The Steelers are just over one week away from their first pre-season game of 2019. After reviewing all the accounts of training camp so far, I have come up with a list of the five most intriguing players for this year’s team. These five players are the ones to keep a close eye on throughout the pre-season:

1. Devin Bush:

No matter what team it is, the first round pick is almost always the player to watch during the off-season. When that player is one who was acquired in a big trade, that only drives the interest up even further. Devin Bush is the player this defense has desperately needed ever since the Ryan Shazier injury. It can not be overstated how important this pick is to the success of the Pittsburgh Steelers. All eyes will be on Bush every minute of every game leading up to the season opener in September.

2. Ola Adeniyi:

Early reports out of training camp say Adeniyi has been dominate. This is great news for a team which is very thin at outside linebacker. Kevin Colbert has shown a lot of confidence in the former undrafted free agent. The team has not addressed the position the last two off-seasons, meaning they must believe Adeniyi can be the guy. The parallels between Ola and James Harrison are striking. From body type, to draft status, to even the number they wear, its almost too good to be true. I for one will be watching Adeniyi as close as anyone on the roster.

3. Diontae Johnson:

The Pittsburgh Steelers know wide receivers. So when they draft a guy in the third round that takes people a little by surprise, it certainly gets your attention. Johnson’s college tape is very impressive, even if it comes from a smaller school. The comparisons to Antonio Brown have been thrown around more than once. While that may be a little much, anything he can give will be much needed for this depleted wide receiver group in 2019.

4. Diontae Spencer:

Speaking of wide receivers, Spencer is another intriguing option for the Steelers. The former CFL standout boasts sub 4.3 speed, and is probably the best returner on the roster. His small stature (5’9″ 165lbs) certainly works against him however. If he can make the roster as a return specialist, he could end up being a big play option on offense as well.

5. Devlin Hodges:

The default candidate here would be Mason Rudolph if we are talking about the future of the quarterback position. There may be no more interesting player on the roster than Hodges however. Early talk out of camp says he has been sharp, and brings a cannon of an arm to the table. His college stats are stunning, albeit for a small school like Samford. How does 4,200 yards and 32 touchdowns grab you?? If any of this translates to the NFL, there needs to be a statue of Kevin Colbert built outside of Heinz Feild immediately.