Twenty-eight years after the Pittsburgh Steelers selected his father, Notre Dame defensive lineman Gabriel Rubio became a second-generation NFL Draft pick by the franchise.
The Steelers drafted the 6-foot-5, 321-pound senior in the sixth round Saturday, one round earlier than his father, Angel, who was a seventh rounder in 1998.
“He was ecstatic. He was so happy for me,” Rubio said. “He was giving me all the pointers right now about living in Pittsburgh and what’s going to go on and what’s going to happen. I’m really counting on his guidance.”
His father was traded away by the Steelers four months after the draft, but the younger Rubio’s versatility could keep him around the Steelers longer. He played snaps along the Notre Dame defensive line from nose tackle to end.
Rubio missed the final six games of last season with a broken elbow and torn ulnar collateral ligament that required surgery. He finished the year with 13 tackles in six games with five starts.
“It was a quick recovery,” Rubio said. “It only took me about six weeks to get back to playing condition. I’m 100% right now. There are no limitations.”
This story will be updated.