Steelers Rookie Minicamp Defensive Preview: 3 Steelers who need big first impressions in Pittsburgh this weekend
Here are the 3 Steelers rookie defenders who need to make a lasting first impression at rookie minicamp in Pittsburgh this weekend.
The Pittsburgh Steelers will be hosting their rookie minicamp this weekend, as from Friday, May 8, to Sunday, May 10, all of the 2026 draft class, along with the undrafted free agents and potentially even some veterans, will be in Pittsburgh.
While the talk will mainly surround what happens with the rookies on the offensive side of the ball, in this piece, we are going to analyze the three rookie defenders who need to have a big first impression and name what they need to do to accomplish that.
Facts about 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh
- Over 320,000 people attended on night one.
- Over 800,000 people in total attended.
- The Steelers drafted 10 players.
DL Gabe Rubio: Look the part
No Steelers selection in the 2026 NFL Draft was more of a headscatcher than Gabe Rubio. Albeit a sixth-round pick in one of the weaker draft classes in recent memory, Rubio was ranked as the 500th player on the consensus board.
Which, no matter how you feel about that topic, proves that no one truly thought of him as a draftable prospect or even a fringe UDFA. So for Rubio, just showing that he has what it takes to make an NFL roster and play in the men’s league will go a long way, even in a learning environment like rookie minicamp.
CB Daylen Everette: Show some ball skills
With Everette, there is no questioning his physical traits. He’s long, extremely explosive, and has decent fluidity and transitions for a player of his size. But he could never really put it all together at Georgia, which is why he fell to the third round.
If he can show the ability to attack the football and play the ball better in the air as early as rookie minicamp, I think that will go a long way in making a solid first impression.
S Robert Spears Jennings: Bring range to the table
When the Steelers took RSJ in the seventh round, I rated it as one of their more underrated picks in the class. While he needs to improve his development from an eye discipline standpoint, there is no doubting his ability to cover ground.
His 4.32 40-yard dash will put him among the fastest players on the Steelers’ defense, and I believe he can fill a void as a true centerfielder in Pittsburgh. He can start by showing his ability to get off the hash this weekend.