00:00:11
Speaker 1: This is the twenty twenty six Steelers Audio Network Draft Marathon on Steelers Nation Radio, a part of the Steelers Audio Network. Today's broadcast is brought to you in part by National Electric Contractors Association, West Shore, Home Go, Laurel Highlands, Triple A, Flynn's Tire and Auto Service for Verizon Wireless, Eden Park, Cousins, Construction Deal, Automotive, Propel, Schools, pain, glasses and buy Steelers Pro Shop. Get it direct from the team at the Steelers Pro Shop at shop dot Steelers dot com.
00:00:52
Speaker 2: Brother and welcome back. Thank you very much for being with us as we continue our draft coverage. Our ongoing draft COVERA guys, Tudas Nation Radio and the Students Audio Network alongside Matt Williamson and Mike Pursuita. I'm rob king you know, hey, I got to tell you guys. One of the things that really struck me with the Tom Arth interview was that Aaron Rodgers went to him and said, Hey, would you mind if I see something if I shared it with Will Howard. I know, but but that tells me again another something positive about Aaron Rodgers, Right, he doesn't want to did.
00:01:26
Speaker 3: You mention any coach being like, I'd rather have a real problem with that.
00:01:29
Speaker 2: Well, yeah, but I mean it's still it's still right to ask.
00:01:33
Speaker 4: I guess right, right questions he asked right. He was new to the environment. He didn't want to come in like I'm Aaron Rodgers and you're not, you know what I mean. He wanted it to happen organically, and did he was. That's the one thing nobody talks about with all this nauseating Rogers speculation nationally and even locally. They talk about how old he is and whether he has the right mobility still at his age, what kind of season he had. Nobody talks about the profound impact he had on his team, injecting professionalism and setting an example. I mean, he waited.
00:02:10
Speaker 3: Away during the course of the season, very much so.
00:02:14
Speaker 4: Bringing guys out. It started with him bringing guys out to California, and then at camp, hanging out with them and going to get custard and doing those intangible things, and then having the receivers over to his house during the week. It took him a while to decide, but when he was in, he was all in in every aspect of what your quarterback slash leader is supposed to be.
00:02:36
Speaker 3: That stood out to me so much, Trevn. I mean, because he was not part of many mini camp yet, but he signed right before OTA's and there is a difference, folks, but not big one. And of course every I we were broadcasting out back and every eye was on him the day he signed, and he wasn't practicing in full but the second he became a Pittsburgh Steeler. Everything he did everything that I saw from well from an outside perspective, but close was so deliberate and so intentional. When he was on the field those three OTAs he had been here for less than twenty four hours. He was either with coach Arth, or with the head coach or the offensive coordinator, or with a young player, and he was acting as a coach. There was no flipping the ball around or I mean, every second was so used and deliberate, and I was blown away.
00:03:31
Speaker 4: In the locker room, he worked the room. He didn't just be off by himself. He didn't just hang with the other perceived stars. Yeah, I mean he treated the practice squad guys like they were important. Yeah, And it came off at least, you know, just looking at it as genuine.
00:03:48
Speaker 3: And as engaged as he is, and so involved as he is, I could see why he wants a month or two away from it all, you know what I mean, Because when he's in Man, he is so.
00:03:58
Speaker 4: I think he wants to make sure that he can do it the way he thinks. Yeah, I'm done. I said this about a lot of sports, Rob, I don't know if you agree to disagree with this, but football and hockey, the physical ones. Maybe not baseball so much. But it might not be. When it comes time for a guy to decide whether he wants to retire or not, it might not be whether he can still do it. It might be whether he still wants to do all the crap he's got to do for all the months he's got to.
00:04:24
Speaker 5: Do it to be able to do it.
00:04:26
Speaker 2: It is definitely part of it. And I just wanted to throw in one more quick anecdote about what you guys are talking about. So I went up to James Pierre last year, and you know, I talked to him, you know a little bit of try to have conversations with the guys a little bit. You've seen me walking around the locker room you want the room, well, just gabbing with guys, and you don't just show.
00:04:47
Speaker 5: Up on Sunday and start saying third and eight or.
00:04:50
Speaker 2: Show up at this show on time. I'm out doing important things. So that's from two hours ago. So I asked James. I said, you know, listen, man, you've made this. You know, talked about special teams last year. I said, you really made it. Congratulations, man, you've made a you made a big jump up this year. And you know, like, what do you think the difference is?
00:05:09
Speaker 5: Why?
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Speaker 2: And you know, I'm expecting to hear anything except what he said. He was like, hey, man, you know and among the reasons not I'm saying not saying this was number one, but among the reasons he brought up without being asked, was you know it was it was awesome to see Aaron Rodgers saying, hey, I see you over there forty two. You're doing a great job. I see what you're doing over there. Aaron Rodgers saying that to James Pierre, who's on defense. Who's to your point at that prop At that point, remember he didn't make the act of rosters he's trying to make. He wound up being the best, their best, second best quarter behind Joey Porter Junior. By the end of the season. But he can have that kind of an effect on a team. And I'm gonna say one more thing too.
00:05:48
Speaker 5: And it's genuine Robbie. He's not that's what at.
00:05:51
Speaker 2: First he's there's there's no malarkey there. So the other thing is and and his teammates loved him. The other thing is so people loves them. Okay, that's great, but he still only won ten games, still lost in the first round of the playoffs, and that is a legitimate argument. And you still got to be able to play. I will say this, I know, I know, I know, believe me. And nobody picked him to do that. And if you recall the single best throw I saw an NFL quarterback make last year, the Seattle game in Seattle, I drew the five yard penalty typical Rogers, rolled out, falling down to his right, threw it over the shoulder pat right now, Pat normally sure handed, didn't hang on to it. But you can't throw a football any better than that. Sixty yards on the run going to the right, right on target. Just incredible remarkables.
00:06:38
Speaker 4: But people saying he can't move he's forty two, forget him, he's lost, not even close man, and you listen to the guys just start Tom Morris talking about himself like president tense, doesn't it right?
00:06:52
Speaker 2: Yeah? Yeah, it's okay with us. Also okay with us is the arrival feeling effort joining us right now.
00:07:00
Speaker 3: Congratulations, welcome, thanks.
00:07:02
Speaker 2: Very much, uh, thank you. Before we get down the road to talk about your game and some other things, what was it like to to get the call and who called you?
00:07:12
Speaker 6: What was your reaction like? So the gym called me? Actually crazy story, So I actually missed the call, right. I have my phone just sitting on my thidghs because I was just watching the TV and I looked down and I seen the missed call from like a four one four one two area code. So then I was like, all right, let me. I was probably call him back.
00:07:31
Speaker 7: Called him back, and I.
00:07:33
Speaker 6: Remember maybe he's not gonna answer now. So then he answered, so that my brother was next to me, he was like like you okay, And I was like, you know, like go get moment because my my parents were in another room. It was like I was like, go get mom and dad. And then he called me. It was just like you ready be it? Still, I was like, man, let's do it. Man like, man, It's great, man, greatest feeling ever.
00:07:51
Speaker 5: Man.
00:07:51
Speaker 7: I was just I was just so happy. I couldn't stop smiling.
00:07:54
Speaker 2: Oh that's fantastic, so good.
00:07:56
Speaker 4: You know, one of the things we heard about you is we studied players out this process was shows up in big games.
00:08:02
Speaker 2: Yeah.
00:08:03
Speaker 5: Uh, is that just because you're good?
00:08:05
Speaker 4: Do you take a different approach when it's the SEC championship game or Bama? I guess they're all big in the SEC. But yeah, uh, tell me a little bit about your process for hey, I got to be accountable today, this one matters.
00:08:17
Speaker 6: Yeah, well, kind of like you said, I mean, every game is big in the SEC, so I try to approach every game the same way. Like I know, even though it shows like I played the biggest in the biggest games, I just I don't think there's a different way I prepare, Like I think it just uh, in those type of games, I feel like I just get put in the right position by really my coaches. They put us in the right situation, in the right scheme, right call, and it really starts with them.
00:08:40
Speaker 3: So so, speaking of college, I mean, just about a half hour ago, Jeremy Bernard from Alabama was sitting in this seat with us. Did you guys do battle it all.
00:08:51
Speaker 7: Played against a couple of times.
00:08:52
Speaker 2: Okay, but what was it?
00:08:54
Speaker 5: Like?
00:08:54
Speaker 3: How how what we expect from him?
00:08:56
Speaker 6: He's real good, like yeah, real versus versatile player like you know. That was kind of one thing we were saying, like when from a game playing standpoint at Georgia was just like we gotta find where five is. He lines up, he lines up outside and inside, lines up in the backfield, so.
00:09:09
Speaker 3: He'll block, they'll get carries.
00:09:11
Speaker 6: Yeah, he's a real good player, especially like try to get the ball in his hands early, because he's really he's really really good with the ball in his hands.
00:09:17
Speaker 7: So try to make like make you missing stuff.
00:09:19
Speaker 2: So you guys are very aware on game day where he was at.
00:09:22
Speaker 4: I would say, so, yeah, you know what, Sorry, Goose, I wanted to stick with the sec things a little bit. Uh, you've probably played with more guys that are in the NFL now or against more guys that are in the NFL now that you could count. And I know pro football is different than college football, but transition wise, this is not like you getting ready to go to the moon here, right, This is just the next step, is right. I mean, you got to feel like it's a doable, natural, almost transition.
00:09:52
Speaker 6: Yeah, i'd say so, you know, especially you know, with a lot of guys from my team that are already in the league. You know, I just try to ask around and just get advice from just what to expecting things like that.
00:10:01
Speaker 7: So I feel like they helped out a lot with that.
00:10:05
Speaker 5: Do you know the guys here from Georgia and have they reached out.
00:10:08
Speaker 6: Or I know, yeah, Roderick and Darnell. Yeah, so they told you to be here just just a little bit.
00:10:13
Speaker 7: I haven't.
00:10:14
Speaker 6: I haven't talked to him in a little while, but I'm really looking forward to seeing him again.
00:10:17
Speaker 2: So, Dalen, I don't know how much you know about the Pittsburgh Steelers in the history of the organization. I don't think there's a city in the NFL that embraces defense more than Pittsburgh. By the way, it's true about the hockey team too, like that this town likes hard working, physical people. One of your you know, the scouting report on you, one of your attributes is you like to tackle. They don't like cornerbacks. You that they're trying to edge a guy out of bounce. They want someone to come up and head. So tell us a little bit about your style of play.
00:10:44
Speaker 6: Yeah, I think just I played physical like I probe myself in physicality, and I think that shows up on film. Like you said, you know, I don't shy away from tackling. I don't care who you are. If you're pulling offensive lineman, I'm not gonna move out the way I'm at to try. That's just what I That's what I had to do at Georgia Song. I'm just used to it now, so especially with the physical defense like this, I feel like, you know, I fit in pretty well with that, so I'm looking forward to being a part of it.
00:11:10
Speaker 3: Did you make your way down to the city and all the festivities and all the craziness. Have you seen any of that and what was your impression of how that was.
00:11:18
Speaker 7: We went down to the to the draft and stuff.
00:11:20
Speaker 3: It was.
00:11:20
Speaker 6: It was a really nice, real good experience. There was a lot of people out there because I think, you know, the.
00:11:24
Speaker 3: First two days were even crazy, So I.
00:11:26
Speaker 6: Was thinking, I was like you, it's probably not gonna be that many people there now, just because just because of the weather. I got on the stage and it was deep, it was great to see.
00:11:36
Speaker 4: Fantastic in terms of what you're able to do athletically. What do you get the biggest kick out of knocking somebody down a pass defense, an interception, or being able to run a four to three something of the forty I can't imagine what that.
00:11:49
Speaker 7: No, they all feel good, you know.
00:11:52
Speaker 6: The fourth three definitely felt good because you know that was I felt like a lot of people didn't think I was gonna be able to do that. But yeah, but I think, uh but the ones you listened, I think just interceptions, like getting the ball, because I mean that's that's the most important thing on defense.
00:12:08
Speaker 7: We won't get the ball, So yeah.
00:12:10
Speaker 2: That's a good that's good mentality too. Like that mentality too, of going and getting the ball. You play pretty much outside. Did you ever you ever mess around on the slot at all, even at practice or anything or getting any game time there. It's been pretty much outside.
00:12:22
Speaker 6: It's been outside for the most part in the game. But I played like nickel and practice and stuff like that. There's been different situations where my coaches wanted me to learn it just in case it was like in like an emergency type of things, Like they weren't just throwing me out there and I wouldn't know what was going on, so that I like, I still had to learn it.
00:12:37
Speaker 7: I actually liked the fact that I learned it. I felt like it made me a better corner.
00:12:40
Speaker 6: Just understanding what someone else does just like gives me a better understanding of different coverages and schemes, of where my help is and things along that. But also when I was at the Singer Bowl, I played. I played a lot of nickel at the Singer Bowl just so because I know I wasn't able to showcase it at Georgia. So just being able to do it there like can show people that I'm like capable of doing it.
00:13:00
Speaker 2: So how about a special teams background?
00:13:02
Speaker 6: Yeah, I mean before I started at Georgia, I was playing special Yeah that's what mart is like before you take before you start a single snap on defense or offense, like you're gonna play special team.
00:13:14
Speaker 3: Like did you all phases?
00:13:17
Speaker 6: I played like kickoff and then my freshman year, I was I was a gunner and then I did I did a little bit of pun return, Not like I wasn't return. I was just like you know, anti anti gunner.
00:13:30
Speaker 2: Okay, okay, right, yeah, uh so what are you most looking forward to when you when you get to Pittsburgh. You get here and you start getting into the practices, and is there anything that sticks out you just something like you can't wait to like put on the uniform for the first time, or or hang out with the teammates for the first time. What are you kind of most looking forward to.
00:13:52
Speaker 6: I think just meeting the beating teammates and stuff. Just uh, it's being like being in a new place, Like I'm just looking forward to meeting and like people I'm gonna be playing with and just build more relationships with them.
00:14:03
Speaker 2: Right, Dale, thank you very much. Really, congratulations, Thank you. That is fantastic. Glad, it's great to have you. Congratulations again. We're glad to call it back Dale. Oh yeah, right, yeah, I'm glad to good moved. Don't effort, our guest. We have to take a break now. We are going to continue with our ongoing draft coverage on Steel's Nation Radio and the Steelers Audio Network.
00:14:30
Speaker 8: And now a word from our sponsor, Bud Light. There's nothing better than the clean crisp. There's nothing better than the clean crisp.
00:14:41
Speaker 2: Uh.
00:14:41
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00:14:46
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00:15:00
Speaker 10: I'm a one hundred percent kind of guy, So I got Verizon FiOS. It's one hundred percent fiber Internet because I do everything at one hundred percent.
00:15:07
Speaker 5: What game should we watch?
00:15:09
Speaker 10: One hundred percent of them?
00:15:11
Speaker 5: She hits a.
00:15:12
Speaker 11: Penalty kick the part from Way Downtown, bright, beautiful shot onto the green.
00:15:18
Speaker 12: You either have one percent fiber Internet or you don't get Verizon FiOS. It's super fast, unreliable with ultra low lang. It's one hundred percent or nothing called one eight three three ever lies under switch.
00:15:28
Speaker 4: Today, we Egen talked about his return history.
00:15:33
Speaker 5: You know how he developed into the guy he is.
00:15:35
Speaker 4: He said he played running back in high school and that uh fostered his vision and fearlessness.
00:15:41
Speaker 2: Okay, and you know he's built like a running back.
00:15:45
Speaker 3: It went five nine, a little under five nine.
00:15:50
Speaker 4: It went from there regarding the rule changes in the tweaks to the dynamic kickoff that we've discussed amongst ourselves and with Danny Krossman. Weegian said he actually performed in that scenario at the East West Shrine Bowl, so he got a taste for him. He said, quote, I think we can be super dangerous on punt return and kickoff return. And Danny Crossman talked glowingly first and foremost about Wigian's ability to protect the football.
00:16:23
Speaker 2: Number one.
00:16:24
Speaker 4: He said, let's see whoever has the ball in his hand. Whoever has the ball has everybody's lives in his hands. So he appreciates that. But also Crossman is big on not cutting before you have to catch, run and cut, and then figured it out is his matcher, and he said, Weegen is phenomenal at catching the ball and getting going, and then when he has to make a movie, he makes a move.
00:16:51
Speaker 2: Interesting.
00:16:52
Speaker 5: Crossman was very excited.
00:16:54
Speaker 4: I asked him if he had to bang the table or argue for the pick and he said, hey, that's I don't do that. I give him an evaluation and then I'm nowhere near the room when.
00:17:02
Speaker 5: They make the picks.
00:17:03
Speaker 4: But clearly the Steelers valued this guy quite a bit. Yeah, you know, as a weapon. And you hear all the time about special teams. Oh that's one third of the game, and you know, sometimes that's lip service, sometimes that's gospel.
00:17:16
Speaker 5: I mean, what's this guy gonna play? Matt eight snaps a game?
00:17:20
Speaker 3: If that just depends on what touchdowns.
00:17:22
Speaker 2: You let up right the punt return, you're in the kickoff for two.
00:17:29
Speaker 5: But it's worth it to me.
00:17:30
Speaker 4: I mean, he's a field changing, scoreboard changing force.
00:17:34
Speaker 3: So so let me just I'm gonna I wonder if he runs down on kickoffs or does any other special team stuff.
00:17:40
Speaker 2: Well, I do want to talk about me. I do want to talk about some of that stuff with you in a moment, Matt. But but you know, Matt and I were talking about this a couple of years ago when this yeeler's brought in Cam Johnston and the difference between his net punting and where the punting had been the year before. Now I know understand it's not just the punter that's involved with that punting, but he can make a big difference twenty five yards of twenties I think it was twenty four yards a game that moves you from twenty fourth to nineteenth in yards now, so if you if you can improve in that aspect of the game, now you can improve in the return game as well. You know, now you're picking up real yard. Those are real yards. Those yards count, yes they do. And we have we have another guest coming in right now, a nothing with us. Yes, nice to meet you.
00:18:25
Speaker 3: Gradulations, welcome.
00:18:29
Speaker 2: So you're on with Jenny's Matt Williamson and this is Mike Persuda. I'm Rob King. We thank you for being with us. And I guess first order of business, yeah, go ahead, did throw them on. What was it like when you when you got the call and heard you had been drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
00:18:44
Speaker 13: I mean, it was kind of surreal, you know, it was uh, it was kind of hard to breathe and just kind of celebrating it with my community and my family and friends. It was, I mean, it was it was awesome.
00:18:53
Speaker 2: Any inkling that the Steelers are going to be the team that drafted.
00:18:55
Speaker 13: You not exactly, No, really, okay, I wasn't exactly hurt.
00:19:00
Speaker 2: I wasn't exactly sure who.
00:19:01
Speaker 3: Would but right you didn't have a strong ankling of two or three teams or anything of that nature.
00:19:05
Speaker 2: Huh.
00:19:06
Speaker 3: Okay, I want to cut right to the chase here.
00:19:08
Speaker 4: I don't want to talk about whether you're gonna play tackle or guard or the tradition in Iowa.
00:19:12
Speaker 5: I want to talk about a two time champion of the Bean days.
00:19:16
Speaker 2: Hey built, Oh we've seen it, hopefully everyone's seen it. Have you seen this video?
00:19:19
Speaker 5: No?
00:19:20
Speaker 2: Oh, it's tremendous.
00:19:21
Speaker 5: Is that the correct? Uh?
00:19:22
Speaker 3: I'm gonna look it up.
00:19:23
Speaker 2: Sol and Hay built toss as you're talking about, right, yeah?
00:19:26
Speaker 12: Ok?
00:19:26
Speaker 5: Yeah?
00:19:26
Speaker 2: So now I grew up in upstate New York and actually sat in the back of a wagon with a with a with a baling hook and hooked it and threw it on to So there's forty five powders or sixty pounders. Guess okay, yeah, okay, you.
00:19:40
Speaker 3: Can toss it.
00:19:41
Speaker 2: Is that how you know you're going? It's like it's like a high jump Oh yeah, yeah, yeah yeah.
00:19:46
Speaker 13: So they just have like a high jump bar and then they keep raising it up and it's kind of last guy's standing and.
00:19:50
Speaker 3: You were the champ.
00:19:51
Speaker 2: I was where was this that's in sole in Iowa? Okay, yep, So it's pretty close to I was Saday. So was it one of those things where you're like just like like, let's hop in the car and give it a shot. I mean you're not training for that, are you?
00:20:02
Speaker 5: Or are you?
00:20:04
Speaker 13: I guess indirectly that like throughout the summer, you know. I mean it's kind of like an Iowa one tradition to go do it.
00:20:09
Speaker 7: Uh huh.
00:20:09
Speaker 2: So okay, like most of the one, I'm gonna.
00:20:11
Speaker 5: Go do it.
00:20:12
Speaker 13: Like Peeper, my right guard won it last year. They actually gave like a giant WW belt.
00:20:17
Speaker 2: It's huge.
00:20:18
Speaker 13: He just he keeps in his truck. He still has it in his truck. But anyway, Yeah, that's cool.
00:20:24
Speaker 4: Yeah, anything else that you guys find normal that we would find really interesting in terms of your Iowa activities.
00:20:33
Speaker 2: Iowa activities, Yeah, I don't know. I guess maybe maybe normal to me, I don't know.
00:20:39
Speaker 3: Yeah. So you have some teammates on this squad, another one that's just drafted, a couple of guys from last year. Do you have a good relationship with those guys? You know, Yi Black and Caleb Johnson and now we have a new return guy in town.
00:20:54
Speaker 13: I mean it's awesome, Like I got the Uh. I got the opportunity to block for kJ you know, two years, and that was awesome. I got the opportunity to play with you know, Logan Lee and Ya I called. I called Logan this morning when the bus was taking me from the airport. So, I mean, it's just awesome to have those guys here, and they're such great guys. And now the Weegian's coming out. I texted him. I was like, you can't get rid of me. So, yeah, it's awesome.
00:21:17
Speaker 4: Talk about that kid a little bit because I don't know, there's good returners every year, but he's different. I mean, I don't know who to compare him to three in one year on punts.
00:21:27
Speaker 5: I can't even put that into context. That guy is a missile.
00:21:32
Speaker 13: I mean it's awesome because like you know, on offense, like you'll you're they're kicking the ball and you just watching it. You're like, this one might go home, you know. So it's just I mean I love watching him play.
00:21:42
Speaker 2: That is. By the way, you went down to the draft yesterday. We saw you on the on the screen up there. What was that like? What was the experience like?
00:21:49
Speaker 13: And and uh and seeing it in person, I mean it was crazy. Like the just having that many fans out there and the support that they showed was I mean it was wild, you know, especially because like literally the day before, my hometown's twenty six hundred, so I was, you know, in a town of twenty six hundred. Then I go out there and see all the fans out there and how pumped up they weren't excited.
00:22:06
Speaker 2: I mean it was awesome.
00:22:08
Speaker 3: That's cool, Jennings.
00:22:10
Speaker 4: Your O line coach here, James camp has said last night, they're gonna start you at guard with tackle flexibility. The incumbent left guard no longer plays for this team. What kind of opportunity these sense?
00:22:22
Speaker 13: Yeah, I mean there's there's opportunity every day, you know, just kind of when you walk in and just kind of who you are as a person, how you present yourself. And you know, I told coach like, I'll play whatever he needs me to, like if we need a fall back or you know.
00:22:32
Speaker 2: Whatever position, Like you have you done full back?
00:22:34
Speaker 13: Not yet, but you know one you could one can dream, you know, but I'll do whatever they need.
00:22:41
Speaker 2: Have you played guard? Oh yeah, yep.
00:22:43
Speaker 13: So my first two years at Iowa, I played guard because coach likes to start our tackles, especially if they're not like true tackle bodies and guard and then kind of slide them out to tackle. Because our tackles at IOWA play like guards.
00:22:54
Speaker 3: So what do you mean by that they tackles play like guards just in terms of like pulling and blocking angles and things.
00:23:00
Speaker 13: Just like the physicality of the run block. Oh okay, because like I mean, guard things hot happen a lot faster of course.
00:23:06
Speaker 3: So yeah, it makes perfect sense.
00:23:08
Speaker 2: So this wasn't like any shock to you, Like, you know, you played right tackle and look up because they listened to us the guard when they drafted, so you weren't like, wait a minute, you know, so you knew this was kind of coming, or I kind of.
00:23:18
Speaker 13: I mean, I'm, you know, six file on the dot, I'm probably not the most athletic cat, so I kind of I kind of figured writing.
00:23:25
Speaker 3: Was kind of on the wall a little bit.
00:23:27
Speaker 2: Yeah, I already I kind of already knew.
00:23:28
Speaker 3: So well, that was the whole.
00:23:29
Speaker 4: Senior Bowl deal, right, you had to go down there and show them your guard capable.
00:23:33
Speaker 13: The nice thing is like I don't think I ever wore knee braces, right, or so I think I was I don't know, but like I took them off, I was like.
00:23:38
Speaker 2: This is nice, this is sweet. What do you know about the Steelers brand of football? And and uh, you know, look, the fan base loves physical football, loves it, and I allcount your physical football player. So so what is it like to come into an organization that values that and a fan base that values that. I mean, it's just so awesome.
00:24:00
Speaker 13: I'm like, you know, it's like the Steelers are just built on like tough football, you know, and it's just like it couldn't be like almost like a better fit.
00:24:06
Speaker 2: I mean, it's just it's like hard to explain.
00:24:09
Speaker 13: You know, It's kind of like I died and went to heaven last night and I know, it's it's kind of hard to believe I'm here.
00:24:15
Speaker 2: Just so awesome.
00:24:16
Speaker 3: So coach Farrence is from Pittsburgh too. Did he get in touch with you since you've been drafted or you know, prep you of what the city's all about or anything like that.
00:24:23
Speaker 2: Yeah?
00:24:23
Speaker 13: Yeah, I mean he shot me a text after I got drafted. And then so my fifth grade teacher, missus Chris Man, we did like a school project, I guess when we were in fifth grade and it was like, what do you want to be when you grow up? So I made like a picture of me running the ball for Iowa.
00:24:35
Speaker 2: I sent that to him too. I was like, hey, check this out. So yeah, So.
00:24:39
Speaker 5: Did you ever get a ball under your arm for any reason?
00:24:42
Speaker 3: No shot, no no holpicking up a fumble or anything.
00:24:46
Speaker 2: Not even in high school. There's no chance.
00:24:50
Speaker 3: I assume you've interacted with Max. I mean, you're the second offensive line rookie that's going to be added to that room. Have you guys been, you know, kind of comparing notes and figuring things out together.
00:24:59
Speaker 2: Yeah. I mean he's an awesome dude.
00:25:00
Speaker 13: Like I met him with the Senior Bowl and he was a guy there, so I mean it's awesome to talk to him. And now now they're teammates. I mean it's even better.
00:25:06
Speaker 4: Se the whole Iowa thing, it just resonates for years and back to camp and last night talking to us, he said, quote, there's so well coached at Iowa. I have a lot of respect for that football program and the people who run it. I mean, we had Sebastian Castro in here last year as an undrafted free agent, and he was here for a little bit and he but I think the Tampa but came.
00:25:29
Speaker 5: Yeah.
00:25:29
Speaker 4: Yeah, you guys just make it into the NFL and and do stuff without a lot of trumpet splittered beforehand.
00:25:36
Speaker 5: But the job gets done.
00:25:38
Speaker 3: I mean that's hard for a Michigan State guy to say, I have feeling over here too.
00:25:42
Speaker 2: Yeah.
00:25:42
Speaker 4: Is that something you feel early when you first get there, like, hey, there's a way it's done, in a way it's not done, and we're doing it the way it's done.
00:25:50
Speaker 13: Definitely, I mean, you know it just it starts with a headman, coach parents and how he does things, you know, I mean, nothing we do with sexy or flashy. We do the same drills, I mean literally the same drills every day. We're taught the same fundamentals every day, you know, Like I had a checklist. It was like how's my first step, how's my hands on every single play? So we go over the same fundamentals every single day. I think that's kind of what leads guys to have a lot of success after Iowa.
00:26:14
Speaker 4: And is there kind of a sense of responsibility like hey, I'm not the first guy to come here.
00:26:18
Speaker 5: I'm not gonna be one that lets it down.
00:26:20
Speaker 13: Definitely, I mean you know, like on the back of our line room, we have all of our Americans on the wall, and just seeing those guys up there, and they come back and visit a lot too and talk to us, and you know, it's just kind.
00:26:29
Speaker 3: Of right over your left shoulder there, exactly.
00:26:32
Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, yeah, you know, and then a lot of offensive line wall of fame. But for those not for those just listening on the radio here, I just thought I pointed.
00:26:38
Speaker 13: It out exactly, you know. And then a lot of a lot of kids too. I grow up watching the Hawks. They grow up in Iowa, so they kind of know what it's all about, and you know, like idolizing guys when they grow up, and then they get the opportunity to kind of wear the black and gold.
00:26:50
Speaker 4: So you're also used to an obsessively insane fan base that takes it way too seriously.
00:26:56
Speaker 2: I don't know if you can't take it too soon?
00:26:57
Speaker 3: Answer correct answer?
00:27:00
Speaker 2: How how far is Norwalk from the University? You grew up in Norwalk?
00:27:03
Speaker 3: Right?
00:27:03
Speaker 2: Or so?
00:27:04
Speaker 13: I was born in Des Moines Again, I'm so. I lived in Norwalk till I was like seven or eight, and then I moved to Lena, Illinois and that's where That's kind of where I grew up.
00:27:13
Speaker 2: And how close is that to university about It's about two and a half hours northeast of the University of Iowa. You know, I was talking to Jack Sawyer last night about growing up in Columbus and playing for Ohio State, growing up in Iowa and playing for Iowa. It's got to be like a dream come true. It's like, see, I grew up watching the Hawks, and that's all we'd watch.
00:27:31
Speaker 5: You know.
00:27:31
Speaker 13: My folks are from eastern Iowa and my grandparents from eastern Iowa, great grandparents from eastern Iowa. So we just grew up watching the Hawks. I mean when I got offered by coach Farrensi, I think I let him finish the sentence. I don't know, and I was like, you know, I want to go here, and that was it.
00:27:46
Speaker 2: Oh fantastic, Hey, so west here.
00:27:48
Speaker 14: I was just gonna say, before before we let you go, we have to ask do you have any power to get us a call vers here in Pittsburgh or somewhere in western Pennsylvania.
00:27:56
Speaker 3: We introduced Mike to him the first time at the combine. We've been pushing those t J.
00:28:00
Speaker 7: Watt.
00:28:00
Speaker 3: We build one right around here.
00:28:02
Speaker 14: We drive you know, from here to Indianapolis every year to the to the Combine, have been for about a decade and our tradition on the way out, on the way back, we stop at the Culvers in Columbus, Ohio about halfway the closes when we got Do you have any power to bring us one here to the Pittsburgh region.
00:28:18
Speaker 13: I'm honestly not true if I do. But uh, if I ever do get that, I'll let you guys know.
00:28:22
Speaker 3: Yeah, start pushing TJ.
00:28:24
Speaker 2: We'll run this up.
00:28:24
Speaker 14: We'll quit doing this and we'll just gm the store.
00:28:26
Speaker 15: We'll run the store for you. Hey, thank you very much. I really appreciate congratulations. Thanks very much, having with James gratulations. Two time hail bay Hail. Hey, hey, hey, bail hail.
00:28:45
Speaker 3: No.
00:28:47
Speaker 2: Two time champion and and not coincidentally, a new offensive lineman for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Yeah.
00:28:52
Speaker 4: No, I mean, you guys have heard me. We've been doing this for multiple years. I think I know a wall programs real I don't.
00:28:58
Speaker 5: I don't know.
00:28:59
Speaker 3: If yeah, I don't know, I must agree.
00:29:00
Speaker 5: I don't know.
00:29:01
Speaker 4: If you get all pros, but you get football players, man. I think you tell us the same way. Some of these schools that are not Alabama or Ohio State or Notre Dame produce a certain kind of guy. And the thread is they care, they work their backside off, and they are coachable.
00:29:19
Speaker 3: They always tell you not helmet scout, you know, but I think there's something too helmet scouting, especially when someone like Kirk Farns has been there as long as he has.
00:29:26
Speaker 2: You know, our ongoing draft coverage on Stulization Radio, when the Stevens Audio Network continues right after this, and.
00:29:35
Speaker 8: Now a word from our sponsor, bud Light. There's nothing better than the clean crisp. There's nothing better than the clean crisp. Uh what if we just got out of here and grab some bud Lights? So man, we're on air for four more hours.
00:29:50
Speaker 9: I'll figure it out. Sounds good to me. Anything for the clean crisp taste of bud Light. Stock up now. Bud Light, easy to drink, easy to enjoy, You're responsibly copyright twenty twenty six and Hazard Bush but Light near Saint Louis, Missouri.
00:30:04
Speaker 10: I'm a one hundred percent kind of guy, So I got Verizon FiOS. It's one hundred percent fiber Internet because I do everything at one hundred percent.
00:30:12
Speaker 5: What game should we watch?
00:30:13
Speaker 10: One hundred percent of them?
00:30:15
Speaker 11: She hits a penalty kick out the part from Way Downtown, Break beautiful shot onto the Green.
00:30:22
Speaker 12: You either have one hundred percent fiber Internet or you don't get Verizon FiOS. It's super fast, unreliable with ultra low lag. It's one hundred percent or nothing called one eight three three veries under switch today God days.
00:30:41
Speaker 1: There's the Steelers Audio Network Draft Marathon on Steelers Nation Radio, a part of the Steelers Audio Network.
00:30:51
Speaker 2: And welcome back pyr the steel There's these guys, got me talking baseball during the break. You guys, you're killing me. The ste there's an executed a trade in which they trade working on the details. Here pick number one sixty one and two forty nine go to a pick number one sixty nine to ten come to Pittsburgh now, Q ten would be the sixth rounder. End of the sixth round.
00:31:18
Speaker 4: I would guess all I know is all in favorite getting rid of two forty nine.
00:31:23
Speaker 3: Hey, we we're gonna be on the air. We need something to talk abound about that point.
00:31:27
Speaker 2: You're gonna be on the air. Yes, So I think I wanted to ask you. You know, when you talk about game day roster, right, you guys are talking in terms of quarterbacks and that sort of thing. So now you you take Caden Region, right, and as of right now, Caden Legion is a return man, right yeah, I mean I don't know as he is.
00:31:49
Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean, I mean he's gonna work ride receiver drills between now, and he thinks he can do more as a wide receiver. He even said he might have a little running back capability in a you know, specialty slash gadget package. But I'm just fine with him being exclusive returner only and just let him do that.
00:32:07
Speaker 2: So that is, uh, you know, if he's a If he's a good return man, that is great news for the Steelers. It's bad news for somebody else on the roster though, you know what I mean, because oh yeah, because you know you're think in terms of a player being like Miles killerbrew safety, but he was really a special teams guy.
00:32:26
Speaker 3: So it's scornics in his room. I mean, he can do more than zero wide receiver stuff, right yeah.
00:32:32
Speaker 2: I mean, ironic played wide receiver. He caught the first touchdown pass last year by thrown by Aaron Rodgers.
00:32:38
Speaker 3: So but there will be some core special team shakeup guys too. Connor Hayward's gone, you know, right.
00:32:44
Speaker 2: Yeah, and it's also but again, most teams you know, do not have one guy who that's all they do.
00:32:52
Speaker 3: Dedicated one roster spot to only a returner, to only a returner. But also speaking you know, with with Danny, it's been more and more important now than ever.
00:33:03
Speaker 2: I mean, oh, I'm not poo pooing it.
00:33:05
Speaker 3: I could see it becoming more relevant or more more maybe Philly seven teams to do it this year where there was two last year. You know, I think it might becoming more common, right because with the original rules, why bother?
00:33:17
Speaker 2: Right, But if your guy who is hoping to that your versatility would help you make the roster, like for example, Dante Kent, right, yeah, yeah, yeah, who got hurt last year, was drafted and was there I think a punt returner, not a kick returner, punt returner in college and a cornerback. Hey, that versatility maybe helps you not only make the team, but dress right, if you can be the punt return guy, well, now you have a punt return guy who is a punt return.
00:33:43
Speaker 3: Now, Dante Ken's not happy about the last forty eight hours at all. I mean, I'm sure he's hooping for his team. But they draft an outside corner in the third round that's gonna make the team you already have in that corner room, Eccles Ramsey, Porter, Samuel Dean. That gets pretty full pretty quick. And if he's looking at the roster like, well, maybe I'm the best returner, right, well, they got news for you. You know, I'm not picking him. Business goes right.
00:34:14
Speaker 2: This is an example of what happens and and what sure and yet you know these guys are all competitors. It goes back to the conversation we were having with Jeremy Bernard that you know, some guys and I remember talking about this with some of the pit players when Pitt was awesome, you know, from say the late seventies through the early eighties. I mean you could put together an unbelievable all star team just from that era of Pitt football, and guys would come to Pitt and you know the guys that made it, you know, the Jimbo Coverts and the and the Bill Fraleix and you know, on and on and on. They wanted to compete against the best right out of the shoe, you know. Yeah, And I think a lot of guys that maybe the money has changed out a little bit. Maybe you're like, well, I can get more money over here as opposed to here. But you know, Robert Foster, for example, going.
00:35:12
Speaker 3: To here's a yeah, Robert Foster doing offensive stuff here at least, you know, kind of gadgety.
00:35:18
Speaker 2: But it is gadgety. Yeah, he was. He was one of the certainly one of the best players I ever saw in the whippiel I mean, Durell Reeves, you know, Aaron Donald, Robert Foster was unbelievable. He went to Alabama. You know, his moment came where.
00:35:31
Speaker 3: He gets there and there's Clinton Portis and Willis mcgahey and Frank Gore and then they're like, hey, you want to play safety?
00:35:40
Speaker 2: Yeah, you know, and for for fans that it might be of a of a little bit younger age, yeah, I'm sure say true at Georgia or you know, I mean, think about like what Pitt turned out in a short period of time. Think about this offensive line. If you just took it and went right to the NFL with it, because there they were pretty near they I think they were all in the NFL at the same time, right, yeah, they're not, you know, absolutely yeah, you got you got uh. You know you have Fredrik and Covert, right, you have May Mark May who you probably have to move to guard, Russ Grim and Uh and Sweeney at center. I mean that's like, that's that's the best offensive line in the NFL. If you have that group together. Yeah, and it's not even close. I mean, it was by far the best offensive line of the NFL.
00:36:26
Speaker 5: Do you agree to disagree?
00:36:27
Speaker 4: If you put Pitts twenty two or as close as you could get, it's good as any NFL is at least as good as any other.
00:36:36
Speaker 2: It's as good as anyone.
00:36:37
Speaker 3: I mean. So another story, when I was next door by far at that point, our best offensive lineman was a young man who's a great kid, rob Attiiti.
00:36:44
Speaker 2: You might remember he was a left tackle.
00:36:46
Speaker 5: Yeah.
00:36:46
Speaker 3: He got drafted by the Cowboys. Yeah, he was from New Jersey. He got drafted by the Cowboys, I think the fourth or fifth round. Probably played in the league six or seven years, got a second contract. Good player, And I remember there was some old school pitt honks sitting there, you know, and I'm sitting with recruits or whatever watching practice, and I'm like, man, Rob's really playing well and blah blah blah. And I asked him, I'm like, and Buddy Morris is our strength coach. I'm like, how would Rob a fit in in those days when you're talking and you know the Stepanovsky years and those type of things. He's like probably third string left tackle probably if you worked hard.
00:37:25
Speaker 7: Wow.
00:37:25
Speaker 2: Yeah, you know, like I'm throwing out that old line just real quick. I'm throwing that thin I throwing against Hugh Green and Chris Doleman and you know, this is just the offense. That's my old line, which is phenomenal. And there's I'm probably missing some guys. Uh ditka is my tight end, Marinos my quarterback. I'll take Curtis Barton door set at running back. We already went through the old line, and then give me Larry Fitzgerald and uh Bryant he wanted to believe. I mean, you know that's uh, that's and you're definitely missing alignment, right. Oh, I'm definitely missing some old line. Yeah, that's just from one era. Yeah, I mean I picked the running back.
00:38:02
Speaker 3: The running backs are ridiculous.
00:38:03
Speaker 2: Marshall Goldberg.
00:38:04
Speaker 3: We got to go way back, ironheads, Iron Martin and Dion Lewis.
00:38:09
Speaker 2: I had I picked Martin and uh and uh uh Dorsett because you're pretty good, because they're in the Hall of Fame. Yeah, so anyway, okay, we're going to take a break.
00:38:18
Speaker 3: Defense isn't bad either.
00:38:19
Speaker 2: Oh my goodness, you know, uh, I remember, and I know we're overdue here. I think the eighty one team, I think it was the eighty one team, eighty or eighty one team. Every single player that started in their defense made the NFL. Wow, they had an NFL.
00:38:33
Speaker 3: That's how the U was when I was talking about it. Yeah, you got in the starting lineup, you were going to be a Day one or Day two pick.
00:38:39
Speaker 2: Stick around. Much more to come as we continue our ongoing draft coverage on Steelers Nation Radio and the Steelers Audio Network
Speaker 1: This is the twenty twenty six Steelers Audio Network Draft Marathon on Steelers Nation Radio, a part of the Steelers Audio Network. Today's broadcast is brought to you in part by National Electric Contractors Association, West Shore, Home Go, Laurel Highlands, Triple A, Flynn's Tire and Auto Service for Verizon Wireless, Eden Park, Cousins, Construction Deal, Automotive, Propel, Schools, pain, glasses and buy Steelers Pro Shop. Get it direct from the team at the Steelers Pro Shop at shop dot Steelers dot com.
00:00:52
Speaker 2: Brother and welcome back. Thank you very much for being with us as we continue our draft coverage. Our ongoing draft COVERA guys, Tudas Nation Radio and the Students Audio Network alongside Matt Williamson and Mike Pursuita. I'm rob king you know, hey, I got to tell you guys. One of the things that really struck me with the Tom Arth interview was that Aaron Rodgers went to him and said, Hey, would you mind if I see something if I shared it with Will Howard. I know, but but that tells me again another something positive about Aaron Rodgers, Right, he doesn't want to did.
00:01:26
Speaker 3: You mention any coach being like, I'd rather have a real problem with that.
00:01:29
Speaker 2: Well, yeah, but I mean it's still it's still right to ask.
00:01:33
Speaker 4: I guess right, right questions he asked right. He was new to the environment. He didn't want to come in like I'm Aaron Rodgers and you're not, you know what I mean. He wanted it to happen organically, and did he was. That's the one thing nobody talks about with all this nauseating Rogers speculation nationally and even locally. They talk about how old he is and whether he has the right mobility still at his age, what kind of season he had. Nobody talks about the profound impact he had on his team, injecting professionalism and setting an example. I mean, he waited.
00:02:10
Speaker 3: Away during the course of the season, very much so.
00:02:14
Speaker 4: Bringing guys out. It started with him bringing guys out to California, and then at camp, hanging out with them and going to get custard and doing those intangible things, and then having the receivers over to his house during the week. It took him a while to decide, but when he was in, he was all in in every aspect of what your quarterback slash leader is supposed to be.
00:02:36
Speaker 3: That stood out to me so much, Trevn. I mean, because he was not part of many mini camp yet, but he signed right before OTA's and there is a difference, folks, but not big one. And of course every I we were broadcasting out back and every eye was on him the day he signed, and he wasn't practicing in full but the second he became a Pittsburgh Steeler. Everything he did everything that I saw from well from an outside perspective, but close was so deliberate and so intentional. When he was on the field those three OTAs he had been here for less than twenty four hours. He was either with coach Arth, or with the head coach or the offensive coordinator, or with a young player, and he was acting as a coach. There was no flipping the ball around or I mean, every second was so used and deliberate, and I was blown away.
00:03:31
Speaker 4: In the locker room, he worked the room. He didn't just be off by himself. He didn't just hang with the other perceived stars. Yeah, I mean he treated the practice squad guys like they were important. Yeah, And it came off at least, you know, just looking at it as genuine.
00:03:48
Speaker 3: And as engaged as he is, and so involved as he is, I could see why he wants a month or two away from it all, you know what I mean, Because when he's in Man, he is so.
00:03:58
Speaker 4: I think he wants to make sure that he can do it the way he thinks. Yeah, I'm done. I said this about a lot of sports, Rob, I don't know if you agree to disagree with this, but football and hockey, the physical ones. Maybe not baseball so much. But it might not be. When it comes time for a guy to decide whether he wants to retire or not, it might not be whether he can still do it. It might be whether he still wants to do all the crap he's got to do for all the months he's got to.
00:04:24
Speaker 5: Do it to be able to do it.
00:04:26
Speaker 2: It is definitely part of it. And I just wanted to throw in one more quick anecdote about what you guys are talking about. So I went up to James Pierre last year, and you know, I talked to him, you know a little bit of try to have conversations with the guys a little bit. You've seen me walking around the locker room you want the room, well, just gabbing with guys, and you don't just show.
00:04:47
Speaker 5: Up on Sunday and start saying third and eight or.
00:04:50
Speaker 2: Show up at this show on time. I'm out doing important things. So that's from two hours ago. So I asked James. I said, you know, listen, man, you've made this. You know, talked about special teams last year. I said, you really made it. Congratulations, man, you've made a you made a big jump up this year. And you know, like, what do you think the difference is?
00:05:09
Speaker 5: Why?
00:05:10
Speaker 2: And you know, I'm expecting to hear anything except what he said. He was like, hey, man, you know and among the reasons not I'm saying not saying this was number one, but among the reasons he brought up without being asked, was you know it was it was awesome to see Aaron Rodgers saying, hey, I see you over there forty two. You're doing a great job. I see what you're doing over there. Aaron Rodgers saying that to James Pierre, who's on defense. Who's to your point at that prop At that point, remember he didn't make the act of rosters he's trying to make. He wound up being the best, their best, second best quarter behind Joey Porter Junior. By the end of the season. But he can have that kind of an effect on a team. And I'm gonna say one more thing too.
00:05:48
Speaker 5: And it's genuine Robbie. He's not that's what at.
00:05:51
Speaker 2: First he's there's there's no malarkey there. So the other thing is and and his teammates loved him. The other thing is so people loves them. Okay, that's great, but he still only won ten games, still lost in the first round of the playoffs, and that is a legitimate argument. And you still got to be able to play. I will say this, I know, I know, I know, believe me. And nobody picked him to do that. And if you recall the single best throw I saw an NFL quarterback make last year, the Seattle game in Seattle, I drew the five yard penalty typical Rogers, rolled out, falling down to his right, threw it over the shoulder pat right now, Pat normally sure handed, didn't hang on to it. But you can't throw a football any better than that. Sixty yards on the run going to the right, right on target. Just incredible remarkables.
00:06:38
Speaker 4: But people saying he can't move he's forty two, forget him, he's lost, not even close man, and you listen to the guys just start Tom Morris talking about himself like president tense, doesn't it right?
00:06:52
Speaker 2: Yeah? Yeah, it's okay with us. Also okay with us is the arrival feeling effort joining us right now.
00:07:00
Speaker 3: Congratulations, welcome, thanks.
00:07:02
Speaker 2: Very much, uh, thank you. Before we get down the road to talk about your game and some other things, what was it like to to get the call and who called you?
00:07:12
Speaker 6: What was your reaction like? So the gym called me? Actually crazy story, So I actually missed the call, right. I have my phone just sitting on my thidghs because I was just watching the TV and I looked down and I seen the missed call from like a four one four one two area code. So then I was like, all right, let me. I was probably call him back.
00:07:31
Speaker 7: Called him back, and I.
00:07:33
Speaker 6: Remember maybe he's not gonna answer now. So then he answered, so that my brother was next to me, he was like like you okay, And I was like, you know, like go get moment because my my parents were in another room. It was like I was like, go get mom and dad. And then he called me. It was just like you ready be it? Still, I was like, man, let's do it. Man like, man, It's great, man, greatest feeling ever.
00:07:51
Speaker 5: Man.
00:07:51
Speaker 7: I was just I was just so happy. I couldn't stop smiling.
00:07:54
Speaker 2: Oh that's fantastic, so good.
00:07:56
Speaker 4: You know, one of the things we heard about you is we studied players out this process was shows up in big games.
00:08:02
Speaker 2: Yeah.
00:08:03
Speaker 5: Uh, is that just because you're good?
00:08:05
Speaker 4: Do you take a different approach when it's the SEC championship game or Bama? I guess they're all big in the SEC. But yeah, uh, tell me a little bit about your process for hey, I got to be accountable today, this one matters.
00:08:17
Speaker 6: Yeah, well, kind of like you said, I mean, every game is big in the SEC, so I try to approach every game the same way. Like I know, even though it shows like I played the biggest in the biggest games, I just I don't think there's a different way I prepare, Like I think it just uh, in those type of games, I feel like I just get put in the right position by really my coaches. They put us in the right situation, in the right scheme, right call, and it really starts with them.
00:08:40
Speaker 3: So so, speaking of college, I mean, just about a half hour ago, Jeremy Bernard from Alabama was sitting in this seat with us. Did you guys do battle it all.
00:08:51
Speaker 7: Played against a couple of times.
00:08:52
Speaker 2: Okay, but what was it?
00:08:54
Speaker 5: Like?
00:08:54
Speaker 3: How how what we expect from him?
00:08:56
Speaker 6: He's real good, like yeah, real versus versatile player like you know. That was kind of one thing we were saying, like when from a game playing standpoint at Georgia was just like we gotta find where five is. He lines up, he lines up outside and inside, lines up in the backfield, so.
00:09:09
Speaker 3: He'll block, they'll get carries.
00:09:11
Speaker 6: Yeah, he's a real good player, especially like try to get the ball in his hands early, because he's really he's really really good with the ball in his hands.
00:09:17
Speaker 7: So try to make like make you missing stuff.
00:09:19
Speaker 2: So you guys are very aware on game day where he was at.
00:09:22
Speaker 4: I would say, so, yeah, you know what, Sorry, Goose, I wanted to stick with the sec things a little bit. Uh, you've probably played with more guys that are in the NFL now or against more guys that are in the NFL now that you could count. And I know pro football is different than college football, but transition wise, this is not like you getting ready to go to the moon here, right, This is just the next step, is right. I mean, you got to feel like it's a doable, natural, almost transition.
00:09:52
Speaker 6: Yeah, i'd say so, you know, especially you know, with a lot of guys from my team that are already in the league. You know, I just try to ask around and just get advice from just what to expecting things like that.
00:10:01
Speaker 7: So I feel like they helped out a lot with that.
00:10:05
Speaker 5: Do you know the guys here from Georgia and have they reached out.
00:10:08
Speaker 6: Or I know, yeah, Roderick and Darnell. Yeah, so they told you to be here just just a little bit.
00:10:13
Speaker 7: I haven't.
00:10:14
Speaker 6: I haven't talked to him in a little while, but I'm really looking forward to seeing him again.
00:10:17
Speaker 2: So, Dalen, I don't know how much you know about the Pittsburgh Steelers in the history of the organization. I don't think there's a city in the NFL that embraces defense more than Pittsburgh. By the way, it's true about the hockey team too, like that this town likes hard working, physical people. One of your you know, the scouting report on you, one of your attributes is you like to tackle. They don't like cornerbacks. You that they're trying to edge a guy out of bounce. They want someone to come up and head. So tell us a little bit about your style of play.
00:10:44
Speaker 6: Yeah, I think just I played physical like I probe myself in physicality, and I think that shows up on film. Like you said, you know, I don't shy away from tackling. I don't care who you are. If you're pulling offensive lineman, I'm not gonna move out the way I'm at to try. That's just what I That's what I had to do at Georgia Song. I'm just used to it now, so especially with the physical defense like this, I feel like, you know, I fit in pretty well with that, so I'm looking forward to being a part of it.
00:11:10
Speaker 3: Did you make your way down to the city and all the festivities and all the craziness. Have you seen any of that and what was your impression of how that was.
00:11:18
Speaker 7: We went down to the to the draft and stuff.
00:11:20
Speaker 3: It was.
00:11:20
Speaker 6: It was a really nice, real good experience. There was a lot of people out there because I think, you know, the.
00:11:24
Speaker 3: First two days were even crazy, So I.
00:11:26
Speaker 6: Was thinking, I was like you, it's probably not gonna be that many people there now, just because just because of the weather. I got on the stage and it was deep, it was great to see.
00:11:36
Speaker 4: Fantastic in terms of what you're able to do athletically. What do you get the biggest kick out of knocking somebody down a pass defense, an interception, or being able to run a four to three something of the forty I can't imagine what that.
00:11:49
Speaker 7: No, they all feel good, you know.
00:11:52
Speaker 6: The fourth three definitely felt good because you know that was I felt like a lot of people didn't think I was gonna be able to do that. But yeah, but I think, uh but the ones you listened, I think just interceptions, like getting the ball, because I mean that's that's the most important thing on defense.
00:12:08
Speaker 7: We won't get the ball, So yeah.
00:12:10
Speaker 2: That's a good that's good mentality too. Like that mentality too, of going and getting the ball. You play pretty much outside. Did you ever you ever mess around on the slot at all, even at practice or anything or getting any game time there. It's been pretty much outside.
00:12:22
Speaker 6: It's been outside for the most part in the game. But I played like nickel and practice and stuff like that. There's been different situations where my coaches wanted me to learn it just in case it was like in like an emergency type of things, Like they weren't just throwing me out there and I wouldn't know what was going on, so that I like, I still had to learn it.
00:12:37
Speaker 7: I actually liked the fact that I learned it. I felt like it made me a better corner.
00:12:40
Speaker 6: Just understanding what someone else does just like gives me a better understanding of different coverages and schemes, of where my help is and things along that. But also when I was at the Singer Bowl, I played. I played a lot of nickel at the Singer Bowl just so because I know I wasn't able to showcase it at Georgia. So just being able to do it there like can show people that I'm like capable of doing it.
00:13:00
Speaker 2: So how about a special teams background?
00:13:02
Speaker 6: Yeah, I mean before I started at Georgia, I was playing special Yeah that's what mart is like before you take before you start a single snap on defense or offense, like you're gonna play special team.
00:13:14
Speaker 3: Like did you all phases?
00:13:17
Speaker 6: I played like kickoff and then my freshman year, I was I was a gunner and then I did I did a little bit of pun return, Not like I wasn't return. I was just like you know, anti anti gunner.
00:13:30
Speaker 2: Okay, okay, right, yeah, uh so what are you most looking forward to when you when you get to Pittsburgh. You get here and you start getting into the practices, and is there anything that sticks out you just something like you can't wait to like put on the uniform for the first time, or or hang out with the teammates for the first time. What are you kind of most looking forward to.
00:13:52
Speaker 6: I think just meeting the beating teammates and stuff. Just uh, it's being like being in a new place, Like I'm just looking forward to meeting and like people I'm gonna be playing with and just build more relationships with them.
00:14:03
Speaker 2: Right, Dale, thank you very much. Really, congratulations, Thank you. That is fantastic. Glad, it's great to have you. Congratulations again. We're glad to call it back Dale. Oh yeah, right, yeah, I'm glad to good moved. Don't effort, our guest. We have to take a break now. We are going to continue with our ongoing draft coverage on Steel's Nation Radio and the Steelers Audio Network.
00:14:30
Speaker 8: And now a word from our sponsor, Bud Light. There's nothing better than the clean crisp. There's nothing better than the clean crisp.
00:14:41
Speaker 2: Uh.
00:14:41
Speaker 8: What if we just got out of here and grab some bud Lights. So, man, we're on air for four more hours.
00:14:46
Speaker 9: I'll figure it out. Sounds good to me. Anything for the clean, crisp taste of bud Light. Stocked up now. Bud Light, easy to drink, easy to enjoy if you're responsibly Copyright twenty twenty six and Huyser Bush bud Light Beer, Saint Louis, Missouri.
00:15:00
Speaker 10: I'm a one hundred percent kind of guy, So I got Verizon FiOS. It's one hundred percent fiber Internet because I do everything at one hundred percent.
00:15:07
Speaker 5: What game should we watch?
00:15:09
Speaker 10: One hundred percent of them?
00:15:11
Speaker 5: She hits a.
00:15:12
Speaker 11: Penalty kick the part from Way Downtown, bright, beautiful shot onto the green.
00:15:18
Speaker 12: You either have one percent fiber Internet or you don't get Verizon FiOS. It's super fast, unreliable with ultra low lang. It's one hundred percent or nothing called one eight three three ever lies under switch.
00:15:28
Speaker 4: Today, we Egen talked about his return history.
00:15:33
Speaker 5: You know how he developed into the guy he is.
00:15:35
Speaker 4: He said he played running back in high school and that uh fostered his vision and fearlessness.
00:15:41
Speaker 2: Okay, and you know he's built like a running back.
00:15:45
Speaker 3: It went five nine, a little under five nine.
00:15:50
Speaker 4: It went from there regarding the rule changes in the tweaks to the dynamic kickoff that we've discussed amongst ourselves and with Danny Krossman. Weegian said he actually performed in that scenario at the East West Shrine Bowl, so he got a taste for him. He said, quote, I think we can be super dangerous on punt return and kickoff return. And Danny Crossman talked glowingly first and foremost about Wigian's ability to protect the football.
00:16:23
Speaker 2: Number one.
00:16:24
Speaker 4: He said, let's see whoever has the ball in his hand. Whoever has the ball has everybody's lives in his hands. So he appreciates that. But also Crossman is big on not cutting before you have to catch, run and cut, and then figured it out is his matcher, and he said, Weegen is phenomenal at catching the ball and getting going, and then when he has to make a movie, he makes a move.
00:16:51
Speaker 2: Interesting.
00:16:52
Speaker 5: Crossman was very excited.
00:16:54
Speaker 4: I asked him if he had to bang the table or argue for the pick and he said, hey, that's I don't do that. I give him an evaluation and then I'm nowhere near the room when.
00:17:02
Speaker 5: They make the picks.
00:17:03
Speaker 4: But clearly the Steelers valued this guy quite a bit. Yeah, you know, as a weapon. And you hear all the time about special teams. Oh that's one third of the game, and you know, sometimes that's lip service, sometimes that's gospel.
00:17:16
Speaker 5: I mean, what's this guy gonna play? Matt eight snaps a game?
00:17:20
Speaker 3: If that just depends on what touchdowns.
00:17:22
Speaker 2: You let up right the punt return, you're in the kickoff for two.
00:17:29
Speaker 5: But it's worth it to me.
00:17:30
Speaker 4: I mean, he's a field changing, scoreboard changing force.
00:17:34
Speaker 3: So so let me just I'm gonna I wonder if he runs down on kickoffs or does any other special team stuff.
00:17:40
Speaker 2: Well, I do want to talk about me. I do want to talk about some of that stuff with you in a moment, Matt. But but you know, Matt and I were talking about this a couple of years ago when this yeeler's brought in Cam Johnston and the difference between his net punting and where the punting had been the year before. Now I know understand it's not just the punter that's involved with that punting, but he can make a big difference twenty five yards of twenties I think it was twenty four yards a game that moves you from twenty fourth to nineteenth in yards now, so if you if you can improve in that aspect of the game, now you can improve in the return game as well. You know, now you're picking up real yard. Those are real yards. Those yards count, yes they do. And we have we have another guest coming in right now, a nothing with us. Yes, nice to meet you.
00:18:25
Speaker 3: Gradulations, welcome.
00:18:29
Speaker 2: So you're on with Jenny's Matt Williamson and this is Mike Persuda. I'm Rob King. We thank you for being with us. And I guess first order of business, yeah, go ahead, did throw them on. What was it like when you when you got the call and heard you had been drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
00:18:44
Speaker 13: I mean, it was kind of surreal, you know, it was uh, it was kind of hard to breathe and just kind of celebrating it with my community and my family and friends. It was, I mean, it was it was awesome.
00:18:53
Speaker 2: Any inkling that the Steelers are going to be the team that drafted.
00:18:55
Speaker 13: You not exactly, No, really, okay, I wasn't exactly hurt.
00:19:00
Speaker 2: I wasn't exactly sure who.
00:19:01
Speaker 3: Would but right you didn't have a strong ankling of two or three teams or anything of that nature.
00:19:05
Speaker 2: Huh.
00:19:06
Speaker 3: Okay, I want to cut right to the chase here.
00:19:08
Speaker 4: I don't want to talk about whether you're gonna play tackle or guard or the tradition in Iowa.
00:19:12
Speaker 5: I want to talk about a two time champion of the Bean days.
00:19:16
Speaker 2: Hey built, Oh we've seen it, hopefully everyone's seen it. Have you seen this video?
00:19:19
Speaker 5: No?
00:19:20
Speaker 2: Oh, it's tremendous.
00:19:21
Speaker 5: Is that the correct? Uh?
00:19:22
Speaker 3: I'm gonna look it up.
00:19:23
Speaker 2: Sol and Hay built toss as you're talking about, right, yeah?
00:19:26
Speaker 12: Ok?
00:19:26
Speaker 5: Yeah?
00:19:26
Speaker 2: So now I grew up in upstate New York and actually sat in the back of a wagon with a with a with a baling hook and hooked it and threw it on to So there's forty five powders or sixty pounders. Guess okay, yeah, okay, you.
00:19:40
Speaker 3: Can toss it.
00:19:41
Speaker 2: Is that how you know you're going? It's like it's like a high jump Oh yeah, yeah, yeah yeah.
00:19:46
Speaker 13: So they just have like a high jump bar and then they keep raising it up and it's kind of last guy's standing and.
00:19:50
Speaker 3: You were the champ.
00:19:51
Speaker 2: I was where was this that's in sole in Iowa? Okay, yep, So it's pretty close to I was Saday. So was it one of those things where you're like just like like, let's hop in the car and give it a shot. I mean you're not training for that, are you?
00:20:02
Speaker 5: Or are you?
00:20:04
Speaker 13: I guess indirectly that like throughout the summer, you know. I mean it's kind of like an Iowa one tradition to go do it.
00:20:09
Speaker 7: Uh huh.
00:20:09
Speaker 2: So okay, like most of the one, I'm gonna.
00:20:11
Speaker 5: Go do it.
00:20:12
Speaker 13: Like Peeper, my right guard won it last year. They actually gave like a giant WW belt.
00:20:17
Speaker 2: It's huge.
00:20:18
Speaker 13: He just he keeps in his truck. He still has it in his truck. But anyway, Yeah, that's cool.
00:20:24
Speaker 4: Yeah, anything else that you guys find normal that we would find really interesting in terms of your Iowa activities.
00:20:33
Speaker 2: Iowa activities, Yeah, I don't know. I guess maybe maybe normal to me, I don't know.
00:20:39
Speaker 3: Yeah. So you have some teammates on this squad, another one that's just drafted, a couple of guys from last year. Do you have a good relationship with those guys? You know, Yi Black and Caleb Johnson and now we have a new return guy in town.
00:20:54
Speaker 13: I mean it's awesome, Like I got the Uh. I got the opportunity to block for kJ you know, two years, and that was awesome. I got the opportunity to play with you know, Logan Lee and Ya I called. I called Logan this morning when the bus was taking me from the airport. So, I mean, it's just awesome to have those guys here, and they're such great guys. And now the Weegian's coming out. I texted him. I was like, you can't get rid of me. So, yeah, it's awesome.
00:21:17
Speaker 4: Talk about that kid a little bit because I don't know, there's good returners every year, but he's different. I mean, I don't know who to compare him to three in one year on punts.
00:21:27
Speaker 5: I can't even put that into context. That guy is a missile.
00:21:32
Speaker 13: I mean it's awesome because like you know, on offense, like you'll you're they're kicking the ball and you just watching it. You're like, this one might go home, you know. So it's just I mean I love watching him play.
00:21:42
Speaker 2: That is. By the way, you went down to the draft yesterday. We saw you on the on the screen up there. What was that like? What was the experience like?
00:21:49
Speaker 13: And and uh and seeing it in person, I mean it was crazy. Like the just having that many fans out there and the support that they showed was I mean it was wild, you know, especially because like literally the day before, my hometown's twenty six hundred, so I was, you know, in a town of twenty six hundred. Then I go out there and see all the fans out there and how pumped up they weren't excited.
00:22:06
Speaker 2: I mean it was awesome.
00:22:08
Speaker 3: That's cool, Jennings.
00:22:10
Speaker 4: Your O line coach here, James camp has said last night, they're gonna start you at guard with tackle flexibility. The incumbent left guard no longer plays for this team. What kind of opportunity these sense?
00:22:22
Speaker 13: Yeah, I mean there's there's opportunity every day, you know, just kind of when you walk in and just kind of who you are as a person, how you present yourself. And you know, I told coach like, I'll play whatever he needs me to, like if we need a fall back or you know.
00:22:32
Speaker 2: Whatever position, Like you have you done full back?
00:22:34
Speaker 13: Not yet, but you know one you could one can dream, you know, but I'll do whatever they need.
00:22:41
Speaker 2: Have you played guard? Oh yeah, yep.
00:22:43
Speaker 13: So my first two years at Iowa, I played guard because coach likes to start our tackles, especially if they're not like true tackle bodies and guard and then kind of slide them out to tackle. Because our tackles at IOWA play like guards.
00:22:54
Speaker 3: So what do you mean by that they tackles play like guards just in terms of like pulling and blocking angles and things.
00:23:00
Speaker 13: Just like the physicality of the run block. Oh okay, because like I mean, guard things hot happen a lot faster of course.
00:23:06
Speaker 3: So yeah, it makes perfect sense.
00:23:08
Speaker 2: So this wasn't like any shock to you, Like, you know, you played right tackle and look up because they listened to us the guard when they drafted, so you weren't like, wait a minute, you know, so you knew this was kind of coming, or I kind of.
00:23:18
Speaker 13: I mean, I'm, you know, six file on the dot, I'm probably not the most athletic cat, so I kind of I kind of figured writing.
00:23:25
Speaker 3: Was kind of on the wall a little bit.
00:23:27
Speaker 2: Yeah, I already I kind of already knew.
00:23:28
Speaker 3: So well, that was the whole.
00:23:29
Speaker 4: Senior Bowl deal, right, you had to go down there and show them your guard capable.
00:23:33
Speaker 13: The nice thing is like I don't think I ever wore knee braces, right, or so I think I was I don't know, but like I took them off, I was like.
00:23:38
Speaker 2: This is nice, this is sweet. What do you know about the Steelers brand of football? And and uh, you know, look, the fan base loves physical football, loves it, and I allcount your physical football player. So so what is it like to come into an organization that values that and a fan base that values that. I mean, it's just so awesome.
00:24:00
Speaker 13: I'm like, you know, it's like the Steelers are just built on like tough football, you know, and it's just like it couldn't be like almost like a better fit.
00:24:06
Speaker 2: I mean, it's just it's like hard to explain.
00:24:09
Speaker 13: You know, It's kind of like I died and went to heaven last night and I know, it's it's kind of hard to believe I'm here.
00:24:15
Speaker 2: Just so awesome.
00:24:16
Speaker 3: So coach Farrence is from Pittsburgh too. Did he get in touch with you since you've been drafted or you know, prep you of what the city's all about or anything like that.
00:24:23
Speaker 2: Yeah?
00:24:23
Speaker 13: Yeah, I mean he shot me a text after I got drafted. And then so my fifth grade teacher, missus Chris Man, we did like a school project, I guess when we were in fifth grade and it was like, what do you want to be when you grow up? So I made like a picture of me running the ball for Iowa.
00:24:35
Speaker 2: I sent that to him too. I was like, hey, check this out. So yeah, So.
00:24:39
Speaker 5: Did you ever get a ball under your arm for any reason?
00:24:42
Speaker 3: No shot, no no holpicking up a fumble or anything.
00:24:46
Speaker 2: Not even in high school. There's no chance.
00:24:50
Speaker 3: I assume you've interacted with Max. I mean, you're the second offensive line rookie that's going to be added to that room. Have you guys been, you know, kind of comparing notes and figuring things out together.
00:24:59
Speaker 2: Yeah. I mean he's an awesome dude.
00:25:00
Speaker 13: Like I met him with the Senior Bowl and he was a guy there, so I mean it's awesome to talk to him. And now now they're teammates. I mean it's even better.
00:25:06
Speaker 4: Se the whole Iowa thing, it just resonates for years and back to camp and last night talking to us, he said, quote, there's so well coached at Iowa. I have a lot of respect for that football program and the people who run it. I mean, we had Sebastian Castro in here last year as an undrafted free agent, and he was here for a little bit and he but I think the Tampa but came.
00:25:29
Speaker 5: Yeah.
00:25:29
Speaker 4: Yeah, you guys just make it into the NFL and and do stuff without a lot of trumpet splittered beforehand.
00:25:36
Speaker 5: But the job gets done.
00:25:38
Speaker 3: I mean that's hard for a Michigan State guy to say, I have feeling over here too.
00:25:42
Speaker 2: Yeah.
00:25:42
Speaker 4: Is that something you feel early when you first get there, like, hey, there's a way it's done, in a way it's not done, and we're doing it the way it's done.
00:25:50
Speaker 13: Definitely, I mean, you know it just it starts with a headman, coach parents and how he does things, you know, I mean, nothing we do with sexy or flashy. We do the same drills, I mean literally the same drills every day. We're taught the same fundamentals every day, you know, Like I had a checklist. It was like how's my first step, how's my hands on every single play? So we go over the same fundamentals every single day. I think that's kind of what leads guys to have a lot of success after Iowa.
00:26:14
Speaker 4: And is there kind of a sense of responsibility like hey, I'm not the first guy to come here.
00:26:18
Speaker 5: I'm not gonna be one that lets it down.
00:26:20
Speaker 13: Definitely, I mean you know, like on the back of our line room, we have all of our Americans on the wall, and just seeing those guys up there, and they come back and visit a lot too and talk to us, and you know, it's just kind.
00:26:29
Speaker 3: Of right over your left shoulder there, exactly.
00:26:32
Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, yeah, you know, and then a lot of offensive line wall of fame. But for those not for those just listening on the radio here, I just thought I pointed.
00:26:38
Speaker 13: It out exactly, you know. And then a lot of a lot of kids too. I grow up watching the Hawks. They grow up in Iowa, so they kind of know what it's all about, and you know, like idolizing guys when they grow up, and then they get the opportunity to kind of wear the black and gold.
00:26:50
Speaker 4: So you're also used to an obsessively insane fan base that takes it way too seriously.
00:26:56
Speaker 2: I don't know if you can't take it too soon?
00:26:57
Speaker 3: Answer correct answer?
00:27:00
Speaker 2: How how far is Norwalk from the University? You grew up in Norwalk?
00:27:03
Speaker 3: Right?
00:27:03
Speaker 2: Or so?
00:27:04
Speaker 13: I was born in Des Moines Again, I'm so. I lived in Norwalk till I was like seven or eight, and then I moved to Lena, Illinois and that's where That's kind of where I grew up.
00:27:13
Speaker 2: And how close is that to university about It's about two and a half hours northeast of the University of Iowa. You know, I was talking to Jack Sawyer last night about growing up in Columbus and playing for Ohio State, growing up in Iowa and playing for Iowa. It's got to be like a dream come true. It's like, see, I grew up watching the Hawks, and that's all we'd watch.
00:27:31
Speaker 5: You know.
00:27:31
Speaker 13: My folks are from eastern Iowa and my grandparents from eastern Iowa, great grandparents from eastern Iowa. So we just grew up watching the Hawks. I mean when I got offered by coach Farrensi, I think I let him finish the sentence. I don't know, and I was like, you know, I want to go here, and that was it.
00:27:46
Speaker 2: Oh fantastic, Hey, so west here.
00:27:48
Speaker 14: I was just gonna say, before before we let you go, we have to ask do you have any power to get us a call vers here in Pittsburgh or somewhere in western Pennsylvania.
00:27:56
Speaker 3: We introduced Mike to him the first time at the combine. We've been pushing those t J.
00:28:00
Speaker 7: Watt.
00:28:00
Speaker 3: We build one right around here.
00:28:02
Speaker 14: We drive you know, from here to Indianapolis every year to the to the Combine, have been for about a decade and our tradition on the way out, on the way back, we stop at the Culvers in Columbus, Ohio about halfway the closes when we got Do you have any power to bring us one here to the Pittsburgh region.
00:28:18
Speaker 13: I'm honestly not true if I do. But uh, if I ever do get that, I'll let you guys know.
00:28:22
Speaker 3: Yeah, start pushing TJ.
00:28:24
Speaker 2: We'll run this up.
00:28:24
Speaker 14: We'll quit doing this and we'll just gm the store.
00:28:26
Speaker 15: We'll run the store for you. Hey, thank you very much. I really appreciate congratulations. Thanks very much, having with James gratulations. Two time hail bay Hail. Hey, hey, hey, bail hail.
00:28:45
Speaker 3: No.
00:28:47
Speaker 2: Two time champion and and not coincidentally, a new offensive lineman for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Yeah.
00:28:52
Speaker 4: No, I mean, you guys have heard me. We've been doing this for multiple years. I think I know a wall programs real I don't.
00:28:58
Speaker 5: I don't know.
00:28:59
Speaker 3: If yeah, I don't know, I must agree.
00:29:00
Speaker 5: I don't know.
00:29:01
Speaker 4: If you get all pros, but you get football players, man. I think you tell us the same way. Some of these schools that are not Alabama or Ohio State or Notre Dame produce a certain kind of guy. And the thread is they care, they work their backside off, and they are coachable.
00:29:19
Speaker 3: They always tell you not helmet scout, you know, but I think there's something too helmet scouting, especially when someone like Kirk Farns has been there as long as he has.
00:29:26
Speaker 2: You know, our ongoing draft coverage on Stulization Radio, when the Stevens Audio Network continues right after this, and.
00:29:35
Speaker 8: Now a word from our sponsor, bud Light. There's nothing better than the clean crisp. There's nothing better than the clean crisp. Uh what if we just got out of here and grab some bud Lights? So man, we're on air for four more hours.
00:29:50
Speaker 9: I'll figure it out. Sounds good to me. Anything for the clean crisp taste of bud Light. Stock up now. Bud Light, easy to drink, easy to enjoy, You're responsibly copyright twenty twenty six and Hazard Bush but Light near Saint Louis, Missouri.
00:30:04
Speaker 10: I'm a one hundred percent kind of guy, So I got Verizon FiOS. It's one hundred percent fiber Internet because I do everything at one hundred percent.
00:30:12
Speaker 5: What game should we watch?
00:30:13
Speaker 10: One hundred percent of them?
00:30:15
Speaker 11: She hits a penalty kick out the part from Way Downtown, Break beautiful shot onto the Green.
00:30:22
Speaker 12: You either have one hundred percent fiber Internet or you don't get Verizon FiOS. It's super fast, unreliable with ultra low lag. It's one hundred percent or nothing called one eight three three veries under switch today God days.
00:30:41
Speaker 1: There's the Steelers Audio Network Draft Marathon on Steelers Nation Radio, a part of the Steelers Audio Network.
00:30:51
Speaker 2: And welcome back pyr the steel There's these guys, got me talking baseball during the break. You guys, you're killing me. The ste there's an executed a trade in which they trade working on the details. Here pick number one sixty one and two forty nine go to a pick number one sixty nine to ten come to Pittsburgh now, Q ten would be the sixth rounder. End of the sixth round.
00:31:18
Speaker 4: I would guess all I know is all in favorite getting rid of two forty nine.
00:31:23
Speaker 3: Hey, we we're gonna be on the air. We need something to talk abound about that point.
00:31:27
Speaker 2: You're gonna be on the air. Yes, So I think I wanted to ask you. You know, when you talk about game day roster, right, you guys are talking in terms of quarterbacks and that sort of thing. So now you you take Caden Region, right, and as of right now, Caden Legion is a return man, right yeah, I mean I don't know as he is.
00:31:49
Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean, I mean he's gonna work ride receiver drills between now, and he thinks he can do more as a wide receiver. He even said he might have a little running back capability in a you know, specialty slash gadget package. But I'm just fine with him being exclusive returner only and just let him do that.
00:32:07
Speaker 2: So that is, uh, you know, if he's a If he's a good return man, that is great news for the Steelers. It's bad news for somebody else on the roster though, you know what I mean, because oh yeah, because you know you're think in terms of a player being like Miles killerbrew safety, but he was really a special teams guy.
00:32:26
Speaker 3: So it's scornics in his room. I mean, he can do more than zero wide receiver stuff, right yeah.
00:32:32
Speaker 2: I mean, ironic played wide receiver. He caught the first touchdown pass last year by thrown by Aaron Rodgers.
00:32:38
Speaker 3: So but there will be some core special team shakeup guys too. Connor Hayward's gone, you know, right.
00:32:44
Speaker 2: Yeah, and it's also but again, most teams you know, do not have one guy who that's all they do.
00:32:52
Speaker 3: Dedicated one roster spot to only a returner, to only a returner. But also speaking you know, with with Danny, it's been more and more important now than ever.
00:33:03
Speaker 2: I mean, oh, I'm not poo pooing it.
00:33:05
Speaker 3: I could see it becoming more relevant or more more maybe Philly seven teams to do it this year where there was two last year. You know, I think it might becoming more common, right because with the original rules, why bother?
00:33:17
Speaker 2: Right, But if your guy who is hoping to that your versatility would help you make the roster, like for example, Dante Kent, right, yeah, yeah, yeah, who got hurt last year, was drafted and was there I think a punt returner, not a kick returner, punt returner in college and a cornerback. Hey, that versatility maybe helps you not only make the team, but dress right, if you can be the punt return guy, well, now you have a punt return guy who is a punt return.
00:33:43
Speaker 3: Now, Dante Ken's not happy about the last forty eight hours at all. I mean, I'm sure he's hooping for his team. But they draft an outside corner in the third round that's gonna make the team you already have in that corner room, Eccles Ramsey, Porter, Samuel Dean. That gets pretty full pretty quick. And if he's looking at the roster like, well, maybe I'm the best returner, right, well, they got news for you. You know, I'm not picking him. Business goes right.
00:34:14
Speaker 2: This is an example of what happens and and what sure and yet you know these guys are all competitors. It goes back to the conversation we were having with Jeremy Bernard that you know, some guys and I remember talking about this with some of the pit players when Pitt was awesome, you know, from say the late seventies through the early eighties. I mean you could put together an unbelievable all star team just from that era of Pitt football, and guys would come to Pitt and you know the guys that made it, you know, the Jimbo Coverts and the and the Bill Fraleix and you know, on and on and on. They wanted to compete against the best right out of the shoe, you know. Yeah, And I think a lot of guys that maybe the money has changed out a little bit. Maybe you're like, well, I can get more money over here as opposed to here. But you know, Robert Foster, for example, going.
00:35:12
Speaker 3: To here's a yeah, Robert Foster doing offensive stuff here at least, you know, kind of gadgety.
00:35:18
Speaker 2: But it is gadgety. Yeah, he was. He was one of the certainly one of the best players I ever saw in the whippiel I mean, Durell Reeves, you know, Aaron Donald, Robert Foster was unbelievable. He went to Alabama. You know, his moment came where.
00:35:31
Speaker 3: He gets there and there's Clinton Portis and Willis mcgahey and Frank Gore and then they're like, hey, you want to play safety?
00:35:40
Speaker 2: Yeah, you know, and for for fans that it might be of a of a little bit younger age, yeah, I'm sure say true at Georgia or you know, I mean, think about like what Pitt turned out in a short period of time. Think about this offensive line. If you just took it and went right to the NFL with it, because there they were pretty near they I think they were all in the NFL at the same time, right, yeah, they're not, you know, absolutely yeah, you got you got uh. You know you have Fredrik and Covert, right, you have May Mark May who you probably have to move to guard, Russ Grim and Uh and Sweeney at center. I mean that's like, that's that's the best offensive line in the NFL. If you have that group together. Yeah, and it's not even close. I mean, it was by far the best offensive line of the NFL.
00:36:26
Speaker 5: Do you agree to disagree?
00:36:27
Speaker 4: If you put Pitts twenty two or as close as you could get, it's good as any NFL is at least as good as any other.
00:36:36
Speaker 2: It's as good as anyone.
00:36:37
Speaker 3: I mean. So another story, when I was next door by far at that point, our best offensive lineman was a young man who's a great kid, rob Attiiti.
00:36:44
Speaker 2: You might remember he was a left tackle.
00:36:46
Speaker 5: Yeah.
00:36:46
Speaker 3: He got drafted by the Cowboys. Yeah, he was from New Jersey. He got drafted by the Cowboys, I think the fourth or fifth round. Probably played in the league six or seven years, got a second contract. Good player, And I remember there was some old school pitt honks sitting there, you know, and I'm sitting with recruits or whatever watching practice, and I'm like, man, Rob's really playing well and blah blah blah. And I asked him, I'm like, and Buddy Morris is our strength coach. I'm like, how would Rob a fit in in those days when you're talking and you know the Stepanovsky years and those type of things. He's like probably third string left tackle probably if you worked hard.
00:37:25
Speaker 7: Wow.
00:37:25
Speaker 2: Yeah, you know, like I'm throwing out that old line just real quick. I'm throwing that thin I throwing against Hugh Green and Chris Doleman and you know, this is just the offense. That's my old line, which is phenomenal. And there's I'm probably missing some guys. Uh ditka is my tight end, Marinos my quarterback. I'll take Curtis Barton door set at running back. We already went through the old line, and then give me Larry Fitzgerald and uh Bryant he wanted to believe. I mean, you know that's uh, that's and you're definitely missing alignment, right. Oh, I'm definitely missing some old line. Yeah, that's just from one era. Yeah, I mean I picked the running back.
00:38:02
Speaker 3: The running backs are ridiculous.
00:38:03
Speaker 2: Marshall Goldberg.
00:38:04
Speaker 3: We got to go way back, ironheads, Iron Martin and Dion Lewis.
00:38:09
Speaker 2: I had I picked Martin and uh and uh uh Dorsett because you're pretty good, because they're in the Hall of Fame. Yeah, so anyway, okay, we're going to take a break.
00:38:18
Speaker 3: Defense isn't bad either.
00:38:19
Speaker 2: Oh my goodness, you know, uh, I remember, and I know we're overdue here. I think the eighty one team, I think it was the eighty one team, eighty or eighty one team. Every single player that started in their defense made the NFL. Wow, they had an NFL.
00:38:33
Speaker 3: That's how the U was when I was talking about it. Yeah, you got in the starting lineup, you were going to be a Day one or Day two pick.
00:38:39
Speaker 2: Stick around. Much more to come as we continue our ongoing draft coverage on Steelers Nation Radio and the Steelers Audio Network
