Oh, come on, it'll be a linebacker.
See, I've taken this stance forever, and I'm right more than half the time. Because every year, it seems, the entirety of the Nation seems to settle on that one specific position the Steelers are certain to target in that NFL Draft ... until they just do what they wanted all along and take another linebacker.
Yeah, yeah, I know. This time, it's got to be a running back.
Except that it doesn't. And it might not be.
"In terms of the draft pool, I think there's a lot of guys, and guys that we're excited about."
"We've looked, and we just say, 'Wow, this is a pretty good group.' "
That first quote came from Mike Tomlin, in response to my question about inside linebackers. That second quote came from Kevin Colbert. And although both men spoke effusively about other positions Monday at Heinz Field at their annual pre-draft press conference -- our city's first to be conducted in person by any team since the pandemic's outset -- I'm here to attest that their eyes, as ever widened a little extra when it came to linebackers.
Watch their full, joint answer when I asked both men to describe the recent evolution of the position -- more Devin Bush, less Vince Williams -- and how that's impacted the college ranks as well as their own needs/wants:
"You know," Tomlin began, "in terms of the physical makeup of the linebacker position, I think it's been widespread in college ball prior to evolving and becoming more widespread in our game. I believe it's probably less of an issue now, to be quite honest with you. I think it was a significant discussion when we drafted Ryan Shazier, and he was kind of an outlier or precursor to what's a common discussion now, a guy capable of running with anyone and covering and playing in all circumstances."
He then shared the assessment of the draft pool that I cited above before deferring to Colbert.
"Yeah, I agree with what Coach said," Colbert followed. "The game has changed. It's more horizontal, and Ryan was ahead of the curve when we took him. You've got to keep pace with what's going on and what we have to defend in this league. But it's not different from what's going on at the college level. It used to be, in the old days, 'Who could take on that fullback?' Well, there are no fullbacks now, for the most part. 'Who could take on a guard?' Well, most of the time, they're running past that guard instead of taking them on. So we value that."
Sure sounds like it.
"But they also have to have a certain amount of innate intellect, of football intellect, if you will, because with inside linebackers, there's not a lot of time to make decisions. They have to react. So the instinctive part of being able to play that position, we think, is a natural act. There's things they can't be taught."
Chiefly the athleticism.
"The lateral ability of those players is very important. The ability to cover and not get caught in situations where they can't cover just physically, that's important."
Which is when Colbert swung back to the Steelers.
"What we remind ourselves, really, and will continue to remind ourselves is that we'll have Devin Bush back this year. And that person who's going to be paired with him will have the advantage of having him there because he's still a significant player who was taking real positive steps prior to his injury. So we're excited about that, as well."
Good stuff, huh?
Finished strong, too, with that sentiment that might or might not be a smokescreen about their intent.
Anyone buying it?
I will. But only after I hear the name of Najee Harris called late Thursday night.
That's the Alabama running back, of course, the one I'd love to see there at No. 24 overall. And here's presuming I've got plenty of company on this. Maybe even on South Water Street.
But here's additionally presuming that, if Harris isn't there, and if the Steelers aren't nearly as enamored of another back such as Clemson's Travis Etienne, Plan B will then become ILB.
Maybe it'll be Tulsa's Zaven Collins, a 6-foot-4, 260-pound space alien who's quick enough to cover, long enough to challenge tight ends and still a snarling presence against the run.
Maybe it'll even be Penn State's Micah Parsons, whose athleticism at the Nittany Lions' pro day a month ago -- 6-2, 245, and a 4.39 time in the 40 -- moved Tomlin to call that session "a freak show," though Parsons would have to fall.
And then again, maybe they'll opt out, per Colbert's blunt statement that, while he's "very doubtful that we'll trade up," he'd be more than open to moving down. Because, as both men acknowledged, there's a bunch of these ILB types up and down every round. Even into Day 3.
However it plays out, they'll get theirs.
Rattling off three reasons why:
• Bush alone won't suffice as a Bush type. With due respect to Williams and Robert Spillane, whoever starts will be too similar and too reminiscent of the older-school model even if both perform as well as I'd anticipate. Neither offers a contrast to the other, nor an alternative for Keith Butler when facing one of those more horizontally challenging opponents.
• This defense lost some serious wow factor with Bud Dupree's departure. Tomlin praised the potential of Alex Highsmith to replace Bud, but that's all it is at the moment. Bud was special. And with Bud, this defense was special. And without Bud ... my goodness, the entire season collapsed. Adding a dash of dynamism alongside the already prized Bush could restore some of that vital feel in a snap.
• To repeat, this is what they do. In the past eight years, five of their first-rounders (Bush, Dupree, Shazier, T.J. Watt and Jarvis Jones) have been linebackers, and Highsmith was a third-rounder in 2020 even though Bud and T.J. were set as starters.
What else might it be?
Not quarterback.
Don't waste a split-second on that. By now, a scope that seismic surely would've sneaked out, rather than both men on this day backing all four members of their now-filled room, highlighted by Tomlin's unsolicited support of "a 22-year-old guy like Dwayne Haskins who was viewed globally as having first-round talent just a short time ago."
Not center.
Not in the first round, anyway. Colbert expressed delight at the depth, so Maurkice Pouncey's possible successor could be selected at some stage, but there isn't one that rises above.
Ideally, it's running back.
But hey, what do they say about betting against trends?
