Steelers GM Kevin Colbert clears the air about the Ravens draft "steal"

Kevin Colbert wasted no time addressing the rumors regarding the Ravens and tight end Maxx Williams.

With squawks stemming from the Ravens camp among other news outlets about how Baltimore "stole" Williams from the Steelers in the second round, the Steelers general manager led off his post-draft press conference with Mike Tomlin clearing the air about what really happened on Friday night. What the Steelers did do in the second round was draft Ole Miss cornerback Senquez Golson with their 56th pick in the draft.

"In difference to what was reported, Senquez was targeted to be picked in the second round," Colbert said. "Without a doubt, we were going to come out of that round with a corner, and it was never a discussion. In fact, we tried to trade up to secure Senquez Golson, just to set the record straight."

According to several sources that included the Ravens official team website and Pittsburgh Tribune-Review writer Mark Kaboly, the Steelers had targeted Williams in the second round and were trying to move up to secure that the Minnesota tight end would wind up a Steeler. According to Colby, the Steelers tried but failed to move up from their 56th spot in the second round. After Baltimore was able to move up to take Williams, Kaboly tweeted that the Steelers' brass "wasn't happy" with what had transpired.

Obviously, the rumors had gotten back to Colbert, who made sure to address the rumors while reviewing the Steelers' draft picks in his post-draft presser.

It's possible that Kaboly misinterpreted the Steelers' negative reaction to Baltimore's acquisition of Williams, assuming Colbert and the Steelers' brass really wasn't happy when the Ravens' selection of Williams went down. My guess is that the Steelers could have been upset because Colbert had perhaps planned on drafting Williams after signing Golson via trading up from their third round pick, and the disappointment of not getting Williams was doubly difficult because he ended up on Pittsburgh's biggest rival.

Regardless, the Ravens got Williams, the Steelers got Golson, and the draft rolled on. And on October 4, at Heinz Field in front of a prime time audience, the only noise surrounding these two teams will be their pads hitting each other on the gridiron.