The Pittsburgh Steelers entire rookie class is at the team's facility in preparation for the team's annual rookie minicamp. The minicamp will begin on Friday and will run through the weekend. A day before they hit the field as NFL players for the first time, Pittsburgh's rookies were fitted for their new jerseys and helmets. Their Thursday also included receiving their locker assignments. The rookies are ready to roll?? pic.twitter.com/vD2ZLOkFCu — Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) May 10, 2019 In the first round, Pittsburgh traded up with the Denver Broncos to select Michigan inside linebacker Devin Bush, the third player GM Kevin Colbert has traded up to get in the first round in his 20 seasons with the organization. To get Bush, Pittsburgh gave Denver their 20th and 52nd overall picks in this year’s draft along with a third round pick in next year’s draft. Pittsburgh drafted former Toledo receiver Diontae Johnson with the 66th overall pick in the draft. Johnson won the Mid-American Conference Special Teams Player of the Year award during his final season with the Rockets. Along with catching 23 touchdown passes in three seasons at Toledo, Johnson also returned two punts and two kickoff returns for scores during his time with the Rockets. In 2017, his play helped Toledo win the school's first MAC championship since 2004. The Steelers then drafted Michigan State cornerback Justin Layne with the 83rd overall pick in the draft. Layne broke up a whopping 24 passes during his time with the Spartans. Benny Snell, a running back from Kentucky, was drafted by Pittsburgh with the 122nd overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. The 5'11, 223-pound back rushed for 3,873 yards and 48 touchdowns while averaging 5.3 yards per carry during his time with the Wildcats. Zach Gentry, a tight end out of the University of Michigan, was selected by the Steelers with the 141st pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. The 6'8, 262-pound target caught 49 passes for 817 yards and four scores during his final two seasons in Ann Arbor. Sutton Smith was selected by the Steelers with the 175th overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. An OLB/DE hybrid, the 6'1, 237-pound Smith recorded a staggering 29.0 sacks during his final two years at Northern Illinois. He started his college career as a quarterback before moving over to the defensive side of the ball. Isaiah Buggs, a former Alabama defensive tackle, was selected by the Steelers with the 192nd overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. The 6'5, 286-pound lineman had a breakout season in 2018, recording 9.5 sacks while helping the Crimson Tide advance to yet another college football national championship game. He also had two forced fumbles and 13.5 tackles for loss last season. Ulysees Gilbert III, an inside linebacker out of Akron, was selected by the Steelers with the 207th overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. Gilbert visited with the Steelers prior to the NFL Draft. The 6'1, 230-pound linebacker racked up 357 tackles (28.5 for loss) 8.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and three interceptions during his three seasons with the Zips. Derwin Gray, an offensive guard out of Maryland, was selected by Pittsburgh with the 219th overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. The 6'5, 330-pound Gray joins a Pittsburgh offensive line that boasts three Pro Bowlers in Maurkice Pouncey, Alejandro Villanueva and David DeCastro. The Steelers quickly signed several undrafted rookies shortly after the 2019 NFL Draft had concluded. The following players will also take part in this weekend's minicamp. Trevor Wood, TE/Long Snapper, Arizona/Texas A&M: The 6'6, 265-pound Wood caught 11 passes for 80 yards and a touchdown during his collegiate career. Dravon Askew-Henry, Safety, West Virginia: A Pittsburgh native, Askew-Henry picked off six passes while recording 10 passes defensed during his time with the Mountaineers. Travon McMillian, Running Back, Colorado: After spending his first three collegiate seasons at Virginia Tech, McMillian rushed for 1,009 yards and seven scores last season during his one season at Colorado while averaging 5.0 yards per carry. Jay Hayes, Defensive Line, Georgia: Hayes spent his first four collegiate seasons at Notre Dame before playing for Georgia last fall. During his one season with the Bulldogs. Hayes recorded 42 tackles during his college career. Chris Nelson, Defensive Line, Texas: Nelson racked up 3.5 sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss during his time at Texas. Matthew Wright, Kicker, Central Florida: Wright made 98.6 percent of his extra points and 77.5 percent of his field goal attempts during his time at Central Florida. Alexander Myres, Cornerback, Houston: Myres picked off two passes to go with 12 pass breakups during his time at Houston. Fred Johnson, Guard, Florida Ian Berryman, Punter, Western Carolina: Berryman averaged 42.3 yards per punt last season. Garrett Brumfield, Guard, LSU: Brumfield did not start a game during his time with the Tigers. Brandon Hunt, the team's pro scouting coordinator, recently discussed what he and the rest of Pittsburgh's brass is looking for during this weekend's minicamp. “The main thing we wanna see is we wanna see shape, we wanna see competitiveness, we wanna see how they respond to a new environment, we wanna see how they’re gonna interact in adverse situations because it’s not gonna be as clean as some of the situations they were in in college and just see how they react and respond to coaching," Hunt told Steelers.com's Missi Matthews. “We wanna see who is gonna step up, who is potentially have the wide eye look. "This is just the first step. Right away, when they get done on Monday, they’ll be in Phase 2, thrown right in with our veterans. The following week, they’re in OTAs. This is just their first benchmark. They’ve been training all these months for combine and Pro Day work, and this is gonna be exciting to see them flip the switch and get back to football.”<doc-sep>PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — The first on-the-field look for the newest members of the Steelers is taking place on the South Side this weekend. Rookie Minicamp is underway at the Rooney Complex, as all of the Steelers draft picks and undrafted free agents are on the field together. Also partaking in the drills and workouts are first-year players and rookies who are there on a tryout basis. Steelers first round choice Devin Bush was a notable name on the field Friday morning. “Devin Bush first practice with the Steelers #RookieMinicamp ⁦@KDKA⁩ He looks impressive.” “Bush is unstoppable on this drill. Won every time. 5 yard sprints ⁦@KDKA.” The minicamp continues Saturday morning. Veterans will join the rookies with OTA’s starting in the coming weeks.<doc-sep>While the signings have yet to be made official, it would appear that the Pittsburgh Steelers will be announcing some new additions to the roster on Monday. A trio of players selected from among the 19 names invited to take part in tryouts during rookie minicamp. As per two of the player’s own social media accounts on Sunday, both Samford quarterback Delvin Hodges and Toledo outside linebacker Tuzar Skipper have signed contracts with the Steelers. Officially signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers!!! Thankful for the opportunity! Thank you God! ! #thankful pic.twitter.com/jcDipW6bjB — Devlin Hodges (@DevlinHodges10) May 13, 2019 TODAY MY DREAM HAS COME TRUE! ALL PRAISE TO THE MOST HIGH! I AM OFFICIALLY A PITTSBURGH STEELER!#BlacknYellow — The Tuzar Skipper (@TuzarSkipper) May 12, 2019 Former Oregon, New Orleans Saints and Kansas City Chiefs defensive lineman Henry Mondeaux is also expected to be added after a successful tryout, according to Jacob Klinger of Penn Live. Steelers signing tryout DT Henry Mondeaux, per source. — Jacob Klinger (@Jacob_Klinger_) May 12, 2019 Ending his career as the all-time leader in passing yards in the FCS with 14,584, breaking a record previously held by Steve McNair, Hodges also recorded 111 touchdown passes and completed 69.1-percent of his passes during four years at Stamford. His addition likely signals the end of Brogan Roback’s time in Pittsburgh. This scouting report from Draft Diamonds pegged him as one of the hidden gems of the 2019 NFL Draft. The signing of Skipper will add yet another MAC player to the roster and a teammate of third-round draft pick Diontae Johnson last season as the Steelers return to Toledo for talent once again. A transfer from Monroe Junior College in 2016, Skipper record 60 tackles, 11.5 for loss and 8.5 sacks in his final season with the Rockets. A team captain with Oregon, Mondeaux was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Saints in 2018 and was waived during the final round of cuts ahead of the regular season. Re-signed to their practice squad towards the end of the year, he would join the Chiefs as a future signing after the season, but was let go the day before Kansas City began their rookie minicamp at the start of May. A scouting report coming out of college by Draft Analyst suggests a player who could offer Pittsburgh some flexibility up front, but one who figures to have a tough task making the final roster. He finished his college career with 11 tackles, 17 for a loss 10 sacks and two fumble recoveries.<doc-sep>
Poll: Who will emerge as the Steelers number two wide receiver? Poll: Who will emerge as the Steelers number two wide receiver? by Tommy Jaggi Rookies and first year players hit the practice field yesterday at Pittsburgh Steelers rookie minicamp. It always seems like the start of a new era when we are able to see the newest draft class suit up in those yellow and white practice jerseys for the very first time. Burt Lauten – the Pittsburgh Steelers director of Communications – recently tweeted out a list of each jersey number the 2019 rookies will be wearing (at least temporarily) for the Steelers this year: #Steelers 2019 Rookie Minicamp (May 10-12) numerical roster is attached. Jersey numbers for rookies at minicamp are subject to change (at a later date). *Devin Bush (#55) is the only confirmed number for the team’s rookie class. pic.twitter.com/vNUZjQgNTS — Burt Lauten (@SteelersPRBurt) May 10, 2019 Steelers 10th overall pick, Devin Bush (55), was reportedly leading the charge already in camp. The 20-year old was said to have been calling the plays on defense yesterday. Here is a link to 114 rookie minicamp photo’s from yesterday at Steelers.com. Notes: Photo 49: Not that he ever did to begin with, but Northern Illinois edge rusher, Sutton Smith, looks 100 percent like a linebacker now. Photos 90, 103, 104: 2019 7th round draft choice, Derwin Gray, looks significantly trimmer than he did in college. Photo 99: Running back, Benny Snell, teased the number 26 on social media shortly after he was selected. He’s currently wearing 24, though. Photos 108, 112: The Steelers gave away Antonio Brown’s number 84 to Undrafted rookie tight end, Milan Richard. Schedule: Rookie minicamp: The Steelers will continue offseason workouts at rookie minicamp through May, 13th. OTAs: Pittsburgh will begin offseason training activities (OTAs) on May 21st and run all the way to June 6th. There is no live contact during OTAs. All-player minicamp: The Steelers will conclude offseason activities with a three-day minicamp for all players that runs from June 11th to the 13th.