3 ‘camp darlings’ Steelers fans will fall in love with in 2019

The Pittsburgh Steelers had a few unknown players who caught the attention of the crowd at Latrobe last year. Here are three ‘camp darling’ candidates in 2019.

Seeming every year, there are players who catch the attention of the public at the Pittsburgh Steelers training camp in Latrobe. I have gone there for five years now (and will be in Latrobe again this August), so I can attest to this.

Last year, players like Ola Adeniyi and Damoun Patterson really caught the attention of fans during open practices, and they didn’t disappoint under the lights during the preseason in 2018. Though the latter fell just short of a roster spot, Adeniyi stands to be a pivotal rotational piece this season for the Steelers.

The new year brings new candidates to stand out as ‘camp darlings’. Here are the three most likely players to catch the eye of fans in training camp this year:

Kameron Kelly , DB

Kelly played a little bit of everything during his time at San Diego State from 2014 to 2017. He was a wide receiver who converted to defense during his sophomore season, and saw time along nearly every position in the secondary.

Kelly, may be a former undrafted free agent, but he is best known for his recent stint with the American Alliance Football league where he was a standout defensive back. Kameron Kelly was impressive in essentially eight weeks of auditioning, and even had a 3 interception game for the San Diego Fleet. If he performs well enough, he could have a chance to crack the Steelers roster in 2019.

Trey Edmunds, RB

Not to be confused with his brother Terrell (the Steelers 2018 1st round pick), Trey Edmunds will have a chance to impress. The Edmunds brothers have impressive family bloodlines, and little brother Tremaine was a first round pick of the Bills last season.

At 24, Trey Edmunds might be the oldest of the three, but he is going to work his tail off to standout this training camp. Still, Edmunds is a long-shot to make the roster due to the Steelers drafting Benny Snell this season. However, if Edmunds can prove worthy enough on special teams, perhaps the Steelers will make an exception.

Sutton Smith, LB

There is no doubt in my mind that fans are going to fall in love with Sutton Smith this August. The bite-sized college pass rusher will likely make the transition to linebacker for the Steelers, and will need to be good on special teams.

Like Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger in the classic movie, Rudy, Smith wins more with heart and determination than anything else. The tiny pass rusher was one of the most productive college football players we have seen in recent years. Though he was tossed around like a rag doll at times during the Senior Bowl, he will be out to prove he can play with the big dogs.

I’m sure there will be other names I could add to this list soon, but fans are sure to love these three players mentioned. While Trey Edmunds only has a outside chance of sticking around, it’s still possible that each of these players could be with the team in September.