Mike Tomlin is as involved as anyone at the Senior Bowl who isn’t literally in charge of coaching the event. On the field, next to every drill, constantly talking to players. So much so he began dictating matchups throughout practice. As we wrote at the time, Tomlin had Toledo CB Quinyon Mitchell go against Michigan WR Roman Wilson.
While that was potentially a compliment for Mitchell, it worked the same for Wilson. As NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah described on the Bootleg podcast Monday, Tomlin thought Wilson was the top receiver there.
“Quinyon Mitchell with business to get accomplished and he handled his business,” Jeremiah told the show. “To the point where Mike Tomlin had challenged him after the first day. And said, ‘Hey, Roman Wilson is the best receiver in your group through the first day. Every time he steps to the line, you should be at the front of the line going against him.’ And he did. He matched him the whole next day. Every single rep they went together.”
Mitchell was the talk of the Senior Bowl in part because he was a comparatively smaller-school player with the chance to consistently play “up” against Power Five talent. That week in Mobile rocketed his draft stock, turning him from a fringe first rounder to top-15 selection.
But it says plenty about Wilson, too. And Tomlin. The Senior Bowl had plenty of talented receivers on the National Team, including Florida’s Ricky Pearsall, Rice’s Luke McCaffrey, North Carolina’s Tez Walker, and USC’s Brenden Rice (son of Jerry Rice). But Wilson was the top guy.
And perhaps that means Wilson will be the Steelers’ top guy when they draft a receiver. Pittsburgh has a clear need opposite George Pickens and its sweet spot is attacking the position on Day 2, the second and third rounds. Wilson is projected in that zone and could be the Steelers’ selection at No. 51. He has the pedigree, production, and connection with Tomlin even prior to the draft process. And from the Senior Bowl, Wilson clearly has Tomlin’s endorsement as the other side of the iron for cornerbacks to sharpen their skills against.
