Steelers Rookie Tabbed A "Demon" As He Is Making A Name For Himself

The Pittsburgh Steelers had a large draft class in 2026, but it could have been even bigger. The organization entered the event with 12 selections, but two of those picks were used to maneuver around the draft board. The franchise wound up selecting 10 players, which is still a lot. Some of the drafted rookies are going to be at risk of not making the final roster at the end of training camp, but some of the rookies could be stashed on the practice squad. It will be interesting to see which rookies are able to make a name for themselves throughout camp and the three preseason contests.

The most talked-about rookies from the 2026 draft class for the Steelers have been the team's first three selections. This includes tackle Max Iheanachor, wide receiver Germie Bernard, and quarterback Drew Allar. All of those are premium positions and will always be the topic of discussion, but the Steelers have some other rookies that are primed to make an impact. This includes two members of the secondary, Daylen Everette and Robert Spears-Jennings. Everette was a third-round pick and will have a chance to compete for playing time, while Spears-Jennings will have more of an uphill battle.

Beat writer Nick Farabaugh joined 93.7 The Fan on Tuesday morning, and he shared that Spears-Jennings is a player that a lot of fans might be pleasantly surprised by once training camp comes around.

"I do think one guy people are going to like a lot is Robert Spears-Jennings, the seventh-round pick out of Oklahoma," Farabaugh said. "He's a big guy, they need safety depth, and he can fly. He's got every bit of speed that you would want. He's going to be an immediate special teams demon. I 100% believe that. He's got the profile for it, he's a great tackler, he was great at it in college. He can play in the box, he can do so many different things for you. He's someone that I think has really flown under the radar, I think he was one of their best draft picks in this class. People haven't really talked about him enough."

Pittsburgh selected Spears-Jennings with the 224th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, and being a seventh-round pick in a 10-man draft class has made him kind of an afterthought. However, he could make an impact right away on special teams.

Spears-Jennings played four seasons at Oklahoma, and he was a starter for the last two seasons. He has been able to see the field consistently throughout all four seasons, but he finally became a starter during his junior year. He tallied five forced fumbles throughout his career, and he is known to be a willing tackler from the safety spot. 

It is going to be difficult for Spears-Jennings to see the field on defense during the 2026 season. He would need several injuries to occur for him to be thrust into a role defensively. He does have some great veterans to learn from, which could help him develop throughout his rookie year.

Steelers' Robert Spears-Jennings Is Not A Lock To Make The Final Roster

The rookie is going to be competing for a roster spot throughout training camp, and his main competition is probably going to be with Sebastian Castro. Castro was an undrafted free agent in 2025, and he contributed some on special teams for the Steelers. They will each be fighting for a role on special teams, as well as a meaningful spot on the depth chart at safety. This is going to be an underrated position battle throughout the end of July and August, but it is an important one after the franchise let Miles Killebrew walk in free agency.

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