This week the entirety of the NFL world, teams and media alike will descend on Mobile, Alabama for the biggest college All-Star game of the offseason, the Reese’s Senior Bowl. This is the premier event for top draft prospects to show what they can do in a practice setting run by NFL coaches. In terms of the NFL draft evaluation process, it doesn’t get much bigger than this.
Without a first-round pick, it is vital for the Pittsburgh Steelers to properly evaluate the prospects to be sure they don’t miss on that all-important second-round pick. Here are eight players for the Steelers to watch this week in Mobile.
QB Jordan Love, Utah State
All the talk at the quarterback position has been about Joe Burrow but a player who doesn’t get enough attention is Love. He’s a guy you have to scout beyond the boxscore because he got very little help from the guys around him. He’s got impressive accuracy and can make every NFL throw. He’s not a year-one starter but has as much upside as any quarterback in the draft.
RB Antonio Gibson, Memphis
Gibson is a tremendous athlete who can excel as a running back, wide receiver and a kick returner. He’s got elite NFL size (6-2, 221 pounds), and showed in 2019 he can do just about anything an offense wants from him. Some might compare him to Jaylen Samuels but Gibson offers much more as a runner which is what the Steelers need the most.
TE Adam Trautman, Dayton
Every NFL team wants the next Travis Kelce or George Kittle. Trautman might be from Dayton but make no mistake his versatility as a receiver is enticing to NFL teams. Trautman caught 65 passes for 859 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2019. He can run every route and is especially strong in the middle of the field.
OL Ben Bredeson, Michigan
Pittsburgh could be looking to replace Ramon Foster this offseason and Bredeson in the second or third round would be ideal. He’s got solid athleticism for a 325-pound guard but it’s his power and violent hands that make him a perfect candidate for a Steelers team who needs to get back to running the football.
EDGE Alton Robinson, Syracuse
Admittedly, the film on Robinson is somewhat up and down. He is great in some games and invisible in others. This week will be big for him to show NFL teams he can give consistent effort and has the ability to put his package of skills together every single week.
DT Neville Gallimore, Oklahoma
Pittsburgh can never have enough defensive linemen. Gallimore fits the mold of the non-traditional nose tackle they like and plays with tremendous effort and power and can work well in a short area as a run stuffer and even rushing the passer on twists and stunts.
