Rookie RB Jaylen Warren making most of an opportunity with Steelers

An underrated “Tomlinism” that the Pittsburgh Steelers head coach deploys is, “One man’s misfortune is another man’s opportunity.’

Rookie Jaylen Warren has heard Mike Tomlin said that during his first training camp. But he wasn’t quite on point in trying to recite it Tuesday morning.

“One man’s… um… mishap is another man’s… er, fortune,” Warren said.

Warren’s execution on the Saint Vincent practice fields has been much better than his ability to parrot Tomlin’s platitude.

An undrafted running back from Oklahoma State, Warren has become one of the proverbial “camp darlings” of this Steelers training camp. Especially over the past two days since the pads have been put on at Chuck Noll Field, Warren is turning heads with his hard-running style.

“He has an appetite for the competition,” Tomlin said. “That’s a good thing. He’s learning and learning fast. I think the most significant thing that has captured my attention is that he seems really comfortable in these waters from a competition standpoint.”

Jaylen Warren is becoming a proverbial Camp Darling™️ pic.twitter.com/QjttYivQD1

— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) August 2, 2022

Warren had 1,216 rushing yards and 225 receiving yards and scored 11 touchdowns in 12 games last season for an Oklahoma State team that finished in the top 10 of the AP poll. At 5 feet 8, 204 pounds, Warren spent one season in the Big 12 after starting at a junior college and playing two seasons at Utah State.

“It’s just every opportunity that’s comes my way, I’m trying to take advantage of it,” Warren said Tuesday morning. “I feel like I’m doing it (this week). I am just trying to show what I can do.”

Warren’s increased opportunity has coincided with the donning of padded practices via another man’s misfortune by way of injuries to veteran running backs Najee Harris and Jeremy McNichols. That gutted the Steelers depth chart at running back, leaving Warren alongside Benny Snell Jr., Anthony McFarland and fellow undrafted rookie Mataeo Durant as the lone running backs available for three full units’ worth of practice reps.

Of those four, Warren has most often impressed while carrying the ball.

“Coming in, they say the first impression’s the best impression,” Warren said. “So I just try to do my best so far with any opportunity I’ve got.

After each of the past two practices, Tomlin was expansive with praise in answer to a question about Warren. That’s notable because Tomlin at times is loathe to comment on individual players in a camp setting – and particularly so, rookies.

“I don’t usually look into that stuff (coaches comments to media about him), but hearing that, when I hear it it is a good feeling,” Warren said.

Jaylen Warren and Mataeo Durant are bonding – and not just because of their shared experience of being an undrafted rookie running back with the #Steelers. https://t.co/oliPGxwGu6

— Tribune-ReviewSports (@TribSports) June 30, 2022

Warren’s bona fides as a producer in carrying the ball are proven, at least at a high level of college. But on the first day of pads Monday it was his effort in “backs on backers” (pass protection simulation) that caught some attention. Warren wasn’t perfect – running backs are at a disadvantage and typically aren’t in that drill – but he was willing. Also, that Tomlin called on him so many times to participate signals that Warren has the head coach’s eye.

“Pass protection, I think that was a huge reason why I didn’t get drafted,” Warren said. “‘If you’re better at pass protection, we probably would have drafted you.’ That’s what they were telling me. So I have been working at that, and it is helping me a lot. I am getting more comfortable with it.”

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