The Pittsburgh Steelers are in the market for more defensive line help, and Missouri’s Darius Robinson, is a name to watch. He just had a pre-draft meeting with the team, but he recalled in particular his interactions at the NFL Scouting Combine. Robinson related to Rich Eisen his impressions of Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin while there.
“He’s wired up, all the time”, he said on the Rich Eisen Show. “He’s just looking at me the whole time, like, wired up. You can tell he loves football just by the way he carries himself. The questions he asks [are] very specific. He’s a great coach”.
The Steelers don’t always hold multiple formal meetings with prospects, given the limited opportunities available for every team. A possible first-round pick, Pittsburgh shouldn’t bet on Robinson lasting into their second-round range.
Even if he is not perhaps an ideal scheme fit, he feels like a Steeler. Sometimes those players who feel like Steelers end up as one later on down the road, well after the draft. If that ever happens with Robinson, Tomlin has already left an impression on him.
“He gave me some great advice as well”, Robinsons said. “He was saying during this draft process, make sure you work out and stay in your routine because the worst thing that can happen is you get drafted and you’re not in shape or not prepared, so just work out and stay in shape”.
Robinson also talked about working with Tomlin on watching his film and breaking it down. He came away particularly impressed by the detail in his observations, which he suggests not everyone considers. As Robinson learned, Tomlin is a guy who loves ball in all its details.
“The questions he was asking me about, do I mind which hand I put down when I rush, that’s something a lot of people, like a casual fan, wouldn’t understand”, he said. “There’s a difference between guys rushing with their right hand down or left hand down”.
For the record, Robinson said that he likes to use each hand and is comfortable doing so. He doesn’t rely upon just the left hand or the right hand, fully capable of making use of both.
The Steelers already have Cameron Heyward, Keeanu Benton, and Larry Ogunjobi in their starting lineup. They also re-signed Montravius Adams and brought in Dean Lowry while retaining DeMarvin Leal and Isaiahh Loudermilk.
But Heyward is nearing the end of his career, and frankly, Ogunjobi could be in his last year if he doesn’t step it up. The Steelers obviously need to start planning for a post-Heyward future. Robinson isn’t the most obvious one-for-one choice, but if they feel they can develop him, there are worse ways to go. And who knows, by draft time he could be more of a Day 2 prospect.
