Liberty pro day draws the attention of Steelers big guns

The week of March 21st was a big week for any NFL team who might be in the market for a quarterback in the 2022 NFL Draft. That would include the Pittsburgh Steelers as they prepare for life without Ben Roethlisberger.

On Monday, the 21st, the Steelers went next door to the University of Pittsburgh pro day, but the question was whether or not the team’s front office brass would make the trip to Liberty on Tuesday to see Malik Willis.

The answer to that question was a resounding ‘yes’.

Not only were General Manager (GM) Kevin Colbert and head coach Mike Tomlin in attendance, but so were Brandon Hunt and offensive coordinator Matt Canada.

Tomlin was there, and even got their early to the team’s weight room for player measurements.

Say what you want about Willis as a prospect, but the Steelers are clearly interested in the athletic quarterback. Fans of the team who follow the organization’s pro day schedule know if Colbert and Tomlin attend a pro day, it means something. In fact, more often than not, the team’s top draft pick saw both Colbert and Tomlin attend their pro day.

Either way, Willis, who just threw at his pro day, had a scripted set of plays and showed off the arm strength on more than one occasion. Check out some of these videos:

When you talk about pro days, the Steelers’ having Colbert and Tomlin there is one thing, but if they take a prospect out to dinner it also can equate to another level of interest. That is exactly what the Steelers did with Malik Willis, and he talked about sitting down with Tomlin and eating chicken wings.

The question now is if the Steelers want Willis, do they sit back and wait to see if he falls to No. 20? This is something Mel Kiper Jr. of ESPN predicted in his latest mock draft, check that out in the link below, but seems rather far fetched when you consider the teams ahead of the Steelers who are also in need of a quarterback.

Pickett and Willis have done all they can do to improve their draft stock, both at the NFL Scouting Combine and their individual pro days. Next up on the list? Matt Corral and the Ole Miss pro day on Wednesday, followed by Desmond Ridder and the Cincinnati pro day Thursday.

The Steelers will have scouts at both of these pro days, but will it draw the attention of Colbert and Tomlin? Be sure to stay tuned to BTSC for the latest news and notes surrounding the Steelers as they prepare for the rest of free agency and the upcoming NFL Draft.