The Pittsburgh Steelers have just wrapped up the 2026 NFL Draft hosted by the city of Pittsburgh. The team addressed several needs, mostly on offense, and waited until the third round to draft a defender. Then, the Steelers waited until the sixth round to make their next defensive selection. The organization was linked to adding more depth in the trenches; however, it opted to go with the offensive side in the first round, and addressed the defense in Round 6 with Notre Dame Fighting Irish defensive lineman Gabe Rubio.
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Steelers defensive lineman Gabe Rubio stands ready for a play during his time at Notre Dame.
Pittsburgh needed to add some depth on its defensive line, as it was a weak point in 2025. The Black and Gold desperately needed a run-stopper, and they believe that they found one in Rubio. He was not invited to the NFL Scouting Combine and was not considered draftable, according to NFL analyst Lance Zierlein. However, the front office loved his listed 6'5", 321-pound frame. He suffered a major arm injury during his collegiate career and only played a handful of games in 2025. This pick came as a shock to many, as he wasn't a prospect that was mentioned much.
This weird pick could lead many to believe that Rubio will have a hard time making the roster, especially as a Day 3 pick. However, the Steelers need to ensure they have solid depth on the defensive line. Pittsburgh signed six undrafted free agents (UDFAs), and among them is former Syracuse University defensive lineman Kevin Jobity Jr. The Athletic's Mike DeFabo gave a real scenario on how Jobity could make the 53-man roster and how he may have been severely overlooked by scouts, especially in the combine drills.
"At 6-foot-4 and 308 pounds with 33 1/4 arms, he scored an 8.87 out of 10 on the Relative Athletic Score. That ranked 259 out of 2,278 DTs from 1987 to 2026. He was not invited to the [NFL] Combine. However, among players at his position, his 10-yard split would have made him among the top five testers at the Combine, and his vertical (32 inches) would have been sixth best," DeFabo wrote.
The former Orange defensive lineman's raw athleticism could be something that the Steelers could really work with. DeFabo continued to talk about a way that Jobity could find himself on the Steelers' roster.
"The Steelers didn’t address the defensive line until the sixth round when they selected Notre Dame’s Gabriel Rubio. If Jobity can jump ahead on the depth chart, he has a shot at the 53-man roster," DeFabo continued.
If Jobity can prove in camp that he is a better player than Rubio and impresses coaches, he has a real shot at a roster spot. The senior defensive lineman recorded five sacks in 2025, a four-and-a-half sack jump from his previous year. He racked up 30 total tackles, just one less than his college high, too. Jobity started playing football in 2021 and took Maryvale High School, near Buffalo, New York, by storm. This earned him a spot at Syracuse after just one season of playing football. He became a cornerstone of the Orange's defensive line.
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Steelers defensive lineman Kevin Jobity Jr. looks on during his time on the Syracuse Orange football team.
Jobity's continued growth will be a promising sign for Steelers coaches, especially with his pass-rushing numbers. There's no denying his 6'4", 300-pound frame, and if all goes right, he could be an underrated candidate to make the roster. If not, he could be a developmental piece that Pittsburgh could stash on its practice squad.
The Steelers May Know Something Fans Don't
As mentioned before, Rubio was not invited to the Combine. His injury history and lack of playing time make it really difficult to believe that he was a sixth-round pick. Maybe the Steelers know something that many don't about him, but based on his play, he more than likely would've been available as a UDFA. Time will tell if Rubio was worth the draft pick and if he even makes the 53-man roster.
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