Steelers meet with San Jose State RB Tyler Ervin at the NFL Combine

Every year the NFL coaches and scouts descend upon Lucas Oil Field in Indianapolis and watch potential draft picks sell themselves physically, socially and even mentally. Organizations schedule meetings with players they are interested in, and want to know more about.

The NFL Scouting Combine wasn't the first opportunity for teams to get to know prospects on a one-on-one basis. NFL scouts could meet with players at the Shriner's All-Star game, as well as the Senior Bowl, all before the combine began. For the Pittsburgh Steelers, their list of meetings has been short, but growing.

The latest prospect to meet with the Steelers was San Jose State running back Tyler Ervin, per Walter Football.com. Ervin is not your prototypical running back, but his speed and elusiveness seems to have many believing he could be a late round steal in the draft.

While fans of the Steelers might read this and think, "Why in the world would the Steelers want to look at a running back?!" there is a reason. Yes, the Steelers will rely on Le'Veon Bell and DeAngelo Williams in 2016, and it is assumed Fitzgerald Toussaint will be back as a third back on the team's depth chart, but after that the cupboard is bare. Ervin could give some depth to the position, but more importantly, could give the team a punt returner with experience

The Steelers don't want to risk getting Antonio Brown injured on punt return duties any longer, and Ervin has had success returning kicks at San Jose State. The past two seasons in college, Ervin has returned a punt for a touchdown in both seasons. He was the team's primary punt and kickoff return man in 2014 and 2015.

The Steelers could be looking at him as a dual threat player with the versatility to help them in the special teams category. When looking at it that way, it doesn't seem like such a bad idea.