PITTSBURGH — This weekend at rookie minicamp, the newest Pittsburgh Steelers took their first steps in what they hope will be long NFL journeys. Though the pads won’t go on for weeks, and the games don’t start for months, that hasn’t stopped third-round pick Kaleb Johnson from setting a high bar for himself.
“Najee (Harris) had 1,000 yards all four years,” Johnson said. “I want to be next up. I want to come in, (and) I want to get more. … Win Super Bowls. Rookie of the Year. All-Pro. I want to do all of that. I feel like they can support me here, and I can do it.”
At 6 foot 1 and 225 pounds, the former Iowa back led the Big Ten in rushing yards (1,537), rushing touchdowns (21) and all-purpose yards (1,725) in 2024. Johnson’s efficient production in a zone-centric offense makes him a schematic fit, which should help him hit the ground running.
The rookie running back’s goals are to learn the playbook and earn the coaching staff’s trust with the hope of becoming an “every-down back” sooner rather than later. For it to be sooner, he knows there’s one key part of his game that must improve.
“Pass blocking,” Johnson said. “That’s my main thing. I’m working on it every day after practice. Just going over to the bag right there and hitting it with (running backs) coach (Eddie) Faulkner. And really just learning from (veteran RB Jaylen) Warren, too, because he’s one of the best doing it in the league right now. So I told him, ‘Let’s do it. Let’s work after every practice and do it. I’m down to go.’”
Will Howard had ‘soft spot’ for Pittsburgh
While prospects came from around the country to participate in minicamp, Downingtown, Pa., native Will Howard jumped in his car and made a casual, four-hour drive across the state to join his new team. Throughout the draft process, the Steelers showed plenty of interest in the former Ohio State QB, including taking him out to dinner before his pro day.
The interest was mutual.
“I had a little soft spot for Pittsburgh,” Howard said. “I was hoping in my heart that they’d picked me.”
“It’s exciting to be out here,” he continued. “It’s been my dream my whole life to be an NFL quarterback. Here we are. I’m trying to enjoy it as much as I can.”
Though fans rarely get overly excited about sixth-round picks, Howard’s position and the Steelers’ unsettled QB situation have made the new signal caller an early fan favorite. Howard said that before minicamp, he and Buckeyes teammate/Steelers linebacker Jack Sawyer drove to Pittsburgh to take in a Pirates game and visit Primanti Brothers. He received a warm reception when shown on the big screen during the baseball game.
The question is whether he’ll get the same reception just down the street at Acrisure Stadium this year. Though the Steelers are optimistic about Aaron Rodgers’ eventually signing with them, should the veteran QB opt to skip OTAs or decide not to join the Steelers, Howard could have an opportunity to work his way up the depth chart. Even if Rodgers misses part of OTAs, that alone would provide Howard a chance to take more competitive reps.
“I’m just treating it like any other day,” Howard said. “I want to come in here. I want to learn. I want to get better. That’s how I’m looking at this. Who knows what happens? I’m not worried about that. I’m just worried about myself and learning and getting better through the process.”
It benefits Howard that he’s experienced just about everything a QB can. He’s gone from being overlooked during the recruiting process as a three-star recruit, to stepping in for a starter who was injured at Kansas State, to being benched, to transferring, to leading a national championship run. The moments when the 6-4, 236-pound QB was doubted are those that fuel him most.
“It helped me a ton,” Howard said. “That’s kind of the story of my life. To be in the NFL, you’re always fighting for a job, no matter what. If you’re not on your game one day, you can be gone. It’s a business. The things I went through, (I) learned to push through adversity and (bounce) back from bad things. I learned so much, and that gave me a pretty hard head. I’ve got a chip on my shoulder, and I’m just glad to be here.”
UDFA TE hopes versatility helps him earn a spot
The biggest buzz during minicamp surrounded first-round pick Derrick Harmon, Johnson and others. However, for players further down the depth chart, these first days in Pittsburgh might be even more important as they look to beat the odds and make the roster as undrafted free agents.
Former University of South Dakota tight end JJ Galbreath fits into that latter category.
Though Galbreath went undrafted, his eye-popping numbers at his pro day make him an intriguing player to follow through training camp. His 4.61-second 40-yard dash and 4.20 shuttle time would have been the fastest among tight ends who tested at the combine. Galbreath also would have tied for the second-best vertical jump (38 inches) and third-best broad jump (10-3).
“I feel like if you go and watch a film, you can definitely see that,” he said. “But (pro day) it’s just more of like a environment where you’re able to showcase truly what you’re about.”
Galbreath said he was surprised when the Steelers called after the draft and offered him a contract as an undrafted free agent. He quickly accepted before hearing other offers.
His journey through FCS football made him an overlooked prospect. That’s something he’s used to.
“That’s one of the big motivators and takeaways,” Galbreath said. “Coming out of high school into college, I felt like I was overlooked. I’m not going to sit here and, you know, take it crazy personal. But I’m going to use it as a chip to showcase my talents that I should have been with the top from the very beginning. I’m still going to try and carry that mentality and mindset as I go through camp.”
Galbreath joins an Arthur Smith offense that likes to feature the tight end. But he’ll also face plenty of competition to make the team with a depth chart that includes Pat Freiermuth, Darnell Washington, Connor Heyward and Donald Parham Jr. He’ll also be competing with fellow UDFA and TE/FB DJ Thomas-Jones for a roster spot.
Though it might be an uphill battle, one thing that will help Galbreath is his versatility.
“Being able to line up as a one, two, three receiver. On the ball. Off the ball. In the backfield,” Galbreath said when explaining his role at South Dakota. “We’re incorporating a lot of that in our Y and F position here (in Pittsburgh) as well, whether you’re lining up split out as a receiver or in the backfield, run blocking, perimeter blocking, pin blocking, and then all the routes as well. I see a really good fit there from the offense that I came from.”
Steelers’ search for WR depth starts on their own roster
When the Steelers dealt George Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys last week, they shook up some locker room dynamics and added draft picks that might help answer the long-term question at QB. But at the same time, they also dealt a significant blow to their own receiver depth.
Roc Taylor, a 6-2, 213-pound receiver, already recognized an opportunity when he signed as an undrafted free agent out of Memphis. When the Steelers trade occurred, it might have helped open another door a little wider — or at least shortened his path to a roster spot.
“Just another chance and opportunity,” Taylor said. “Come in and work and prove I can play with the best at the top level. And just work, control what I can control and play my role to the best of my ability.”
Taylor’s big, physical frame helped him rack up more than 2,000 receiving yards during his junior and senior seasons. He’s hoping to use some of those same attributes to climb the depth chart in Pittsburgh.
“The physicality,” Taylor said when asked what can help him stand out. “The 100 percent effort and just to be able to run all day. I’m a hardworking player. I never get tired.”
Oh and that name, Roc. It’s short for Rokafewlloa, a unique take on J.D. Rockefeller, the American industrialist who was once one of the country’s wealthiest people.
“It came from my grandma,” Taylor said. “She named me that when I was little. … She told me one day I’m going to be rich. I’m living out the reality right now, but I still got some work to do to prove that point.”
(Photo of Kaleb Johnson: Gene J. Puskar / Associated Press)
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