The next major pre-draft event on the NFL calendar is the annual scouting combine in Indianapolis and as expected, Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert has now provided a quick and dirty rundown of the positional strengths of this year’s class.
“Right now, the way we see it based on what all of our scouts did throughout the fall, our coaches are now getting involved, but offensively the numbers are really good at wide receiver, offensive tackle, and running back,” Colbert told members of the media on Wednesday according to a transcript provided to us by Will Graves of the Associated Press. “Defensively, really the secondary, there are a significant number in the secondary, both at safety and corner. And both at the linebackers, both at the inside and outside. Interior offensive line is never really deep. Interior defensive line is usually never deep, as there just are not many players in those positions.”
Colbert generally shoots straight when it comes to evaluating the positional strengths of draft classes each year before the combine takes place so there’s no reason to not believe these are his current thoughts on this year’s group of draft hopefuls. The fact that Colbert views both linebacker positions as well as all secondary positions as all having quality depth this year is a positive sign as those are definitely positions we expect the Steelers to address in the early rounds a few months from now.
Colbert’s pre combine positivity aside, he made to sure to point out on Wednesday that the combine process is sure to weed out several members of this year’s draft hopefuls as potential future Steelers for various reasons.
“We are in the draft preparation,” Colbert said. “As we see it right now, it is exciting as we stand here today. Next week, we go to the combine and we may come away more excited. We may have the excitement diminished a little bit based on health issues, or character issues, or physical attribute issues that we will uncover throughout that process and throughout the pro days.”
The 2019 NFL Scouting combine will officially get underway in Indianapolis next Tuesday, Feb. 26 and it runs through Monday, Mar. 4. Though coverage of the on-field workouts will not begin until Friday, March 1, the NFL Network will broadcast coverage of the combine press conferences on Wednesday, Feb. 27 and Thursday, Feb. 28. The combine press conference coverage will begin at 1 p.m. ET and end at 5 p.m. ET on both days.
In case you’re curious, Colbert is scheduled to hold his annual combine press conference on Wednesday, Feb. 27 at 11:15 a.m. ET. As usual, we’ll bring you a full recap on the site of Colbert’s press conference in addition to any other media interviews he does that day.
