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Senior Bowl Takeaways: Big Men Impress Steelers on Day 1

The Pittsburgh Steelers draft process is in full swing at the Senior Bowl.

It's that time of the year where we're all wondering who the next big things are as the NFL draft process starts back up, with the Senior Bowl being the first huge event to kick it off. Plenty of eyes will be glued to what positions the Pittsburgh Steelers in particular are looking at, who they're meeting with, etc. 

The thing about all that is every team is going to meet with a lot of players, and when it's so early in the process it's really difficult to narrow down who based on the prospects they meet. This is why it's important to watch these practices to see who stands out and who does not. These were some of the key takeaways from Day 1 of the Senior Bowl.

Here are the biggest Day 1 takeaways:

A lot of Mistakes

Day 1 of practice is always filled with mistakes from all players no matter the positions. Whether it was Adetomiwa Adebawore lining up way offsides, fumbling the ball, or just getting the ball out late, you're bound to see a good amount of errors on both sides. The biggest thing we look for is who is improving the most as the week goes on and while a good first impression is always great, it's those that leave the lasting impression that we'll be talking about the most.

WRs Shine

Strong standout performances from the wide receivers that included Jayden Reed, Rashee Rice, Nathaniel "Tank" Dell and Puka Nacua. Nacua really stood out with his impressive coordination and body control along the sideline with some nice toe taps and impressive back-shoulder wins

Cornerbacks Did Not Disappoint

We knew the cornerback talent was strong going into this week and it did not disappoint. Julius Brents in particular showed more fluidity than expected, while also maximizing his length/size to pin receivers along the sideline. Players like Tyrique Stevenson, Riley Moss were also extremely sticky in 1-on-1s.

Bad QB Play

Quarterbacks were extremely underwhelming for the most part. Jaren Hall probably got off to the worst start and never seemed to rebound, despite having the best arm there. Many eyes will be on him to see how he responds over the course of the week. Jake Haener probably had the best day overall of the QBs there as he gave his receivers the best chance of making plays at the ball.

Defensive Line Impressed

The defensive line talent along the interior showed plenty of versatility, with Zacch Pickens, Keeanu Benton and Karl Brooks showing out in team drills and in one on ones.

Brooks had the most fascinating case going into the Senior Bowl due to how Bowling Green used the 300 lbs, defensive linemen, often asking him to rush from the edge as a 7 and 9 technique. Seeing him inside today you could really see the potential he shows on the inside due to just how quick and fluid he is for his size.

Tulane Running Back

Tyjae Spears looked jacked up for a 204 lbs RB, running with aggression and just crazy burst. Spears answered one of his biggest questions coming into the senior bowl week which was his size, was he big enough to handle running between the tackles. The traits were there with his contact balance, but the size is always a concern if you're under 200 lbs. The next big question he must answer this week is whether or not he can survive in pass protection.

Offensive Linemen Who Started Strong

The offensive line had some solid standouts overall with John Michael Schmitz looking athletic in space, holding up one on one, and looking like the best center. O'Cyrus Torrence showed impressive grip strength and anchor, while Matthew Bergeron looked very impressive in one on ones as he showed smooth feet and good anchor.

One Injury

It ended up being a much warmer day than expected which led to players like Kenny McIntosh cramping up and finishing their days earlier than expected. Thankfully, no serious injuries to report from the first day of practice.

We will be providing coverage all of this week on the Senior Bowl and keeping you up to date. Make sure to tune into All Steelers for more.

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