One yr after including simply 5 undrafted free brokers and never seeing an enormous return on funding exterior of 1 participant, the Pittsburgh Steelers added seven gamers following the 2025 NFL Draft as undrafted free brokers, and seemingly landed fairly a couple of skills gamers general within the combine.
Iowa security Sebastian Castro, South Alabama FB/TE DJ Thomas-Jones, Memphis WR Roc Taylor, Indiana WR Ke’Shawn Williams, Minnesota-Duluth OT Aiden Williams, Pittsburgh Ok Ben Sauls and South Dakota TE JJ Galbreath spherical out the seven-player UDFA class for the Steelers.
For the primary time in a very long time, the UDFA class for the Steelers seems fairly good on paper. A variety of expertise, gamers at key positions of want, some recognizable names all through the pre-draft course of. The gamers the Steelers added as UDFAs all are price watching and following all through the offseason and into coaching camp as they battle for both a spot on the 53-man roster, or a follow squad spot, both in Pittsburgh or elsewhere.
So, what UDFA has the very best probability of creating the Steelers’ 53-man roster this low season, hoping to develop into the subsequent Beanie Bishop Jr., Jaylen Warren, Mike Hilton, or James Pierre? I’m glad you requested.
Beneath, I rank the 5 UDFAs from 1 to 7 primarily based on their finest possibilities of grabbing a 53-man roster spot.
1. SEBASTIAN CASTRO, S, IOWA
The final time the Steelers’ protection took the sector, they had been gashed for 299 speeding yards within the Wild Card Spherical loss to the Baltimore Ravens, having no reply for Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson on the bottom. Additionally they didn’t have many solutions by the air, both, as Jackson threw for 175 yards and two touchdowns on 16-of-21 passing.
When the Steelers tried to play heavy, Baltimore threw throughout them. When the Steelers tried to roll with three safeties, the Ravens gashed them on the bottom. They didn’t have any solutions and didn’t have that security that would play within the field or within the slot and permit the Steelers to outlive in sub-package soccer.
Now, they’ve added Juan Thornhill as a free agent this offseason to pair with Minkah Fitzpatrick and DeShon Elliott, and Iowa security Sebastian Castro brings that dual-threat capability at security after a robust profession at Iowa.
In 53 carrer video games at Iowa, Castro had 163 profession tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, 4 interceptions, 1 landing, 14 passes defensed and 5 compelled fumbles. He can play within the slot, within the field or in a deep security function.
Testing numbers induced him to go undrafted, however he’s a wise soccer participant that may match into a lot of roles. In a secondary that wants these sorts of gamers, he has a superb shot at cracking the 53-man roster.
2. DJ THOMAS-JONES, FB/TE, SOUTH ALABAMA
Once you obtain the largest non-QB undrafted free agent signing bonus in Steelers’ historical past, your possibilities of making the 53-man roster must be fairly excessive. That’s the case for South Alabama FB/TE DJ Thomas-Jones.
Popping out of South Alabama as a good finish however having the scale of a fullback with nice size, Thomas-Jones ought to remind Steelers followers of David Johnson from the 2010s. Throughout his collegiate profession which spanned seasons at Ole Miss after which South Alabama, Thomas-Jones completed with 74 receptions for 659 yards and 11 touchdowns, all however one reception of which got here throughout his time at South Alabama.
In response to Professional Soccer Focus, Thomas-Jones performed 681 offensive snaps in 2024, 510 of these snaps coming as an in-line tight finish, 97 snaps within the slot, and 20 snaps within the backfield. Usually, Arthur Smith’s offensive scheme likes to make use of a FB, however the Steelers don’t have one on the roster and experimented with the likes of Connor Heyward and Ben Skowronek final season on the place.
Due to this fact, Thomas-Jones — ought to he shift to fullback — may have an actual shot at incomes a spot on the roster for the Steelers, assuming the can present some particular groups skills within the course of.
3. AIDEN WILLIAMS, OT, MINNESOTA-DULUTH
Offensive sort out has quietly been a necessity for the Steelers all offseason, particularly after shedding Dan Moore Jr. in free company. Broderick Jones is about to flip again over to left sort out, and Troy Fautanu is slated to begin at proper sort out to open the season. Calvin Anderson returns because the swing sort out after signing a two-year contract late in free company.
However on paper, that’s not a comforting prime three on the place. That’s the place Minnesota-Duluth’s Aiden Williams has an actual alternative in entrance of him.
Sure, he’s coming from a small faculty, however he had a robust week on the 2025 East-West Shrine Bowl in Dallas, and it was a little bit of a shock he went undrafted, contemplating he posted a 9.35 Relative Athletic Rating from Kent Lee Platte, grading out as one of many prime 100 OTs since 1987 from an athletic standpoint.
He has good dimension at 6056, 315 kilos, examined nicely within the quick shuttle (4.83 seconds) and the 3-cone (7.58 seconds), and performed in 40 profession video games in faculty, splitting time between sort out and guard.
It’ll be fascinating to see how he develops underneath offensive line coach Pat Meyer this offseason. He’s a really intriguing piece, and with a necessity for expertise from a depth perspective within the trenches, he may power his method onto the roster.
4. JJ GALBREATH, TE, SOUTH DAKOTA
Arthur Smith loves his tight ends, and he won’t discover a extra athletic one on his roster than South Dakota’s JJ Galbreath.
Galbreath had an 8.40 RAS from Platte, checking in underneath an elite quantity throughout the metric. He’s a bit undersized 6033, 231 kilos, however he’s fairly an athlete that strikes very nicely, clocking a 4.67 40-yard sprint and a 38-inch vertical.
He performed in 45 profession video games in faculty and completed his profession with 93 receptions for 1,355 yards and 12 touchdowns, placing up spectacular numbers. He does flip 24 years previous in August although and is on the older facet for a prospect, however he strikes like a receiver and has the manufacturing to match, which may make him a matchup downside for defenses within the NFL.
Although he’s undersized, he has good effort as a blocker and might maintain his personal in-line when requested to, however he profiles finest as that “transfer” TE, which may actually profit him in Pittsburgh, serving as potential depth behind Pat Freiermuth in that function. He’ll have to make performs all through the offseason, coaching camp and the preseason to battle for a spot.
5. KE’SHAWN WILLIAMS, WR, INDIANA
Undersized at 5090, 188 kilos and never all that athletic, having examined at a 4.50 40-yard sprint with a 39-inch vertical and a ten’1″ board soar, Indiana WR Ke’Shawn Williams was ignored within the draft, even after having a productive 4 years at Wake Forest after which a gradual season with the Hoosiers in 2024.
In Pittsburgh, he’s coming into a deep receiver room, however together with his work ethic, motor that runs scorching snap after snap, a want-to as a blocker and a “my ball” mentality with the soccer within the air, Williams might be a sneaky participant to observe in the summertime on the receiver place.
Although he’s undersized, Williams is hard as nails and might play above the rim. He’s a superb route runner, too, and has constant fingers in visitors to grab the soccer out of the air to make performs. Williams additionally brings some particular groups skills to the desk, too, as a kick and punt returner and a gunner on punts, which may assist him stick round.
The percentages are stacked towards him within the receiver room, however his tape is reasonably intriguing, and the willingness to do no matter is requested of him may give him a leg up towards his fellow UDFA WR.
6. ROC TAYLOR, WR, MEMPHIS
Memphis WR Roc Taylor has good dimension and size, and had a productive final two seasons in faculty with 60+ receptions in every season, however the lack of nice lengthy pace, struggles with route working and no actual particular groups skills may make life troublesome for the Memphis product in terms of making an attempt to earn a job on the roster for the Black and Gold.
Final season at Memphis, Taylor hauled in 66 passes for 950 yards and two touchdowns, averaging 14.4 yards per reception. His capability to make performs down the sector ought to assist him in Pittsburgh, the place the downfield passing assault can be featured underneath Arthur Smith.
Taylor goes to want to faucet into these skills to create splash and draw consideration, as a result of exterior of that he’s behind the 8-ball a bit in terms of a man like Williams, who has particular groups skills.
7. BEN SAULS, Ok, PITTSBURGH
It appears a bit unfair to rank Pittsburgh Ok Ben Sauls final on this rating, as a result of he’s an ideal expertise and deserves numerous respect. However while you’re being perennial All-Professional and Professional Bowl kicker Chris Boswell, who’s solidified into place with the Steelers, it’s laborious to have a lot of a shot at making the roster, barring damage.
Sauls related on 52-of-64 on area targets throughout his profession at Pittsburgh, and went 122-of-124 on further factors, having one kick blocked. He was Mr. Constant for the Panthers through the years, is aware of how one can kick at Acrisure Stadium, and brings stunning energy to the place regardless of a 5097, 182-pound body.
He may develop into the most recent kicker that that has labored behind Boswell and gone on to earn an NFL job elsewhere, like Matthew Wright.
