Steelers minicamp takeaways: T.J. Watt shows agility, Josh Dobbs searching for accuracy, Cam Sutton flashes hands
Kevin Lorenzi|Calkins Media
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin talks with running back James Conner as players stretch during the first day of Steelers rookie minicamp on Friday at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex in Pittsburgh.
Quarterback Nick Schuessler (8) hands off to running back James Conner (8) during the first day of Steelers rookie minicamp on Friday at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex in Pittsburgh.
Kevin Lorenzi|Calkins Media
Scott Orndoff (80), a native of Waynesburg, and Phazahn Odom (44) go through a drill at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex in Pittsburgh.
Running back Rushel Shell, a Hopewell High School graduate, runs after a catch during the first day of Steelers rookie minicamp on Friday at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex in Pittsburgh.
Tight end Scott Orndoff reaches for a catch during the first day of Steelers rookie minicamp on Friday at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex in Pittsburgh.
Calkins Media Correspondent Chris Mueller gives his takeaways from rookie minicamp.
90 WATT LIGHTBULB
From the eye test alone, first-round pick T.J. Watt appears to be as advertised. He looks like a longer, leaner version of his brother (J.J.), and brings great length to the OLB position with the ability to knock down passes at the line of scrimmage. It蘑菇视频 easy to tell he was a former tight end by his agility and ability to change directions quickly. Watt will likely serve as a backup to Bud Dupree and James Harrison to begin the season but should contribute in one form or fashion as he becomes acclimated to the speed of the NFL.
鈥淚 feel like I am assimilating pretty well,鈥� Watt said on Saturday. 鈥淎 lot of the stuff is what I did at Wisconsin. It蘑菇视频 just learning terminology and things like that, and then coming out here, doing walk-throughs and taking as many mental reps as you can when you鈥檙e not out there on the field. I think I am doing a good job. Obviously there are some hiccups here and there, but for the most part I feel like I am starting to play faster each and every practice. I wouldn鈥檛 say it蘑菇视频 easy. I am in the NFL. Nothing comes easy here.鈥�
AGE IS JUST A NUMBER
JuJu Smith-Schuster isn鈥檛 the average 20-year-old. His physical stature (6鈥�1, 215 pounds) will give him an advantage against smaller defensive backs in the red zone. He flashed good hands in minicamp, but will need to clean up his route running in OTAs and training camp. Playing receiver in Todd Haley蘑菇视频 offense is very complex with a lot of terminology and pre-snap cues that will take time for Smith-Schuster to learn. Once the rest of the team returns, Smith-Schuster will have better competition to go up against. That will further display the second-round pick蘑菇视频 NFL readiness. Furthermore, he鈥檒l get to begin learning from Antonio Brown.
鈥淚 see it as age is just a number,鈥� Smith-Schuster said on Friday. 鈥淎t the end of the day, the person out there is just playing. They鈥檙e not going to base a player off his age. I could be the oldest guy on the field and still ball; shout out to James Harrison going on 15-16 years. That蘑菇视频 a great example. The only difference between being 17 years old and being the youngest guy on the team was that I had to mature earlier. I didn鈥檛 have time to be a kid in college. I got thrown right into the fire and started right away. The train is moving with or without you.鈥�
DOBBS STILL A PROJECT
Without placing too much emphasis on just two days of practice, fourth-round pick Josh Dobbs can be considered more of a project rather than someone who can challenge Landry Jones for the No. 2 quarterback position. Out of any position, quarterback is one that can actually be somewhat evaluated in the rookie minicamp setting that is shorts and helmets. Dobbs has a nice release, but the inaccuracy claims that surrounded his name during the draft process are visible. He also ran a spread offense in college, and will need to adjust to taking snaps under center, a transition that can be underestimated at times. Although he was throwing to a majority of receivers that won鈥檛 be on an NFL roster come August, it蘑菇视频 pretty obvious Dobbs will be a work in progress for the next couple of years.
鈥淵ou鈥檙e always processing information. So of course, this was the first day to install, but we鈥檒l install more later. You鈥檙e just growing, trying to come out and be successful at what you learned upstairs,鈥� Dobbs said on Friday. 鈥淚 want to build on each practice and continue to improve going forward. So it was a good day, and I鈥檓 looking forward to improving in our next session today.鈥�
YOUNG DEFENSIVE BACKS ARE PIECES TO WORK WITH
Cam Sutton and Brian Allen both did some good things in minicamp. Allen蘑菇视频 one-handed, Odell Beckham Jr.-like grab stole the show on Friday. Sutton was quick to the point of attack, and displayed his ability to eventually step in at nickel cornerback. He also flashed good ball skills on contested catches during in 7 on 7s. Allen, in particular, was labeled a project player coming out of Utah after undergoing a position change mid-way through his collegiate career. But with his length, Allen蘑菇视频 transition shouldn鈥檛 take exponentially long. He will be a contender to crack the 53-man roster in August. Both will have a great opportunity for growth while going up against Brown, Martavis Bryant and the rest of the Steelers receivers come training camp.
鈥淎 little bit,鈥� Sutton said, on Friday, of watching film on Brown. 鈥淒efinitely going to have some good battles and good competition but at the end of the day you鈥檙e always working toward one common goal 鈥� and that蘑菇视频 winning a championship. And whatever it is, whether he can help develop my game or I can help develio his as well, we are always constantly each and everyday to make each other better and make the team around us better.鈥�
鈥淚 practice catches. When I was a wide receiver, I used to stay after practice and practice catches like that, so I wouldn鈥檛 necessarily say it was luck,鈥� Allen said, on Friday, of his one-handed catch. 鈥淏ut I would say it was a little skill put into it because I practice that. it was just a great play and I am happy out here competing.鈥�
CONNER A FORMIDABLE NO. 2 BACK
One of the more intriguing storylines in training camp will be to see how James Conner and Le鈥橵eon Bell compliment each other, and how Haley will go about trying to intermix them both. Conner looks to be in great shape, and adds another element to the receiving game in his ability to catch passes out of the backfield. He said he is at the same playing weight (235 pounds) that he was in college. He may be on the opposite end of the field now at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex, but Conner was all business this weekend.
鈥滻 really got past all the emotions on draft night,鈥� Conner said on Friday. 鈥淛ust like Coach Tomlin said, 鈥業t蘑菇视频 emotional. It蘑菇视频 a great feeling.鈥� He was happy for me and my family. But we have to get past that. We have work to do. I always say I am blessed. But I just came to work today.鈥�