How much of an imprint will Mike McCarthy have on the Steelers’ draft class?
Mike McCarthy made an interesting note this week, saying he has been more involved in the Steelers’ draft than he had been in previous stops. That would mean, of course, the Packers and the Cowboys, but what does that mean? Dallas and Green Bay, presumably, rely more heavily on their scouting department. For years, however, Pittsburgh has preferred a symbiotic model between the scouts and coaches.
But this is also Mike McCarthy’s first year with the Steelers, and he has his hands full while managing draft prospects. In between college tape, he is preparing his staff to welcome the veterans. Pittsburgh opens Phase 1 of the offseason program in just days, and that includes classroom work. He has what he calls an “old school” approach to installation, and he takes it seriously. So, how much is that dividing his attention away from the draft?
It’s worth noting that McCarthy filled the Steelers’ coaching staff with those he’s worked with, so they have a good sense of what he would be looking for in the draft. Even if he is less hands-on than he might like, his influence should be evident through his assistants.
Not every coach is deeply involved in the college scouting aspect of the NFL. It’s not necessarily in their job description, but it could depend on the team. Mike McCarthy surely understood that the Steelers would expect this of him from a draft perspective, though. After all, he grew up watching Chuck Noll do it. Bill Cowher presided over the team as he rose through the coaching ranks. And his head-coaching career has run in parallel with Mike Tomlin’s.
McCarthy and the Steelers had a lower profile on the draft circuit this year, which we can likely chalk up largely to the busy work of installing a new coaching staff and the corresponding systems they bring with them. He has talked about trying to retain consistency where possible, but change is unavoidable. At least with Omar Khan and the front office, the Steelers have consistency in that aspect of the draft, but even he talked about Mike McCarthy bringing things to the table from his prior destinations.
The Steelers exited the playoffs in the first round yet again, a pattern going back to 2017.With seven consecutive postseason losses, and no wins in nearly a decade, they are facing another long, long offseason. No doubt we will see many changes, but none will top Mike Tomlin’s resignation.
The NFL has crowned its latest champion, but for us and the Steelers, we have been in offseason mode. That’s what happens when the team you coverloses by the middle of January all the time, but you’ve been around, so you know that already. Enjoy the ride, even the turbulence, because it’s the only way we know how to travel anymore.
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