Mike Tomlin is the Senior Bowl’s unofficial coach. While many coaches simply watch practice from the press box, bleachers, or in the background along the sidelines, Tomlin likes having his feet on the grass. So much so that it often feels like he’s leading the drills as much as the actual positional coach in charge. To kick off this year’s Senior Bowl, Tomlin immediately bolted to watch a group of defensive linemen. Given the team’s need and Art Rooney II’s recent comments, it’s no surprise.
Our Ross McCorkle is one of several from the Steelers Depot crew in Mobile, Ala., to cover the week’s events and spotted Tomlin making a beeline for the big defensive uglies.
There are several defensive linemen to keep an eye on in a deep class. Nebraska DL Ty Robinson looks the part at 6047, 296 pounds, per the Senior Bowl weigh-in. His length is slightly underwhelming at sub-33 inches, but the Steelers have made an exception to length more often they have height or weight, drafting Logan Lee and Isaiah Loudermilk, who had similar arm lengths.
Robinson is thickly built and broke out for seven sacks in 2024, catching Dave Bryan’s eye during his recent watch of his game. We’ll soon have a scouting report on Robinson that has a similar glowing tone. Currently projected to be a Day 3 pick, he could rise throughout the pre-draft process.
Iowa’s Yahya Black is another name to consider. More nose tackle than end, he’s one of the biggest players at this year’s Senior Bowl, checking in at 6055, 337 pounds with 35-inch arms. Across 13 games in 2024, he notched 34 tackles (7 TFL) and one sack. In 2023, he finished with 3.5 QB takedowns.
Oregon NT Jamaree Caldwell is another nose tackle prospect with a squattier body at 6020, 342 pounds. Teammates with DE Derrick Harmon, a potential Steelers first-round pick, Caldwell benefitted from playing in the Ducks’ 3-4 system, which is similar to the Steelers’ scheme.
Finally, Toledo’s Darius Alexander checks the right boxes at 6034, 304 pounds with 34-inch arms. He had an impressive senior season, finishing with 40 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and a 58-yard pick-six in a bowl win over the Pitt Panthers.
Of course, Tomlin will bounce around position group to position group throughout the week. Only so much should be read into where he’s perched. But it’s no coincidence his first stop was the defensive line group as Pittsburgh figures to invest a high pick in the position in April’s draft.
