The Pittsburgh Steelers meeting with someone at the Senior Bowl isn’t, on its face, incredibly notable, though we’re nothing if not thorough around here. But Shepherd OT Joey Fisher’s interaction with the team certainly left an impression. In an interview with Draft Network’s Justin Melo, Fisher says his two favorite meetings were with his hometown team, the Baltimore Ravens, and their top rivals, the Pittsburgh Steelers.
He explained why he enjoyed those conversations so much.
“Talking with all 32 teams at the Senior Bowl was a great experience. Of course, there are always a few that you feel like you have great connections with. The Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers come to mind. The most physical teams are able to identify with my nature. They run very physical programs with great tradition and backgrounds.”
From Hagerstown, Maryland, Fisher grew up a Ravens’ fans. He got to watch the height of the rivalry with all the big names. Ben Roethlisberger. Terrell Suggs. Hines Ward. Ed Reed. Alan Faneca. Ray Lewis. Some of the most intense games of the 2000s and early 2010s that always came down to the wire.
Fisher explains he originally played defensive end and watched the trench warfare between the Steelers and Ravens, two teams who slugged it out every time they met. Eventually, he switched to offensive tackle, starting three years for the Rams (his 2020 season was wiped out due to COVID). But Shepherd’s strong teams, a D2 powerhouse, allowed him to gain extra experience, starting 15 games each of the last two years.
He became one of two Shepherd players to attend this year’s Senior Bowl. Fisher was a late call-up, joining QB Tyson Bagent. However, only Bagent was invited to this year’s Combine. Fisher was considered one of the biggest snubs.
Primarily a right tackle in college, he says teams are talking to him about kicking inside. Fisher told Melo he played all five spots in high school and a little bit of left tackle in college, offering positional flexibility when he breaks into the NFL. He’s currently viewed as a late Day Three selection or undrafted player though given the scarcity of o-line talent in the league, his name could be called earlier than expected. He describes his game as a mauler who loves to run block and watched plenty of OT Trent Williams for his pro comparison.
When it comes to Steelers/Ravens, you usually pick a side. Until he’s officially in the NFL, Fisher is on both. Check out the whole interview with Melo by clicking the link here.
