Steelers Cut Harvard Graduate Running Back

The Pittsburgh Steelers have placed running back Aaron Shampklin on waivers, the team announced on Tuesday.

Shampklin had spent all of training camp battling Jonathan Ward, La’Mical Perine and Daijun Edwards to be the team’s No. 4 running back. Edwards was one of the team’s early cuts, while Ward and Perine were also released on Tuesday.

In three preseason games, Shampklin rushed 13 times for 40 yards and also caught three passes for three yards.

The 24-year-old Harvard grad singed with the Steelers on Jan. 17 after spending training camp with the Los Angeles Chargers last season. He previously spent time with the Indianapolis Colts, Dallas Cowboys and Houston Gamblers of the USFL.

“Last year, being in the spring league with the Gamblers, it was good being on the field getting games reps and getting back comfortable,” Shampklin said in the spring. “I had come off an injury from the year before so it was good to actually play in a game again but you can’t beat being in an NFL environment. You got top of the line coaches. You are getting the best criticism compared to what you might get in the spring league.”

He impressed in OTAs, getting a ton of reps with the first-team offense, but was unable to keep that momentum through training camp and the preseason, and eventually fell behind Perine and Ward on the depth chart at running back.