Steelers first-round pick T.J. Watt looking right at home in Pittsburgh
PITTSBURGH 鈥� T.J. Watt is starting to get this Pittsburgh thing down pat.
The Steelers鈥� first-round pick has already made pilgrimages to Primanti Brothers and Pamela鈥檚, even made a trek atop Mount Washington.
Judging by Watt鈥檚 performance during the Steelers鈥� two-day minicamp on the South Side, this football thing is coming along pretty well, too.
鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 say easy. I鈥檓 in the NFL; nothing comes easy here,鈥� Watt said Saturday. 鈥淎t the same time, I鈥檓 just trying to stay in my (play) books as much as possible, make this transition as fluid as possible, and try to come out here and make as many plays as I can here early on.鈥�
Watt did just that this weekend, saying he felt more comfortable as the camp progressed.
The 6-foot-4, 252-pound outside linebacker鈥檚 athleticism is obvious for all to see, particularly when compared to the undrafted free agents and tryout players who largely made up the rookie camp roster. But, no offense to Dylan Colucci and Kendall Pace, the competition Watt will see during organized team activities in a couple of weeks, let alone in the fall, will be a truer test.
A one-year starter at the University of Wisconsin, Watt is a bit of a project. He鈥檚 a former tight end who is still learning the nuances of defense, though, fortunately for the Steelers, Watt came from a program that played a 3-4 defense.
鈥淚鈥檓 assimilating pretty well just because a lot of the stuff I鈥檝e been doing at Wisconsin,鈥� he said. 鈥淛ust learning terminologies and things like that and coming out here and doing walk-throughs and just taking as many mental reps as you can when you鈥檙e not out the on the field. I think I鈥檓 doing a good job. Obviously, a few hiccups here and there, but for the most part, I think I鈥檓 playing faster each and every practice.鈥�
Before Watt gets ahead of himself, it鈥檚 important to note that the Steelers still have another outside linebacker ahead of him on the depth chart that you may have heard of. That, of course, would be James Harrison. Though he鈥檚 39, Harrison was the Steelers鈥� most consistent player and sacks leader at the position last season.
While Watt might be the future, Harrison is still very much the present. But Watt says he does plan to glean as much knowledge as he can from the Steelers鈥� all-time sacks leader.
鈥淥bviously, anytime you鈥檙e behind a guy who鈥檚 been in the league for this many years and is a workhorse year in and year out, it鈥檚 awesome to learn from,鈥� Watt said. 鈥淎nd, obviously, I鈥檝e had (older brother and Houston Texans star J.J. Watt) to learn from a lot, but it鈥檚 good to get a new perspective in James Harrison.鈥�
While Watt鈥檚 physical gifts are evident, it鈥檚 his work ethic, a family tradition, that has helped set him apart, becoming the 30th overall pick in last month鈥檚 draft. At Wisconsin, Watt says, he eschewed the many temptations of Madison, one of the nation鈥檚 best college towns. Watt is a notorious hard worker, which should mesh well with Harrison.
鈥淚 just feel like I put in a lot of work,鈥� Watt said. 鈥淚t does come naturally to me a lot, but I do put in a lot of work in film. I鈥檒l go back after meetings and study a lot of tape and a lot of the playbook to play fast. You have to come out here and play fast. You don鈥檛 have room to make a lot of mistakes.鈥�
Though Watt seems to be assimilating himself quite nicely to the Steelers and to his new surroundings, he did make one glaring mistake Saturday. Asked if there was one quarterback he鈥檇 like to sack most, Pittsburghers might be disappointed to learn that Watt didn鈥檛 immediately answer Tom Brady or even Joe Flacco.
鈥淣ah, doesn鈥檛 matter to me,鈥� Watt said with a laugh.
Steelers fans might have to forgive Watt on that one. He鈥檚 still learning.