The Pittsburgh Steelers made the surprising decision to keep undrafted rookie Kevin Jobity Jr. on the initial 53-man roster. But that decision shouldn’t overshadow another rookie the Steelers have along their defensive line to begin 2026.
At least former Steelers players and pundits aren’t letting that happen.
The Steelers grabbed Notre Dame product Gabe Rubio at No. 210 overall in the sixth round this past spring. Rubio impressed head coach Mike McCarthy and analysts throughout August.
With the regular season quickly approaching and Rubio officially on the 53-man roster, former Steelers players are excited to see what Rubio can now do when the games matter.
I was watching his film, and I’m like, ‘Man, what a steal,'” said former linebacker Vince Williams on The Steelers Blitz, via Steelers Depot. “He was just dominating the run game. He was like a tree stump out there, and I’m like, ‘Look at this.’ We found another one.”
Former Pittsburgh defensive lineman Chris Hoke sang Rubio’s praising too.
“I like him. He’s different, to me, than Jobity,” said Hoke on 93.7 The Fan. “He’s strong. He’s stout. He plays with good leverage. He plays with good extension and good hands for a young fella.
“I think he also has a great upside.”
Steelers Depot’s Ross McCorkle tempered the immediate expectations for Rubio. But McCorkle also seems excited about the long-term possibilities for the sixth-round rookie.
“His game is still a work in progress, and he likely won’t be count on to play much if he even gets a helmet on Sundays this season … But heavy hands, length and play strength is absolutely a tool kit the Steelers can build a meaningful contributor from,” wrote McCorkle.
Rookie Defensive Lineman Gabe Rubio Exciting Steelers Alumni
Preseason hype can be a fickle thing. But clearly, Rubio won a job with the Steelers.
The team cut veterans Dean Lowry and Esezi Otomewo to retain Rubio on the roster. That went a little unnoticed Sunday because the Steelers did the same for Jobity. It was very surprising the Steelers kept Jobity instead of Lowry and Otomewo, but that doesn’t mean the media shouldn’t highlight the fact Rubio beat out those veterans too.
The Steelers have a deep defensive line room entering 2026. So, McCorkle appears to be dead on with the idea that Rubio might not dress on game days.
Barring injury, Cameron Heyward, Keeanu Benton, Derrick Harmon, Yahya Black and Sebastian Joseph-Day will be the team’s defensive linemen on game days. But Rubio will be on the team to develop, and if any injury occurs, right now, he is the next man to play.
Then next season, Rubio could be ready to play a significant role. That’s the path Black has followed early in his career with Pittsburgh.
The Steelers selected Black in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. While he played immediately as a rookie in Week 1, Black saw his playing time mostly increase as last season went. Now, he’s a clear contributor in a deep defensive line group.
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