“Day 4” of the 2013 NFL Draft at the South Side when the Pittsburgh Steelers added to their 2013 Draft Class by signing 15 undrafted rookie free agents, and it was a group heavy with offensive lineman.
Steelers 2013 Undrafted Rookie Free Agents:
Nik Embernate, guard of San Diego State
Chis Hubbard, guard of University of Birmingham
Mike Farrell, tackle of Penn State
Mike Golic Jr., tackle of Notre Dame
Ivory Wade, center of Baylor
Brian Arnfelt, defensive end of Northwestern
Cordian Hagans, defensive end of Louisiana-Lafayette
Athony Rashad White, defensive tackle of Michigan State
Omar Hunter, defensive tackle of Florida
Curtis McNeal, running back of USC
Luke Ingram, long snapper, of Hawaii
Seeking the Next Silverback, FWP
Dubbing this group “The Steelers 2013 Undrafted Rookie Free Agent Class” might seem slightly grandiose, as the vast majority of these kids are doing little more chasing a pro football like version of a Rudy like dream.
But with Kevin Colbert, the Steelers have mined the undrafted rookie free agent pool for gold, with talents like James Harrison and Willie Parker to show for it. And while those are the best two examples the Steelers can present, they are far from the only two.
- In 2008 Darnell Stapelton was part of an unrestricted rookie free agent crop and started in Super Bowl XLIII
- 2009’s undrafted rookie free agent crop yielded Ramon Foster and Isaac Redman
- In 2010 Steve McLendon got his first playing time after cutting his teeth as a rookie free agent
And just last year fullback Will Johnson and safety Robert Golden made the team as undrafted rookie free agents.
Clearly the odds may be stacked against these young men, but the Steelers will certainly give them a fair shot.
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