This time of year provides an opportunity for plenty of players on the extended 90-man roster heading into training camp. The Pittsburgh Steelers always have players who will certainly make the team, but those who don't have a secure spot must earn their way. The depth chart will witness several iterations as players try to climb the ladder with hopes of making the 53-man roster.
Making an NFL roster as a rookie is no easy feat, especially for those who were taken in the later rounds or went undrafted.
The Steelers have unproven rookies at key positions entering the preseason process, and each one must prove their worth. If they fail to impress those in attendance, they will be unemployed before the summer concludes. Some rookies will have a better shot at making the roster than others.
Several rookies for Pittsburgh Steelers must jump the depth chart to make the roster
Donte Kent, CB
Pittsburgh used their final pick during the 2025 NFL Draft on Donte Kent. The experienced cornerback had a strong career in the MAC conference. It's a level of college football that doesn't garner the highest reputation. Kent has shown the ability to play in the slot and outside on occasion. That flexibility could help his cause to make the club out of training camp if he gets a shot to show it.
Kent will play most of his snaps this preseason at slot cornerback. It's a role that will be full of competition at training camp. With Jalen Ramsey leading the pack, Kent will battle with Beanie Bishop for positioning on the depth chart. There is a pathway for Kent to make the final roster, but he must beat out Bishop for the job, which won't be an easy task. He faces an uphill battle to overcome.
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DJ Thomas-Jones, FB
An attempt to make an NFL roster as a drafted rookie is one thing, but the difficulty only intensifies for an undrafted free agent.
DJ Thomas-Jones signed with the Steelers after not getting his name called at the draft. Add in the fact that he plays the fullback position, and his chances of making the team shrink. He picked a good destination, but things won't be easy for him.
Thomas-Jones has a high pedigree and played at Ole Miss before transferring to South Alabama to be closer to home. The great news for this rookie is that the Offensive Coordinator he plays for loves using fullbacks in his offense. He must overcome the odds to get into the roster conversation, but it's not impossible. He must jump ahead of Connor Heyward for a realistic shot at sticking around.
Carson Bruener, LB
Out of the rookies on this list, Carson Bruener has the best chance at making the 53-man roster heading into training camp. The young buck in the linebacker room has competition to overcome, but it's not as grueling as others. Bruener was a seventh-round pick of Pittsburgh in the 2025 NFL Draft, and his father is former Steelers tight end Mark Bruener.
The name of the game for this linebacker heading into the preseason is special teams.
He must excel in that department to get into better standing with the coaches. He is low on the depth chart for now, but he must bypass Mark Robinson to increase his opportunity. Bruener has an uphill battle in front of him, but his chances of making the roster are much better heading into training camp than Kent or Thomas-Jones.