to finish people and imitate what David DeCastro was doing.
"He could move. His athletic ability was really underrated coming out of Stanford. He showed people a lot of things."
- Cody Whitehair – Guard – Kansas State
On potentially being the top guard drafted:
"I really haven't got caught up in that too much. I've just been trying to focus on the Senior Bowl and getting ready for this. We'll see where that takes us after this week."
On former Kansas State teammate B.J. Finney, now with the Steelers:
"B.J. was a hard worker. I haven't really talked to him lately. I know he just got married, so really happy for him, but haven't really talked to him lately."
- Ryan Kelly – Center - Alabama
On being a potential first-round pick:
"Whether you're drafted or not, where we're going to go in the draft, no one really knows. This is just a great opportunity, and you can only control what you can control. I'm going to do the best I can whether it be in the interviews, psychology, on the field stuff, just give it everything I have. At the end of the day, if I leave it all on the field, I have no regrets, whether a team drafts me or not."
On being a leader:
"I've always been the kind of guy that wanted to walk the walk before I talked the talk, so to say. By leading by example, I think, you can earn the trust of other people. This year was a big step for me. I tried to become more of a vocal leader, which isn't always easy to do unless you're kind of just given that talent. I'm always evolving. I think we're always evolving into new leadership; it's never something that you can attain overnight. I always want to be more of a vocal leader, but at the same time you got to do the right things on and off the field to earn players trust."
- Laremy Tunsil – Tackle – Ole Miss
Tunsil, who said he would like to run a sub-5.0 40-yard dash which is almost unheard of for an offensive lineman, on evaluating himself:
"I have great feet, great frame. I feel I'm the best."
The 2016 Steelers Fan Blitz presented by Xfinity will be held at Heinz Field on Saturday, April 30. For ticket information and details click on Steelers Fan Blitz.
