3 Steelers among highest-grade rookie so far in the 2021 NFL preseason

The Pittsburgh Steelers have had some young players who have quietly done very well. Here are the players that have graded out among the best so far. 

The Steelers finished their second preseason game of the year – besting the Philadelphia Eagles in a 24-16 win. The first half certainly didn’t go according to plan for Pittsburgh, as they allowed several big plays on defense and didn’t score in the first two quarters, however, they kicked things into gear in the second half.

In addition to the Steelers playing two preseason games so far, the only other teams to play as of the morning of August 13th were the Dallas Cowboys, Washington Football Team, and New England Patriots. Though this is a small sample, Pittsburgh has had some notable players so far.

According to Pro Football Focus, three of the top five grades so far belong to Steelers players. Here are their grades through in the 2021 preseason to date:

Offensive tackle Dan Moore Jr. looked outstanding on Thursday night against the Philadelphia Eagles as he didn’t give an inch in pass protection and was quick-footed as a run blocker. He has churned out the best overall grade of the preseason so far with an 82.1 score.

Behind him, his former Texas A&M teammate, Buddy Johnson, earned the third-highest grade of the preseason so far with an 81.1, and rookie defensive lineman Isaiahh Loudermilk has earned a 78.3 overall grade in the early going.

Steelers could get more help than expected out of day-three picks

This is obviously a very small sample size, but three of the top five graded players so far in the preseason happen to be day-three rookies of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Could they get more help than expected?

With players ahead of them on the depth chart, we probably can’t expect that help to come right away. Dan Moore is playing behind Chukwuma Okorafor this year at left tackle. However, if things go south for Okorafor, or if an offensive tackle suffers an injury, Moore is starting to prove why he should be the next man up. As early as next season, Moore could have a chance to win the job at left tackle if he keeps up like this.

Buddy Johnson has also had an excellent first two games, while other Steelers linebackers have struggled with missed tackles and blown assignments in coverage, Johnson has been perhaps the most consistent of the group despite his rookie status. With Pittsburgh recently trading for Jaguars linebacker, Joe Schobert, Johnson may be limited to special teams for now. However, if he keeps playing like this, the rookie could carve out a role sooner rather than later.

In addition to these two, Isaiahh Loudermilk is starting to turn heads. The 6’6” defensive lineman has more than held his own over the past two games. He is showing his ability to anchor against double teams as well as get some pressure on the quarterback. Pittsburgh’s defensive line is deep, but Loudermilk could have a chance to play himself into a role as a rookie.

There are plenty of other notable names for the Steelers, but these three have earned the highest overall grades from Pro Football Focus so far in the NFL preseason. Keep an eye on their progress in the coming weeks.