After the Pittsburgh Steelers completed their draft, the third pick in the sixth round was not exactly the player that everybody was excited about. Outside of Derwin Gray, the seventh-round offensive lineman, there was nobody who drew less immediate interest. Both Sutton Smith and Isaiah Buggs were considered more intriguing prospects among the sixth-round selections.
The inside linebacker out of Akron, however, quickly emerged in training camp and the preseason as one of the most exciting young defensive players on the roster, earning more and more playing time, both on defense and on special teams.