First Call: Steelers in touch with another NFL draft QB prospect; East Division update; Duquesne hoops transfer

Wednesday’s “First Call” serves up some interesting names the Steelers are monitoring at pre-NFL draft workouts.

This year’s Super Bowl and the 2022 Olympics will now intersect. An update on the East Division standings, as the Penguins prepare for a road trip.

And a Duquesne basketball star is transferring.

Making the rounds

On Tuesday, Steelers Depot compiled a list of all the stops Steelers coaches and executives made on the NFL Pro Day circuit, along with mentions of which players have had virtual meetings with the team.

Some of the names — and schools — are intriguing.

• Head coach Mike Tomlin and general manager Kevin Colbert were at Ohio State. Running back Trey Sermon said he has had positive meetings with the franchise, and he said the Steelers complimented his game.

Despite 524 yards between the Big Ten Championship Game and the BCS semifinals against Clemson, Sermon is viewed as a third-day pick by Pro Football Network.

Guard Wyatt Davis also claimed to have had a Zoom meeting with the team. Pro Football Network has him listed as the best pure guard in the draft. Linebacker Baron Browning was also seen interacting with Tomlin.

• Senior Bowl executive Jim Nagy said that the Steelers were present at Kellen Mond’s workout at Texas A&M. Mond was the Senior Bowl MVP in January.

Teams with OC or QB coaches in attendance Texas A&M pro-day to watch Kellen Mond:

* Steelers
* Panthers
* Bears
* Bengals
* Cowboys
* Vikings pic.twitter.com/iHoVuGWRYY

— Jim Nagy (@JimNagy_SB) March 30, 2021

Quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan was at Alabama’s second Pro Day to watch Mac Jones throw. So perhaps it was Matt Canada watching Mond. After his workout, Mond said he has spoken with “scouts and higher-ups” with the Steelers.

• Running backs coach Eddie Faulkner was also in Tuscaloosa for Alabama’s Pro Day, presumably to watch Najee Harris. He ran all the drills but didn’t run a 40-yard dash. Harris is usually rated at — or near — the top of the running back rankings.

• Cincinnati tackle James Hudson said he has spoken with Canada, offensive line coach Adrian Klemm and others in the front office. He has a second-round grade from PFN.

• As for Florida State cornerback Asante Samuel Jr., he also had a virtual meeting with the Steelers. Tomlin and Colbert were on hand for that Pro Day in Tallahassee as well. He’s the fourth-best cornerback in the draft according to CBSSports.com.

Super Bowl or Biathlon?

Thanks to a 17th game (and 18th week) being added to the NFL schedule, Super Bowl LVI will now be on Sunday, Feb. 13, 2022 in Los Angeles.

That’s the middle week of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. And, yes, both are on NBC.

Via ProFootballTalk, “Super Bowl LII happened in Minnesota a week before the commencement of the Winter Olympics. As part of the Super Bowl rotation, NBC was scheduled to broadcast Super Bowl LV in Tampa, but NBC and CBS swapped games, giving NBC another chance to televise both events.”

That was the 2017-‘18 championship game when the Philadelphia Eagles beat the New England Patriots.

Don’t tune out

Even as the Penguins enjoyed back-to-back off days Monday and Tuesday, there is plenty of East action to recap.

The Penguins next face the fourth-place Bruins in Boston Thursday and Saturday. On Tuesday night, the Bruins beat the New Jersey Devils 5-4 courtesy of a shootout winner from David Pastrnak.

Capping the comeback. ? @pastrnak96's shootout winner is your @JagermeisterUSA Shot of the Game!#NHLBruins pic.twitter.com/1P1YzgSEXk

— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) March 31, 2021

As for the division-leading Washington Capitals, they skated at Madison Square Garden and lost to the New York Rangers 5-2. So that means the top five in the East standings currently look like this, with the top four eventually making the playoffs.

1. Washington Capitals — 50 points

2. New York Islanders — 48 points

3. Pittsburgh Penguins — 48 points

4. Boston Bruins — 41 points

5. Philadelphia Flyers — 38 points

One for the thumb?

The Duquesne Dukes football team is looking to make it five for five in the 2021 spring season.

After finishing first in the NEC with a perfect 4-0 record in the shortened campaign, Jerry Schmitt’s team will host Sacred Heart in the conference championship game on Sunday, April 11 at Arthur J. Rooney Field. The NEC made that announcement official on Tuesday although a kickoff time has yet to be determined. It’ll air live on ESPN3.

The winner will advance to the FCS playoffs.

The Dukes beat Sacred Heart 30-27 in the mini-season opener this year. They’ve won 12 of 16 against the Pioneers overall.

Duquesne wrapped up the regular season by beating Bryant 20-10 on Sunday. Along the way, defensive back Spencer DeMedal was named NEC Defensive Player of the Week, while freshman running back Billy Lucas was named the NEC Co-Rookie of the Week.

DeMedal had eight tackles with seven solo stops and 2.5 tackles for loss to go with an interception and a pair of pass breakups for Duquesne.

Lucas carried the ball 26 times for 110 yards and a touchdown. He is the first Duquesne freshman to rush for over 100 yards in a game since A.J. Hines ran for 110 yards with a pair of touchdowns on Nov. 19, 2016.

Changing Weathers

Duquesne forward Marcus Weathers has his name in the transfer portal. He’d be departing as a graduate student.

Weathers played with the Dukes the last three seasons after transferring from Miami (Ohio) after his freshman year. He was Second Team All-Atlantic 10 each of the last two seasons. His twin brother, Michael, is also transferring from Texas Southern.

They may be eyeing a school where they can play together.