He was [called the “camp darling” last week](https://steelersdepot.com/2025/08/udfa-max-hurleman-the-camp-darling-so-far-for-steelers-kaboly-says/) by longtime reporter Mark Kaboly, and late in the first half on Saturday night in the preseason opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars on the road, undrafted rookie free agent Max Hurleman came up clutch for the Steelers.
The running back turned wide receiver in training camp made a pair of impressive catches on the two-minute drill drive from quarterback Skylar Thompson, including a sliding 3-yard touchdown catch in the right-front pylon, giving Pittsburgh a 14-9 lead at the half.
Hurleman earned a roster spot with the Steelers coming out of rookie minicamp, going from tryout player to roster spot. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Hurleman has done nothing but make plays during training camp in Latrobe, turning heads and generating a great deal of attention.
During his time in college at both Cornell and Notre Dame, Hurleman played running back and wide receiver, and then switched to cornerback at Notre Dame as the Fighting Irish made a run to the national championship game.
Coming out of college, he measured in at 5107, 200 pounds at Notre Dame Pro Day and ran a 4.68 40-yard dash with a 36-inch vertical. The Steelers had a significant presence at the Notre Dame Pro Day, and Hurleman earned a rookie minicamp tryout.
Then, he made plays during rookie minicamp, [earning a contract from the Black and Gold.](https://steelersdepot.com/2025/05/steelers-make-several-roster-moves-monday/)
Now, he’s carried over his strong play in training camp into the preseason. Along with his 3-yard touchdown catch, Hurleman also made an impressive catch over the middle for a gain of 26 yards, using a subtle head-fake to win out of the slot, get inside the defender and make the catch up the seam.
The rookie took a shot at the catch-point, too, holding on for the splash play.
He might have been named the camp darling, but so far in his preseason debut he’s proving it’s not a fluke.