Pittsburgh’s defensive line depth was straight up shorthanded before their Week 7 matchup in Paris against the Saints. Derrick Harmon, a top run stuffer and a 2025 first-round pick, was on injured reserve. He got company there from Sebastian Joseph-Day, one of the team’s top free-agent signings this offseason, leaving the Steelers needing more from their D-line rotation.
Stepping Up When It Counts
Even with Heyward and Benton playing great, the team had to lean hard on guys lower on the depth chart. Yahya Black and seventh-round rookie Gabriel Rubio have been solid in their snaps so far this season, but then a new name got tossed into the mix against the Saints: undrafted rookie Kevin Jobity Jr. This dude saw the first 15 snaps of his NFL career in Paris, and let me tell you, there might be something special brewing here. Jobity, even in limited time, looks like another potential diamond in the rough for Pittsburgh’s front office.
The Athletic Freak Nobody Saw Coming
Jobity came out of Syracuse this spring, and his scouting report boasted an insane 8.87 relative athletic score. Think about it: at 6’4″ and 308 pounds, he ripped a 1.69-second 10-yard split and cranked out a 32-inch vertical. Seriously, the Steelers absolutely saw that athleticism, because they threw Jobity out there as the *lone lineman* on their kickoff return and coverage teams against New Orleans. That’s a rare sight, man. Linemen’s physicality is a plus, but kickoffs are all about finding blocks and making tackles in open space, which is a nightmare for guys over 300 pounds. But Jobity? He looked like he belonged. He landed some solid blocks and even helped contain a returner on a fantastic coverage play. Yeah, on one rep he couldn’t hold his block long enough, but if Lew Nichols hadn’t stumbled on the return, Jobity’s effort would’ve cleared a huge lane. This guy is an athletic marvel for his size.
That special teams prowess is going to keep Jobity in the conversation for a helmet every single game day. But get this, he also showed some real ability on defense, getting a handful of snaps on the line in the second half against the Saints. His reps weren’t always clean wins, but the dude’s effort is next level. It’s been a standout trait for him since preseason. He plays through the whistle and tries to be in on every single tackle. On one play, he dropped a knee perfectly to maintain position before exploding towards the ball. On another, he got initially shoved out but kept fighting. This guy is relentless.
Pittsburgh’s front office definitely found a player to keep an eye on. With that kind of motor and surprising athleticism for his size, Jobity is going to be a key rotational piece.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Behind the Steel Curtain.
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