A road map for camp competition
The Steelers report to Saint Vincent College today, and very soon I’ll immerse readers with news about all of the players you know — and don’t know.
The latter is the point of today’s column as I take a look at the second and third-tier prospects and place them in the starting gate to give readers a better idea of how the race will be run. Here’s how the competition is set for the Steelers’ countdown to their 53-man roster:
QUARTERBACK — The preseason competition revolves around Josh Dobbs and Mason Rudolph for the No. 2 job. The fourth QB at camp is FCS record-setter Devlin Hodges out of Samford. The undrafted rookie not only needs a stellar showing in preseason games, but an injury to one of the three locks in order to make the 53-man roster. The Steelers don’t keep QBs on the practice squad.
RUNNING BACK — The top five rushers in SEC history are Herschel Walker, Nick Chubb, Darren McFadden, Kevin Faulk and Bo Jackson. Sounds about right. Those are some historic names. Well, we’ll be able to watch No. 6 — Ralph Webb — at training camp for the first time. He’s my camp sleeper, and would be receiving more attention if anyone knew he was with the team. But, there’s little room for him behind two veterans and the fourth-round draft pick. And Trey Edmunds is next in line as a hybrid fullback/tailback. Webb, out of Vanderbilt, spent time with the New England and Tampa Bay practice squads last year as a rookie, before the Steelers signed the 5-10, 200-pounder to their practice squad in December. He has the experience and team tenure to have a strong camp. Webb wears No. 35.
WIDE RECEIVER — Every time I turn around another reporter is raving about the impression made this spring by third-round draft pick Diontae Johnson. Honestly, I didn’t see it. He has great hands, yes, and in theory could take over the return jobs. But he’s a small guy who’s just beginning to learn the offense after struggling with a minor injury in the spring. He may be great, but I haven’t seen it yet, and trust that I’ve watched more practice than anyone else in the media. I’ll just caution against expecting too much too soon from Johnson. Of course, he’s a lock to making the varsity roster. Donte Moncrief and James Washington will battle for the Nos. 2 and 3 jobs. My guess is that Ryan Switzer is the first slot, but veteran Eli Rogers will have a say about that. Those are the top six. Former CFL star Diontae Spencer had a strong spring and could crash that top six with a flashy preseason showing as a quick slot and return specialist. Last year’s practice squadders, Trey Griffey and Tevin Jones, have camp experience and should make pushes to return in that same capacity. Veteran pickup Johnny Holton didn’t show much in the spring, but has NFL experience.
TIGHT END — The No. 3 spot is wide open and could be filled off the waiver wire come Sept. 1. Otherwise fifth-round pick Zach Gentry is the front-runner for the spot ahead of Pine-Richland High’s Kevin Rader and Texas A&M rookie Trevor Wood, a 6-6, 265-pounder with long-snapping experience.
OFFENSIVE LINE — Matt Feiler and Chuks Okorafor will battle for the starting right tackle job. The Steelers wouldn’t mind to see Okorafor, the 2018 third-round pick, win the job because Feiler is the ideal tackle-guard reserve. B.J. Finney is their guard-center reserve. So that’s seven. I give Zach Banner the edge over Jerald Hawkins as the No. 4 tackle, and undrafted rookie Fred Johnson the slight edge over seventh-round pick Derwin Gray as the fourth guard for the ninth and probably final spot. The practice-squad is the likely landing spot for the loser of the rookie guard battle, same for the winner of the young center battle between last year’s practice-squadder Patrick Morris and AAF League find J.C. Hassenauer.
DEFENSIVE LINE — Sixth-round pick Isaiah Buggs, if he keeps working, appears earmarked for the open reserve job. The bigger question is whether Daniel McCullers can hold off Lavon Hooks, Casey Sayles and Winston Craig for the sixth spot. Hooks will be in his fourth camp with the Steelers and has been on the practice squad for two years. He edged out Sayles last year for that job, but the Steelers liked what they saw in Sayles and re-signed him following a strong AAF season. Same with Craig, who’s spent parts of the last two seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles.
EDGE RUSHERS — Last year’s camp surprise, Ola Adeniyi, appears to have a clear path to the fourth spot on the varsity roster. So where does that leave 6-A draft pick Sutton Smith? He of the 29 sacks and 56.5 tackles-for-loss the last two seasons at Northern Illinois? Well, he could force a fifth spot with stellar special teams play. But he’s small. Keep that in mind when you hear about this media darling from other Pittsburgh outlets. At 6-0, 233, he’s going to have to show up on special teams, and that hasn’t been a sure path here for 3-4 outside linebackers in the past. Ola’s former teammate at Toledo, Tuzar Skipper, has the edge over J.T. Jones for the practice squad if Smith makes varsity.
OFF-THE-BALL LINEBACKER — Again, they normally keep four, but kept five last year, and that didn’t include the dime safety/backer. A fifth varsity spot would give 6-C pick Ulysees Gilbert a chance. Gilbert is small but can run and cover, and appears ideally suited for special teams. His primary competition will come from Robert Spillane, who played as a rookie last season for the Tennessee Titans and is the grandson of John Lattner — the only Heisman Trophy winner (1953) to ever play for the Steelers. Tegray Scales is also an interesting prospect. He compiled 13 sacks and 6 turnovers his last two seasons at Indiana and spent two weeks on the Indianapolis Colts’ practice squad last season.
CORNERBACK — They kept five last season and already have five locks that don’t include their only experienced reserve, Artie Burns, or Brian Allen, who’s been with the team for two seasons. The Steelers likely will keep six this season, since their nickel backs both provide depth at safety, and also since 3-B draft pick Justin Layne is probably too raw to see much more than special teams action. Herb Waters, a converted wide receiver who was picked up for the practice squad last season, is the best long shot.
SAFETY — Figure that Jordan Dangerfield is a lock as a core special-teamer. That gives them three safeties and sets up a very interesting battle for the fourth and possibly fifth spots. Marcus Allen returns for his second season with versatility as a dime linebacker; Kameron Kelly was the surprise of spring practice and provides versatility at nickel back; P.J. Locke is a cerebral undrafted rookie out of Texas with versatility as a nickel back; and West Virginia’s Dravon Askew-Henry could be groomed as a pure free safety in case the Steelers can’t extend the contract of starter Sean Davis.
SPECIALISTS — Undrafted rookies Matthew Wright and Ian Berryman showed off natural skills this spring at placekicker and punter, respectively, but it will be an uphill battle, even with the starters coming off poor seasons, because the Sept. 1 waiver wire often provides low-hanging fruit at these positions.