Volume of players at rookie minicamp keeps Mike Tomlin busy

Of the 60 players attending the Pittsburgh Steelers’ rookie minicamp this weekend, 18 were invited on a tryout basis.

Coach Mike Tomlin and his staff try to evaluate as many players as possible during the workouts, but he admits it is difficult to get a strong scouting report on everybody.

“We’ve got a lot of irons in the fire,” Tomlin said Saturday after the second workout, “as you do during a rookie minicamp but it’s been a good, positive camp thus far and I appreciate the efforts, the energy and the attention that we get from the young people.”

The Steelers have nine draft picks and 11 undrafted free agents on hand, plus about two dozen others who are first-year players or castoffs from the Alliance of American Football.

“Man, there’s so much,” Tomlin said. “You multi-task on a weekend like this. You’ve got people here under different circumstances, so you’re sensitive to that. Some guys, like Devin Bush, you’re getting them orientated to how we do business and what’s going to be expected and introducing them to the drill, whereas others, who are on less stable footing, you’re respectful of their position and the fact that they may be trying to earn a spot or get someone’s attention, so you want to provide opportunities for them to show themselves.”

Rookie minicamp concludes with a workout Sunday. The next official workout is May 21 when the Steelers hold the first of their 10 organized team activities.