Steel City Blitz
The rooks successfully “made the cut” as all seven draft picks made the initial 53-man roster for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
To some surprise, all rookies beat the odds and found themselves a spot heading into the regular season. Not a surprise that the early picks made it, rather it’s the late round picks that really had to grind to get to where they are.
For some, it was the plays they made and the stats put up over the three-game preseason. For others, they haven’t played a snap yet and still made the team. Here, we look at the preseason recap of the rookies and just why they survived the chopping block.
With no surprise at all, Derrick Harmon made the cut. Unfortunately, he looks to start the season on the IR with an MCL sprain. This occurred in the last game of the preseason against the Carolina Panthers.
Injury aside, Harmon looked dominant in the preseason. He contributed instantly in his first preseason game, showing bursts of speed off the line as well as his ability to clog running lanes. Harmon recorded his first sack against Tampa Bay after bull-rushing an offensive lineman to get to the QB. He showed more promise before leaving the final preseason game.
Preseason stat line: Tackles: 4 (Solo: 1 AST: 3), Sacks: 1
Kaleb Johnson had a solid showing throughout the preseason. He carried the ball several times in the three games, showcasing his potential. From taking snaps behind the second-team O line to rushing behind the starters in the last game.
Johnson showed great vision as he found holes easily and used the speed he has to burst through them. He runs with aggression and is never afraid to throw a stiff arm.
What stood out was his shiftiness and versatility. As a back with his size, Johnson looked very smooth at times in his runs. He also has great blocking ability and shows exceptional route running. All shown throughout the preseason.
Preseason stat line: Carries: 24 / Yards: 94, Receptions: 3 / Yards:17
Jack Sawyer had a good, not great, showing throughout the preseason. His most notable game was the finale against the Panthers. There, he had five total tackles, three pressures, and stuffed the run really well. His name was called several times on third down and in the red zone.
Though Sawyer only had one stellar game, he still showed promise at times through the first two. He needs to stick to his power and use it against his blocks. Using his speed and dips hurt him more than they helped in the preseason.
With the injury to Nick Herbig, we could see Sawyer get some week 1 snaps. If not, Sawyer is a great depth piece.
Preseason stat line: Tackles: 8 (Solo: 4 AST: 4)
Someone who made a case to be the best rookie in this class for...
