Beanie Bishop Jr. Looks Like A UDFA Gem
Credit: Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports
The Pittsburgh Steelers believe they had a solid 2024 Draft, with the hope they’ve got at least two starters on the offensive line in Troy Fautanu and Zach Frazier. But for as much fanfare as the two top picks got, the real star of camp is an undrafted free agent: Beanie Bishop.
While Fautanu was the 12th-ranked guard heading into college and had all kinds of buzz surrounding him at the University of Washington, Beanie Bishop was given only one FBS offer. That was at Western Kentucky, where he played his first couple of years of college ball. Bishop would transfer to West Virginia for his junior season and even got named a Second-Team All-American by the AP. Still, that type of honor wasn’t enough to get him drafted.
There were reasons to have reservations about Bishop’s odds of making the roster. Bishop wasn’t even drafted, and historically, Mike Tomlin has leaned on veterans and often puts young guys behind them even longer than some other teams might. But now there’s a buzz around Bishop that he could play a meaningful role in Pittsburgh this season.
Part of the reason might be a shift happening with Tomlin’s willingness to play rookies, but Bishop is also impressing his coach with his preparation and play on the field. Bishop may simply be leaving Tomlin no choice but to play him.
The Steelers released their first depth chart of the season earlier this week, and Bishop’s name was listed as the starter at the nickel cornerback. Of course, it helps Bishop’s case that Cam Sutton is suspended for the first eight games, but Pittsburgh easily could’ve traded for a veteran corner. They didn’t, which speaks volumes for Tomlin’s trust in the rookie corner.
Tomlin and the coaching staff haven’t been the only ones to take notice of Bishop; his teammates have also been impressed with what he has accomplished in just a short time with the team. Minkah Fitzpatrick has seen what he has been able to do on the field but has been even more impressed with his preparation.
“Honestly, it’s more off-the-field stuff than on the field,” the All-Pro safety said. “He’s a guy that’s eager to learn. He’s not a guy that you gotta chase down to get extra work in, extra film in. He’s always up under whether it’s me or DeShon (Elliott), or Donte (Jackson). He’s trying to learn. He’s trying to get better any way that he can. And when you see a guy like that, there’s the type of guy that I like to play with.”
Bishop proved during his college career that he could do it all, and his versatility is what has put him on top of the depth chart. He is good in coverage, an above-average tackler, and can also blitz if he’s asked to. Bishop wasn’t invited to the combine, another factor that probably hurt his chances of getting drafted, but he did run a 4.39 forty on his pro day. He’s got high-end speed to go with his skills.
Bishop has been tested during training camp, with the coaching staff often calling on him to match up against George Pickens. Bishop is only 5-foot-9, while Pickens is 6-foot-3. That’s a half-foot gap, but going against a lanky, speedy receiver like Pickens will only help him going forward.
“[Secondary coach Grady Brown] just wanted me to get that work in before games when some teams might have a bigger guy in the slot and try the slot fade and things like that,” Bishop said. “So just being able to get that work in right now is crucial.”
Bishop has held his own against Pickens, and that should help his confidence as he gets ready for his first preseason game against the Houston Texans. The first depth chart doesn’t mean a lot, and a lot could change in the next few weeks, but at this point, his spot on the roster seems pretty safe.
When thinking about undrafted free agents who have found success for the Steelers, names like Donnie Shell, Jack Butler, and James Harrison all come to mind. We aren’t ready to put Bishop next to those Steelers greats yet, but it’s hard not to dream about what the next 10-15 years of Bishop in a Steelers jersey could be like if he builds off this strong training camp and helps anchor the backend of the defense.
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