On Wednesday, Rick Bozich of WDRB-TV reported that Pittsburgh Steelers General Manager Kevin Colbert would be present for the Thursday night game between Louisville and Rutgers to possibly watch Cardinals quarterback Teddy Bridgewater play. That news of course has sent Steelers fans into a frenzy.
According to Bozich, 19 other teams will be represented at the game as well and that number could grow by the time the game kicks off.
Colbert’s job is to evaluate college prospects and to do his due diligence on each and every one of them. Just because Bridgewater plays the quarterback position doesn’t exclude him from the process.
Believe it or not, Louisville has a few other players on their team that Colbert will surely be scouting as well. Junior wide receiver DeVante Parker is 6’3″and has already caught 21 passes for 375 yards and six touchdowns this season and many think he will declare for the 2014 NFL Draft following the season. Like Bridgewater, Parker is already being tabbed as a first-round prospect.
The Steelers still have quarterback Ben Roethlisberger under contract through the 2015 season and all signs point to them extending him following the 2013 season. But what if they don’t and what if, God forbid, they somehow end up with a top two pick in the draft? What if, God forbid, Roethlisberger suffers a serious injury later on this season?
Front offices have to be prepared for everything. This is a Thursday night game that affords Colbert the opportunity to go see prospects in person. Why wouldn’t he? The draft is still several months away and Colbert will take in several more college games by the time the season ends. It’s his job.
