After the Steelers minicamp this week, Beanie Bishop Jr. may steal an opportunity to play with former WVU teammate Zach Frazier, but he is aiming for a lot more.
With 90 players listed on Pittsburgh’s NFL roster, an undrafted rookie’s chances of making the 53-man roster come this fall are thin, especially with the experience and talent of the roster contenders. Two days into the Steelers’ mandatory team minicamp, though, it is Bishop Jr. who is turning heads and making a name for himself.
“I’m just trying to take advantage of my opportunity,” Bishop Jr. said.
A six-year college player, Bishop’s actions certainly back up that mindset. Bishop Jr. entered college in 2018 with Western Kentucky, where he took advantage of a redshirt season and an extra year of COVID-19 eligibility to grow his skills. After four seasons of doing so, the cornerback transferred to Minnesota and then West Virginia to gain national recognition and learn as much as he could before tackling his NFL dream.
So far, at camp, the time and work is paying off. Alongside reportedly high-level play in closed practices at the first two days of Steelers minicamp, the 24-year-old rookie made his intentions known to the public of sticking around in Pittsburgh. In fact, Bishop Jr. is eyeing a specific opportunity that, if secured, could benefit himself and his team.
“Last year, (Pittsburgh) didn’t really have a slide, and I knew that was a need when I signed after the draft,” Bishop Jr. said.
That need is something Bishop Jr. intends to fulfill himself, and he is learning from the best to do it. Mike Hilton, a 2016 undrafted cornerback from Ole Miss, has been Bishop’s role model as he looks to follow in the four-year Steeler’s footsteps.
“Mike Hilton- that’s kind of the prototype for the slot here, and I go and watch some of his tape and things like that,” Bishop said. “Guys tell me to watch his tape and just go look at how they want the nickel to play here.”
Hilton’s specific reputation is something that Bishop Jr. feels he can live up to. With Hilton already defining the physicality and pressure to play the slot position in Pittsburgh, Bishop Jr. loves his odds of fitting right in.
“I feel that this was the perfect opportunity for me,” Bishop Jr. said.
Beanie Bishop Jr. certainly has a long ways to go in securing his goal of reaching the 53-man roster, especially with fierce competition in the slot corner position like eight-year pro Cameron Sutton, who is the current favorite to take the position.
Nevertheless, Bishop’s mindset stays the same as it was in his long college career, as he looks to take every chance he can to grow.
“Every day still (has) learning opportunities,” Bishop Jr. said. “The game is, try not to make the same mistake twice, so that’s what I’m trying to do.”
Pittsburgh’s minicamp is the final phase of its offseason training program. The Steelers will look to finalize its 53-man roster in August, before or after their preseason debut on Aug. 9 against Houston.
Photo by Aaron Parker, Blue Gold Sports
