Since entering the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of Oklahoma State in the 2022 NFL Draft, running back Jaylen Warren has quickly become a key member of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offense.
When the Steelers first signed him, he was largely an afterthought as a guy who could potentially be a practice squad player. But once the pads came on in training camp in the summer of 2022, Warren made his mark—literally and figuratively—on the Steelers, earning a roster spot.
He wasn’t done at just a roster spot, though, developing into a very solid RB2 in his rookie season behind Najee Harris and then pushing Harris last season as a legitimate 1A to Harris in the backfield as the two split reps.
Entering the 2024 season, Warren is generating more and more buzz, especially with new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith in the mix. For Bootleg Football’s Brett Kollmann, Warren is one of the most underrated offensive players in the NFL. Warren was one of five offensive pieces highlighted by Kollmann as most underrated in the NFL, including Arizona TE Trey McBride, Atlanta WR Drake London, Baltimore center Tyler Linderbaum, and Kansas City guard Trey Smith.
Last season, Warren was a force for the Steelers, rushing for 784 yards and five touchdowns while also finishing second on the team with 61 receptions in the passing game. For Kollmann, it’s a scary thought to think just how bad the Steelers’ offense would have been in 2023 without Warren in the mix.
“You could argue that Warren was literally the best weapon the Steelers had on offense, or at least the most efficient and most explosive,” Kollmann said in his video breaking down Warren, according to video via his YouTube page. “If you’re wondering how a team won so many games despite looking so incredibly inept on offense overall, Jaylen Warren is why. When the offense needed a play, he was generally the one who gave it to them.
“I can’t really imagine how bad this offense would’ve been without him because oftentimes he was pretty much their only spark.”
When the Steelers needed a play last season, they generally turned to Warren, whether on the ground or through the air out of the backfield. He often provided a major spark and was as explosive as they come in the NFL.
Not only that, Warren was a force when it came to making defenders miss. In a study by Football Insights, Warren leads the NFL in missed tackles forced per carry at over 0.30 per carry and is among the league leaders in yards per touch at over 5.5.
The former Oklahoma State standout is a bowling ball with legs, period. He runs incredibly hard, refuses to go down on first contact, and really fights for every single yard he can get, dishing out punishment in the process, much like Harris. The duo really personifies the Steelers’ tradition at the running back position when it comes to how they run and fight through contact constantly.
Warren tied Harris for the most 10-plus-yard runs this season with 24 and graded as the 11th-best running back from PFF on the season, one spot ahead of Harris, at 78.6 overall. He also is one of the best pass-blocking running backs in football, consistently dishing out punishment in pass protection, even drawing some puzzling fines along the way.
“This is a tremendous player who I think just doesn’t get the recognition that he would get elsewhere if he had a true opportunity to start from the beginning,” Kollmann said of Warren. “He’s awesome. Steelers fans know he’s awesome.”
Jaylen Warren is an awesome player and an awesome find by the scouting department for the Steelers.
Ahead of the 2024 season, big things are expected once again from Warren, who combines with Harris to form a dynamic 1-2 punch in the backfield, which has quietly become one of the better ones in the NFL at the position.
If things go as expected this season for Jaylen Warren, he won’t be underrated anymore.
Check out Brett Kollman’s full video below.
