The Pittsburgh Steelers kicked off their 2024 rookie minicamp on May 10th. The first practice took place at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex in Pittsburgh, and the media got their first look at the 2024 draft class.
In addition to all seven draft picks taking the field for drills, the Steelers also invited 21 tryout players to rookie minicamp. One of those players is former Boston College and Pitt QB quarterback, Phil Jurkovec (who enters rookie minicamp as a tight end).
For the first time since their early exit in the Wild Card round of the playoffs, we got a chance to see Pittsburgh Steelers on the field (even if it's just for rookie minicamp practice). Here are the biggest sights, sounds, and notes from the first day of Steelers rookie minicamp.
First look at new Steelers WR Roman Wilson and WR coach Zach Azzanni pic.twitter.com/6kn5rCaqub
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) May 10, 2024
“I had a teacher that once told me, when I told her I wanted to be a professional football player, ‘Get a real job - that’s not possible.’”
— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) May 10, 2024
-Steelers rookie DB Beanie Bishop pic.twitter.com/op2ohps4jH
First look at Steelers rookie WR Roman Wilson pic.twitter.com/39x8HPS0Wg
— Nick Farabaugh (@FarabaughFB) May 10, 2024
Ryan Shazier was at Steelers rookie minicamp today and assisted RB coach Eddie Faulkner with individual drills pic.twitter.com/QLpXBFLTR9
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) May 10, 2024
New #Steelers WR Roman Wilson works on footwork with new WR coach Zach Azzanni at rookie camp: pic.twitter.com/O15rwXtIJ2
— Christopher Carter (@CarterCritiques) May 10, 2024
That way over there is former Pitt and Pine-Richland QB Phil Jurkovec working as a tight end as a tryout at Steelers rookie minicamp pic.twitter.com/AmgZucPVio
— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) May 10, 2024
Steelers third-round pick Roman Wilson pic.twitter.com/pXAmy5kaJ8
— Noah Strackbein (@NoahStrackbein) May 10, 2024
Ray Mansfield
— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) May 10, 2024
Mike Webster
Dermontti Dawson
Jeff Hartings
Maurice Pouncey
Zach Frazier knows he has the proverbial big shoes to fill as a Steelers center pic.twitter.com/fKFT2eDlLl
3 top-half-of-the-draft Steelers choices all play O-line
— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) May 10, 2024
Troy Fautanu (76), Zach Frazier (54) and Mason McCormick (66) gather for an official NFL on-field workout for the first time… of what might end up thousands over the ensuing decade? pic.twitter.com/ljKjm5c8vH
Quick question I just had for Payton Wilson at #Steelers rookie minicamp here, part of a full column I’ll have up later: pic.twitter.com/6yRtpBbLVF
— Dejan Kovacevic (@Dejan_Kovacevic) May 10, 2024
Steelers rookie minicamp notes
Nick Farabaugh of Steelers Now noted how visible the exposition is off the line of scrimmage for rookie WR Roman Wilson. The third-round pick out of Michigan ran a 4.39 at the 2024 NFL Combine. He drew lots of attention during the first practice as Pittsburgh scopes out a potential WR2 to work opposite George Pickens this year.
Payton Wilson was also a hot topic at Steelers' rookie minicamp. Alan Saunders of Steelers Now explained that he might be the oldest-acting rookie he can remember thanks to his ability to call the defense and how poised he was in interviews.
However, the biggest note from the first day of rookie minicamp practice is where first-round pick Troy Fautanu lined up on the offensive line. The former Washington left tackle spent his first Steelers practice as a right tackle.
Though both Fautanu and 2023 first-round pick, Broderick Jones, project best at left tackle, Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan expressed how they intended to move Jones back to left tackle sooner rather than later. We don't want to read too deeply into the first rookie minicamp practice, but this could be an indication of where Fautanu will be playing during his rookie season (and possibly the foreseeable future).
We'll have a lot more to learn as practices unfold, but these sights, sounds, and notes from Steelers rookie minicamp helped quence our thirst for football for the time being.