Early in Pittsburgh Steelers training camp, plenty is going just as expected. Aaron Rodgers and the offense are slowly coming together. Kaleb Johnson is impressing out of the backfield. Payton Wilson looks to be taking a big step in Year 2 at linebacker. The offensive line is giving fans plenty of reason to worry.
You know, the usual stuff.
Thankfully, just as there is every year, there have been a few surprises in Pittsburgh’s camp. None may be bigger, literally or figuratively, than the surprises offered by Yahya Black on the defensive line.
One of the more underrated needs of the Steelers this past offseason was depth on the defensive line, but they also needed a new starter opposite Cam Heyward, so crossing both items off the to-do list wasn’t going to be easy. First-rounder Derrick Harmon is helping with the starting role, while fifth-rounder Black is doing all he can to solve the depth issue.
Yahya Black’s versatility is unlocking unexpected value early in Pittsburgh Steelers camp
Black has been impressive in camp, making plays against both the run and pass in team drills while taking on a substantial number of reps. It’s a welcome surprise after so many feared he was being set up to fail when it was revealed he’d be playing defensive end primarily instead of nose tackle.
But the 6-5, 336-pound lineman, one of the largest players on the entire roster, has shown versatility in playing end and nose tackle in spots. He’s also been productive with those reps, batting down a couple of passes at Sunday’s practice and making a few plays in the backfield against the run.
Black was the first fifth-round pick the Steelers have made since Isaiahh Loudermilk in 2022. Loudermilk hasn’t been anything more than a fringe depth piece for Pittsburgh. He hasn’t recorded a sack since his rookie season and has just one tackle for loss since then. Still, Loudermilk was the leading candidate to be the primary rotation option based on experience alone. But by now, Black has already undone that.
READ MORE: 5 Steelers players who are defying expectations at training camp
The Iowa product is outpacing Logan Lee, Dean Lowry, and Daniel Ekuale, too. The former Iowa Hawkeye was just supposed to compete and be in the mix for a few snaps per game, but his performance so far indicates he should be in line for a solid contributing role once the season gets started.
In the meantime, Black no doubt needs to keep impressing in camp and in the preseason, where he’ll get plenty of reps with Heyward taking it easy. As the year progresses, if he has any more surprises up his sleeve, Black could very well make an argument to be Heyward’s heir apparent.