Chris Trapasso of CBS Sports produced his Practice Squad Power Rankings on Friday morning, listing his top 16 players on practice squads across the league who don’t qualify for veteran status past being drafted/signed as a UDFA earlier than 2020. One Pittsburgh Steeler made his list as OT Kellen Diesch came in at fourth overall in his rankings, behind Patriots QB Malik Cunningham, Chiefs CB Darius Rush, and Vikings RB DeWayne McBride.
“I thought Diesch was the classic mid-round blocker who’d land with a zone-blocking team and, after a year of adding weight and strength to his game, he’d be, at the very least, an adequate starter who could play either tackle spot or even bump inside to be one of the taller guards in the league, if necessary,” Trapasso wrote. “That didn’t happen. Or maybe it just hasn’t happened yet.”
The Steelers added Diesch to their practice squad on Aug. 30 as the preseason ended, rounding out their 53-man roster and 16-man practice squad prior the start of the regular season. Diesch initially signed with the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2022. He was waived in the final round of cuts last season and signed shortly thereafter with the Chicago Bears, spending the 2022 season on their practice squad. He spent the 2023 preseason and training camp in Chicago before getting waived during final cuts, opting for a change of scenery as he signed to Pittsburgh’s practice squad just a day later.
Diesch is a tall, yet slender tackle, standing over 6-foot-7 and weighing 301 pounds with 32-1/2-inch arms and 9-1/2-inch hands. He tested well at the NFL Combine in 2022, running the 40 in 4.89 second while posting a 4.43 short shuttle, a 32.5-inch vert, and a 9’2” broad.
I personally gave Diesch a fifth-round grade in our pre-draft profile on him, lining up with several of Trapasso’s points on the blocker from Arizona State. He is a fluid mover in space, having a good athletic profile and the acumen to be a solid blocker in zone-based systems. He needed to add weight to his frame to fill out his long, lanky body and add more strength and power to generate a better push in the run game as well as better anchor in pass protection. He struggled to seal off the edge at times in college, prompting Trapasso to consider kicking him inside to guard, but Diesch lacks the size/base to successfully move inside at this point of his career.
Diesch is a talented prospect with several intriguing tools when it comes to movement and measurables, but his game continues to need refinement as well as his body to better hold up against the challenges NFL pass rushers will present him. He is best suited to continue his development on a practice squad as he makes a concerted effort to fill out his frame more and develop a stronger anchor to withstand power rushers before seeing the field as a member of an active roster.
