On the All Things Covered podcast with former Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Bryant McFadden and soon-to-be-signed Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Patrick Peterson, McFadden said Mike Tomlin is currently in Clemson, S.C., meaning it is all but certain he will attend Clemson Football’s Pro Day tomorrow.
“Mike T is overly excited, he texts me, he’s currently excited, but he said he is fired up,” McFadden said via the show’s YouTube channel.
Clemson has a number of intriguing prospects. The name most linked to the Steelers is defensive lineman Bryan Breese, who could be a first-round option for Pittsburgh but is likely more of a target with the No. 32 overall selection, if he’s there. Breese, a former five-star recruit, dealt with injuries and off-the-field adversity, including the death of his sister, during his time with Clemson. That led to him not really living up to his recruit status.
But his character, football IQ, and athleticism make him a guy the Steelers could covet. He’s the true definition of a “hearts and smarts” type of player, and it wouldn’t be surprising if he’s a guy with whom the Steelers fall in love. They had a formal meeting with Breese at the Combine, where he talked about his relationship with Tomlin. It wouldn’t be surprising if Tomlin took some of the Tigers’ top prospects out for dinner as he’s done in the past when attending Pro Days.
Another Clemson prospect that could interest the Steelers is linebacker Trenton Simpson. While rangy, Simpson is a little bit of a tweener, but he could be the answer for Pittsburgh’s woes at off-ball linebacker. He’s another target at No. 32, and a guy I’m sure the team would love to get if he ended up being available at No. 49. He racked up 165 total tackles and 13 career sacks at Clemson. With Pittsburgh likely losing Devin Bush, Simpson could start immediately for a Steelers team that needs help at inside linebacker.
Other Clemson prospects of note are EDGE Myles Murphy, EDGE K.J. Henry, and wide receiver Jo Ngata.
Tomlin being at a Pro Day is much more notable than the Steelers dispatching a scout, as it means there is at least one player the head coach wants to watch personally. Traditionally, under Kevin Colbert, if Tomlin and/or Colbert was at a Pro Day, it was a sign of interest. And there was a correlation between Pro Day visits and guys who ended up in Pittsburgh. While things might not be exactly the same in the Omar Khan/Andy Weidl regime, it’s still of major significance to know that Tomlin is heading to Clemson’s Pro Day.
