The Steelers’ rookie class has been in the middle of the action at training camp, but the early returns have been uneven. Pittsburgh has already churned through camp battles and even swapped veteran defensive backs, yet the first-year group still hasn’t truly pulled away from the pack.
That doesn’t mean the whole class has been flat. A few rookies have flashed.
A few have quietly faded. And for several others, the story is simply still being written.
Max Iheanachor is the most complicated case. Pittsburgh’s first-round pick came into camp with mixed expectations - some viewed him as raw, others believed the Steelers saw him as ready to play right away.
A week into camp, that tension is still there. He turned in a strong first padded practice on Monday, but right now he’s still behind Dylan Cook at right tackle.
Cook has been a steady presence with the starters and has held up well. Iheanachor looks the part, but for now it feels like Cook would have to stumble badly for the rookie to take over, even if Iheanachor’s long-term future is obvious.
Germie Bernard has had a quieter start. He’s not making many mistakes, but he’s also not forcing his way into the conversation.
The issue is the competition ahead of him. Roman Wilson appears to have the early edge in the slot, and the former third-round pick has been getting targeted heavily throughout the first week.
That’s a tough lane for Bernard to break into.
Drew Allar, meanwhile, has looked like a rookie with real arm talent. He has made mistakes, sure, but he’s also shown why Pittsburgh drafted him.
He’s not shy about pushing the ball downfield. His role is already set - he’s locked in as the third quarterback - so the main value here is that he’s showing the traits the Steelers wanted to see and can carry that into preseason work.
Daylen Everette has been one of the more interesting rookies so far. Coaches and fans have noticed him, and the former Georgia cornerback has earned praise for what he’s done on the field.
He’s flashed more good than bad. Still, he’s been overshadowed by Asante Samuel Jr., who has arguably had the best camp on the team.
Even with a solid start, Everette may still be looking at a special teams role as a rookie.
Gennings Dunker came in with a burst of optimism around him, and plenty of fans were quick to project him into a starting guard job. That buzz has cooled fast.
Camp has made it clear he isn’t in the running for a starting spot this season. Instead, he needs to stack good tape, be ready if injuries hit, and position himself for a bigger role down the line.
Kaden Wetjen has barely made a ripple in camp, but that’s not really the point yet. His chance is expected to come in the preseason, when he can handle kicks and punts. Until then, he’s been one of the quietest rookies in the group.
Riley Nowakowski has taken a different path. He hasn’t had a perfect camp, but he does have a defined job as the fullback.
That role is his to lose. What boosts his stock is the way Pittsburgh has used him beyond the obvious fullback work.
He’s been deployed in creative ways, and that gives him value as more than just a backfield piece.
Gabriel Rubio has landed in the middle. The sixth-round pick hasn’t had a camp that jumps off the page either way, but he’s in the mix as one of the better backup options on the defensive line. The opportunities are there, and he’s someone worth watching once the games start.
Robert Spears-Jennings has been one of the clearest upward movers. His play hasn’t been dazzling, but the Steelers clearly like him.
The seventh-round safety has been getting work as a top depth option and even took reps as a starter when the numbers got thin. He also seems to be running ahead of Sebastian Castro in the battle for a roster spot, which gives him an early edge for one of the final places on the 53-man roster.
Eli Heidenreich has gone the other direction. His offensive production has been minimal, but that’s only part of the issue.
Travis Homer has emerged as a core special teams player, and the Steelers seem to trust him there. If Heidenreich wants to win that roster spot, he needs to show more in other areas and make his case on special teams too.
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For the Steelers, it is a familiar kind of awkwardness, the sort that comes with having a quarterback whose comments can quickly become a separate storyline from the football itself. The team has been in this position before with backup Mason Rudolph, and while this latest flare-up is not about anything on the field, it again puts Pittsburgh in the position of answering for a players public remarks instead of focusing on the roster. [Read more 🡒]