'Welcome to the NFL' moments for Steelers rookies Terrell Edmunds, Mason Rudolph

Terrell Edmunds, as he instinctively had done countless times in his football life, gazed into the eyes of the opposing quarterback as the offense approached the line.

One of the first practice reps of his professional career against experienced NFL players, Edmunds didn't pick up a tendency or read the quarterback's eyes, though.

Instead, it was Ben Roethlisberger delivering something of a "Welcome to the NFL, rookie" type of moment to Edmunds, a safety who was the team's first-round pick in April.

"It was crazy," Edmunds said Thursday after the Steelers' third organized team activity session, "because he saw me in there, and I thought he smirked at me just because he saw me in there.

"Honestly, because (Antonio Brown) was over here by himself on an island with the corner, and he saw I was in half-field on that side, I think he smirked at me."

Yeah, kid, you're not facing Wake Forest anymore. And there's no more walk-on quarterbacks or FCS-level wide receivers to make plays on.

Rookie minicamp earlier this month was one thing. But this week, the Steelers rookies got a taste of the real thing against the veterans.

MOOD When @Rell_Island6 starts rolling with the vets at OTAs. ️ via @Steelers #LPD pic.twitter.com/apTPBf816O

— Virginia Tech Football (@VT_Football) May 23, 2018

Time will tell how many — if any — of the 27 rookies taking part in OTAs will go on to long and productive careers. As the Steelers' top draft picks last month, Edmunds, receiver James Washington and quarterback Mason Rudolph likely have the best shots.

No matter how their careers end up, though, this past week represented their first foray into competing with and against established NFL veterans.

"It was great just seeing how the flow of practice goes, how it works," said Rudolph, a third-round pick from Oklahoma State.

Rudolph, in particular, was heartened by the "seven shots" drill in practice that involves live play near the goal line.

"With the vets here, it brings a different element of competitiveness," Rudolph said.

For Rudolph, the "Welcome to the NFL" moment came when he missed an open Brown on a deep route down the sidelines during Day 1 of OTAs.

"It would have been great to connect with AB on the first day," Rudolph said. "But we will get that at some point."

The next day, though, Rudolph connected on a similarly long pass. This one was to his longtime college teammate, Washington, a second-round pick who combined with Rudolph for more than 4,000 yards and almost 40 touchdowns .

I don't like the Mason Rudolph and James Washington picks. I love them. writes @TimBenzPGH https://t.co/R9mwdc6QsW

— Tribune-ReviewSports (@TribSports) April 29, 2018

"It felt like college all over again," Washington said. "The chemistry between me and him, we plan on bringing it to this level."

Washington and Rudolph showed that connection multiple times during rookie minicamp May 11-12. But against NFL veterans this past week, things didn't come as easy.

When the duo hooked up for 235 yards in a game Oct. 14, for example, Joe Haden wasn't part of that Baylor secondary.

"This week, we put a little bit more on my plate," Rudolph said. "It's just more of the bulk of the offense, so I am trying to soak that in. And I will. It will just take a little bit of time. I had a great week, I thought — made some mistakes but made a lot of plays as well."

Rudolph and veteran lineman Matt Feiler finished the first week of OTAs as the last two on the practice field among the 80-plus players who took part. The pair worked on the QB-center exchange after they botched some snaps late in practice.

Neither Edmunds, Washington nor Rudolph admitted to feeling overwhelmed or in awe of the pro game. What they noticed most is a familiar refrain.

"The speed," Edmunds said. "The speed of everything."

Edmunds also noted how technically sound and precise Pro Bowlers such as Brown and Roethlisberger are. But Edmunds, 21, refused to admit to any butterflies.

"Honestly no, there's no nerves," he said. "It's definitely (a feeling of being) shocked just because these are guys that I used to watch on TV. But at the same time, I am not nervous.

"I go out there and play my game, but at the same time you are like, 'Wow this is AB I am out here against.' So it is kind of cool. That's been the biggest thing about it. It's cool."

Chris Adamski is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at cadamski@tribweb.com or via Twitter @C_AdamskiTrib.