Steelers sign undrafted rookie RB Alfonzo Graham off tryout

Chris Adamski
Monday, May 15, 2023 12:41 p.m. | Monday, May 15, 2023 12:41 p.m.

Running back Alfonzo Graham runs a drill during the HBCU NFL Combine at the New Orleans Saints’ training facility in Metairie, La., in February. Graham, who played at Morgan State last season, signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday after apparently impressing the team on a tryout basis at rookie minicamp this past weekend.

Undrafted running back Alfonzo Graham signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday. Graham apparently impressed during the three-day rookie minicamp he took part in on a tryout basis this past weekend.

The 5-foot-9, 195-pound Graham had 1,105 rushing yards and eight touchdowns in 11 games for Morgan State in 2022 after rushing for 506 yards and five touchdowns over nine games the prior season for the FCS program.

Graham averaged 6.6 yards per carry for his Morgan State career and also had 31 catches and 18 kickoff returns.

Alfonzo Graham took a broken play and hit the end zone anyway⚡️⚡️ pic.twitter.com/grjWa7CPE4

— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) November 5, 2021

Graham previously played junior-college ball. He was one of 33 players attending Steelers rookie camp as a tryout. A Baltimore native, Graham took part in the HBCU combine staged in Louisiana in March, an event Steelers general manager Omar Khan was on hand for.

“There were a lot of quality players that got his attention and our attention,” coach Mike Tomlin said recently, “and we wanted to take a further look in some instances and maybe do some business in some instances.”

Graham joins a position room of five (not counting fullback Monte Pallebaum) that has an entrenched starter in Najee Harris and an established change-of-pace option in Jaylen Warren. But the No. 3 job is up for grabs — Anthony McFarland, Master Teague and Jason Huntley are on the roster — albeit typically that would be more of a special-teams role.

The Steelers still have four open spots on their 90-man offseason roster. Monday is the first day those who played in the recently completed XFL season were eligible to sign with NFL teams.

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Chris Adamski is a TribLive reporter who has covered primarily the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2014 following two seasons on the Penn State football beat. A Western Pennsylvania native, he joined the Trib in 2012 after spending a decade covering Pittsburgh sports for other outlets. He can be reached at cadamski@triblive.com.