Steelers’ Dylan Cook views self as future contributor at OT, not just an ex-NAIA QB
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Pat Meyer certainly has encountered myriad types of players during his quarter century-plus of coaching at the professional and college level. Been asked plenty of questions, too.
But the Pittsburgh Steelers offensive line coach hears things he’s never heard before while working this season with young offensive tackle Dylan Cook.
“He’s talking about five- and seven-step drops,” Meyer said recently, referencing quarterback dropbacks.
“I’m like, ‘Bro, we’re talking about pass protection over here. What the heck are we talking about?’ ”
Cook has a background in football few in his position have had. He began his college career at NAIA Montana State Northern … as a quarterback.
“The kid was a quarterback,” Meyer said in rhetorical disbelief. “How many (former) quarterbacks are tackles in the NFL?
“I don’t know if there’s any. A quarterback!”
Cook is learning the ropes of playing offensive tackle at the NFL level while on the active roster of an NFL team only a few years removed from his decision to transfer to the University of Montana, which turned him into an offensive lineman.
#Steelers added Dylan Cook to provide depth at four spots on the offensive line. Although he played right tackle at Montana, Cook can play left tackle and both guard spots. https://t.co/7ozoBG4DC4
— Tribune-Review Sports (@TribSports) August 31, 2023
Cook was among the best stories of training camp and became the biggest surprise of those who survived the final cutdown day to start the season. But since the fanfare of his unique story subsided soon thereafter, Cook quietly has gone about his business without getting into a game. He has been in uniform for two of the Steelers’ first eight games, but he has not played.
Cook has been serving as, at best, the No. 4 or No. 5 tackle and among those on the 53-man active roster the ninth of nine offensive linemen.
“Every day is a job interview — especially in my shoes,” said the 25-year-old Cook, whose experience this season is different than last year when he was on the practice squad for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. “I approach it every single day that way, and it just looks better and feels better for me (than as a practice-squader).
“You hate seeing a guy who’s on (the active roster) and maybe has that ‘9’ spot and he just goes through the motions. Kinda saw that last year.”
Steelers’ Dylan Cook went from backup QB at NAIA Montana St Northern to NFL-rostered O-lineman in a span of 5 years pic.twitter.com/MF98uiwEN1
— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) August 30, 2023
Hungry and eager to continue learning the nuances of playing offensive tackle — at the highest level possible — Cook has a position coach who sounds as if he’s enjoyed fostering his development.
“He’s smart, he’s got length,” Meyer said. “He can bend, he’s not a stiff guy. He’s getting stronger. Obviously he needs some work on technique; he’s kind of raw, it’s new to him.”
Meyer foresees a future where Cook can ascend to the top backup tackle spot, the No. 6 offensive lineman, and with Cook’s skillset and athleticism as a former “skill position” player surely a guy who can become a “Mister Eligible” tight end/extra tackle.
While Meyer wasn’t with the Steelers then, he recognizes parallels Cook shares with Alejandro Villanueva. Though Army West Point plays a considerably higher level of football than Montana State Northern, it surely isn’t the SEC. More germane, though, was that Villanueva spent stints as a wide receiver, defensive lineman and tight end before joining the Steelers and gradually developing into a Pro Bowl NFL left tackle.
“You look for a certain skillset or a certain one or two traits that (a prospect) has,” Meyer said. “ ‘Oh, this is a good trait, I think we can work with this individual, be it Dylan or someone else.’ You look for those couple traits that you like, that you value, and then obviously you try to work with that and see how much better they can get. So yeah, (the situation with Cook is) very similar to (Villanueva’s).”
Aside from the significant bump in pay and a bit more job security, the intangible of knowing his employer is impressed enough to keep him on the 53-man roster would figure to be quite the confidence boost.
Cook says he always has had that belief in himself.
“I just look at (this season) as the next phase,” Cook said. “Last year I was just trying to prove that I could be in the locker room. This year, I just want to prove that if they do need me (in a game) I’m ready to go.
“I’ve got one of the best defenses in the league to practice on every day. I think it’s good to be able to go out there against T.J. (Watt) and Alex (Highsmith) and all those guys. Hopefully I can just put trust in the coaching staff that they can trust me if they put me out there.”
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