Roman Wilson and Mike Tomlin forged a connection during the pre-draft process. While it’s impossible for someone as busy as an NFL head coach to have personal relationships with every draft prospect, it’s clear Wilson was a priority for Tomlin from the beginning.
It started at the Senior Bowl, where Tomlin always is, in juxtaposition to his fellow head coaches, who rarely attend the event. For Wilson, the Senior Bowl really put him on the map in terms of the NFL Draft. His stats at Michigan weren’t anything outstanding, in large part due to the run-heavy offense that the Wolverines employed, which they did to great success.
What this did prove for Wilson and something that the Steelers love, is that he is a good, and more importantly, willing blocker as a wide receiver. But he was able to show Tomlin even more at the Senior Bowl.
Tomlin encouraged future first-round pick Quinyon Mitchell to match up against Wilson in individual reps in Mobile, and the latter held his own and then some. He raised a lot of eyebrows in draft circles that week, proving that he was much more than just a blocker. The Steelers’ eyebrows were certainly raised, and they had three meetings with Wilson at the Senior Bowl.
Now, Tomlin and Wilson continue their relationship after Wilson was selected in the third round last month. The young wide receiver talked about how Tomlin sets the tone for other rookies, but particularly himself at rookie minicamp.
“He’s always challenged me.” Wilson said via Post-Gazette Sports, referencing their earlier interactions at the Senior Bowl. “Every day I come out here, I feel like I got an expectation to uphold for him.”
The door is about as open as it could possibly be for a rookie third-round receiver in Pittsburgh. Despite rumor after rumor that the Steelers grab a big-name receiver to pair with George Pickens, they haven’t made the move yet. Instead of Brandon Aiyuk or DK Metcalf, they’ve had to settle for Scotty Miller, Quez Watkins, and Van Jefferson. Some decent veterans sure, but no one would be surprised if Roman Wilson is the second-best receiver on the team this season by any means.
For now, he’s gotta keep upholding the high standard that Tomlin has set for him. Anything he can do to separate himself from the rest of the Steelers’ wide receiver pack will be crucial, especially in the early stages. His blocking has always set him apart, but if he wants to be a legit weapon in this offense, he’ll have to keep up his momentum from the Senior Bowl and draft process.
