Steelers inside the ropes: Reserve LB Ola Adeniyi shines in 'backs-on-'backers' drill

On a day when most starters didn’t participate or were limited to a few reps, backup linebacker Ola Adeniyi emerged as the star of the “Backs on Backers” drill that annually highlights the first practice in pads at Pittsburgh Steelers training camp.

Adeniyi got the most work among the linebackers, taking eight reps against a combination of Travon McMillian, Jaylen Samuels and rookie Bennie Snell. The goal is for the linebacker to get around or through the running back/tight end as he pursues the quarterback.

Observers thought Adeniyi won most of his matchups. Adeniyi boldly thought he went undefeated.

“I might have been 8-0, but 7-1 is not too bad,” he said.

On the final rep of the drill, Snell held off Adeniyi for a moment before the linebacker broke free. Snell looked frustrated, but quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who was watching from the side, yelled, “That’s what I need.”

So, it was a win for Snell?

“Not at all,” Adeniyi said. “Not at all.”

Snell fared better in four chances against Tyler Matakevich, holding off the backup inside linebacker several times.

“I feel like I gave them a pretty good look,” Snell said.

The exercise was a chance for coach Mike Tomlin and his staff to analyze mainly rookies and younger players on the 91-man roster. James Conner, Roosevelt Nix and starting tight end Vance McDonald didn’t participate.

On defense, inside linebackers Vince Williams and Mark Barron were withheld from the drill and outside linebacker Bud Dupree got just two reps.

Other highlights of “backs-on-‘backers”:

• After Xavier Grimble held his ground on the first rep against Anthony Chickillo, Tomlin baited the backup outside linebacker. “C’mon, Chick, you’ve got to kill a tight end.” Chickillo won the rematch and let out a scream.

• First-round pick Devin Bush had varied success in two tries each against Samuels and rookie tight end Zach Gentry, the latter a Michigan vs. Michigan matchup.

• Tight ends coach James Daniel tried to coach up Kevin Rader in his contest against JT Jones after the linebacker went wide with his rush: “If he runs around there, they can have a pep rally, but he’s going to run around the quarterback.”

• Linebacker Tegray Scales got a hand slap from Tomlin after handily beating Malik Williams, who did not have a strong showing in pass protection.

Items of interest from the rest of practice:

• In the 2-point seven shots drill, in which Joshua Dobbs worked with the first team and Mason Rudolph the second, the offense scored a 4-3 win. Dobbs threw touchdown passes to JuJu Smith-Schuster and Grimble. Artie Burns picked off Dobbs’ final attempt when Smith-Schuster and slot corner Mike Hilton went for the ball and tipped it. Rudolph threw two touchdown passes to rookie Diontae Johnson among his three attempts.

• Dobbs ran the first-team offense to start 11-on-11. Snell got the initial carries, with Conner not entering until later team periods.

• Cameron Sutton, playing in the dime defense, was complimented by Tomlin after making an open-field tackle on Snell. Sutton later had an interception on a pass that Hilton tipped.

• Williams had a lengthy run around the right side and punctuated it by leaping over cornerback Herb Waters.

• Taking turns fielding punts in special-teams work were Ryan Switzer, Eli Rogers, Johnson and Diontae Spencer.