PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers are back to work on the city’s South Side, hosting their first rookie minicamp practice on Friday.
While the Steelers’ rookies were just in shorts and jerseys, there were still some things to be taken away from the first day of practice.
Here are some things we learned from the first day of the Steelers’ rookie minicamp:
Kaleb Johnson is ready made
The first thing I noticed right away is, from just a frame standpoint, no one is more ready-made of the Steelres rookies than Kaleb Johnson. Johnson will not be the type of player who will need extensive regiment plans. He already has an NFL build.
That frame, paired with an easy smoothness to his game, stood out. Johnson has the frame to be a bell-cow running back, and it certainly appears the Steelers are high on the Iowa product. Expect Johnson to get a lot of the early-down workload.
The thing that might hold him back from eating too many snaps, especially in obvious passing situations, is his pass protection. Johnson noted he had to improve that. Until the Steelers trust him there, he will not become a three-down, true bell-cow back, but he will take a lot of early down carries in this offense.
A new contender in the slot
The Steelers’ secondary has many questions, but slot cornerback might be the biggest one. Beanie Bishop enters his second season as the favorite, but former Iowa defensive back Sebastian Castro is determined to make his mark. For now, Castro says the Steelers have him learning both safety spots and slot cornerback, focusing on safety since he played so much in the slot during his time at Iowa.
“Right now, they have me playing a lot of safety,” Castro said. “You know, I played so much in the slot, so I’m learning three different spots right now.”
Castro will turn 25 in his rookie season and has a physicality about his game that a lot of rookie defensive backs lack. His experience will aid him in a quick start in the Steelers’ system. Keep an eye on him.
UDFA WR sneaking onto roster?
George Pickens is no longer around, and that means more opportunities for other players. The biggest benefactor might be Memphis product, undrafted free agent Roc Taylor. Taylor is a big wide receiver at 6-foot-1, 212 pounds, and he carries that frame well.
This is a guy who looks only like an X-receiver, and Taylor confirmed on Friday that is where the Steelers will play him. It is no surprise that Taylor is known for his contested catches. Even through mundane individual drills, Taylor showed a ton of energy. He seems like the type of player who is fearless. That is the right mentality to make the roster, and now there is a path. Let’s see if he can take advantage.
Early DL Notes
Derrick Harmon looked fine in his first action. On tape, I never considered Harmon super explosive off the line, but he has great coordination and quickness. That was on display in the hand usage drills, where Harmon could fire off so quickly and get his hands on pads or opposing teammates. It’s good to have confirmation on that.
Cam Heyward and Keeanu Benton have already contacted Harmon, and Harmon is starting to learn from Heyward. Keep an eye on things he might add to his game; he already has a really good base for his power moves.
Yahya Black is a massive man. The Steelers are going to want to work on his pad level. That was already clear, and there was an emphasis on the fifth-round pick. He has natural pop in his hands. Every time he struck the sled with his hands, there was a jolt that no one in the room replicated. He has some sledgehammers attached to him there.
Either way, Black’s size and strength will never be the question, but consistency in his technique will decide how good he will be early.
Like Harmon, Jack Sawyer is starting to learn from a noteworthy mentor in his room, T.J. Watt. It is no wonder why Sawyer’s motor runs hot on film; he is a massive tryhard in practice. That is a complement to the fullest extent. Sawyer is like an energizer bunny out there on the practice field. It translates to gameday.
Notes on Will Howard
Will Howard really want to be a Steeler?
Well, yes. He has said that about ten times since he was drafted and is not lying about it.
On the first day of rookie minicamp, there is not much to know about a quarterback. However, there were a few things to note. One, he just looked comfortable, especially as the leader and signal-caller of a group. That is to be expected from a quarterback who won a National Championship and played for five years.
Second, footwork will be the biggest thing to watch for him. Ohio State head coach Ryan Day noted they had tweaked his footwork at the end of the season following their loss to Michigan to keep Howard in rhythm and comfortable. When he is comfortable, he can shine. Howard noted that all went back to feet.
Other Quick Notes
Middlebury’s Thomas Perry is a fascinating tryout player for the Steelers. Trained by Duke Manyweather, there is a lot of buzz around him. The Steelers are looking to add one or two more offensive linemen, so Perry has a chance to earn his keep.
Veteran running back Trey Sermon was in camp for a tryout. He torched the Steelers as a member of the Colts. The Steelers still seem open to adding another veteran back, so Sermon is someone to watch.
Inside linebackers coach Scott McCurley is totally different from Aaron Curry. Curry was a fireball of energy, an intense player where his former player background bled through. McCurley is a more laid-back, matter-of-fact teacher. He seems extremely detail-oriented, which is something to note given the team’s communication issues down the stretch last year.