Steelers Rookie Yahya Black: Training Camp Promise and Preseason Impact

Let's get into how Steelers Defensive Tackle Yahya Black, a fifth-round rookie, is earning recognition and a roster spot with continuous standout training camp performances, preseason stats, and coach praise, setting him up as a sleeper in Pittsburgh's defensive rotation this season.

The Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2025 preseason has a standout story: Yahya Black is emerging as a powerful force, making a name for himself early in both training camp and preseason games.

A fifth-round pick (164th overall) out of Iowa, Black entered camp as a run defender with a lot of frame and size to work with. Through two weeks of camp, he’s added pass-rush skill, batting down passes at the line of scrimmage and plugging gaps with authority, per SteelerNation.com. 

Head coach Mike Tomlin praised his abilities, calling Black an “F-350” for his imposing size and power, being 6-5, 352 pounds, per the Pittsburgh Steelers.

In the preseason opener against Jacksonville, Black’s debut was electric. He earned praise from NFL analyst Brian Baldinger, featured in a “Baldy’s Breakdown,” for wreaking havoc in limited snaps, per Still Curtain. 

Not only does the game film back up the hype, but so do the statistics: Pro Football Focus gave him an 82.3 pass-rush grade, with a 42.9% pass-rush win rate on just 11 snaps. Black’s run-defense grade was 72.6, making him the fourth-highest graded rookie interior lineman that week.

However, his second preseason outing versus Tampa Bay was quieter, primarily due to an arm injury that forced him to wear a brace. An unfortunate toll from this was that Black’s PFF grade dropped to 54.3 overall, with a 50.5 pass-rush grade, and he didn’t register any stats despite playing more snaps. The injury also caused him to miss the final training camp practice, raising questions about his short-term availability.

Still, the Steelers appear convinced. Analysts insist Black has already locked down a spot in the defensive-line rotation, potentially forcing a veteran like Isaiahh Loudermilk off the roster.

From training camp hustle to preseason production, Black has already made a compelling case. If he can bounce back from injury and reclaim his Week 1 form, he might just become one of the Steelers’ most reliable interior disruptors.