4 takeaways from Steelers pre-draft press conference with Kevin Colbert

The Steelers held a pre-draft press conference with Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin. Here are four things that we learned prior to the 2021 NFL Draft. 

With the 2021 NFL Draft just days away, Pittsburgh’s brass held their annual pre-draft press conference in which they answered questions from the media. As you can imagine, Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin didn’t hint towards drafting any individual player in the first round this year. However, what we did learn was very telling.

There were some statements throughout the 45-minute press conference that caught me off guard. The Steelers general manager discussed a variety of topics including the depth of certain positions this year and his thoughts on investing a high draft choice into the running back position. Here are four things we learned from Kevin Colbert’s pre-draft press conference:

Running back seems to be a strong possibility

This shouldn’t come as a major surprise, considering that running back has been the most frequently mocked position to the Steelers this offseason. However, Colbert confirmed my worst suspicions during his pre-draft press conference, and running back certainly sounds like it’s on the table with the 24th overall pick. Though he did not come out and mention players by name, the Steelers general manager made it a point to endorse ‘dynamic’ players of any position – assuring the media that running back was no different.

Though this may be something that Colbert and his staff have believed for years, it certainly goes against first-round draft trends, as the Steelers have taken just one running back in the first round over the past 31 years (Rashard Mendenhall back in 2008). But as the saying goes, ‘the past is in the past’ and Colbert certainly made it seem like running back is certainly on the table with the 24th overall pick this year.