The Steelers had a very strong draft class this year, and while it seems like some major changes in strategies and focus were at hand, the undrafted strategy remained unchanged. The rest of the league has begun adding more guaranteed money to undrafted rookie deals to land the top names that fall out of the draft. There was hope that Pittsburgh would follow this trend under a new regime.
That seemingly hasn’t happened, as the team quickly announced seven undrafted free agents had been signed to their roster, and all of them seem like lower-level options. I’m doubting that any of the names here broke the trend this team has of only handing out the signing bonus.
Despite this lackluster group, I wanted to take the time to rank them based on their fit with the team and the potential impact I could see them having down the road. Almost all of these players won’t be impact options early on, but they could develop roles later on. Here is a ranking of the seven undrafted free agents the Steelers added.
7. B.T. Potter, K, Clemson
The Steelers had some interest in a few rookie kickers, and they quickly inked B.T. Potter to a deal after the draft concluded. Chris Boswell is still firmly in place as the lead kicker for this team, but another leg will be needed for camp. The interest in kickers made it seem like Boswell may have some serious competition this summer.
I don’t think Potter is much of a threat. He lacks a great leg and was surprisingly inconsistent as a college kicker. His accuracy issues will likely continue to plague him, and unless he becomes a stronger kicker, I don’t see him lasting. I would be surprised if Potter is around past this summer.
6. Jordan Byrd, RB/RET, San Diego St.
This is a name I have seen a lot of fans get behind since his signing was announced. While Jordan Byrd flashes good burst and the ability to make guys miss, he is a very undersized player with lackluster offensive play.
Byrd played for five seasons and only amassed 1572 all-purpose yards. He never became a true starting running back, instead serving as a gadget player and backup running back on offense. His lack of size makes it likely that he won’t be in line for an increased role at the next level, as I doubt he will be able to take that kind of punishment given his frame.
Byrd has a role as a returner given his ability to field both punts and kicks. While he has some fun tape there, the fact that he seems limited to only being a returner makes his professional case that much harder to get behind. With returns being phased out, you need to be more than just a return man in the modern NFL.
Unless he completely surpasses expectations and becomes a capable offensive threat, I just don’t see how you can warrant a roster spot to a player like Byrd. He will get some looks in camp, but unless he makes himself uncuttable due to his ability in the return game, I don’t foresee him having much of an impact.
5. James Nyamwaya, DL, Merrimack
The next two names on this list I have as essentially toss-ups, as I have both graded out as similar prospects and while I get a little excited at the prospects of what they might become, I’m not holding my breath. I give the slightly worse nod to James Nyamwaya out of the tiny school Merrimack.
Nyamwaya has the size profile this team covets in their defensive linemen. He has good length and some dominant tape against inferior competition. He was a terror as a pass rusher because of this talent mismatch and should continue to develop there. His run defense left you wanting some, as he could get out of a position quickly there.
Nyamwaya has some of the highest upside of any prospect in this undrafted class, as he flashes on tape and has the build this team wants in a defensive lineman. He has rarely played against anything close to NFL talent though. He has a long road in front of him if he ever wants to become a rotational defender in this league.
4. David Perales, EDGE, Fresno State
David Perales is an interesting prospect. He has the production and tape of a typical late-round prospect, but a nagging ankle injury seemingly kept him from testing well. Add in his build being less than desirable for an edge rusher and it likely caused him to end up going undrafted as opposed to being a late-round target for someone.
While far from an elite prospect, Perales does have a good array of pass-rushing moves that made him impactful in school. He does his best work when asked to get after the quarterback, as his lack of size and strength show up when asked to play the run. Despite an injury hampering his testing, he doesn’t appear to be a great athlete on tape overall.
If Perales can carve out a role on special teams and continue to grow as a defender, he could become a potential fourth edge rusher option for this team. Due to his lack of size, I can’t see him getting much farther than that, but his odds of sticking around, at least in the short term, seem likely.
3. Tanner Morgan, QB, Minnesota
The Steelers are a team that historically takes four quarterbacks into camp, and given that they only have three on the roster right now, Tanner Morgan has a good shot at getting to camp and showing what he’s got. Based on what I have seen from him, he is likely close to his ceiling, but he could be a viable third option with the potential to develop into a backup.
Morgan saw plenty of action at Minnesota while there, and at one point in time, he looked like a potential top prospect. His play significantly fell off though, and he hasn’t been more than an average college player over the past few seasons. He is undersized, is a poor athlete, and lacks great arm strength.
Despite all of those issues, Morgan takes what a defense gives him and is a conservative passer. That lends itself well to a backup, and if Morgan becomes anything, his ability to play like this can give him staying power. No, he isn’t Brock Purdy, but there Morgan could be a decent third quarterback for this team.
2. Trevor Downing, IOL, Iowa State
After landing a dynamic tackle in Broderick Jones in the first round, the Steelers needed to find some center help, preferably a backup center that can kick to guard in a pinch. They drafted Spencer Bradford with their last pick to hopefully do just that, but Trevor Downing will also likely throw his hat into the ring for the spot.
Downing has experience at all three interior spots and played his best ball at center. He is an average athlete with mediocre size, but he is a smart blocker who uses leverage well and has the experience to combat interior linemen. His extensive play at center and ability to kick to guard should make him a versatile backup in the mold of Doug Legursky.
I doubt Downing ever moves past versatile backup, but he has the tape and tenacity to carve out a role there. His lack of size and athleticism will limit his potential, but being a multifaceted backup could keep him around for a while in the league. I like his tape, it isn’t flashy, but he seems like a refined blocker. That is exactly what you want in a backup.
1. Monte Pottebaum, FB, Iowa
In the modern era, fullbacks are few and far between, but the ones that last are versatile offensive weapons in addition to lead blockers. Monte Pottebaum is a throwback. He isn’t going to offer you much as a runner or receiver, but he can take on blocks and clear out lanes for running backs. It’s what he excelled at in school.
The issue is, a pure lead-blocking fullback is a dying breed of player, and I’m not sure Pottebaum is going to stick on the roster because of it. The Steelers seem inclined to use tight end Conner Heyward as a hybrid fullback in the modern mold, and he can also play elsewhere as well as serve as a special teams player.
That said if this team wants that traditional blocker, Pottebaum could make the roster outright. It really does depend on how this team wants to utilize the position moving forward. Derek Watt was used sparingly over his time with the team, and I feel like that will inhibit Pottebaum. He is easily the most accomplished player of the undrafted class though and could carve out a career as a lead blocker for a team that still utilizes that.
Despite what I thought was a really strong draft class, the Steelers undrafted pool of players was less exciting. I don’t see a lot here, and even the higher-rated players have a lot of asterisks attached to their names.