Mike Tomlin and Kevin Colbert are finalizing their 11th Pittsburgh Steelers draft together, and the message is still clear.

Advanced stats are great, Colbert says, but "at the core you are still looking for football players" with ability on the field and intangibles off it.

Artie Burns was a player that draft analysts considered a stretch with the No. 25 pick, but the Steelers loved him for his drive. AP Photo/David Richard

Tomlin follows up with a suggestion:

"The analytics guy that develops a 'will index,' they are on the cutting edge," Tomlin told reporters in a pre-draft news conference, according to Steelers.com.

This time of year, the Steelers look for players with immeasurable qualities that will translate to the locker room and the practice field. The Steelers have an analytics specialist on staff, Karim Kassam, for supplemental help. They aren't married to numbers above all else. They heavily value leadership and love for football.

This was the case with cornerback Artie Burns, who was considered a stretch as the No. 25 overall pick in 2016. The team loved his competitive spirit, and it showed during a rookie year with nine starts, 65 tackles and three interceptions.

"Once we figure out if we can measure a mind and a heart, then we will have something," Colbert said. "In the meantime we will use every tool available to us. That is still the core. How are you going to figure out who is going to make a play when they are dead tired, down six and we need seven. The only guy you are going to rely on is the guy who has done it for his team and hope that he can do it for you."

The Steelers could target several positions in the first three rounds of the draft, including pass-rusher, defensive back, wide receiver, tight end and possibly even quarterback. Regardless of position, the Steelers will be looking for players with internal fire.