With the Steelers finally opening training camp, these six young options are certainly ones that you should keep an eye on.
Every offseason, hundreds of NFL hopefuls flock to various training camps in hopes of securing a job on an active roster. While an aging veteran can outlast some of the youth on a team if they are an established starter, the NFL is a young man’s sport. In camp, this leads to younger options getting more chances to shine, as the team hopes to keep the core of its roster youthful. The Steelers are no different, and their participants in their training camp are evidence of that. Here are the six young Steelers players to keep an eye on in training camp.
Steelers Quincy Roche
One of the Steelers’ best value picks in the draft, Quincy Roche initially joined the team with an expectation that he would have to develop into the third outside linebacker sooner rather than later. All of that changed when the team signed veteran Melvin Ingram, as suddenly the top three edge rushers are relatively talented. All eyes should still be on Roche, but now it is for a different reason than before.
While long-term a player like Roche has more potential than Cassius Marsh, the team may go with Marsh’s veteran status and special teams play to be the fourth edge rusher. This doesn’t mean Roche will be out of a job necessarily, but it means now he is more fiercely fighting for a roster spot. He still needs to flash some of that potential early in camp if he wants to avoid being cut in favor of a more established backup in 2021.
Steelers Carlos Davis
Carlos Davis was a relative surprise in 2020. He beat out long-time incumbent Dan McCullers for a roster spot before eventually surpassing fellow defensive lineman Isaiah Buggs on the depth chart by the season’s end. He only played sparingly as a rookie, but in that limited time, he flashed some strong traits as a run defender. He is a candidate to make a leap in play this season and ideally better supplement current nose tackle Tyson Alualu.
No, Davis won’t ascend to starter this season unless Alualu’s play really falls off, but he could become a regular rotational player. If he sees more consistent snaps and plays well in them, he would be in a prime position to lock down the starting nose tackle job next year. It all starts with a strong camp this season though, as this defensive line group is extremely deep. Any playing time awarded to the reserves will certainly be earned, not given.
Interesting to note is that Buggs actually got listed over Davis as the primary nose tackle reserve on the Steelers’ first depth chart. I personally wouldn’t look too much into this, as this depth chart favors experience right now since little has been proven in camp so far. Assuming he moves past Buggs, Davis should prime himself for a bigger 2021. His name won’t be heavily praised on the regular in training camp, his position doesn’t yield that kind of a reaction, but watch and see what kind of an impact he can make as he hopes to lock down a top backup position.
Steelers Shakur Brown
Easily one of the most exciting undrafted rookies that the Steelers have added in years, Shakur Brown enters camp with a clear path to the roster. With the departure of Mike Hilton in the slot, the team is in need of a new cornerback to man the slot role, and Brown is a perfect fit. While the initial depth chart listed him as an outside cornerback, don’t be confused here. Brown played the slot in college (he played it rather well in fact), and that is the position he is naturally best suited for.
Brown fell out of the draft mainly due to him being an underclassman mixed in with just how poorly he tested at Michigan St. That said, the slot corner doesn’t need to be an elite athlete, as instincts and physicality. Brown has both of those, making him a natural Hilton replacement. Add in a strong showing at OTAs and Brown has had about as good of an offseason so far that an undrafted rookie can have.
Make sure to temper expectations here, as Brown going from undrafted to starting slot corner by week one is a stretch. That said, he could rotate in eventually and develop into that role as the season progresses. Watch for his name to come up in camp early as he looks to be an impact player sooner than later and prove to the rest of the league that they were wrong to let him go undrafted.
Steelers Antoine Brooks
No Steelers defensive back has gotten more buzz in recent weeks than Antoine Brooks. The sixth-round pick from last season was seen as a strong safety type that may have to make the eventual move to linebacker given his coverage limitations. In the lone game where he saw significant defensive playing time (against the Bengals), the team actually used him more as a slot corner, and he held up well enough. He seemingly did well enough to throw his name in the starting slot corner hat as the team listed him as the initial starter there.
Once again, this is the first depth chart, and a lot will change from now and the start of the season. While it is exciting to see Brooks there initially, he is more suited towards box play. This could yield to dime linebacker play and potentially even a nod at starting strong safety depending on what happens to Terrell Edmunds after this season. Seeing him listed so highly on the depth chart though is a promising thing though, as the Steelers are clearly high on him.
I would expect to hear Brook’s name often and in a multitude of roles. It seems as if the Steelers will give him the first crack at slot corner, but he should also see some playing time in dime defense and as a reserve strong safety. He has a lot riding on him this season, but if he can rise up to the occasion, it could yield dividends next year in terms of the team finding a new strong safety.
Steelers Pat Freiermuth
While eyes will be all over the Steelers rookie class during training camp, Pat Freiermuth has already made some noise early. Some big catches have yielded a bit of talk for the team’s second-round pick. Now, he isn’t ready to jump Eric Ebron on the depth chart quite yet, but a solid training camp could allow him to get on the field quicker than many expect in 2021.
Tight ends have a tough transition to the league and usually require a year or two to develop into a quality starter. While expectations shouldn’t be huge for Freiermuth in year one, perhaps he could be on the field as a capable number two tight end sooner than later. That extra playing time will only quicken his development and put him in a better position to become the go-to option in 2022.
While recording some nice catches early is positive, he needs to continue that trend once the pads come one. As well, catching ability is great, but part of the reason the Steelers drafted him in the second is his blocking ability. Showcasing a strong blocking base will be critical in getting on the field for him this season. His camp has started off strong. Now he needs to keep it up and keep his name as one being mentioned fondly by the team.
Steelers James Pierre
While most of these names have been mentioned in a positive light so far, no name has gained more traction than James Pierre. The former undrafted corner out of Florida Atlantic shockingly made the team last year before eventually jumping Justin Layne on the depth chart. He followed that up with a strong OTA showing, and he currently is in the driver’s seat to be the starting outside cornerback while Cameron Sutton would shift inside.
He is on the right path so far, but he needs to continue making big plays in practice and during the preseason. That said, his impressive camp play was the reason he made the Steelers outright last season, so it should be expected that he performs well there this season. If he can continue to find success, he will continue to be one of the most anticipated Steelers to watch in camp and likely cement himself as a starter on this defense.
With so much riding on him, it will be vital to keep an eye on his progress during camp. Remember, he was an undrafted rookie last season, so don’t expect him to come out and dominate right away. Instead, good solid play and a knack to be a playmaker (something he has shown consistently in camp) will be more than enough to earn him a starting job. Pierre is on the rise right now, and everyone must be keeping an eye on him in training camp.
While the Steelers favor veterans over young players, these six youthful players are deserving of the spotlight in camp. Each of them has a great shot at making the roster (assuming they aren’t guaranteed it at this point) and some could even start. Be sure to keep an eye on their progress in camp as it could have major implications for gameday.