Rookie minicamp: Tomlin looking for 'a lot of things' during weekend

A general consensus is that Omar Khan, Mike Tomlin and the front office hit another grand slam with their 2024 rookie class.

Troy Fautanu was one of the top players on their board. Zach Frazier became a coveted piece at a position of high need. Roman Wilson caught Tomlin's eye early in the process and fits what they needed at wide receiver. Payton Wilson fell into their laps way later than he should have gone. The value of Mason McCormick, Logan Lee and Ryan Watts on Day 3 will bring some depth and competition to those respective positions.

Tomlin sees this weekend's Steelers rookie minicamp as the first official steps after months of running the gamut of scouting across the country.

"I’m looking for a lot of things, to be quite honest with you," Tomlin said after Saturday's walkthrough on the South Side. "How people learn. How people take in information. How they retain information. Some physical things; how their body works, levels of conditioning. Things that are really critical in terms of getting to know these guys and building a program individually for them to get them ready for (training camp in) Latrobe."

The weekend began with a walkthrough Friday morning and a full practice Friday afternoon, which ran again Saturday in the same manner. The rookies convened with Tomlin for a dinner Friday night at Acrisure Stadium to help usher along those relationships.

At the table alongside Tomlin was Fautanu.

"I don’t come into these relationships assuming anything," Tomlin said. "It’s been good to get to know (Fautanu). We had dinner last night. Sat at the table together. So just continuing that process. He’s in very good condition relative to his position. So that’s a really good place to start in terms of laying a foundation to his career."

The pomp and circumstance of the draft is done. The twinkles are lesser in the eyes of the players, coaches and staff. This weekend is about getting acclimated to, as Tomlin would say, "what we are about" within the Steelers' organization.

"Really excited to start the process with this class of Pittsburgh Steelers," Tomlin said. "We had a good weekend so far. Just a bunch of foundational things, giving and receiving with them information. To get to know; to get the familiar component of it, whether it is with each other or how we go about business in the facility itself. Lot of foundational things going on. Appreciative of the group’s attention. 

"Got a lot of work ahead of us, obviously, but they have appeared to come in in relatively good shape as a collective, and they are bringing the appropriate attitude to start chewing on some of these things."