It's no secret that the Pittsburgh Steelers' offensive line is one of the strongest positional groups on the team, and it's hardly a question that it's the deepest. Over the past four years, general manager Omar Khan has made heavy investments at the position (no pun intended), and we're starting to see the fruits of his labor at Steelers training camp this summer.
There is no live tackling in a Mike McCarthy camp, but when the pads came on, we got to watch the offensive linemen and defensive linemen battle it out in one-on-one OL vs. DL drills. That's where the men separate themselves from the boys.
And Mason McCormick, who continues to fly under the radar, has casually dominated early at camp.
During the second week of camp, McCormick held his own against four-time All-Pro Cameron Heyward and veteran newcomer Sebastian Joseph-Day in one-on-ones. Alex Kozora of Steelers Depot shared his notes on McCormick on Day 5 of his training camp diary:
"Cam Heyward long arm into Mason McCormick. Good battle between the two...
Bull to rip by Sebastian Joseph-Day against McCormick, who seals him...
Heyward bull rushes McCormick, but Heyward loses his footing...
McCormick hops back to handle Joseph-Day's bull rush."
It's important to note that a player's performance in one-on-ones isn't necessarily an exact representation of what we see in 11-on-11s. However, McCormick has been excellent in both settings so far.
While fans are focused on the rookie class, Aaron Rodgers, and the wide receivers, McCormick somehow continues to go unnoticed. But at this rate, it's only a matter of time before he starts grabbing attention.
The Pittsburgh Steelers could have a budding star in Mason McCormick if he continues his training camp surge
McCormick's surge has been quiet, but it shouldn't come as a surprise. The 2024 fourth-round pick was a small-school product and former South Dakota State Jackrabbit who made the massive jump to NFL competition. But as he gets set to enter Year 3, we might see a true breakout campaign from the talented guard.
McCormick tested as an exceptional athlete at the 2024 NFL Combine. His combination of size and testing netted him an outstanding 9.96 Relative Athletic Score when compared to NFL guard prospects, per MathBomb.
Last year, McCormick witnessed a major jump in his overall performance. He showcased impressive anchoring strength and more consistency on a play-to-play basis. This helped him improve his overall PFF grade from a 57.7 as a rookie in 2024 to a 72.9 in his second year in 2025. McCormick's grade last season ranked 17th among 79 qualifying NFL guards.
And with the impressive play we've witnessed early in camp this summer, there's only reason to expect him to get better.
McCormick is also entering a contract year, which offers even more incentive for him to play his tail off. The third-year guard witnessed what players like Joe Tippmann and Matthew Bergeron just got paid, and he has a chance to follow suit with a strong year.
McCormick is making the transition from right guard to left guard for the 2026 season, and there don't seem to be any hiccups with the transition so far at Steelers training camp.
In terms of popularity, McCormick might only be the fourth or fifth most popular offensive lineman in Pittsburgh—when we consider the team recently drafted Max Iheanachor and Gennings Dunker in the first three rounds. But his performance at Steelers camp has been as good as anyone's so far, and there's no reason to suggest that won't continue.
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