We know several more players who will be attending Pittsburgh Steelers rookie minicamp this weekend and one of them will bring a strong Black and Gold connection with him. Virginia Union OL Darian Bryant, West Florida FB/TE Maverick Wolfley, and Temple DL Xach Gill will all attend on a tryout/invite basis.
Bryant brings big size at 6051, 315 pounds with 34-inch arms. At his Pro Day, held at Towson, he ran a 5.36 40 with a 28.5-inch vert, 8’6″ broad, and 20 reps on the bench press.
Bryant bounced around throughout his college career. He began at Temple, spending three seasons there before transferring to Towson. He was there from 2019 to 2021, losing his 2020 season due to the pandemic, and spending 2021 largely as a backup, though he started one game for the team against Elon.
He again transferred, this time to Virginia Union, for the 2022 season and found his footing, starting and being named a first-team All-Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association selection. He blocked for a high-flying offense that averaged more than 40 points per game last season, the team going 9-2 before losing in the first round of the playoffs.
Bryant was another participant at this year’s HBCU Combine, of which the Steelers’ Omar Khan was the only NFL GM to attend. There, he ran a 5.42 40 but bettered his numbers at his Pro Day later in the pre-draft process.
Wolfley also spent time at three schools. He committed to West Virginia out of high school but quickly transferred to Akron, seeing part-time work. In 2018, he caught four passes for 58 yards and a touchdown and had two scores the following year in his five starts for the Zips. Wolfley transferred again to West Florida for the 2022 season, though he caught just one pass, a 23-yard reception against Delta State.
He worked out at West Virginia’s Pro Day, which the Steelers attended, and ran a 4.94 at 6022, 252 pounds. He also jumped 29.5 inches in the vert, 9’8″ in the broad, and put up 16 reps on the bench press. With short 28 5/8-inch arms, he may be viewed as more of a fullback or H-Back than true tight end.
Perhaps most notably, Wolfley’s uncle is Craig Wolfley, the great Steelers’ offensive lineman who currently serves as a radio analyst for the team. Wolfley’s grandfather was legendary Steelers’ center Ray Mansfield so he definitely has the Steelers in his DNA. And that’s where Maverick got his “Ranger” nickname.
Like the others, Gill is also a transfer. After beginning his career at North Carolina, he switched to Temple. He saw rotational work as a senior in 2022, finishing the year with 24 tackles, nine of them solo. He did not register a tackle for loss or a sack this season, though he three career TFLs and two sacks, the bulk of that coming while he was a Tar Heel.
Weighing in at 6037, 297 pounds with long 34 1/4-inch arms, he has the prototypical build of a Steelers’ defensive lineman. At his Pro Day, he underwhelmed with a 5.42 40 and just 14 reps on the bar, though having long arms does hinder that number.
Pittsburgh’s rookie minicamp will be held May 12th through the 14th. You can see the rest of the tryout players at the link here.
