Steelers notebook: Matt Corral welcomes chance to follow Ben Roethlisberger at quarterback

INDIANAPOLIS — Some NFL prospects might shy away from the thought of immediately replacing a Hall of Fame quarterback.

Matt Corral isn’t of that mindset.

Corral, the redshirt junior from Mississippi, is prepared to follow in the footsteps of Ben Roethlisberger provided he is drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers.

“Who wouldn’t want to step in after a Hall of Fame quarterback?” Corral said Wednesday at the NFL Combine. “It’s definitely a blessing just to be considered that a team wants you after having a quarterback such as Ben Roethlisberger.”

Corral is one of the top passers in his draft class. While prospects such as Kenny Pickett, Malik Willis, Sam Howell and Desmond Ridder had the chance to meet with the Steelers at the Senior Bowl last month, Corral didn’t get his turn until this week. Corral sprained his ankle in the Sugar Bowl and didn’t resume throwing until a few weeks ago.

“Definitely a great group of guys,” Corral said about the Steelers. “I’d love to be a part of that organization, for sure.”

Willis, the redshirt senior from Liberty, is another possibility for the Steelers, who hold the No. 20 pick.

The most versatile quarterback in his class, Willis also confirmed he met with the Steelers at the combine. He was frank when asked whether he would be a good fit for the offense that Matt Canada is running in his second year as offensive coordinator.

“I’m not sure,” he said. “I don’t know. I don’t know enough about their offense. I met the coaches, and I can get behind that. They are good people. All these coaches have good information they can pass on to me and help me get better, but I wouldn’t have a clue.”

Howell, a junior from North Carolina, also came away impressed after his meeting with the Steelers.

“I think the world of the organization,” he said. “I think it’s a great-run organization. I have a lot of respect for coach Tomlin and how he kind of carries his life, how he goes about things. Yeah, I like those guys a lot.”

Another Heyward

Michigan State tight end/fullback Connor Heyward didn’t need a meeting here with the Steelers even though he got one anyhow and spent time with tight ends coach Alfredo Roberts.

As the younger brother of defensive captain Cameron Heyward, he has daily conversations with his sibling.

“That’s always a meeting,” Heyward said. “Brotherly love, but it was also good to talk some X’s and O’s and about this whole process.”

What advice did Heyward get from his brother, who attended the combine in 2011 before being drafted by the Steelers in the first round?

“Just enjoy it, soak it in,” he said. “Don’t let it get too stressful. Be yourself, don’t try to be anybody else.”

A second Heyward in the locker room would be fitting for the Steelers, since they employ the Watt brothers and, in 2021, had Terrell and Trey Edmunds, and Khalil and Carlos Davis.

“They’re a team that likes having a lot of siblings,” Heyward said. “At Michigan State, we had a good bit of siblings. I think it helps, looking up to your older brother and having them push you to higher limits.”

Lucky No. 13

ESPN analyst Louis Riddick became the latest person to interview for the Steelers general manager position, which will be filled after the NFL Draft when Kevin Colbert steps aside. ESPN reported the interview was held at the combine.

Riddick is the 13th candidate — and 11th from outside the organization — to interview for the position. Riddick spent six seasons playing in the NFL after his college career at Pitt. He worked in the scouting and personnel departments for Washington and Philadelphia before turning to broadcasting and joining ESPN as an analyst.