Steelers' Day 3 Rookie Is Already Displaying Great Traits Against Generational Player

The Pittsburgh Steelers' plan in the 2026 NFL Draft was to find players that could contribute in the future more so than now. Most of the prospects they selected had great physical attributes that could be molded into high-end starters down the road with proper coaching. The bad news for Pittsburgh is due to the sheer number of injuries along with some inconsistent play, many of the 10 rookies have been forced into key roles earlier than the coaching staff had hoped for, but it's not as problematic as expected. 

Some players like Max Iheanachor and Robert Spears-Jennings have taken this opportunity and ran with it. There is belief that the rookie right tackle could eventually develop into a generational lineman, while the safety has been able to help hold down the fort in the back end. Overall, this is looking to be one of the better draft classes that the Steelers have had recently, and it's only going to get better.

Another rookie is trying to make his name known. Analyst Brian Baldinger broke down how great sixth-round rookie Gabriel Rubio looked in his NFL debut back in Week 5. 

"You see a big man that can move and plays hard; [Gabriel Rubio's] got great play strength," Baldinger said. "All he does is show up at the ball... Against Quenton Nelson here, this is a play where you put it on his resume reel right now. Just great strength."

There was a lot in the breakdown of Rubio's limited snaps against the Indianapolis Colts, but what he showed on that game tape is a big man that can line up all over the place in the interior defensive line and dominate. Working against center Tanor Bortolini is one thing, but when you're giving All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson problems, you know you're something special. Rubio is a real diamond in the rough.

The rookie defensive lineman was able to consistently close the gaps and help limit Jonathan Taylor to just 45 yards in the game. Even when Derrick Harmon gets healthy again, it's going to be very hard for the coaching staff to justify making Rubio a healthy scratch like it did in the first four weeks. He looks like a bona fide run stopper that will make life very hard on teams across the league. 

Part of the reason why it's so hard for these high-end linemen to move Rubio is his size. He's officially listed at 6'5" and 321 pounds. On top of that, he plays with great technique and an endless motor, so it's not like he's just a big body that takes up space. He can push these guards and centers back before shedding them and making a tackle at or near the line of scrimmage, or he forces the running back to bounce outside to the arms of an edge rusher.

Steelers Are Proving Their Many Critics Wrong

After the Steelers selected Rubio in the sixth round, many people questioned why they wasted a draft pick on him as opposed to waiting to see if he could be taken as an undrafted free agent. Speaking of which, undrafted defensive tackle Kevin Jobity Jr. was making noise all throughout the offseason program as another big body that can move and wreak havoc in the interior, which would render the sixth rounder obsolete.

It didn't help that Rubio was dealing with all kinds of injury issues, which would likely make many teams take him off their draft boards entirely. However, he has been healthy so far, and his play has been exceptional. Jobity was listed as a healthy scratch in Week 5 while the sixth-round pick made his NFL debut. After the performance that he put up, it's going to be very hard for the undrafted free agent rookie to overtake him on the depth chart.

What do you think about Rubio's dominant performance against Nelson, Taylor, and the Colts? Let us know on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.

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