In just a few hours, members of the rookie draft class for the Pittsburgh Steelers will make their NFL preseason debuts at Acrisure Stadium on the banks of the North Shore against the Houston Texans, kick-starting what many hope are long, successful careers in the Black and Gold.
While none of the rookies are expected to “start” Friday night against the Texans as many are still battling for roles and are behind veterans on the roster, all — outside of WR Roman Wilson, who is out with an ankle injury suffered July 30 in training camp — should see ample playing time in their first game.
Though all eyes will be on quarterback Justin Fields in his Steelers’ debut, plenty of attention will be paid to the rookie class, most of whom have had strong training camps to date.
Under the bright lights and the big stage of an NFL game — in stadium, as head coach Mike Tomlin likes to say — is a different animal, though.
Here’s one thing I’m watching for with each member of the Steelers’ rookie draft class in the preseason opener.
OT TROY FAUTANU — IMPACT IN THE RUN GAME
Coming out of Washington, Fautanu was considered one of the best run-blockers in the class due to his strength and edge. So far in training camp, he’s been able to show off that power and that edge, earning some praise from his coaches and teammates for his strength and feistiness.
Now, outside of training camp, we’ll get to see him against opponents on the field, where we can really, truly evaluate play in the trenches. He’s not going to get any run with the first-team offense, but he has a real chance to open some eyes with the second unit and help the Steelers run the football in offensive coordinator Arthur Smith’s scheme.
C ZACH FRAZIER — HANDLING BULL RUSHES
At times so far in training camp, Frazier has had some issues with power from pass rushers. He’s been pushed around at times, particularly with bull rushes.
It’s been a problem dating back to his time at West Virginia, and it has shown up again early in training camp. Frazier’s problem against power rushes has been his tendency to catch rushers. He did that quite a bit in college, but in Pittsburgh, he has had to adjust to offensive line coach Pat Meyer’s scheme, where linemen are asked to take the fight to pass rushers in pass protection.
So far, Frazier has been on a learning curve. Add in the concerns with length, and it’s understandable why he struggled early on with power. He’s improved in recent days in training camp, though. Now, it’s time to see if that improvement translates to the game, where he should see reps against powerful defensive tackles McTelvin Agim, Tim Settle Jr., Kurt Hinish, and Khalil Davis at times.
LB PAYTON WILSON — ABILITY TO BEAT BLOCKS AGAINST THE RUN
Coming out of North Carolina State, Payton Wilson’s testing numbers and production were jaw-dropping. He should have been a fringe first-round pick if not for his medical concerns, considering his size, speed, and tape. Fortunately for the Steelers, he fell to them in the third round at No. 98 overall and looks like quite the steal.
Early on in training camp Wilson has flashed quite a bit, flying around all over the field, drawing attention and praise from coaches and teammates. He certainly looks the part so far in training camp. Now, he should get plenty of run against the Texans, which will have a ton of eyes on him.
I want to see how Wilson can beat blocks against the run and let that speed and athleticism play. He had issues with that in college at times and didn’t play up to his size and length when taking on blockers on occasion. He hasn’t really had that problem in training camp, but in-game is much different from a training camp setting.
The arrow is putting straight up for Wilson. Let’s see him do it in-game at the NFL level.
IOL MASON MCCORMICK — SNAP COUNT AND USAGE
No rookie in the class has generated more buzz in recent days than McCormick, who has seen some starting reps at left guard at times, with veteran Isaac Seumalo getting veteran days off. Head coach Mike Tomlin praised McCormick for “getting better in a hurry” moving from the FCS level to the NFL, so there is obviously plenty to be pleased with so far with McCormick.
I’ll be watching how much he plays and where on Friday night. We know that his toughness and nastiness translate to the NFL, considering he started the first fight of camp going after Patrick Queen and Elandon Roberts after a late hit on Justin Fields.
Now, I want to see him handle extended reps in-stadium while also moving around the interior of the offensive line. Currently, he’s listed as the backup to James Daniels at right guard, but he should see some time at both left and right guard Friday night, similar to how the Steelers utilized Spencer Anderson one season ago.
DE LOGAN LEE — HAND USAGE RUSHING THE PASSER
One of Logan Lee’s calling cards coming out of Iowa was his impressive hand usage and ability to stay clean and win quickly at the point of attack. He did that throughout his career at Iowa, and it really stood out at the East-West Shrine Bowl.
So far in training camp, he hasn’t really shown that. Though he’s done a nice job at times defending the run and setting the edge, he hasn’t really shown much as a pass rusher and is buried on the depth chart at defensive end.
With Cameron Heyward sitting out and Dean Lowry still on Active/PUP, Lee should get plenty of run Friday night, which will be a huge opportunity for him. On the field, Lee needs to show something as a pass rusher. He needs to create some splash if he wants to earn a roster spot.
Doing so as a pass rusher Friday night against the Texans should give him an early boost.
S RYAN WATTS — PLAYING IN A TRUE BOX SAFETY ROLE
At Texas, Ryan Watts was primarily a cornerback who had great size for the position and physicality. He struggled in coverage at times, though, especially with long speed, which led to his transition to safety. So far in training camp, Watts has handled the move well and has made some plays in recent days, picking off two passes so far at training camp.
Now, he needs to carry over his play in training camp to the preseason opener against the Texans, where he is likely going to see a bunch of snaps in that box safety role. He has the physicality, tackles very well, and has shown a nose for play-making so far in his time with the Steelers in training camp.
But, as is common so far in this article, in-stadium is so much different from a practice setting. Watts should see a bunch of snaps Friday night against Houston as a young player fighting for a roster spot. I want to see how he handles the box role, defending the run and handling some coverage snaps against tight ends and slot receivers.
He’s handled that role well in training camp so far, so I want to keep a close eye on how he does against a new opponent. It would not shock me if he makes a splash play or two, building off of a strong week in Latrobe.
