The Steelers will be working hard to figure out their roster during the pre-season and these rookies could miss the cut.
The Steelers have been hard at work getting ready for the upcoming season. The pre-season process is in full bloom now as the players have been vying for positions on the roster at training camp. Going back to Saint Vincent College is always a fun experience for fans as the players work their tails off to make the club.
Rookies always have a learning curve that comes along with them. This is the part of the pre-season when things start to become more noticeable when it comes to where the coaches see these players. There are only 53 spots available on the final roster and starting behind the eight ball could spell disaster for some of these rookies.
Pittsburgh selected seven players during the 2022 NFL Draft. It is common for the top three selections for a team to almost be complete locks on a roster during their first year. It seems like many of the Steelers rookies will make the cut and have differing roles.
There are some rookies that seem safe bets to make the Steelers roster
Normally those selected in the first two days of the draft are locks to make the club in their first year. That will be the case for the black and gold and their top picks. Kenny Pickett, George Pickens, and DeMarvin Leal are all locks with different roles that still need figuring out.
Calvin Austin III also seems to be a safe bet to make the roster as well. Each of them has pedigree and different qualities that will be a nice addition to the roster. That already makes over half of this past draft’s selections near locks to make the club in 2022.
Connor Heyward could struggle to make the Steelers because of his position
Connor Heyward seems like one of the safest players drafted in the sixth round to have a legit shot at making an NFL roster. The Steelers seem infatuated with this player and want to give him a lot of looks. He will have many opportunities to prove himself enough to make this final roster.
The biggest question mark is what kind of utility player that Heyward can be. He has proven that he can play about three different positions during his collegiate days at Michigan State. He has played running back, full back, and tight end during that stretch.
The name of the game for this player will be special teams. He needs to show the coaching staff that he is irreplaceable in the third phase of football to make the cut. This rookie seems like he should be primed for a breakout performance in that category, especially when compared to his fellow rookie classmen.
His roster spot is nothing locked up by any means. Heyward will need to prove himself at multiple positions and on special teams to make the Steelers club. The path for him to make the team is there, but it is not as paved as many might think. It will be rocky, but he should have enough in the tank to make it through.
Mark Robinson will have an uphill battle with a full linebacker room
Mark Robinson was the second to last selection during the Kevin Colbert era as General Manager. He saw some success as a linebacker after playing running back for most of his collegiate career. The transition period for him was fast and he showed enough to garner being selected within the seven rounds.
He runs like he still plays offense, but he looks to attack the ball carrier instead of the opposite. He seems to have some potential that comes along with him as he grows in the position. It will take some time for him to turn into a player if he can put everything together.
This former Ole Miss linebacker already started behind the eight ball when he got drafted. He sits behind some experienced depth players like Robert Spillane, Marcus Allen, and Ulysees Gilbert III just to name a few. He has an uphill battle in front of him to make the last spot on the roster.
It is going to take a lot for Robinson to make the Steelers final cuts in his rookie campaign. He will need to show enough at the position. Showing that he is better on special teams will also be another factor in his chances of making the club. His chances now do not look good, but he could stick on the practice squad.
Chris Oladokun does not seem to have a path to make the Steelers roster
It was an odd selection at the time, but it seems even more so now. Chris Oladokun rounded out the 2022 NFL Draft for the Steelers and Kevin Colbert as General Manager before he retired. It was a surprising pick at the time as the team already had three quarterbacks on the roster after drafting Kenny Pickett in the first round.
The team must have felt very uncomfortable with either trying to sign this player or another one at his position during undrafted free agency. They elected to take him in the seventh round and things have not worked out as of now. Training camp has been hard on both rookie quarterbacks during the early goings.
This South Dakota State product has had the worst experience by far. Pickett has been making mistakes, but at least he has been getting some reps in. Oladokun has not gotten any chances to show what he could provide on the field for this club.
The black and gold seem like they brought him in as a camp arm and that is a wasted draft pick. They could have signed someone off the street if they used better logic. Unless things change, this player will have a tough time making the practice squad let alone final roster.
The Steelers have a lot of time to evaluate their players before the final cuts to the roster are announced. These players will need to show the coaching staff a lot of good things between now and then.