One Pittsburgh Steelers player finished with a top 10 rookie Pro Football Focus grade in Week 1 of the preseason. It wasn’t first-round offensive tackle Troy Fautanu, second-round center Zach Frazier, or even the electric third-round outside linebacker Payton Wilson. It was an undrafted free agent signee, Jacoby Windmon, a linebacker from Michigan State.
Windmon played just 18 snaps in the Steelers’ preseason opener against the Houston Texans last Friday. Yet in that brief window, Windmon recorded three tackles and one pass breakup, finishing with a 90.0 PFF grade. That was higher than any other Steelers defender, and good for the seventh-best grade among all rookies in Week 1 of the preseason. It was a small sample size against backups late in the game, but Windmon still passed the eye test.
His best plays included flying in to deliver a big hit on an outside run, limiting the back to just a 2-yard gain. With four minutes left in the game, Windmon jumped a drag route on 3rd and 3 inside the red zone. He deflected a pass that would’ve been a first down, forcing the Texans to attempt a field goal, which they missed. He was all over the field in his NFL preseason debut, making plays left and right.
Windmon was a stud for several seasons at UNLV, before transferring to Michigan State ahead of the 2022 season. He showcased his versatility for the Spartans, playing both linebacker and defensive end, and posting an impressive stat line of 64 tackles, 6.5 sacks, six fumbles forced, and one interception across 11 games in 2022 and 2023. A pectoral injury kept him sidelined for most of the 2023 season, and it prevented him from potentially being drafted in 2024.
Steelers defensive coordinator Teryl Austin praised Windmon’s performance and talked about the versatile skill set that Windmon has displayed during training camp. Listed at just barely over 6-feet and weighing 235 pounds, Windmon is small for a traditional edge rusher, so he’s practiced at inside linebacker in addition to outside linebacker. He’s athletic for his frame, and he demonstrated a solid arsenal of pass-rushing moves while in college. He’s also a solid run defender who’s capable in zone coverage as an off-ball linebacker.
Unfortunately for him, the Steelers’ depth at both inside and outside linebacker combined with Windmon’s physical shortcomings will make it difficult for him to make the 53-man roster. But if he continues to display his abilities as a run stopper and pass defender in the preseason and becomes a difference-maker on special teams, Windmon could definitely solidify a practice squad spot.
