The Pittsburgh Steelers announced four roster moves on May 12, one of which was reported over the weekend.
“The Steelers signed running backs Max Hurleman and Trey Sermon and offensive tackle Gareth Warren,” team reporter Teresa Varley wrote. “All three took part in the team’s rookie minicamp.”
Varley then added that “the team also released running back Aaron Shampklin.”
The 25-year-old Shampklin has been cut by the Steelers organization in the past. He’s basically see-sawed on and off either the Pittsburgh 90-man roster or the practice squad since January of 2024, although he has only appeared in three regular-season outings for the Steelers.
Within them, Shampklin carried the ball 6 times for 17 yards and 1 first down. He also returned 4 kickoffs for an average of 25.3 yards, including a long of 32 yards.
Shampklin has yet to log a regular-season NFL snap for another franchise, but he did spend some time with the Los Angeles Chargers, Indianapolis Colts and Dallas Cowboys. For now, it feels like he’s been replaced by Hurleman.
Who Is Steelers’ New RB Max Hurleman?
“Hurleman appeared in 51 games in five college seasons, starting 23,” Varley noted, regarding the mysterious new running back addition.
“He had 194 carries for 814 yards and one touchdown. [And] is hailed for his punt return ability, returning 49 punts for 353 yards, a 7.2-yard average,” she continued. Hurleman spent four seasons at Colgate University before transferring to Notre Dame in 2024.
Although Hurleman is a running back by trade, his main role with the Steelers — should he make the team — would likely be on special teams, similar to Shampklin. That’s how he was mostly utilized with Notre Dame, and Hurleman’s athleticism and speed probably won’t cut it in an NFL RB room.
According to RAS Football, which shares “relative athletic scores” for rookie players, Hurleman’s unofficial 5.73 RAS out of a possible 10.00 ranked 844 out of 1,976 running backs from 1987 to 2025.” He also ran a 4.68-second 40-yard dash and a 6.96-second three-cone drill.
Hurleman will have his work cut out for him ahead of the 2025 training camp. He joins Sermon within a crowded Steelers running back room and will have an uphill battle to make the Week 1 roster.
More on Steelers Signings Trey Sermon & Gareth Warren
Sermon is the headliner of this flurry of roster moves, but his acquisition was already talked about on Sunday.
Varley highlighted his four seasons and 42 games of NFL experience split between the Colts, Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers. “He carried the ball 134 times for 505 yards and three touchdowns,” she said.
Sermon is a physical runner, at 6 feet and 215 pounds. He turned 26 years old in January.
As for the new offensive lineman, Warren.
Varley wrote: “Warren played at Lindenwood University, where he appeared in 35 games over four seasons. In 2023, he was part of an offensive line that helped the ground game produce 134.7 yards per game, which was fourth best in the Ohio Valley Conference.”
College Sports Network’s Ryan Whitfield referred to him as a “mammoth of a man at 6’6″ and 328 pounds” who hails from Kailua Kona, Hawaii. They also noted his versatility as a blocker who can play “multiple spots on the line.”
“Warren has the size and strength to play at the NFL level, but where exactly he’ll fit is yet to be determined,” Whitfield concluded his scouting report. “There is some speculation that he could be better suited to transition to a guard, and while I see the argument for it, I still think his technique issues will be problematic there. The short analysis is that he needs to improve his fundamentals first and figure out his role second.”
