Linebacker Brandon George and three other former Pitt players are among those taking part in Pittsburgh Steelers rookie minicamp this weekend.
The 40-player roster for the three days of work at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex includes the Steelers’ 10 draft picks, six undrafted rookie free agents and 12 players who were on their offseason roster but still qualify for rookie camp based on their limited NFL experience.
Twelve others are taking part in sessions Friday, Saturday and Sunday on a tryout basis. Nine of those 12 are rookies, including defensive back Rashad Battle, wide receiver Raphael “Poppi” Williams and linebacker Joseph Zelinsky of Pitt.
Though he’s never appeared in an NFL regular-season game or been part of a 53-man active roster, George is not a “rookie” in NFL parlance. Listed as a first-year player, George in 2025 spent all summer with the Kansas City Chiefs after signing as an undrafted free agent but was cut at the end of their training camp.
From Reading, Pa., George spent six years at Pitt and was a captain as a senior in 2024.
The 6-foot-3, 195-pound Battle started the past two seasons for Pitt. Williams spent his final two seasons at Pitt after one season at San Diego State that followed two at Western Carolina. Zelinsky (6-4, 250) played in 2025 at Pitt after three seasons at Eastern Michigan.
Among other tryouts of note at Steelers rookie camp is Penn State’s Gabriel Nwosu, who is listed as a 6-6, 296-pound punter. Nwosu was the Nittany Lions’ kickoff specialist for four seasons and took over punting duties in 2025.
Running back Alex Tecza is also among the Steelers’ invites. A teammate of Steelers’ seventh-round pick Eli Heidenreich at both Mt. Lebanon and Navy, Tecza had 11 touchdowns, 902 rushing yards and 125 receiving yards for the Midshipmen last season.
The only NFL veterans among the Steelers’ tryout invites are a punter (Ryan Stonehouse) and long snapper (Jacob Bobenmoyer).
Stonehouse, 26, twice led the NFL in punting average but was out of the league last season. The Steelers have only one punter on their current roster — veteran Cameron Johnston — so it would not be surprising if they sign Stonehouse after the weekend ends if he performs well during rookie camp.