There are many paths to making an NFL roster. From first-round pick to journeyman free agent, no stories are exactly alike. But you’d be hard-pressed to find someone’s as unique as Pittsburgh Steelers UDFA linebacker Julius Welschof. A 27-year old linebacker born in Germany, he is the team’s International Exemption, allowing the Steelers to carry 91 players on their offseason roster. He’s not treating his time in Pittsburgh as a field trip, a fun story to tell his kids someday. He’s making the most of his chance.
Speaking to the media following Wednesday’s minicamp session, Steelers outside linebackers coach Denzel Martin praised Welschof’s work ethic and approach.
“It’s fun. Julius is really, you should see him,” Martin said via the team’s YouTube channel. “He’s up in my office early mornings trying to get everything he can outta this experience. He takes it so serious and it’s so fun to coach a guy like that. Because if you’re watching him out here, he’s getting better. He’s putting the things we’re asking him to do, in individual [sessions], he’s putting it on tape every day. And that’s all we can ask for.”
Though he has international status in the NFL’s eyes, he’s not quite as green as players from the International Pathway Program who had never been stateside or played organized football. Welschof spent five years at Michigan, 2018 through 2022, after growing up in Miesbach, Germany. Most of his snaps came as an effective special teamer, logging 89 snaps covering kicks in his final year with the Wolverines. He transferred to Charlotte for 2023 but an early-season injury shut his year down, appearing in just four games.
Just as unique as his story is his size. He’s built in an unconventional way for an outside linebacker, weighing in at 6065, 257 pounds at his Pro Day. Tall and lankier, his testing was led by an impressive 7.01 three-cone time, suggesting flexibility to dip and bend the edge despite his height.
“When I’m shaking your hand and I’m looking up at you, I’m happy,” Martin said. “You know what I mean? As long as I ain’t looking down at you. I’m looking up at that big son of a gun and he’s gonna be somebody that’s really gonna be able to put his talents on display, I think.”
In our post-draft scouting report, Josh Carney praised his run defense but noted he’s a work-in-progress as a pass rusher.
Welschof’s roster exemption can carry over into the regular season, allowing the Steelers to carry 17 players on their practice squad if they so choose (if you’re wondering, the exemption doesn’t count for the 53-man roster). Pittsburgh’s likely to take advantage of that and carry him similar to what the team did with TE Christian Scotland-Williamson years ago.
Learning from an elite room featuring T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith, Welschof’s in the perfect place to maximize his NFL chance.
