Entire Rookie Class Made the 53

Eli didn’t really do much this preseason, not sure he really deserves to make it. Would have easily made the PS.

I think Max Hurleman should have made it over him, or a different RB.

 

I'm guessing that choice came down to depth. Steelers are loaded at TE.

 

Whoops. Fail. He's a WR. Let me go back inside and pick toys up.

 

Has that ever happened before?

 

They didn’t play him according to his skill set. He is more 0f a flex back or third back but they ran him between the tackles and wanted to see if he could pick up the blitz. He did good enough. Lew Nichols was better between the tackles but they probably see Eli as someone who is better on special teams etc.

I’m impressed that they kept the best players instead of going the safer route. Rubio, S-ears Jennings, Jobity and Heinrich all provide upside so I’m happy about this.

 

I thought Ely did well. He consistently gained positive yards running the ball even when there was no hole. He converted the 3rd and short situations and didn’t fail once. He caught a pass from the backfield as an outlet and turned positive yardage. Most impressive of all perhaps was the special team tackle of the punt returner for no gain. Essentially special teams play probably got him the nod.

 

We do need to be careful with the optimism. We still may place some of these guys on the practice squad. Deshon Everett is on it for the first five weeks and we may still pick up a safety or tackle which could change the roster. I think it is pretty fluid.

 

This was my question midway through camp. I don't remember it happening?

 

Lew must not be good in blitz pick up because he ran well?

As of right now, I am wishing Hurleman made it over RW.

 

Here is another interesting nugget.

 

Now if we could just get a couple HOF'ers out of it.

 

Might be a bit premature. But it will be interesting to see how that plays out.

 

I liked hurleman too but you can’t gauge him going against cut candidates vs what Wilson went against.

 

New coaching had to make it look like they’re right.

 

A neat statistic, but not sure it will hold long.

Another way to look at this is, almost 20 percent of our active roster is now rookies….

 

Maybe an indication that the previous roster wasn't all that? I mean 10 wins is nice and all but it didn't lead to anything in the postseason.

 

Played really nicely in the last PS game. He likely won the role for ST value as the differentiator. He will be punt protector and could also be the starting KR next to Wetjen. Nichols is a nice back, but is just barely not good enough as a pure runner to make the team. PS for him and will be an easy call up if there are injuries. I really thought the 4th QB made it impossible to keep Nichols, so it was down to Homer or Heidenreich. Glad they gave it to the kid.

 

We traded a first round pick on his rookie deal and cut a 3rd round pick in his second year. It may be a new staff, but the GM is the same. I think all of the young guys that made the roster deserved to.

 

Welcome to the NFL

 

Based off the safety room (or lack thereof), I am guessing that Spears-Jennings is going to see some time on the field pretty early... on defense.

 

Hurleman is an overall special team ace too. But, I guess it doesn't really matter since neither will see the field that much this year.

If Wetjen didn't take that one to the house Hurleman might have made it over Wetjen. Wetjen's bobbles during his other kick returns are worrisome, and Hurleman probably runs a better route tree than him at this point.

 

Then this could be the greatest draft class ever!


I’ll show myself out Hahahahahahaha!

 

And yet people post that the Steelers won’t rebuild

 

True... he just isn't a RB and Heidenreich is. Heidenreich was competing with Homer and Nichols. Hurleman was competing with Wetjen. I would imagine if Wetjen struggles or gets injured, then Hurleman comes in to replace him. I'd agree he's a better WR at this point in time, and they are betting on Wetjen to shake off the slow start and produce in the return game.