Exclusive Interview: Steelers pre-draft visitor Scott Orndoff
For football fans who are accustomed to the transformation of Heinz Field from the blue and gold of the Pitt Panthers, to the black and gold of the Pittsburgh Steelers, you may soon see the same transformation occur with a local homegrown football player: Pitt tight end Scott Orndoff.
The son of a former USFL player by the same name, Orndoff grew up in nearby Waynesburg, PA, along with his four sisters. He shares an identical birthday with an older sister, while a pair of his other sisters are twins. That meant a lot of shared birthday parties, but it also allowed Scott to spend his spare time with a person he admired growing up: his father.
When it came time for the girls to do things, I had an outlet for me to go do something else.
My dad is the person I’ve always looked up to. He brought football into my life and he’s been there with me through every level. He’s always been really involved. He’s been the person I’ve always gone to for guidance whether football or non-football related.
Scott would stay close to home during his collegiate career choosing to attend the University of Pittsburgh. He explains how being close to home was one of the deciding factors in choosing Pitt over other schools:
It was nice because I had my support system in my family. They were able to go to all of my home games. Being able to play close to somewhere close to where you grew up is definitely a lot nicer than if you went somewhere far away.
And make no mistake, Scott’s hometown of Waynesburg is definitely Steelers Country.
I would always root for the Pittsburgh teams, but the Steelers… I was always a big fan of growing up.
Of course, that opened the door to ask Scott which Steeler was his favorite player.
My favorite Steeler was Hines Ward. One thing I always liked about him was how he would block. He would light people up even though he was a smaller receiver.
I liked the way he played. He played physical. He always had that smile on his face. Just the way he carried himself I always liked too.
However, when asked who Scott looked up to as a player, I received an answer I wasn’t expecting:
It’s funny… as a player… I never really looked up to any tight ends because I didn’t play tight end until my senior year in high school. I never envisioned myself playing that in my career.
Yet here he is, on the cusp of being drafted by a professional football team as a tight end following a prolific college career at Pitt. Orndoff popped onto the national scene in 2016 with 35 receptions, 579 receiving yards and five touchdowns. Those numbers earned the tight end an invitation to the NFL Scouting Combine, where he would not only compete with others seeking the same dream, but also form a bond with those athletes:
The combine was three or four of the busiest days I’ve ever had. It was going from one place to the next all day long. You get around a group of guys, who, some of them I’ve never met previously and some I’ve known for some time. You get a closeness even just in those few days because you’re going through it together and you really hope for the best for all of them in the end.
Few players have the privilege of showcasing their athletic skills at the combine. Scott put up respectable numbers in each of the seven drills he ran in early March, and duplicated his success at Pitt’s pro day. However, Scott felt there was still room for improvement.
When the pro day rolled around I was more focused on what I had to improve upon. I was more relaxed. I was able to take a step back and enjoy it… and not think too much of it.
The only drill I was really disappointed in at the combine was the 40-yard dash. But I was able to do it again at the pro day. I felt better. My body was more fresh and ready to go. I improved my time from that at my pro day. I was happy with what I got then.
While the combine surrounded Orndoff with his peers, being around professional athletes is almost second nature in the city of Pittsburgh. Since the Steelers share Heinz Field with, and have facilities near Pitt’s football team, players between the two clubs might bump into each other at times. It’s nothing to see Steelers players and coaches around, but meeting the Steelers coaching staff in what is essentially a job interview setting took on a different meaning for the tight end:
It was kind of cool. Our practice facility is next to theirs. I saw Mike Tomlin around every once and awhile. But when I kind of took a step back and realized it was a possibility I could be playing for [the Steelers] one day, it was wild to think about. It’s been a cool experience to be in a situation I am with a team I grew up watching.
You get to see how they go about their day. How the players go about their day. How they carry themselves and you get to play on the same stage as the next level. It’s neat to be exposed to that during your time in college.
It was that experience that led Scott to his path in the upcoming NFL Draft, but it also helped guide him and his college teammates to what was considered an upset victory on the road over the Clemson Tigers last season. It was Scott’s favorite game of his college career.
I don’t think a lot of people gave us a chance. A lot of people say it’s the toughest place to play. We were just trying to fight to keep a winning record and be bowl-eligible. We were able to go down there and knock off a team of their caliber, as a team.
That was probably my most memorable game when I was in college.
While football is life in the Orndoff household, Scott is also planning for when his playing days are over. Orndoff earned a bachelor’s degree in administration of justice but ideally sees himself going back to school to go into teaching like his fiance. Ideally, he’d like to become a history teacher.
But before that happens Scott still has time to make some history all his own as a football player. His memorable time as a member of the Pitt Panthers has transitioned into an opportunity to have his name called during next week’s draft. While Pittsburgh formally had Orndoff in for a pre-draft visit, the Steelers aren’t the only team who has expressed interest in the tight end’s services. He has had a workout with the Philadelphia Eagles, and met with the Detroit Lions. His phone is ringing daily with inquiries from other franchises such as the Denver Broncos, Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets and Miami Dolphins.
Although Steelers Nation (and especially those fans who also follow the Panthers) would like to see Orndoff wear the jersey of his favorite childhood team, we can all agree he will make a great addition no matter who calls his name on draft day.
