These Steelers players are set to be discussed in camp given their size, athleticism, and the general potential they offer to the team.
Every year teams bring in a slew of players to camp. For the more bottom of the roster guys, having some sort of unique trait or story can really set you apart and provide you more opportunities in camp.
The Steelers are no outlier here, as they have had a plethora of camp darlings, and even some of them have gone on to find success with the team. This training camp will be no different, and a few names already stick out as potential camp studs. Here are the six Steelers that possess the most intrigue heading into training camp.
Steelers Calvin Taylor
Calvin Taylor is a name that sticks out for one reason and one reason alone: his size. He came to the Steelers as a 6’9, 310 lbs. defensive end. That kind of size is rare for any player, and it likely aided in his good play while at Kentucky. Athletically, Taylor doesn’t have much going for him, but that size is something that can’t be taught.
Now, the defensive line room is extremely deep, making his odds of securing a roster spot not great. That said, he could take another year to develop on the practice squad. As well, a positional switch could be in store for Taylor, as his size screams offensive tackle. Either way, it will be hard to miss him once camp gets underway. The Steelers more or less drafted Isaiahh Loudermilk for his size, so Taylor should have a chance to prove himself in camp because of his.
Steelers Calvin Bundage
A really fun player to watch at Oklahoma St., injuries derailed Calvin Bundage’s time in college. That said, he did piece together a good senior season, as the linebacker who also served as a hybrid edge at times racked up an impressive 7.5 sacks. For a Steelers defense that loves to blitz their inside linebackers as evident by Vince Williams’s impressive sack numbers, Bundage could see his pass-rushing skills maximized from his inside linebacker spot.
He didn’t test well athletically, as despite his smaller size and stature he had mediocre athletic scores aiding in him ultimately going undrafted. That said, his unique skill set is something that this team knows how to use. As well, that pass-rushing skill could translate to potential punt blocks on special teams, further aiding in the value he would bring to the team.
His odds of making the roster outright are almost nonexistent. He is likely competing with Tegray Scales for the practice squad spot instead. While Scales is more of a traditional inside linebacker, Bundage’s unique skillset could earn him the spot over Scales. Keep an eye on him during camp and the preseason, as he could easily be one of the better performing defenders given how well his skill set meshes with the Steelers’ defense.
Steelers Stephen Denmark
While Stephen Denmark has struggled to stick to a roster since being drafted in the seventh round of the 2019 draft, he has the size and athleticism to make a mark during camp this year. The former Valdosta St. corner is a converted receiver (indicating that he may have some ball skills) who is huge. 6’2, 220 lbs. and he ran a 4.46 forty back at the combine. That combination of size and athleticism will have the Steelers excited to see what he can do on the field.
Denmark also enters an ideal camp situation at cornerback. The Steelers could keep either five or six corners, and only two corners are currently locks (although James Pierre seems pretty safe heading into camp as well). This means a lot of roster spots are up for grabs, and if Denmark can separate himself from the competition, he could find himself on the roster by the end of camp.
His main competition is the underwhelming Justin Layne, as both are outside corners that would have to contribute on special teams. While Layne has been fine on special teams, a superior athlete such as Denmark could do just as well. If Denmark can prove to be a valuable contributor on defense as well, or just simply look better than Layne has in coverage, he could beat him out. Regardless, Denmark should be an impressive player in training camp.
Steelers Isaiah McKoy
The Steelers still got their MAC product this offseason, signing Isaiah McKoy as an undrafted free agent after the draft concluded. While one look at his horrendous 4.68 forty times will make anyone overlook the former Golden Flash, watching him play football is another story. McKoy was a nearly elite deep threat in college, averaging 18.2 yards per catch in his final season (14.2 for his career) and was a touchdown machine, snagging 16 of them in only three years at Kent State.
Those stats may have been better had he had a better quarterback throwing his way. Dustin Crum is a fine short and intermediate passer, but he does not have the arm to make a lot of deep plays. This limited McKoy, but he still impressed despite that fact. He was regularly burning defensive backs. While the MAC isn’t an elite-level competition, the fact that he could blow by so many college defenders on tape indicates that he is a better athlete than how he tested.
He should be a fun player to watch during the preseason and in training camp, as his big-play ability should be on display often. While his path to the roster is pretty difficult (he would have to convince the Steelers to keep six receivers), he could easily take a year to develop on the practice squad. As well, given his size and athleticism, he could take on the role of a gunner on special teams. Don’t be surprised when McKoy begins making some noise once the team begins practicing in camp.
Steelers Kalen Ballage
While his career hasn’t been much to note so far, Kalen Ballage could make some noise once the Steelers camp opens. Despite being a bigger back, he has good speed and athleticism. While he hasn’t been much of a deep play threat so far in his career, he has developed into one of the league’s better short-yardage backs.
Now, Ballage isn’t going to wow anyone in camp to the point that he becomes the starter or even supplements Najee Harris, but in a year where the Steelers may only keep three running backs, he could do enough to beat out Benny Snell. This would earn him the top backup spot and the occasional short-yardage and goal-line shot. He wouldn’t be asked to do too much, and if he can provide more than Snell has, the job could easily be his.
Ballage has everything going for him as camp gets ready to open. He wouldn’t be asked to do too much as a reserve, but his solid athleticism could make him a good fit to get 3-6 carries a game. If the Steelers keep four running backs, then there is likely no real battle to even note here as both he and Snell would make the team. If the team keeps three though, expect s fight between him and Snell. Given Ballage’s better athleticism, he could easily be the one that pops more in camp.
Steelers Mark Gilbert
One of the easiest players to root for in training camp is Mark Gilbert. The undrafted rookie out of Duke has one of the more unique paths to this roster, as injuries completely derailed his career. Had he stayed healthy, it isn’t out of the question that he could have gone early in the draft, and potentially even as high as a late first-round pick. There is a lot of projection here, but he was one of the best coverage corners in college during his sophomore year in 2017.
Having only played four games since then, the Steelers are hoping to see Gilbert return to his earlier college form. Given his athletic testing before the draft, it seems as though he won’t be limited there. He had great explosion and speed grades, although his agility is in question due to the hip injuries he has suffered through. That said, he has the makings of a good outside cornerback if he can get back to his college days.
Like Denmark, Gilbert will benefit from a relatively wide-open cornerback room once camp opens. He should see amply opportunity to play and remind fans of the skill that he still has. If he is a little rusty or is still healing, the practice squad is always an option as well. His comeback story has been incredible, and he is in a great position to make the Steelers roster as it currently stands. Given his skillset, expect him to stand out in training camp.
While these six players need to show a lot before they can expect to make the roster, each has the ability to pop in camp. If they get enough momentum going their way, they could end up gaining some traction for a potential roster spot. Keep an eye on these Steelers players as camp draws nearer, as they should be able to shine once the team takes the field.