The Pittsburgh Steelers were busy updating their Rolodex of players Monday, coming off a 27-13 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Following a report that the Steelers worked out CFL DB Tyrell Ford, 3downnation.com followed up with another report that the Steelers also worked out CFL WR Ajou Ajou and punter Jake Julien on Monday.
CFL players are eligible to work out for NFL teams through Feb. 11, but based on CFL rules, they are unable to sign contracts until Jan. 6. So, the Monday workouts that the Steelers held would be for potential practice-squad depth for the playoffs or for potential reserve/futures contracts after the season.
Ajou, born and raised in Alberta, Canada, spent two seasons at Clemson from 2020-21, playing in 22 games. Ajou transferred to South Florida for the 2022 season in search of more playing time but missed all but one game due to a sports hernia. Ajou spent one season at Garden City Community College at the JUCO level in 2023 after being denied a roster spot at USF.
The 6-foot-3, 218-pounder finished the 2023 season at the JUCO level and declared for the NFL and CFL drafts. He was selected No. 59 overall in the CFL Draft by the Saskatchewan Roughriders, and he went on to become the first seventh-round pick in Roughriders’ history to score a touchdown.
With the Roughriders in 2023, he finished with 20 catches for 307 yards and two touchdowns on 32 targets.
As for Julien, he’s one of the best punters in the CFL. According to 3downnation.com, Julien earned All-CFL honors this season after breaking former CFL and NFL punter Jon Ryan’s record for single-season punting average by more than three yards.
Julien punted 107 times for 5,773 yards for the Edmonton Elks in 2024, leading the CFL in gross average (54.0 yards), a league record, and a net average of 40.0 yards. Eight of his punts were downed inside the 10-yard line.
Julien punted in college at Eastern Michigan and spent time in the offseason in 2022 with the New England Patriots before transitioning to the CFL, where he’s spent time with the Ottawa Redblacks and the Elks.
Update: 5:30 PM
Aaron Wilson reported on X that there were two more names not previously reported included in the CFL workouts.
DT Ralph Holley and WR Makai Polk were also worked out today.
Holley has never been signed in the NFL but is currently a member of the Toronto Argonauts. He played college football for Western Michigan and went through the pre-draft process in 2022 before going undrafted and not signing with any teams.
He measured in at 6006, 297 pounds with 32-inch arms. He put up 24 reps on the bench press and jumped 30 inches for his vertical while running a 4.99-second 40-yard dash.
Holley logged 16 games with 22 tackles, eight sacks, and a forced fumble for the Argonauts in 2024.
Polk bounced on and off the Baltimore Ravens’ roster after initially signing as an undrafted free agent in 2022. He also spent time with the New York Giants on their practice squad.
Pol played football for Mississippi State in college and received a combine invite. He measured in at 6031, 197 pounds with a 4.59-second 40-yard dash. He also jumped a 31-inch vertical.
He appeared in 17 games for the Argonauts and hauled in 61 receptions on 86 targets for 1,024 yards and five touchdowns.
Both Holley and Polk won the Grey Cup over the Winnipeg Blue Bombers this season.
