Pittsburgh Steelers’ rookie safety Ryan Watts has found himself behind the 8-ball a bit when it comes to his potential push for a spot on the 53-man roster in the Steel City.
Not only was he a sixth-round pick, he was also tasked with changing positions, moving from cornerback in college his last two seasons at Texas to safety in the NFL.
Through it all, Watts has performed and pushed his way into the conversation. He did much of that by being vocal from a communication aspect, earning some admiration from Steelers’ head coach Mike Tomlin.
Speaking to reporters Wednesday following the final day of practice at training camp in Latrobe, Tomlin stated that Watts is headed in the right direction for the Steelers due to his communication abilities at the safety position, showing that he understands the defense overall.
“He’s getting better, getting better every day. A component of that man is his communication skills,” Tomlin said to reporters regarding Watts, according to video via Steelers Live on Twitter. “A young guy that communicates as clearly as he does, it kind of indicates an understanding.
“And so, he’s headed in the right direction.”
Since training camp started back on July 25, Watts has done nothing but steadily improve, adjusting well with the move to safety. Veteran DeShon Elliott took Watts under his wing, and since then, the Texas product has developed nicely, making some plays in training camp and then being around the ball consistently in the preseason opener against the Houston Texans.
Going from cornerback to safety might not seem like a big adjustment on paper, but it’s a substantial one due to responsibilities and angles. It’s something that Watts touched on even before being drafted by the Steelers, stating that he knew he could handle a move to safety if needed because he had played the position previously at Ohio State.
Now in Pittsburgh, Watts is taking well to the move and letting his physicality do the talking.
On top of that physicality, Watts is doing something that many young players struggle with initially — talking.
Communication is a huge part of the game, especially in the secondary. That can be difficult early on as players are learning a new defense, new check calls and learning how to best communicate with new teammates. Based on Tomlin’s comments though, Watts doesn’t seem to be having that issue.
The arrow is pointing up for Watts. He looked like a roster long-shot coming into camp, but he’s stacked solid days on top of each other and is drawing the attention of not only Tomlin, but defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, too. Watts is really headed in the right direction, and that’s rather exciting in a young secondary needing more talent.
