Four years after entering the NFL as a high-profile college player, Trey Sermon was among those invited to the Pittsburgh Steelers rookie minicamp this weekend on a mere tryout basis.

Sermon was a third-round pick of the San Francisco 49ers in 2021 and has 42 games, five starts, 505 rushing yards and three touchdowns of NFL experience for the 49ers and Indianapolis Colts. He played in the College Football Playoff three times over his four seasons for Oklahoma (2017-19) and Ohio State (2020).

Sermon (6-0, 215) appeared in 17 games last season, rushing for 159 yards on 56 carries. He had one of the best games of his career Dec. 16, 2023, against the Steelers, rushing for 88 yards on 17 carries in a Colts victory.

Sermon is an option for a running backs room that includes returning co-starter Jaylen Warren, third-round pick Kaleb Johnson and veteran free-agent signee Kenneth Gainwell.

Of the 25 tryouts taking part, Sermon is one of four who are not true rookies.

Long snapper Taybor Pepper turns 31 later this month and has been in the league since 2017. Cornerback Mickey Victor spent time with the New England Patriots last season, but not on their 53-man roster. Offensive tackle Ilm Manning has spent time with five NFL teams (no regular-season games) and with the Birmingham Stallions of the UFL.

Staying in town

Signed immediately after the draft ended, kicker Ben Sauls isn’t the only Pitt player taking part in Steelers rookie camp. Three former Panthers are attending on a tryout basis — safety P.J. O’Brien, linebacker Nate Matlack and outside linebacker Bam Brima.

O’Brien made seven starts over four seasons at Pitt. Matlack became a starter in 2024 after spending his first three college seasons as a reserve at Kansas State.

Brima appeared in 33 games for Pitt — he had three sacks in 2023 — but last season transferred to Keiser University, an NAIA school in Florida.

Sauls kicked for four seasons at Pitt and was its primary placekicker the past three. He made a school-record 58-yard field goal in addition to converting on two from 57 yards.

In the family

Among the 21 rookies at camp this weekend on a tryout, at least one already knew his way around the facility to some degree. Another at least knew his way around town.

The son of Steelers running backs coach Eddie Faulkner, Eddie Faulker IV, was a two-time Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference defensive back at Slippery Rock.

Also on hand is Thomas Jefferson High School alumnus Dom Serapiglia, a two-year starting center at Central Michigan.

Pen to paper

The Steelers on Friday announced the signing of six draft picks — third-rounder Kaleb Johnson; fourth-rounder Jack Sawyer; Black, who was picked in the fifth round; sixth-rounder Will Howard; and seventh-round selections Carson Bruener and Donte Kent.

Bruener, an inside linebacker taken No. 226 overall, is the son of former Steelers tight end and current scout Mark. Like his father, Carson Bruener played at Washington.

Kent was selected three picks after Bruener out of Central Michigan. He is officially listed by the Steelers as “cornerback/punt returner.” Bruener likewise is expected to play on special teams.

Sawyer is an edge rusher who twice was named second-team all-Big Ten and last season was one of Ohio State’s best defensive players in its run to the national championship.