Steelers sign UDFA with great chance to make 2025 roster

Steelers hit home run with UDFA signing Sebastian Castro

Where Sebastian Castro fits on Steelers

Looking at the Steelers' secondary, they have a solid group of starters. Joey Porter Jr. and Darius Slay are a fine pair of starting corners, while Minkah Fitzpatrick and DeShon Elliott are an elite starting safety duo. Behind those four starters, Pittsburgh doesn’t have much depth. Cory Trice, their top backup at cornerback, has shown promise but can’t be relied on to stay healthy. They signed Juan Thornhill as a depth safety, but they could still afford to upgrade.

One position where Pittsburgh doesn’t have an ideal starter in the secondary is slot cornerback. Beanie Bishop, a 2024 UDFA, started most of the 2024 season in the slot. He had his ups and downs, and overall was serviceable but nothing special. With slot cornerback becoming a more prominent position, the Steelers need to take the position more seriously. Insert Sebastian Castro. He has the physicality and coverage instincts to be a starting slot corner.

Further, Castro can help the Steelers solve their problem of poor safety depth. He has plenty of experience as a box safety and even played a few snaps per game at free safety, too. Teams love versatility when it comes to their depth pieces. Whether they view him as a potential starter in the slot or a rotational player who can take snaps at several positions, the Steelers will appreciate Castro’s adaptability and well-rounded experience.

Great value signing

While most UDFAs are just camp bodies who ultimately get cut, Sebastian Castro is such an intriguing signing for the Steelers because he was widely expected to get drafted. Pro Football Focus ranked Castro their #10 safety and 125th overall on their big board. The NFL Mock Draft Database consensus big board had him ranked a little lower at 183. Either way, getting a player rated that highly as an undrafted free agent is a huge move. It wouldn’t have been a surprise to hear the Steelers call his name in the sixth or seventh round. Instead, they got to go in their own directions, and still circle back to Castro in the post-draft free agency period.

Can Sebastian Castro make the team?

The short answer is yes. The longer answer is that it is more likely than not that Castro will make the roster. Teams will always be happy if even one UDFA makes their roster. Last year, it was obvious that Bishop would have a real shot to make the team as their slot cornerback. Ironically, it could be Bishop whose spot Castro ultimately takes on the roster. But the Steelers could also keep both players. Due to their lack of depth at safety, Pittsburgh can add Castro to that group. They can also work him in at slot cornerback, where he might ultimately win the starting job. It’s bold to assume any UDFA will make a roster, but Castro has a great chance to do just that in Pittsburgh.