As OTAs and minicamp become the big topics for a good month or so, the Pittsburgh Steelers are getting a good, early look at all players in attendance, including those who may not be a lock to make the roster.
One recent Steelers draft pick happens to have received a much tougher road ahead after the offseason that's been: inside linebacker Mark Robinson, a 2022 seventh-round pick.
Over the course of free agency and the draft, Pittsburgh has added a total of four more linebackers to the core.
Mark Robinson's path to a Steelers roster spot has grown dim over the offseason
Pittsburgh signed free agent Malik Harrison, drafted Jack Sawyer and Carson Bruener, and then brought in undrafted free agent Blake Mangelson.
Fortunately for Robinson, Sawyer technically slots in at outside backer, and Mangelson was cut on Friday.
But, as it stands, Robinson very well could be fifth or sixth in line at inside linebacker with Patrick Queen, Payton Wilson, Cole Holcomb, and Harrison likely ahead of him. Bruener is a seventh-rounder from this year's draft, so you'd think he potentially has a small leg up on Robinson as the most recent selection.
Robinson has only started four games over three years and has spent the majority of his time on special teams, specifically in 2023 and 2024 (67 and 66 percent of snaps, respectively). While he's been viewed as a special teams regular, Robinson now faces a whole lot more competition to hang onto his roster spot.
Coming out of college, Robinson was known as a strong, powerful hitter and someone willing to get his hands dirty. He had the reputation of already being a stud on special teams, too, so keeping him around for those purposes would not be out of the ordinary.
We'll see if Robinson can make some noise this summer in Year 4 and if he's able to hang onto that spot.