May 25, 2017 3 min read

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The Steelers just wrapped up their first week of three OTA sessions before they roll into minicamp.

The biggest story thus far has obviously been the return of Martavis Bryant. He looks great.

But there are some other promising things to note, as well.

Rookie T.J. Watt, the team’s top draft pick, knows how to stand out in a crowd.

Watt, who has hands approximately the same size as a catcher’s mitt, has shown several times he can use those massive meat hooks to haul in passes.

He had a leaping, one-handed interception at the team’s rookie minicamp a couple of weeks ago. This week, he again showed off his ability to go up and grab the ball to make a one-handed catch.

It’s still very early, but Watt seems to have an innate feel for the game, as well.

@ On today’s Steelers Nation Radio Show, I was asked how I would rank the outside linebackers I’ve covered in the 25 years I’ve been doing this.

It’s a tough question because there have been a lot of good ones.

Here’s my top 10

1. James Harrison

2. Joey Porter

3. Greg Lloyd

4. LaMarr Woodley (pre-injury)

5. Kevin Greene

6. Chad Brown (people forget he had a very good season on the outside)

7. Jason Gildon

8. Jason Worilds

9. Clark Haggans

10. Carlos Emmons

There’s a big dropoff from Haggans to Emmons, but that’s a pretty darn good group.

I know ranking Worilds ahead of Haggans will probably cause some eye rolls, just like ranking Brown ahead of Gildon will do the same, but it’s my list.

So there.

@ They haven’t done anything in pads yet, but second-year offensive tackle Jerald Hawkins looks lean and cut.

A fourth-round draft pick last year, Hawkins missed all of last season because of a shoulder injury.

Just as Kevin Colbert said last season that getting Senquez Golson back was like having another draft pick, the same goes for Hawkins this year.

Hawkins was having a very good training camp last season before getting injured.

Getting him back gives the Steelers perhaps the deepest offensive line in the league. Chris Hubbard and B.J. Finney could start for a lot of teams in the league.

And Hawkins wouldn’t have been worse than a second-round draft pick in this year’s draft had he stuck around for another year.

@ Mike Mitchell told us in a live interview on Wednesday he has added 10 pounds of upper body mass – particularly working his shoulders – to try to help avoid the stinger issues he’s had the past couple of seasons.

He did so by working out with James Harrison for the second straight year.

The day after he told us that, he was chosen for a random drug test.

@ Golson realizes he isn’t being given a spot and is hungry after being snake bitten the past two seasons with injuries.

If he can turn into the player the Steelers had hoped when they took him in the second round two years ago, a position that had been considered a weakness for a long time, could be turning into a strength.

@ There are some guys sitting out with some bumps and bruises – Stephon Tuitt, Le’Veon Bell, Sean Davis and James Conner among them – but nothing serious.

That’s very good news for this time of year.