Training camp drills don’t fully and neatly replicate a game. Even something like the 1v1, offensive line against defensive line drills, don’t completely encapsulate an in-stadium environment. Offensive linemen don’t have help; for the tackles, there’s no guard who can help get in the way of an inside rush. There’s no true quarterback, they work on another field and throw in 7v7 and the ball is never thrown, a never-ending pass rush until someone gives up or falls down.
Still, it has value. There’s things the drill can do in-game experiences can’t. Unique moments we won’t see at any other point of the year. Rookie left tackle Broderick Jones felt that during Saturday’s practice in what you can call “The Steelers’ drill ladder.”
Here’s what I mean. Jones went through five reps of OL/DL, a relatively large number for the drill. He began the drill with two reps against undrafted rookie free agent Toby Ndukwe, an undersized pass rusher who has had a tough camp. Jones handled him with ease. My notes on the pair of reps:
“1. Broderick Jones seals Toby Nduwke.
2. Good punch from Jones early. That’s what OL Coach Pat Meyer wants, and he wins again on Nduwke.”
And that’s to be expected. First rounder like Jones on a rookie in Nduwke. Not that Ndukwe can’t win, defenders have plenty of advantages here, but Jones handling this reps is a predictable outcome.
For the third rep, Jones got a new challenger. From third-team to second-string, he faced veteran Markus Golden. Golden lacks some of the size Nduwke has but he’s a proven veteran with 47 career sacks, including 11 of them two years ago. Here, Golden gave Jones more of a challenge. My note on the rep.
“3. Jones graduates to face a veteran in Markus Golden, who beats Jones and rips past and through him.”
Jones kickslid to the edge and it looked like he would manage to seal Golden initially, but he ripped under and through him and turned upfield to get past. A relatively competitive rep but one that Golden one.
Despite the loss, Jones got to meet the final boss. Cam Heyward. To my knowledge, the first time the two have gone against each other in 1v1. Usually, the tackles face EDGE rushers and the guards face down linemen like Heyward. This was a matchup that’s felt due for awhile. How’d it go? My note:
“14. Now Jones gets to face Cam Heyward. Heyward goes with his patented power move. Jones hangs in there initially but Heyward transitions to his long-arm that’s able to get under Jones and upright him. Jones loses his balance and trips into the “quarterback” (who looks like a kid or young adult) and Jones falls down. Heyward then stumbles overtop of Jones. Welcome to big-league power, Broderick Jones. That’s what it looks like.
15. They go again. Jones wants to sit on power but Heyward uses finesse and beats him to the inside.”
So…not great. But that’s not the end of the world. Far from it. For Jones, this was a great learning experience. Sure, Jones played against top-flight college competition in the SEC. But no one playing on Saturday’s has Cam Heyward’s power or technique. Jones got a feel for what an NFL long-arm looks like and how it can ruin your day, Jones immediately losing contact with Heyward, getting lifted up, and then losing his balance and landing on his back. The next rep, Jones sits on power and watched Heyward buzz by him with a finesse move, winning to the inside.
Overall, Jones only won 2/5 of this reps, both coming against Nduwke. That isn’t a number a lineman wants to see but it’s a great learning experience. In one drill, over the course of less than five minutes, Jones went from facing a third-string rookie, to a veteran backup, to an elite and potential future Hall of Famer. That’s the beauty of camp. Jones worked up the ladder and though he might’ve fallen down a few rungs, it’ll make the climb back up all the sweeter.
