The Pittsburgh Steelers and general manager Omar Khan balanced value with need yet again to land a seven-player draft haul that has received near-universal praise.
Our lead draft analyst Dane Brugler ranked Pittsburgh’s class second in the NFL, behind only the Chicago Bears, who had the opportunity to draft top-rated QB Caleb Williams with the first pick.
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But let’s not forget about the undrafted free agents. If the Steelers’ draft picks are promising, man are the UDFAs interesting. There’s a dual-threat QB who led college football in rushing. A talented pianist. A great singer. A former college baseball player.
And that’s just one guy.
The others include an international player from Germany, a speedy linebacker who was part of the infamous MSU-Michigan tunnel brawl, a candidate for RB3 and an All-American defensive back who just might contend for a starting role in the nickel.
Let’s meet the five, ranked by least likely to most likely to stick with the team through training camp.
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5. John Rhys Plumlee, QB, Central Florida (6-0, 203)
More than just a dual-threat quarterback, Plumlee was also a dual-sport athlete at Ole Miss and UCF, which earned the 5-11, 203-pound athlete social media fame last spring.
On April 14, 2023, he played in a UCF baseball game and notched a base hit in the seventh inning before being replaced by a pinch runner. He was then rushed by a golf cart over to the football stadium in time to compete in the spring game.
So about last night…#G10rytoGod pic.twitter.com/dIa2QeVnQV
— John Rhys Plumlee (@JohnRhysPlumlee) April 15, 2023
Halftime of the marathon!! #G10rytoGod pic.twitter.com/LZB9y3jLGU
— John Rhys Plumlee (@JohnRhysPlumlee) April 15, 2023
His journey to the NFL has been a long and winding one. Plumlee — who, oh by the way, also sings and plays piano — began his college career at Ole Miss and saw immediate action in place of the injured Matt Corral in 2019. However, when Corral returned in 2020, Plumlee was relegated to a backup. He made the switch to wide receiver in 2021 and caught 19 passes for 201 yards.
Looking for more playing time and the chance to play QB, Plumlee transferred to UCF for his final two seasons. In 2022, he led FBS quarterbacks in rushing yards with 862 and scored 11 touchdowns on the ground. He tacked on another 505 rushing yards last season to set a school record, thriving in an RPO-heavy scheme. Through the air, he completed 63 percent of his passes in two seasons at UCF for 4,857 yards, 29 TDs and 16 INTs.
“Plumlee struggles with inconsistent placement and decision-making as a passer,” Brugler wrote, “but his athletic instincts make him an interesting position-change prospect and candidate for the practice squad.”
It will be interesting to see what the Steelers have planned for Plumlee. For what it’s worth, the team listed him as a quarterback when they announced the UDFA class. Do they keep him there or move him to receiver? He showed off athleticism at his pro day, running a 4.51 40-yard dash and taking some reps at wideout. Because of his well-rounded athleticism, he’s been compared to Taysom Hill.
Behind Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, the Steelers signed backup journeyman Kyle Allen. Plumlee will have to beat him out for a shot at QB3. If he’s on the practice squad or can supplant Allen, he’d be another good candidate to mimic Lamar Jackson on the scout team. If he sticks around long enough in camp, he’ll be the new favorite to win the annual team home run derby.
4. Jacoby Windmon, OLB, Michigan State (6-1, 235)
Windom played three years at UNLV, where he was a second-team All-Mountain West selection in 2021, before transferring to Michigan State. He started eight games in 2022 — collecting 5.5 sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss — before being suspended for the final four games for taking part in a fight between Michigan and Michigan State players in the tunnel at Michigan Stadium.
In 2023, Windmon played in just three games before a pec injury ended his season. He initially put his name in the transfer portal before entering the draft. He recorded just 16 bench press reps, something that might be attributed to the time lost to his pec injury, but did run a 4.65 40-yard dash, which is pretty fast for an outside linebacker. He’ll have to earn his keep on special teams.
You could argue that Welschof is actually the undrafted rookie most likely to stick with the Steelers after training camp for one reason: A native of Wiesbach, Germany, he qualifies for the NFL’s International Player Pathway.
The program gives every team a roster exemption that allows them to carry an extra player in training camp and on the practice squad. Whether it’s Welschof or someone else, the internationally friendly Steelers would be wise to make use of this rule — and it sure seems they are.
Welschof spent five seasons at Michigan, appearing in 35 games, before transferring to Charlotte, the same school that produced Alex Highsmith. He has some intriguing measurables with good size and 4.79 speed. His final collegiate season was cut short after four games due to injury. Given the new rule, he projects as a practice squad project.
Let me just start with my favorite line from Brugler’s scouting report on Edwards. He quoted an NFL scout who said Edwards is, a “really low-key, laidback guy, but he runs like a mean sumbitch when his number is called.”
A four-star recruit out of high school, Edwards went on to rush for 2,082 yards and 24 TDs at Georgia. He accumulated 880 of those yards and 13 touchdowns last season as the lead dog on a backfield-by-committee team. You’d imagine he’s comfortable with the physicality of the game after playing in the SEC.
Edwards was Brugler’s 18th-ranked running back, with a sixth/seventh-round grade.
“Edwards is more quick than fast (he ran just a 4.7 40-yard dash) and doesn’t have ideal size, but he is a shifty, change-of-pace runner with promising pass-protection skills,” Brugler wrote. “It won’t be a surprise if he sticks in the NFL, because of his run urgency and potential on passing downs.”
The Steelers have a clear-cut, one-two punch in the backfield with Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren. Edwards’ roster spot depends somewhat upon how the Steelers see Cordarrelle Patterson, who has the versatility to be a running back or a receiver. Is that good enough to fill the RB3 hole on gameday, or do they have a roster spot for a pure running back? It’s also noteworthy that the new kickoff rules should make running back body types more valuable, so special teams could be another path to the playing field.
Bishop not only has the best chance to make the roster, but he realistically could be in the conversation for a starting role in the nickel.
After four years at Western Kentucky, the Louisville native transferred to Minnesota for the 2022 campaign and then landed at WVU in 2023. He led FBS with 24 passes defended and added four interceptions to earn consensus All-America honors with the Mountaineers. He’s an explosive athlete (he ran a 4.39 at his pro day) with a quick trigger and competitive makeup.
However, his undersized frame was one of the reasons he slipped out of the draft, despite having a draftable grade as CB39 in Brugler’s rankings. The Steelers, who hosted Bishop for a local top 30 visit, have prioritized long outside corners but have historically made the most of scrappy, undersized nickels. You’re probably already thinking about the 5-9, 184-pound Mike Hilton. Considering last year’s nickel contributors — Patrick Peterson, Chandon Sullivan and Elijah Riley — all remain unsigned, perhaps Bishop can carve out a niche inside and on special teams. He’s by far my favorite of the undrafted signees.
(Photos of, from left to right, John Rhys Plumlee, Beanie Bishop and Julius Rolschof: Jasen Vinlove, Ben Queen and Mark J. Rebilas / USA Today)
