One of the easiest ways to make an impression in a training camp setting is in the backs-on-‘backers drill. It’s one of the most straightforward competitions in determining winner versus loser. You have one pass rusher and one blocker, typically a running back, and the two trains collide—or not, sometimes, if the pass rusher is successful.
It’s the drill that put RB Jaylen Warren on the map for the Pittsburgh Steelers last year, and he’s still making an impression. Veteran ILB Elandon Roberts got his first taste of the second-year back recently and he shared his thoughts on the pass protection acumen on display.
“I really do like Jaylen. He keeps good leverage”, he said, via the team’s website. “He was able to stay in front of me, and he got a good finish at the end. I was kind of laughing on the ground. But I would never get up and [go up to] my teammate or this and the other because it is what it is. We’re just gonna get up and do it again”.
The two went against each other several times in the backs-on-‘backers drills head coach Mike Tomlin has run the team through so far, and he’s had his share of wins. That’s no easy thing, not just because the drill is slanted toward the pass rusher, but also because Roberts knows a thing or two about tossing out his fastball.
Well, Warren served one of his fastballs straight back up to the mound and left him hitting the grass in response, evidently not anticipating the back’s eagerness to make sure that he would finish the rep through the whistle.
A college free agent out of Oklahoma State last year, Warren signed with the Steelers following the draft and largely flew under the radar until the first day of pads in training camp. His success in that backs-on-‘backers drill suddenly thrust the spotlight on him and he’s had it since then.
Not only did he go on to make the 53-man roster, he logged 342 offensive snaps. While that encompassed 105 touches for nearly 600 yards from scrimmage, much of his work did come in passing situations as a protector.
He’s clearly established himself as the best pass protector on the roster, with that being a part of Najee Harris’ game that has seemed to backslide since his rookie season. When the in-game context prioritizes keeping QB Kenny Pickett on his feet, I would imagine we can expect to continue to see Warren on the field a good amount this year.
Even though he’s seemed to find his niche on the roster, that hasn’t had any effect on the urgency with which he approaches his work. That’s a good thing, considering Tomlin said they’re going to have a big problem if he exhales.
