It has been an interesting year for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ rookies. After receiving nearly unanimous praise as one of the league’s best draft classes, injuries have limited the contributions of multiple notable rookies. Even with those injuries, the rookie class has showed up in a big way, just not the players most expected before the season began.
OT Troy Fautanu made one start before a knee injury effectively ended his season. WR Roman Wilson only suited up for one game, but a training camp ankle injury and now a hamstring injury have more or less forced him into a redshirt year. Even C Zach Frazier, who looked great through six games, has been out for the last couple weeks with an ankle injury. The team’s top three draft selections all dealing with injuries isn’t ideal, but that hasn’t stopped some of the others from making the most of their opportunities.
The Ringer’s Diante Lee released a midseason All-Rookie team, and three Steelers made the cut: ILB Payton Wilson, OG Mason McCormick, and CB Beanie Bishop Jr. Somehow, Frazier was left off the list — not even as an honorable mention. That feels like an oversight with Frazier being one of the best centers in the league over the first six weeks, but maybe the injury knocked him out of the running.
Payton Wilson was supposedly the injury-prone one of the draft class, but he’s been very healthy. He has played a little under 50 percent of the total defensive snaps, and there has been a noticeable increase in his tackling production over the last four weeks. He had just 11 total tackles over the first four weeks compared to 28 over the last four. His speed and relentless pursuit to the football are very apparent.
McCormick got his first opportunity while LG Isaac Seumalo was injured, but stepped into a permanent starting role once RG James Daniels tore his Achilles. There were multiple reports throughout the preseason about how much the Steelers liked McCormick, and I think we are starting to see why. He has played 67 percent of the team’s offensive snaps and has started the last five games.
It hasn’t been perfect, but you wouldn’t expect it to be for an FCS product out of South Dakota State. Pro Football Focus has credited him for allowing zero sacks and committing just two penalties. That is a good starting point for him to build from.
Bishop is the most unlikely name of the bunch. The undrafted free agent had an uphill battle to even make the 53-man roster, yet he ended up the week one starting slot corner. He probably wouldn’t have been in consideration had it not been for the three interceptions over the last two weeks. After a very rough outing in Week 5 against the Dallas Cowboys, Bishop has bounced back in a big way.
It is unusual for an undrafted rookie to play 71 percent of a team’s defensive snaps through the first eight weeks. That number will be lower over the back half of the season with Cam Sutton back in the mix, but Bishop has done enough to still retain a role in some form or fashion.
