The Pittsburgh Steelers have officially started their summer program as voluntary Organized Team Activities (OTAs) recently kicked off and a large majority of the roster got to work. While some are still focused on who isn't there, the players that are present and practicing are going to take full advantage of the opportunity to get better.
Based on just the beginning portions of OTAs, there are already several players making quick impressions. There is apparently at least one player who is unexpectedly shining too, and that is none other than fifth year defensive lineman, Isaiahh Loudermilk.
Steelers insider Jeff Hathhorn stated that surprisingly, Loudermilk has not just shined, but has been the best defensive lineman out of all the guys practicing.
"The Steelers' best defensive lineman at OTAs in the parts of practice we're allowed to talk about has been Isaiahh Loudermilk."
Since being drafted by the Steelers in the fifth round back in the 2021 NFL Draft, Steeler Nation has been waiting for Loudermilk to breakout and be a consistent producer along the defensive front. However, throughout his first four NFL seasons, that has yet to happen.
Most fifth-round picks don't have much expectations around them, but Loudermilk wasn't a typical fifth-round pick. The Steelers traded a 2022 fourth-round pick to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for the selection, which made it clear the team had expected more from Loudermilk than the standard fifth-round pick.
During his rookie season, Loudermilk played 288 snaps on defense for the Steelers and had some flashes. He recorded just one sack during his first season, but as a Steelers defensive lineman, sometimes sack numbers don't tell the full story. However, that rookie year sack is still the lone one he has in his NFL career.
Getting a good amount of run as a rookie had many expecting a Year 2 leap, but that didn't materialize as his defensive snap count was reduced by more than half down to 116. That has kind of been the story the next two seasons as well, as Loudermilk is still receiving some depth snaps on defense without a whole lot of production.
After being re-signed to a one-year deal this offseason, many thought it was going to be an uphill battle for Loudermilk to make the 53-man roster in the fall. That still may be true, as although there are questions along the defensive line for the Steelers, the team invested two draft picks in the 2025 NFL Draft on defensive linemen that'll likely be locks for the final roster.
It isn't out of the realm of possibility that Loudermilk could finally be having a "breakout" year in his fifth NFL season, but many will need to see more than some early summer practices to believe he is ready for significant playing time on defense. That being said, it is never bad to hear that a player the team has spent several seasons developing, might finally be showing significant improvement.
Steelers Need Multiple Draft Picks From Recent Years To Step Up
The 2025 NFL season is likely going to be very telling on not only the direction for the Steelers' future, but also for several players' career trajectories as well. Broderick Jones is expected to be the team's starting left tackle this season, and while that is his "natural" position, his play through his first two seasons hasn't given many confidence to this point. Some of his teammates believe he is up to the challenge, but only time will tell.
Another player that could be considered in a similar boat is cornerback Joey Porter Jr. While there have been flashes of Porter Jr. potentially being the lockdown corner many expected him to be after being selected with the 32nd overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, his play hasn't been consistent enough to call him one of the top corners in the league just yet. Penalties have continued to be a big issue for Porter Jr., as he was flagged 17 times in 2024. If he is able to reduce that to single digits in 2025, his game could skyrocket.
