Chris Adamski stories, Page 23

The formal or informal chats between representatives of NFL teams and draft prospects at the annual combine can span from the spectrum of mundane, awkward, bizarre, informative, conversational and enlightening. This past winter, more than one soon-to-be drafted player found one topic in particular piqued the mutual interest of him...

Ryan Watts is the youngest player at Pittsburgh Steelers rookie minicamp. Born more than seven years before him is a player — on some level — against whom he is battling for a roster spot. Cornerback Anthony Averett will turn 30 this fall. He is part of the build-up to...

Mike Tomlin used this week’s less-than-pleasant early-May Pittsburgh weather as an opportunity to give his rookie class a more comprehensive tour of the Steelers’ facilities. While the first on-field walkthrough-style practice of rookie minicamp Friday was indoors, Saturday’s was outside at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex — despite a chilly...

Because he entered the league during a 2020 calendar year that should be forgettable for us all, Jonathan Ward was robbed of the experience of attending an NFL rookie minicamp. Until now. Ward, now a 26-year-old, four-year veteran running back, is at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex this week on...

Friday, for the first time for the 2024 league year, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ practice fields will bustle with the activity of an official workout. A three-day rookie minicamp begins with 75-minute walkthrough-style practice at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. Though perhaps only about a half dozen will make any sort of...

He was the leading receiver for undefeated national champion Michigan, he proved clutch on the biggest of college stages and he ran the 40-yard dash in less than 4.4 seconds at the NFL combine. So how did Roman Wilson last until the 14th wide receiver selected in the draft, and...

It’s a position group at which the three of the four players who played most often in 2023 will enter this season with an average age of 31.3. Two of those three missed time because of injury; the other has sat out practice regularly in a continued maintenance effort after...

It was during organized team activities early last summer when it was revealed that Mike Tomlin referred to two of his incoming draft picks as “Avatar cornerbacks.” Eleven months later, the Pittsburgh Steelers coach added to his collection of oversized, athletic humanoids in the secondary. As the final of seven...

What Payton Wilson lacks in a prominent piece of fibrous connective tissue, he makes up for in knowing exactly the right things to say. Call it a different way of displaying a high football IQ, at least when it came to Wilson’s words during his conference call with Pittsburgh media...

Over a span of four draft classes that happened to begin just after the Pittsburgh Steelers’ most recent Super Bowl triumph, the organization drafted eight offensive linemen. Five of their eight most premium draft picks between 2009 and 2012 — defined for this exercise as among the top two they...

After declining to take a projected slot/nickel cornerback with any of their seven draft picks, the Pittsburgh Steelers signed one of the players they were thought to have been interested in as an undrafted free agent. West Virginia’s Beanie Bishop was among five signings the Steelers announced in the hours...

Ryan Watts Sixth-round pick, No. 195 overall Cornerback, Texas 6-foot-3, 208 pounds Stats: Had three interceptions, one sack and 100 tackles (73 solo) in 38 games over four college seasons. Hometown: Little Elm, Tex. Tidbits: Spent the first two years of his college career at Ohio State as a four-star...

When Logan Lee came to Pittsburgh earlier this month for an official pre-draft visit, Mike Tomlin was unavailable to be part of the welcoming party. But Lee, a longtime Steelers fan, already had met Tomlin. Sort of. “I was in high school … and I think his son (Dino) was...

Mason McMormick Fourth-round pick, No. 119 overall Guard, South Dakota State 6-foot-4, 309 pounds Stats: Two-time defending FCS national champion South Dakota State ranked sixth nationally in both total offense and scoring offense in 2023 with McCormick as the starting left guard for all 30 games in that span. Hometown:...

He was the 98th player selected overall. Five prospects classified as inside linebackers were taken before him. But the Pittsburgh Steelers can make a reasonable claim they took the best defensive player in the draft. After all, Payton Wilson has the hardware to prove it. An inside linebacker from NC...

Roman Wilson Third-round pick, No. 84 overall WR, Michigan 5-foot-11, 185 pounds Stats: Tied for ninth in the nationally with 12 receiving touchdowns last season and led Michigan in receptions (48) and receiving yards (789). Over four college seasons had 107 receptions for 1,707 yards and 20 touchdowns. Hometown: Maui,...

After months of build-up, scrutiny, speculation and anticipation, just before midnight Thursday evening, the first round of the 2024 NFL draft ended. The Pittsburgh Steelers’ first round ended roughly 90 minutes prior. That began a span of roughly 21½ hours — give or take — in which they could plan...

Troy Fautanu First-round pick, No. 20 overall Offensive tackle, Washington 6-foot-4, 317 pounds Stats: Washington last season ranked 13th in the country in scoring offense and total offense and No. 2 nationally in passing yards per game. Hometown: Henderson, Nev. Tidbits: Was the left tackle for all 15 games for...

How about a redux at one of the sport’s most important positions — a spot that’s prominent among the in-the-trenches group along the line of scrimmage that team management is known to covet? Likewise, how about another type of sequel? Call it, “National-Champion Dawg, 2.0.” When it comes to the...

After a fourth question about official pre-draft “top 30” visits the Pittsburgh Steelers host, coach Mike Tomlin had heard enough. “I think you guys,” Tomlin said, referring to the roughly two dozen media members at Monday’s news conference at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex, “are probably making a little bit more...