Rookie WRs Roc Taylor, Ke’Shawn Williams recognize the opportunity with Steelers

It wasn’t lost on Roc Taylor that 11 days after he signed as an undrafted free agent with the Pittsburgh Steelers, they traded their top returning player at his position.

While even the highly self-confident Taylor probably doesn’t envision he can immediately replace George Pickens, the big wide receiver from Memphis recognizes he has ended up in an ideal situation for an undrafted rookie.

“I most definitely see an opportunity here,” Taylor said after a rookie minicamp session last week, “and I am working hard toward that. That motivates me (that) there’s a spot open.

“That spot opened — I’m gonna go out and get it.”

Taylor joins Ke’Shawn Williams as the Steelers’ 2025 rookie class at wide receiver, a position that remains in flux and — as Taylor alluded to — very much open for someone to snag a roster spot.

While no one would necessarily bet on an undrafted free agent to make a quick impact — there’s a reason, after all, that 32 teams passed over such players a combined 256 times between April 24-26 — Taylor and Williams shouldn’t be able to say they won’t be given an opportunity.

Williams was made aware of the (relative) dearth of options for the Steelers at receiver after they did not take one in the draft and on May 7 dealt Pickens to the Dallas Cowboys.

But Williams is not letting that affect his level of commitment to working during the upcoming organized team activities and minicamp, training camp and preseason. As an undrafted rookie, he knows he’s not afforded any comfort otherwise.

“I mean, regardless of who is here or who left (at WR), they (the Steelers) brought me in, which means they see something in me, which means they think I have the ability and the potential to stick around,” said Williams, who was the second-leading receiver for College Football Playoff qualifier Indiana last season. “So that alone shows me that the opportunity is there. All I can do is work and do the right things.”

SO nice he did it twice. ✌️

Ke'Shawn Williams gets his second TD of the game and extends Indiana's lead.

???? NBC and Peacock pic.twitter.com/EqfJfolY0r

— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) September 15, 2024

After four seasons at Wake Forest, Williams was part of the stellar transfer portal class that new coach Curt Cignetti brought to Indiana last year. Williams tied a career high with 39 catches for 448 yards and scored a career-high five touchdowns as the Hoosiers (11-2) were one of the best stories in college football last season.

At 5-foot-9, 188 pounds, Williams ran routes out of the slot almost exclusively in college. He totaled 146 receptions for 1,833 yards and 10 touchdowns in college and also has experience returning kicks and punts.

Taylor, at 6-2 and 213 pounds, is an entirely different type of receiver in that he exclusively has run routes from the outside. A former college teammate of current Steelers receiver Calvin Austin III, Taylor totaled 163 catches for 2,375 yards and seven touchdowns at Memphis.

Over the past two seasons, he had 135 receptions for 2,033 yards.

UDFA #Steelers Roc Taylor:

- 6'3 215
- 950 yds + 2 TD in 2024-25
- 4.43 40 time
- Deep ball specialist along the sideline
- Strong Hands and sneaky burst

A very underrated pickup by Pittsburgh and a guy who has a chance to make the starting roster.pic.twitter.com/66CzSDr4xg

— Steelers Draft HQ (@SteelersDraftt) April 27, 2025

Similar to Williams, Taylor said he had no contact with the Steelers throughout the draft process until those frenzied hours immediately after the draft annually ends. A combine invite, Taylor ran the 40-yard dash in 4.49 seconds.

“I feel I can play at this level,” Taylor said. “Once I get comfortable with the playbook and the playing style and how things go, it’s going to be a show in Pittsburgh.”

As known quantities, the current Steelers WR depth chart has only new acquisition DK Metcalf, aging veteran Robert Woods, Austin, second-year Roman Wilson (one NFL game of experience) and a pair of special teams-heavy veterans in Ben Skowronek and Scotty Miller. This Steelers draft class was only the fourth since 2004 that did not include a receiver.

An opening exists for Williams or Taylor,but only if they impress in the coming months, of course.

The possibility — perhaps even probability — exists that management makes an external addition to the position before the season begins. For now, though, Taylor and Williams figure to have a chance to show what they can do.

“Just embracing the moment and embracing the opportunity,” Williams said, “while understanding that I want to stick around. I want to do what it takes to stay. So, just honing in on details, not getting too caught up on, ‘We’re here. We’re on NFL fields.’ Just understanding that it’s a journey, and you have to keep building.”