Four Players to Watch During Steelers Final OTAs

That's what makes these four players the ones to watch during the Pittsburgh Steelers' final week of OTAs.

Gabriel Rubio DL of the Fighting Irish at Notre Dame football practice at the Irish Athletic Center on August 7, 2023. | MATTIE NERETIN / USA TODAY NETWORK

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers are about to take another lengthy break to conclude the easy part of the offseason. After that void of time, the Steelers return for training camp and the preseason, and it will be Week 1 of the 2026 regular season in the blink of an eye.

Just one more week of minicamp stands between the Steelers and their final opportunity to rest and recuperate. Many veterans will likely take that opportunity early and not be in attendance, but that doesn't mean work won't happen at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex.

There will be plenty for the Steelers in attendance to do, and there's an expanded opportunity to impress the coaching staff. That's what makes these four players the ones to watch during the team's final week of OTAs.

Jamin Davis - Linebacker

After impressing during a workout, linebacker Jamin Davis earned himself a shot to make the 53-man roster in 2026. A former first-round pick of the Washington Commanders, he was a starter for the first three years of his NFL career before injuries derailed everything.

What sticks out about Davis is his connection to new defensive coordinator Patrick Graham. Davis hardly played in 2025, but when he did, it was over a short stint under Graham with the Las Vegas Raiders. That familiarity might help him earn a depth role on the roster and give the team a reason to move on from another, more expensive backup inside linebacker.

Daylen Everette - Defensive Back

The team's recent third-round pick has impressed so far with the Steelers, and it has some buying in on young defensive back Daylen Everette. He's a versatile defender who might stick as a slot corner, or emerge as a starting outside cornerback. He might even be a better fit at safety when it's all said and done.

That's a long-term problem to solve. For the short term, Everette has the chance to put himself into the conversation of cornerback no. 3 on the team's depth chart heading into training camp.

Nov 28, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs defensive back Daylen Everette (6) celebrates after a victory over the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Riley Nowakowski - Fullback/Tight End

When the Steelers selected Riley Nowakowski in the fourth round of the most recent draft, it was assumed that he was the replacement for Connor Heyward as the backup tight end/part-time full back/special teams contributor. But the Steelers closed out their recent work of offseason programming by signing tight end Robert Tonyan.

Green Bay Packers fans know Tonyan hauled in 11 touchdowns during Aaron Rodgers' MVP season in 2020. What Tonyan also brings, however, is special teams experience. That means Nowakowski's role and place on the roster are in jeopardy. He can reverse the momentum with an impressive final week of minicamp.

Gabe Rubio - Defensive Lineman

One more rookie concludes the players to watch, and this one is the most intriguing. The selection of the Notre Dame product was a bit of a stretch, with many evaluating him and concluding that he would not make it in the NFL.

So far, that feels accurate. Rubio has significant work to do in order to avoid being another late round pick who couldn't make the grade, and a positive showing over the final week of minicamp would be a welcomed step in the right direction.

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