The Pittsburgh Steelers continue to give some players from the collegiate level a shot following the 2024 NFL Draft, and that now includes Merrimack defensive back Darion McKenzie.
According to a tweet from Merrimack Football on Twitter/X, the Steelers signed McKenzie. However, it’s unclear whether the Steelers signed him as an undrafted free agent or are bringing him in for a rookie minicamp tryout.
McKenzie measures in at 6000, 181 pounds with 31 1/4-inch arms and a 75 7/8-inch wingspan. He clocked a 4.71 40-yard dash and had a 10’2″ broad jump. He was a graduate student in 2023 and spent five seasons at Merrimack.
Last season, McKenzie recorded three interceptions and broke up six passes. He has experience in the secondary and has dabbled in kick and punt returns. Back in 2019 he had a punt return for a touchdown against Mayville State and an interception return for a touchdown against Saint Francis (Pa.).
His addition, whether via UDFA status or rookie minicamp tryout, marks the second straight year that the Steelers have given a Merrimack product a shot. Last year, the Steelers signed Merrimack defensive lineman James Nyamwaya as an undrafted free agent.
McKenzie turned 25 years old on April 22. His most productive year in college came in 2021 when he played more than 500 snaps, recording 34 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss while playing in all 11 games that season. He is a native of Berlin, Maryland, just outside of Ocean City.
McKenzie was on the 2021 Reese’s Senior Bowl watch list before returning to school. In fact, Senior Bowl Director Jim Nagy once got a close look at him in October 2021, calling him a sleeper on Twitter.
