The Pittsburgh Steelers have just one undrafted free agent playing a major role outside of special teams in 2025, that being running back Jaylen Warren. Many of the prominent players on the roster were high draft picks, so there isn’t usually much room in Pittsburgh for those making the most difficult entry in the NFL ranks.
Still, with training camp comes opportunity. Warren proves just as well as any other undrafted free agent who has stuck in the league that capitalizing on those opportunities can pay off. The Steelers have 10 undrafted players on the roster this camp, looking to replicate Warren’s success.
The unfortunate reality, however, is that not all opportunities are created equally. Some come in purely as camp bodies, while others have a clearer path to earning a roster spot than even some drafted prospects. Let’s look at three undrafted players who have a real shot of sticking on the practice squad or possibly cracking the 53-man roster by even the slimmest of margins.
These undrafted rookies could surprise for the Pittsburgh Steelers at training camp
Wide Receiver Roc Taylor
Even among the three most likely candidates, former Memphis Tigers Roc Taylor is still a long shot to make the roster. He doesn’t carry much special teams experience, but what he does offer is size and production.
In the pass-happy offense in Memphis, he caught 163 passes for 2,375 yards in his college career. He only scored seven touchdowns, but he’s got some ball skills to help give him some credibility and a shot to impress. He’ll get plenty of reps during preseason contests to make some splash plays that could keep him front of mind when coaches discuss who is impressing.
Taylor stands 6-2, which is a big reason I’ve included him on the list. Many of the receivers ahead of him on the depth chart are short or lack production. So, his value comes more so as a potential practice squad stash as artificial depth. That’s still a win for an undrafted rookie.
Fullback D.J. Thomas-Jones
The final two players have a real shot at making the 53-man roster, but D.J. Thomas-Jones has the tougher task of the two. The former South Alabama Jaguar played tight end in college, but his size at 6-1 and 256 pounds makes him a prime candidate to stick at fullback.
He’ll be competing with Connor Heyward for reps at fullback, but Thomas-Jones’ advantage in the pseudo-position battle is that he signed the largest undrafted free agent contract in Steelers history. It’s quite likely that the Steelers fully expect Thomas-Jones to be the team’s dedicated fullback instead of mashing Connor Heyward into the position from time to time.
Still, Heyward’s value as a veteran with bloodlines and positional versatility could keep Thomas-Jones at bay. It’s not entirely unlikely that Thomas-Jones doesn’t end up on the practice squad, at least for this season.
Nonetheless, if there’s one city that will get up for a preseason highlight featuring a fullback crashing into a linebacker, it’s Pittsburgh. He’ll be a fun player for Steelers fans to look out for during the preseason games.
Safety Sebastian Castro
For some Steelers fans, it’d be a real shame if Sebastian Castro doesn’t make the final 53-man roster. To be fair to Castro, though, some of that has to do with manufactured hype after the Minkah Fitzpatrick- Jalen Ramsey-Jonnu Smith trade. Castro, a roaming box safety type, isn’t playing free safety full-time any time soon, so that’s not actually his ticket onto the roster.
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However, that doesn’t mean Castro doesn’t have the best chance to do so among the undrafted rookie class, despite being the only defender in it. Castro has a headhunter mentality that will serve him well on special teams and he has the athleticism and ball skills to be effective in coverage.
If not for a production drop-off in his final season with the Iowa Hawkeyes, he would have been drafted on Day 3 and been more of a lock to make the roster.
Still, Steelers fans have high hopes for Castro and expect to see him make some splash plays during training camp and the preseason. Based on his body of work at Iowa, the fan base is right to believe in him. Still, the Steelers currently have five safeties on the roster, and Castro is undoubtedly the last man on the depth chart at both spots.
If the Steelers make another addition at the position, especially with a big-name veteran, Castro could be headed to the practice squad, and likely another team if that’s the case.