East West Shrine Bowl bridges gap between Keondre Coburn and Steelers

Published March 5th, 8:35 EDT
by Bo Marchionte

Indianapolis – With the NFL Combine in the rearview mirror and Pro Days about to be launched across college campuses. It’s time to dissect some of the things we learned from Indianapolis and match player and possible NFL destination.

That can happen when some more detailed information is found throughout the NFL Draft process. It happened with week in Indianapolis when Texas defensive lineman Keondre Coburn shared some insight into his connection with the Pittsburgh Steelers via his former Longhorns’ defensive line coach Bo Davis.

“Yeah, I met with the Steelers,” Coburn said. “Actually, Coach Bo Davis best friend is the d-line coach for the Steelers. We kind of had a history. When he was at Alabama, he gave me my first scholarship at Bama. So, we kind of had a little relationship before.”

Coburn mentioned he spent time with Steelers defensive line coach Karl Dunbar at the East West Shrine Bowl earlier this year. It wasn’t the first time these two shared an acquaintance. Dunbar recruited Coburn while at Alabama, but being a Houston native, he chose Texas over the Crimson Tide.

The fifth-year defensive lineman for the Longhorns is a massive individual. Standing at 6-foot-2 and 332-pounds, he is a stout first line of defense. He ran a 5.22 at the NFL Combine, posted a 27.5 vertical jump along with an 8’ 5” broad jump. Coburns numbers aren’t on the extreme level like Dontari Poe running a 4.98 at 340-plus pounds. None the less Coburn held his own and them some amongst the 28 defensive linemen invited to Indianapolis.

The Steelers started Montravius Adams, Larry Ogunjobi and Cam Heyward in the season finale against the Cleveland Browns. Heyward the pillar of the franchise is entering his 13th season in the NFL and still playing at an elite level. Ogunjobi signed a one-year deal last summer and is due to hit the open market via free agency this March. Other free agents along the defensive line include Tyson Alualu and Chris Wormley for Pittsburgh. Adams’ contract expires at the end of 2024.

Leaving Pittsburgh developing third-round pick from last year DeMarvin Leal and Heyward as the core pieces to a defensive front influx. The team’s preparation for free agency and the NFL Draft, surely should revolve around the additions of defensive linemen.

Which leads us back to Coburn.

Dunbar and Coburn spent some time together at the East West Shrine Bowl, the weeklong interview with NFL teams, allowed this former college recruiter and high school prospect to reunite and possibly set the stage for Dunbar to finally coach the second-team All-Big 12 selection after missing out on him during his time at Alabama.

“He met with me,” Coburn said about his Shrine Bowl time with Dunbar. “We went to eat. We talked. We had conversations,”

Where there is smoke there is fire.

The triangle of friendships between the trio extends into an interesting observation considering that information is one of the most critical arteries in the NFL Draft process. The close bond between coaches is the lifeline that helps validate a prospect. Inside information often provides the best information in this particular business.

Coburn’s relationship with Davis goes beyond just coach and player. He credits Davis for changing his life and helping him emerge as one of the 319 players invited to the NFL Combine. The lifestyle change went to cutting his hair and developing a better pass rush. Davis was instrumental according to Coburn in reinventing himself both on and off the field.  

“All thanks to Coach Davis, without him I probably wouldn’t be here,” Coburn said. “I want to give all that glory to him right now.”

That is a relationship that goes beyond the depths of normalcy in a good way. Their close bond combined with the friendship of Davis and Dunbar adds some draft buzz as we enter this looney period off rumors and speculation.

Word-of-mouth is still considered the best source for advertisement above all others. Davis and Dunbar bridge the connection to Coburn. Time will tell if that bridge extends into the “City of Bridges” and Coburn finds his NFL destination in Pittsburgh.