It wouldn’t be a stretch to say the Pittsburgh Steelers RB Jaylen Warren made the team last year because of his pass-blocking skills. An undrafted free agent (UDFA), Warren shined in the Steelers’ backs on ‘backers drill last summer as he consistently won his battles and proved to be a highly effective pass blocker. That helped him make the team and become the third-down back early in the year. Back in Latrobe, Pa., where he shined last summer, Warren talked about why pass blocking is such a big part of his game.
“I think it’s just ’cause I like the contact,” Warren said today in an interview, which was posted to Steelers.com. “Personally, I never really pass blocked a lot, especially in high school. But you know college I’ve always been somebody to go hit somebody. I’ve never really been able to sustain my blocks. That’s what I’m really working on this year though.”
Warren is good and an effective running back — he averaged an impressive 4.9 yards per carry last season — but despite that his pass blocking is what most Steelers fans know him for. It was not uncommon to see him lay players out, just like he did in Week One last year to Germaine Pratt of the Cincinnati Bengals.
Given how good of a pass blocker Warren is — so good that he pushed starting running back and highly effective pass catcher Najee Harris to the bench on most third downs — it was surprising to hear him reveal he didn’t do it too much thought his football career. Warren did reveal that when he signed with Pittsburgh as an UDFA, they told him to focus on his blocking.
“They emphasized that role, me coming in,” he said. “So I made sure when I got my opportunity, I (made) the most of it.”
Entering training camp last year, Warren was clearly on the outside looking in with Harris, Benny Snell Jr., and Anthony McFarland Jr. ahead of him on the depth chart. But Warren ended up surpassing all of them and making the team pretty easily, slotting into the backup role right away.
This season, many expect Warren to see more carries due to how effective he was last year. But for Warren it seems his priority is sustaining his blocks better this year, once again focusing on what helped him make the team. Warren does everything well and if he continues to improve as a runner and a blocker it may lead to the Steelers having one of the best running back duos in the NFL.
Warren doesn’t back down to anyone and that is why he has carved out a role in the NFL. He embraces contact, which is not only something that head coach Mike Tomlin appreciates, but also has helped Warren become a very underrated player.
