Based on reports out of training camp, it sounds like the 2024 draft class for the Pittsburgh Steelers has been impressive. The group of rookie offensive linemen have been flashing their potential, Payton Wilson has been getting stellar reviews, Roman Wilson was shining before injury, and even Ryan Watts and Logan Lee have earned some compliments. However, undrafted rookie corner Beanie Bishop Jr. has also been making quite a bit of noise.
Bishop came into camp fighting for the starting slot corner job, and he may be working his way into winning that competition. ShaDon Brown, Bishop’s position coach at West Virginia University last year, doesn’t seem surprised, telling media members via BlueGoldNews.com that he’s got the utmost confidence in Bishop.
“He’s a hard worker,” Brown said. “He’s a Steeler. He fits that blue-collar, that mentality. He fits Mike Tomlin. He’s a worker. He’s always gonna be doing more than what’s required. He’s just a guy that has always overachieved, and that underdog mentality, he embraces it. He loves that.
“He doesn’t want to be on top, he always wants to be fighting from the bottom. He’ll make their 53, and he’ll make plays for them. It’s a shame they didn’t draft him, but that’s okay. They’ll have to pay him at some point.”
That is an unreal level of belief from Brown in Bishop. Bishop played six years of college football but only last season was for Brown and WVU. It seems like he made quite the impression on everyone there because this isn’t the first time a coach from WVU has praised him so highly.
To believe that an undrafted free agent who hasn’t even played in a game yet will get a second contract from a team is bold to say the least. There is a blueprint for Bishop to follow that path. Mike Hilton was an undersized, undrafted corner once upon a time, and now he’s one of the best slot corners in the league.
That came about due to his mentality and willingness to dive headfirst into the fire, and it sounds like Bishop has those same qualities. What he lacks in size he makes up for in work effort. As long as he stays healthy and continues to play well in training camp, Bishop should be the Steelers’ slot corner, although nothing is ever guaranteed, especially for undrafted players.
Coaches even had Bishop line up for some reps against George Pickens recently. Pickens is much bigger than Bishop, and the point of those reps was so that coaches could see Bishop against better competition. It more than likely means they are intrigued by him. If he wins the starting role, they need to know he can handle different kinds of receivers.
If Bishop does indeed get a second contract from the Steelers, it will be a great moment for Brown to say, “I told you so.” That would be a great outcome for the Steelers too because it would mean Bishop ended up developing into a great player. They didn’t pay Hilton when his contract was up, and they’ve struggled to fill his role since then. Bishop may give them an opportunity to rectify that mistake.
