UDFA Signees

[steelerkeylargo]

Trevor Wood-TAMU-LS

[Buzz]

Glad we got that taken care of (gladder that we didn't spend a draft pick on a LS this year).

[passhappy]

@AlexDunlapNFL
#Longhorns DL Chris Nelson will go as a UDFA to the #Steelers per source.



@PatrickKotnik
#WVU undrafted free agent signing: Safety Dravon Askew-Henry is heading to his hometown Pittsburgh Steelers


@marcweiszer
Defensive lineman Jay Hayes from Georgia has a deal as an undrafted free agent with the Steelers, according to his agent. He was a grad transfer from Notre Dame.

[Buzz]

also Colorado RB Travon McMillian

[steelerkeylargo]

Dravon Askew-S-WVY
Ian Berryman-P-West Carolina
Garrett Blumfield-G-LSU
Jay Hayes-DE-Georgia
Fred Johnson-G-Florida
Travon McMillian-RB-Col
Alexander Myres-CB-HOU
Chris Nelson_DT-Texas
Matt Wright-K-UCF
Trevor Wood-LS-TAMU

[The Man of Steel]

@PatrickKotnik
#WVU undrafted free agent signing: Safety Dravon Askew-Henry is heading to his hometown Pittsburgh Steelers.
Henry is a cousin of Darelle Revis so hopefully he has some of the same football genes.

[steelerkeylargo]

Can't say any of those guys gets me remotely excited

[Buzz]

Can't say any of those guys gets me remotely excited

Or even nearly excited.

[Rara]

Or even nearly excited.

Same here. You'd think getting better competition for Boswell would have been done.

[hawaiiansteel]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D5MrSJcXoAAGS7c.jpg:large

[Djfan]

There is a safety and a CB in that mix. Way to address a glaring problem.

Hopeful

[Steel Maniac]

Oh yeah, but still want to see what vets get cut at those spots too.

[hawaiiansteel]

Steelers sign S P.J. Locke

Posted by Josh Alper on April 29, 2019

The Steelers have added another undrafted rookie to their roster.

The team announced 10 signings shortly after the draft came to an end on Saturday. On Monday, they announced safety P.J. Locke has agreed to a contract as well.

Locke appeared in 47 games and made 31 starts for the University of Texas over the last four years. He had 77 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, one interception and two forced fumbles. The interception came against Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.

Locke is the second safety out of the Big 12 to sign with the Steelers since the draft. They also signed former West Virginia starter Dravon Askew-Henry.


https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2019/04/29/steelers-sign-s-p-j-locke/

[Steel Maniac]

Steelers sign S P.J. Locke

Posted by Josh Alper on April 29, 2019

The Steelers have added another undrafted rookie to their roster.

The team announced 10 signings shortly after the draft came to an end on Saturday. On Monday, they announced safety P.J. Locke has agreed to a contract as well.

Locke appeared in 47 games and made 31 starts for the University of Texas over the last four years. He had 77 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, one interception and two forced fumbles. The interception came against Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.

Locke is the second safety out of the Big 12 to sign with the Steelers since the draft. They also signed former West Virginia starter Dravon Askew-Henry.


https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2019/04/29/steelers-sign-s-p-j-locke/

keep shaking those trees. :tt2

[RuthlessBurgher]

Sunday, May 12, 2019 09:30 AM

'I feel like I'm at home'


Mike Prisuta

Steelers.com


It became apparent as the play was unfolding that a bootleg pass thrown on the run was going to be off target.


Safety Dravon Askew-Henry knew instinctively how the play needed to end.


“Just reading the quarterback’s eyes and I saw he threw it kind of high,” Askew-Henry explained. “I knew I had to come down with it, so I did.


“I tried to score, but unfortunately it didn’t go like that.”


Askew-Henry, an undrafted free agent from West Virginia and Aliquippa, Pa., got his interception but came up short of the pick-six he was seeking.


Still, he felt like a Steeler.


On the second day of rookie minicamp, that was enough.


“I knew this was where I wanted to be,” Askew-Henry insisted. “The whole of Aliquippa is Steelers fans, you grow into it.


“If I was undrafted, I already knew where I wanted to go. This is my home. I grew up a Steelers fan. I have family that stayed here in Pittsburgh. I feel like I’m at home.”


The interception on the second day of rookie minicamp at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex confirmed as much, even if Askew-Henry couldn’t quite make it to the end zone, as one of the first of the Steelers heroes he can remember might have.


“I’ve always been a big (Troy) Polamalu fan growing up, watching him,” Askew-Henry said. “Being that I’m a defensive back, I always tried to mirror what he did.


“The plays he made were just crazy, you can’t coach that.”


An interception in May pales in comparison.


Still, you have to start somewhere.


Askew-Henry (6-foot, 202 pounds) has gotten an opportunity to take it from here despite not being invited to the Senior Bowl or the NFL Scouting Combine, and despite a knee injury that temporarily derailed his career at West Virginia.


He is driven, in part, by his love for the Steelers.


And by the tradition established by those who have previously made it from Aliquippa High School to the NFL, a tradition that dates back to Mike Ditka.


“Ty Law, Darrelle Revis (Askew-Henry’s cousin), Sean Gilbert, I can go all the way down the list,” Askew-Henry said.


Had he done so, Askew-Henry might have included Jonathan Baldwin and Tommie Campbell.


Baldwin, Ditka, Gilbert, Law and Revis were all first-round draft picks.


Ditka is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and Law will be enshrined this summer.


“It’s just different there,” Askew-Henry said of Aliquippa, “something they put in the water.”


He’ll have to follow a different path, but Askew-Henry has heard firsthand where it might end and how he may yet get there.


“They stay in touch with athletes around our way,” he said. “I’ve talked to all of them. They say, ‘Let’s go, keep that hunger in you and that chip on your shoulder,’ which I am.


“I’m going to give the Pittsburgh Steelers, the organization everything I got, just like I would Aliquippa or as I did at West Virginia.”


https://www.steelers.com/news/i-feel-like-i-m-at-home

[RuthlessBurgher]

Report: Steelers To Sign WR Johnny Holton, OT Damian Prince

By Alex Kozora 

Posted on May 13, 2019 at 10:31 am

Busy Monday morning for the Pittsburgh Steelers, who appear ready to announce a slew of transactions. Yesterday, we know three players participating in rookie minicamp appeared to have earned NFL contracts. Today, Ian Rapoport tweeted there’s a 4th, OT Damian Prince, expected to be added to the 90 man roster later today.


Two UDFAs who signed yesterday after rookie minicamp tryouts: Former Iowa State CB D’Andre Payne with the #Titans and Maryland OL Damian Prince with the #Steelers.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 13, 2019

At Maryland, Prince played at right tackle opposite of 7th round pick Derwin Gray. As we recently wrote about, the two actually grew up just blocks from each other growing up, making this signing come full circle for their careers. Poor workout numbers caused him to participate on a tryout basis but clearly, his play on the field was impressive enough to earn a deal.

The Steelers are normally good for signing 1-2 tryout players but four is an unusually high number.

Pittsburgh is also expected to sign WR Johnny Holton, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.


The #Steelers are signing WR Johnny Holton, source says. Holton was waived by the #Eagles last week after three years on and off with the #Raiders. Pittsburgh will now see what they can do with Holton’s speed.

— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) May 13, 2019

A UDFA from Cincinnati, Holton broke into the league with the Oakland Raiders in 2016. He’s been used as a vertical threat when he’s managed to see the field. In 2017, he caught only nine passes but averaged more than 24 yards per reception and found the end zone three times. That included a 64 yard touchdown versus Denver.

Holton, who ran 4.42 at his Pro Day years ago, was signed by Philadelphia this winter before being waived five days ago.

In all, that’s five new additions to the Steelers’ roster. Meaning there will be five corresponding moves, either players moving to IR or being cut outright.

https://steelersdepot.com/2019/05/report-steelers-to-sign-wr-johnny-holton-ot-damian-prince/

[RuthlessBurgher]

Steelers add five after tryouts, release six

Posted by Darin Gantt on May 13, 2019, 2:07 PM EDT

The Steelers swapped out five players Monday, after finding some new ones at their tryout camp during rookie minicamp.

The team announced the additions of quarterback Devlin Hodges, defensive tackle Greg Gilmore, defensive end Henry Mondeaux, offensive lineman Damian Prince, and linebacker Tuzar Skipper.

Hodges, from Samford, won the Walter Payton Award as the top player at the FCS level. He threw for 4,283 yards last season. He also had a tryout with the Giants the previous weekend.

To make room for the new guys on the roster, the Steelers released linebacker Keion Adams, defensive end Jay Hayes, defensive tackle Chris Nelson, offensive lineman R.J. Prince, quarterback Brogan Roback, and wide receiver Ka’Raun White.

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2019/05/13/steelers-add-five-after-tryouts-release-six/

[RuthlessBurgher]

Monday, May 13, 2019 02:00 PM

Steelers make multiple roster moves


Teresa Varley

Steelers.com


It’s something that seems to happen every year. A group of players come to Steelers’ rookie minicamp looking to catch the eyes of the coaches, looking to make an impression as they are there strictly on a tryout basis, no promises and no guarantees. And there are always a few players who stand out, who do what they set out to do by making enough of an impact to not head home when the three-day minicamp ends.


This year there were several young players that caught the attention of the coaches and they were signed by the team.


Quarterback Devlin Hodges, defensive tackle Greg Gilmore, defensive end Henry Mondeaux, offensive lineman Damian Prince and linebacker Tuzar Skipper made the most of the weekend to end up on the team’s current roster.


Hodges, who played at Samford, set a single-season school record with 4,283 yards passing last season, breaking his own record set in 2016. He won the Walter Payton Award, given annually to the top offensive player in FCS football. Hodges also won the SoCon Offensive Player of the Year for the third straight year.


Hodges, who attended the New York Giants rookie minicamp the week after the draft, finished his college career with 14,584 passing yards.


Gilmore, who played at LSU, signed with the Steelers as an undrafted rookie free agent following the 2018 NFL Draft. He was released when the team cut the roster down to 53 players. Gilmore was with the Memphis Express in the now defunct AAF this offseason.


At LSU he had 104 tackles, 10 sacks, and two pass defenses, while starting for two seasons. He had his best season his senior year when he had 53 tackles and a team-high seven and a half sacks.


Mondeaux, who played at the University of Oregon, originally signed with the New Orleans Saints following the 2018 NFL Draft. He was with the Saints during training camp but waived on the final roster cut before the regular season. Mondeaux was signed to the Saints practice squad before the last game of the 2018 season.


While at Oregon, Mondeaux won the school’s Tough Man Award, presented to a player for his ‘Will to Win.’ His senior year he started 13 games, finishing with 45 tackles, six for a loss, and five sacks. He had a career-high eight tackles against Arizona, and added another career-high with two sacks against Cal.


Prince played college ball at Maryland with seventh-round draft pick Derwin Gray. He started nine games his senior season, and led all returning tackles in the Big Ten, allowing just eight quarterback pressures.


Prince and Gray both helped to block for the 17th best rushing offense in the country at Maryland last year, averaging 230.2 yards per game.


Skipper, who attended the Kansas City Chiefs rookie minicamp the previous week on a tryout basis, played collegiately at Toledo with third-round pick Diontae Johnson, as well as second-year linebacker Ola Adeniyi.


Skipper was named third-team All-MAC his senior season and tied for third on the team with 60 tackles. He led Toledo with eight and a half sacks, fifth overall in the MAC. He also had 11.5 tackles for a loss, second on the team. He finished his Toledo career with 90 tackles and nine and a half sacks, after transferring from Monroe Junior College.


To make room on the roster for the new additions, the team released linebacker Keion Adams, defensive end Jay Hayes, defensive tackle Chris Nelson, offensive lineman R.J. Prince, quarterback Brogan Roback and wide receiver Ka’Raun White.


https://www.steelers.com/news/steelers-make-multiple-roster-moves

[hawaiiansteel]

UDFA S Dravon Askey-Henry ‘Always For The Competition’, Touts Versatility And Being Quick Study

By Matthew Marczi
Posted on May 18, 2019

The Pittsburgh Steelers’ track record with college free agents has taken a tumble in recent years, without a doubt. Even after they ended up carrying four rookie college free agents on the 53-man roster or practice squad in 2018, only two of them remain, and they combined for fewer than 20 offensive and defensive snaps on the season.

The two undrafted free agents signed this year by the team are a pair of safeties, which also happens to be perhaps the position on the roster that has the least amount of depth, even a season after which they carried six players.

One of the, Dravon Askew-Henry, has local ties as an Aliquippa native. A relative of Darrelle Revis, he is hoping to make the team this year as a number five safety behind starters Sean Davis and Terell Edmunds and reserves Jordan Dangerfield and Marcus Allen.

“I’m versatile. I am gonna do whatever I got to do to make the team win”, the rookie told Chris Adamski for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review over the course of rookie minicamp. Of course, he has to make the roster first before he can do much to help the team win. And being really good on special teams would go a long way toward achieving that goal.

He added of himself, “I’m a quick learner…Anything you throw at me, I’m going to conquer it”. With that in mind, he did record an interception during rookie minicamp. I don’t know if it was the only one recorded during the three-day event, but it is the only one I heard being mentioned.

Though that doesn’t necessarily mean a great deal—even the high volume of interceptions recorded in training camp didn’t end up translating into the regular season—the defense, and the secondary in particular, could obviously use some of that.

The safeties specifically combined for a whopping two interceptions, one each between Edmunds and Davis. Davis has five interceptions in his career, including a career-high three in 2017. The cornerback group came down with four interceptions: two by Joe Haden, and one apiece by Mike Hilton and Cameron Sutton.

“I’m always for the competition”, Askew-Henry said of the inevitable reality of his summer. “I feel like I did good (at rookie minicamp), but I still got stuff I got to improve on. I have to get into the playbook, studying, getting to know the plays, getting to know my teammates. I can keep learning. That’s one thing about me: I’m coachable, so I come in here every day ready to learn something new”.

He and the rest of the rookies will get their first taste of a full team practice with the veterans next week as OTAs get underway. Up to this point, he has only worked with other rookies and first-year players, the majority of which have no in-game regular season experience.


https://steelersdepot.com/2019/05/udfa-s-dravon-askey-henry-always-for-the-competition-touts-versatility-and-being-quick-study/

[RuthlessBurgher]

Pittsburgh Steelers 2019 Player Profile: Outside Linebacker Tuzar Skipper

Getting to know one of the late additions to the Pittsburgh Steelers’ roster.

By F. S. "Flip" Fisher
May 18, 2019, 8:40am EDT

Tuzar Skipper had a whirlwind couple of weeks before signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers. After going undrafted and unsigned during the initial undrafted rookie free agent period, Skipper the 6-3, 248 pound former defensive end who played his college ball for the Toledo Rockets, now has a new home. He had spent the previous weekend with the Kansas City Chiefs rookie minicamp, but walked away from the tryout unsigned. Skipper will transition to outside linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He is yet another player the Steelers signed from participants at this year’s three-day rookie minicamp.

Skipper made enough of an impression on Steelers coaches to latch onto the 90-man roster. He looks to build upon that impression during OTAs, training camp and preseason.

Skipper attended Monroe College for two years and tallied 46 tackles, 20.5 for loss, and 6.5 sacks over 13 games. He was awarded all-Northeast Football Conference second-team honors in each of the two seasons.

Building on that success led him to Toledo and Division I football. In his first season he racked up 22 total tackles and one for loss, His next season was cut short because of a torn ACL after just two games. Coming back for his final season at Toledo, Skipper amassed 60 tackles, 11.5 for loss, 8.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and a touchdown in 13 games.


Pro day numbers. (He was not invited to the combine.)

33-inch arms

9 1/2-inch hands

30 bench press reps

40-yard dash in 4.89-seconds

short shuttle in 4.42-seconds.

Skipper had one solo tackle and 7 assists in the above game against Miami. This is an instance where stats are misleading. He struggled against the Hurricanes in both rushing the passer and stopping the run. His reaction time to the ball carrier was lacking to go along with zero pass rush. When he brought down the ball carrier, it was for gains from three to five yards.

Whatever it was the Steelers coaches saw in Skipper he will have to build on that during OTAs, camp and the preseason if he has any hopes of making the 53-man roster or the practice squad. Will the Steelers carry three or four outside linebackers on their roster to open the season? Pittsburgh carried only three to open the season but added Ola Adeniyi later in the season. Veteran Anthony Chickillo has the inside track for the first hat off the bench at outside linebacker but if the team keeps four who will it be? Adeniyi, Skipper, Robert Spillane, or JT Jones? The answer to that question will not be answered until the team makes their final cuts just before the start of the season.

https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2019/5/18/18617133/pittsburgh-steelers-2019-player-profile-outside-linebacker-tuzar-skipper-rookie-minicamp-nfl-news

[RuthlessBurgher]

Pittsburgh Steelers 2019 Player Profile: Defensive lineman Henry Mondeaux

Another in-depth look at one of the newest members of the black-and-gold.

By F. S. "Flip" Fisher
May 20, 2019, 1:01pm EDT

The 6’5, 288-pound defensive lineman was one of four Pittsburgh Steelers’ signings from rookie minicamp. Mondeaux will have a mountain to climb to land a spot on the 53-man roster or the team’s practice squad. Stephon Tuitt, Cam Heyward, and Javon Hargrave are locked in as the 2019 starters along the defensive line. The team also re-signed top backup Tyson Alualu. In 2018, the team carried six defensive linemen into the season.

Too small to play nose tackle, his only true option will be to compete for a backup defensive end position. His competitors at the position will be 2019 sixth rounder Isaiah Buggs, Casey Sayles, Conor Sheehy, and Craig Winston. Overcoming challenges is nothing new to Mondeaux, as he is a type-1 diabetic. The diabetes forces Mondeaux to take insulin daily to manage his condition.

“I deal with that and play football and that’s what I try and play for -- kids that get affected by stuff like that. It doesn’t mean that your dreams are over,” Mondeaux said.

“I’ve got to make sure that I know everything that’s going into my body especially even more with my condition,” he said. “So I’d say that’s the toughest part, maintaining my weight and all that.”

The former Oregon Ducks defensive lineman appeared in 41 games in college which spanned four seasons. He had 111 total tackles, 10 sacks, and two fumble recoveries. His senior season was his most productive with 45 total tackles, six for loss, five sacks and one fumble recovery.

His productive college career landed him with the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2018. Mondeaux could not crack the final Saints roster and remained a street free agent until December 31 when he was signed to the team’s practice squad.

On February 1, Mondeaux was signed to fill out the Kansas City Chiefs 90-man roster. He lasted just over three months and was cut before the Chiefs’ rookie minicamp. The move cleared the way for him to compete in the Steelers’ minicamp.

On his third team in over a year, it does not bode well for Mondeaux but the others vying for the position are not guaranteed of the final spot and are not household names. Buggs may have a leg up at this stage because of his draft pedigree but he is assured of nothing. Steelers fans know that sixth-round picks are not guaranteed roster spots.

During the Kevin Colbert era, there have been plenty of sixth rounders who have failed to land a spot on the final 53-man roster. According to Pro Football Reference, over a quarter of the Steelers sixth rounders do not make it into the regular season.

Camp body? Or legitimate 53-man roster contender?

https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2019/5/20/18617136/pittsburgh-steelers-2019-player-profile-defensive-lineman-henry-mondeaux-rookie-minicamp-nfl-news

[RuthlessBurgher]

Undrafted rookie P.J. Locke chose the Steelers because he can make the roster

Posted by Michael David Smith on May 28, 2019, 8:34 AM EDT

Former Texas safety P.J. Locke didn’t get drafted last month, but he was a good enough player in college that as the third day of the draft was winding down, he got several offers from teams that wanted him to come in as an undrafted free agent. He told them all he wasn’t ready to sign just yet.

What Locke did instead was spend the Sunday after the draft researching NFL rosters to get a feel for which team he thought he had the best chance of making, given their needs on defense and the skill set he brings to the table. And then on Monday, the Steelers called, and they were one of the teams he thought would be a perfect fit.

“I had some offers on the table; I was kind of like weighing my options,” Locke told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “I just didn’t want to make a decision real quick. I wanted to see what the best fit was me. And then, come that Monday. . . . As soon as they gave me the offer. I looked into it and I felt like it was the place for me.”

Every undrafted rookie has an uphill battle to make the roster, but some players may actually consider it better to go undrafted than to go in the seventh round, as undrafted rookies get to choose from multiple offers while seventh-round picks have to go to the team that drafts them. Locke thinks he found the best team for him, which might not have been the case if his name had been called on the third day of the draft.

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2019/05/28/undrafted-rookie-p-j-locke-chose-the-steelers-because-he-can-make-the-roster/

[phillyesq]

Undrafted rookie P.J. Locke chose the Steelers because he can make the roster

Posted by Michael David Smith on May 28, 2019, 8:34 AM EDT

Former Texas safety P.J. Locke didn’t get drafted last month, but he was a good enough player in college that as the third day of the draft was winding down, he got several offers from teams that wanted him to come in as an undrafted free agent. He told them all he wasn’t ready to sign just yet.

What Locke did instead was spend the Sunday after the draft researching NFL rosters to get a feel for which team he thought he had the best chance of making, given their needs on defense and the skill set he brings to the table. And then on Monday, the Steelers called, and they were one of the teams he thought would be a perfect fit.

“I had some offers on the table; I was kind of like weighing my options,” Locke told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “I just didn’t want to make a decision real quick. I wanted to see what the best fit was me. And then, come that Monday. . . . As soon as they gave me the offer. I looked into it and I felt like it was the place for me.”

Every undrafted rookie has an uphill battle to make the roster, but some players may actually consider it better to go undrafted than to go in the seventh round, as undrafted rookies get to choose from multiple offers while seventh-round picks have to go to the team that drafts them. Locke thinks he found the best team for him, which might not have been the case if his name had been called on the third day of the draft.

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2019/05/28/undrafted-rookie-p-j-locke-chose-the-steelers-because-he-can-make-the-roster/

Smart move by Locke. Rather than chasing a few thousand more in a bonus, he picked a roster that he has the best chance of making.

[hawaiiansteel]

OTA 4: First of Steelers' AAF stars spends day on first team

By JIM WEXELL

PITTSBURGH -- The first of the Steelers' four signees out of the Alliance of American Football to spend a full practice with the first team was ...

Kameron Kelly.

The long, tall defensive back started Tuesday next to Terrell Edmunds at free safety as Sean Davis continued to rehab an undisclosed minor injury through OTAs.

Kelly wasn't just a look-see, either, according to a source with the Steelers, who called Kelly "a good-looking athlete who has a chance."

"I'm trying not to really get too caught up in what they think," said Kelly, who grinned sheepishly when he realized what he had just said.

"Obviously I want to impress them, but I want to keep my head and focus on what I can control."

The 6-2, 205-pounder was a high school quarterback in the Dallas area before attending San Diego State as a wide receiver. He was moved to safety and spent three seasons there before moving to cornerback as a senior. He intercepted three passes that season and was named first-team Mountain West Conference.

In his college career, Kelly intercepted nine passes and broke up 15 others.

At the 2018 NFL Combine, he ran a 4.66 40 with average jumps (33/10-0) and agility (6.94/4.2, and below-average strength (9 reps).

Undrafted, Kelly signed with the Dallas Cowboys, and some around the team thought they had found a gem.

Kelly played in all four preseason games last season as a safety, with an average of 18 snaps per game. He made six tackles but was cut before the season. He signed to play with San Diego in the AAF, which folded after eight games.

"It was very helpful," Kelly said of the AAF. "Eric Allen was my DB coach. He's a [six-time Pro Bowl] corner, and so having him in my ear, and playing under somebody like (head coach) Mike Martz, really helped me out a lot."

The league folded, and two days later "a couple of teams called," Kelly said. "Once the Steelers called I felt this was probably the best place for me. I had talked to a couple of people who said they stay on you here, they make you work hard, but the atmosphere and the coaches are really good. And it's everything that everybody made it out to be."

Kelly was identified early in the process. He confirmed he was the first-team slot/nickel corner at rookie camp, and last week paired with second-year man Marcus Allen as the second-team safeties, while continuing to take reps in the slot.

Playing quarterback has helped his overall understanding of the game and aids his obvious versatility.

"I'm not the most athletic guy," Kelly said, "but my IQ kind of trumps all of that."

The three other AAF players are also performing well thus far with the Steelers this spring:

* Casey Sayles, a former pass-rushing interior lineman at Ohio, came close to making the Steelers roster last year. He played for the Birmingham Iron in the AAF and Pro Football Focus graded him as the league's No. 3 interior defensive lineman.

A muscular, thick (6-3, 289) and quick (11.5 sacks at Ohio/24 pressures in the AAF) 3-4 end, Sayles also worked last week as the second-team nose tackle.

He called the folding of the AAF "disappointing, but I think a lot of guys knew that they were going to get at least a shot somewhere. But, yeah, it was definitely disappointing being with that many guys you get close to and it just kind of shuts down like that."

The league folded with two games and the playoffs remaining. Sayles was with the Steelers-affiliated and playoff-bound Iron, but he could've signed anywhere.

"I got a few calls from a few teams that were interested," he said. "We basically ran the same defense down there with Tim Lewis. He was the coordinator here, what, 15 years ago and basically had all the same plays. He was a good coach, definitely. But, yeah, it was nice coming back here and knowing the system."

* J.C. Hassenauer (6-2, 295) was the top interior reserve at Alabama in 2017 and made three starts, including the National Championship Game, at left guard. He played center for the Iron and is presently alternating with Patrick Morris at center and guard next to rookie guard Derwin Gray on the second-team line.

"He's been doing pretty well from what I've seen on film," said Sayles, Hassenauer's AAF teammate.

"He's good," All-Pro center Maurkice Pouncey said of Hassenauer. "He's smart, knows what he's doing, understands the playbook, has good hands. He has good technique overall. All of those Alabama linemen have good technique. I like him."

* Winston Craig (6-4, 291) has taken three shifts with the Philadelphia Eagles' practice squad the last two seasons after leaving Richmond as, like Sayles, a pass-rushing 5-tech. Craig recorded 13.5 sacks and 20.5 tackles-for-loss at Richmond.

In the AAF, the Greensboro, N.C. native played 3-4 end under coach Mike Riley for the San Antonio Commanders, the runaway league leaders in home attendance at nearly 28,000 per game.

"I got a couple of calls but I just felt like this was the best organization, a place that I wanted to be," said Craig, who's been rotating into the second-team defensive line.

"I love it here. I absolutely love it here - the organization, the coaches, the players, and then outside the surrounding area with the mountains. It's just beautiful, a beautiful, nice place."

Craig described the short-lived AAF this way:

"You have a league full of guys that were either already on active (rosters), practice squad, got a minicamp tryout, a couple guys were older and at the end of their careers, 30, 31, 32 year-olds. It was just a fun little thing. You got your reps up. You got to play football. All these guys, all they wanted to do was get back to playing. I just think it was a good opportunity for everybody."

Craig, like Sayles, isn't worrying about wearing down this summer.

"We have one of the hardest positions," Craig said, "but at the same time if you play with good technique you can last a long time. Here, there's definitely a mutual respect on offense and defense, even with the coaches, knowing how to work and work the right way. That's how you stay safe and keep your body up."

The AAF had high hopes as a league that could not only help players develop, but had hoped to improve the game with, according to Sports Illustrated, faster and safer games, live looks at officiating devices, and interactive gambling technology.

But, the league folded on April 2 due to lack of funding and declared Chapter 9 bankruptcy two weeks later. Players were evicted from hotels, had to find their own ways home, and lost insurance for any medical issues sustained during the season. But none among the Steelers group complained about any such issues.

"Overall I thought it was a good idea to get a fundamental league like that," said Sayles. "I thought the reps helped a lot of guys, including myself, especially throughout the season, the eight-game season. But I think it definitely could work out. It was a money thing. It was just tough to kind of finish off."

NOTES -- David DeCastro and Stephon Tuitt began a second week away following the births of their children. ... Joe Haden was also absent along with Davis from the secondary. ... JuJu Smith-Schuster watched from the sideline. ... Anthony Chickillo continues to rehab a minor injury. ... Undrafted rookie Damian Prince returned to work with a new number, 64. ... Undrafted rookie cornerback Alexander Myres changed to No. 33 after Sutton Smith was changed to 42 last week in case he takes snaps at fullback.


https://247sports.com/nfl/pittsburgh-steelers/Article/OTA-4-First-of-Steelers-AAF-stars-spends-day-on-first-team-132385306/

[Steel Maniac]

Good luck to Sayles & Craig. Good looking prospects who I’d love to see pan out and give us some depth and versatility.