No OLB reps, but plenty of impact on special teams for Steelers rookie Ulysees Gilbert

There was some chatter in the weeks after Ulysees Gilbert was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers that the speedy rookie from Akron could be auditioned at outside linebacker.

But even with the Steelers thin at the position heading into Monday’s game against the Miami Dolphins, the answer to depth at OLB won’t come from Gilbert.

“They haven’t put me there,” Gilbert said after practice this week. “They haven’t asked me.”

That’s OK, because Gilbert is already making an impact as a rookie for the Steelers – on special teams. And he’s shown some tools that suggest he might have a future in the defensive gameplan, too.

Gilbert leads the Steelers in special-teams snapped played with 135.

“Being a rookie, you just really try to do what you can,” Gilbert said. “You always have big goals for yourself, but right now my goal is just to do the best I can on special teams and just help the team be in the right positions to win.”

Ulysees Gilbert III's closing speed is legit. Asset on coverage unit, traits to play on defense 2-3 years from now. #Steelers pic.twitter.com/irGoVsEZNq

— Alex Kozora (@Alex_Kozora) August 12, 2019

Gilbert has three tackles this season on special teams after having 15 total tackles in the preseason. He did make a “splash play” during the preseason finale when he blocked a Carolina field-goal attempt.

Outside linebacker was already-thin spot behind starters Bud Dupree and T.J. Watt for the Steelers, a problem exacerbated by the NFL placing top backup Anthony Chickillo on the restricted list. But the Steelers at inside linebacker have almost the opposite problem. It’s tough for Gilbert to find a niche in a position room that has three de-facto starters in Vince Williams, Devin Bush and Mark Barron and a four-year veteran backup in Tyler Matakevich.

Even though Gilbert showed some playmaking skills during training camp, there’s no room for a role for him on defense. That can be difficult for a rookie to deal with.

“It is,” Gilbert said, “but at the end of the day I have to look at it as a blessing just to be around guys who are older and have been here for a while.

“I’m not really too worried about (playing time on defense) right now. I just try to keep that part of mindset of what I can do for this team, and right now I just know that’s special teams.”

For inspiration as a sixth-round pick, Gilbert only has to look to Williams, the longest-tenured Steelers linebacker who was the 206^th overall pick of the 2013 draft.

Gilbert has spent the past six months of regularly practicing against NFL players and getting into preseason games and as a special-teamer during the ones that count. That’s given him a confidence that he fits in at the pro level.

“It feels good to be 10 games in – counting the preseason – and to just have that in your body and be able to know that you are able to play at this level,” Gilbert said. “But you’re always trying to get better because everybody else gets better as well, so you’ve always got to grind to find those different niches to improve your game.”

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