Next Creed Humphrey? Steelers Meet With Arkansas OL Ricky Stromberg
INDIANAPOLIS -- Arkansas interior offensive lineman Ricky Stromberg has been a familiar face in the SEC over the course of his career. The rare example of a true freshman starting right away and sticking around for all four years. Stromberg comes with versatility, starting his career at guard before transitioning to center over the past several seasons. He seems to have caught the Pittsburgh Steelers' eye, as they met with him formally in Indianapolis at the NFL Combine.
"We didn't watch any film, but we just talked," Stromberg recalled. "They wanted to get to know me better and get to know me as a football player and my mindset too as well. I enjoyed it, and I loved meeting coach Tomlin as well."
Pittsburgh's offensive line is obviously littered with young players at key positions, and Stromberg feels like he'd fit right in.
"I think it would be great," Stromberg said. "I think it'd be fun because maybe I could relate to them better because I'm a young guy coming in myself."
What NFL player does he watch and try to emulate on game day?
"Creed Humphrey from the Chiefs," Stromberg elaborated. "He played at Shawnee High School, and I compared my high school film to his high school film, and same with college. I try to watch him mostly."
Having over 3,000 snaps in the most competitive conference in the country gave him plenty of opportunities to showcase his talent against top competition. Who was his toughest opponent and how did he prepare for that game?
"My freshman year, I played against Derrick Brown from Auburn," Stromberg recalled. "He was a beast. I was like 280 so he had the advantage on me. I wasn't going to set deep on the ball. I wasn't going to let him get a head start into me because he would bulldoze me into the quarterback so I would jump him."
With the Steelers running so much inside zone under Matt Canada, I was curious about his process there as the pivot man.
"For me, it depends on the landmark," Stromberg said. "Sometimes you're inside out. If they're lined up in a certain defense, if there's a 3 (tech), 5 (tech) and a linebacker and I know he's going to slant into me, my steps will be different depending on how they line up."
One of the more recent film exposures that I got to before the Combine was his performance against Georgia in 2021, where he was tasked with matching up with three talented interior defensive linemen. His honesty about his performance that day was refreshing.
"They won that matchup and they won beat us pretty bad," Stromberg said. "I watched every game that year and then every game the year before. I was trying to watch as much film as possible. I thought I had a good first series but after that, I didn't play like I wanted to. But those guys are ballers too and definitely good players."
Stromberg is likely to be selected on day three of the NFL Draft, but his positional versatility and experience will be big aspects of his scouting report. Stromberg is no slouch in pass protection either, as he didn't allow a single sack last season, according to Pro Football Focus.
Pittsburgh is likely viewing him as a quality developmental piece that can offer depth in the short term. One thing is for sure, playing in the SEC against the nation's best, has prepared him quite well for what he'll see at the next level.
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