Steelers Have New Name to Watch at OLB

One Pittsburgh Steelers rookie has caught the eye of the coaching staff.

Michigan State's Jacoby Windmon tackles Richmond's Nick DeGennaro during the second quarter on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. / Nick King / USA TODAY NETWORK

PITTSBURGH -- Despite a 20-12 loss at the hands of the Houston Texans in their first preseason game, Pittsburgh Steelers defensive coordinator Teryl Austin came away with a positive impression of one of the team's undrafted linebackers.

Jacoby Windmon, in his initial taste of NFL action, recorded three tackles while displaying his versatility with a pass breakup across 18 snaps on the night. Austin offered a glowing evaluation of his overall performance, pointing out his positional flexibility as an additional benefit.

"He did a good job," Austin said. "It's funny because he's had to - in a pinch at practice - had to play some outside backer for us, and inside backer, and he does a good job at both of them."

Throughout his five-year collegiate career at UNLV and Michigan State, Windmon was utilized as both an on-ball and off-ball linebacker at different points. He finished with a total of 233 tackles, 27 tackles for loss and 18.5 sacks over that stretch, further showcasing his potential value on multiple fronts for the Steelers' front seven.

Austin believes Windmon's display against Houston helped his case as he pursues a spot on Pittsburgh's 53-man roster while also highlighting some of his defining traits.

"When you watch him play, he's got really good instincts, he has a really good feel for the game, he's a good communicator, and he gets himself around the ball," Austin said. "So, he helped himself, I thought, this week."

Windmon can continue to boost his stock with another standout game when the Steelers take on the Buffalo Bills this Saturday at Acrisure Stadium. Cracking the depth chart will be no easy task, especially at linebacker given Pittsburgh's talent at the position, but a path exists for Windmon to come in and force his way onto the roster with sustained levels of strong play.

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