Steelers Now
PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Steelers defensive coordinator Teryl Austin likes the trajectory of rookie defensive lineman Yahya Black. He thinks the big man out of Iowa has the potential to make an instant impact.
“We like Yahya’s progress,” Austin said on Monday. “As you guys know, he is not a little man. When he really learns how to use all the tools at his disposal, he’s going to be a load inside.”
Austin thinks nose tackle could be an option for Black down the road. The Marshall, Minn native has a massive stature, standing at 6-foot-6, 335 pounds, but he’s super athletic also.
“He’s a little bit more agile than what people probably give him credit for. Which allows him to play out at the (four technique) and allows him to do some of the stuff in our base defense,” Austin said. “I think he’ll be able to move anywhere in the interior. He’s a big man, he’s hard to move.”
The Steelers are hoping they landed several impact players in the 2025 NFL Draft. Luckily, that already is looking to be the case for one of their late-round selections.
Steelers general manager Omar Khan couldn’t help but praise Black following the first couple weeks of training camp.
“He’s great. He’s been what we expect him to be,” Khan said on SiriusXM NFL Radio. “I think he’s only gonna get better. We feel fortunate that he was still there in the fifth round, and it was easy when we were on the clock.”
Black stands at a massive, 6-foot-6, 336 pounds and proved to be a difference maker over the past five years at Iowa, recording 117 tackles (51 solo), 5.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and nine passes defended.
Black wants to prove he’s more than just big, though.
“There’s always big guys everywhere,” Black said during rookie minicamp. “There’s a lot of things out there that they’re trying to teach us, and sometimes you just have to take it one thing at a time to really try to take everything in.”
Alan Saunders contributed reporting from Pittsburgh.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Steelers DC Has High Expectations for Yahya Black: ‘He’s Going to Be a Load Inside’
