3 Sleepers Standing Out at Steelers Training Camp

The Steelers did not have the pads on last week, but that doesn’t mean that some sleepers did not make their mark on the training camp early on. Who stood out in a good way for the Steelers in their first few practices of training camp in Latrobe at Saint Vincent College?

S Kenny Robinson

Robinson is the most recent guy to stand out as a sleeper but Sunday was his magnum opus, if you will. He made play after play at free safety, including two picks and one in seven shots.  The most impressive play, however, may have been his rangy play over the top of a go route to come from center field and knock the ball away. He is proving to have a knack for the football.

With Minkah Fitzpatrick out for personal reasons and Damontae Kazee still nursing an ankle injury, the opportunity for someone else to step up in that room is ripe for the taking. Robinson took advantage of that on Sunday, now it will be another chance for him to make some serious noise when the pads come on.

DB Elijah Riley

Riley was a player I circled before training camp that could be a guy that ends up soaring unexpectedly. It all made sense. Riley is a defensive back, not a safety or cornerback. He plays slot cornerback, safety, and outside cornerback. But in reality, he can play about six different positions at a proficient enough level to where he really can have an impact on the team. That is before factoring in his contributions that often show up on the special teams’ side of things.

Riley has made a number of plays from the slot, including an interception on the first day of training camp. Since then, he’s looked good blitzing and has not had a play where he’s been egregiously burnt in a concerning fashion. To simply put it in one way, Riley looks solid.

WR Hakeem Butler

Out of the sleeper wide receivers, Hakeem Butler is really the one guy standing out. The big receiver is playing yo his size and made some eye popping catch.

The two plays that stood out were both in contested catch situations. Mitch Trubisky looked for Butler on a go route on the first one but underthrew the ball to the inside. It traveled about 35 air yards. Luq Barcoo nearly had an interception but instead of simply admitting he was not going to catch the ball, Butler fought through his hands and pulled the ball out for an impressive catch and touchdown.

The Steelers saw a similar play later. On the final play of the day, Butler ran an out-and-up double move against Madre Harper. Harper never bit on the move but Mason Rudolph targeted Butler to his back shoulder on a nice throw. Butler did a great job of skying over Harper and boxing him out from having any chance of making the play. That big play element is what drew the Steelers to Butler in the first place. Butler is going to be a guy to watch.