Despite living in Big 12 Country, I knew very little about the Steelers 4th-Round draft choice Ryan McBean. I don't watch much college football, and when I do, Oklahoma State (McBean's alma mater) is somewhere near the bottom of my list of teams I'll spend time watching.
There is a nice piece on the Steelers' site about McBean that chronicles his unique path to the NFL.
Born in Jamaica, McBean had little exposure to football or organized sports of anykind as a kid. When his parents separated, McBean moved to Brooklyn with his mother. Ryan found himself getting into trouble roaming the streets of NYC though, a trend that prompted his grandmother to suggest he move to Texas.
It was at Trinity High School in Euless Texas--in the Dallas-Forth Worth area--that McBean was introduced to football and set on the right track. McBean said it was the perfect fit for him at the time:
Even though he had a solid career at Oklahoma State, McBean still feels he's got plenty of room to grow as a player, and from the sound of it, he seems to be extremely coachable and hungry:
In Kevin Colbert and Mr. Rooney We Trust.