Getting to know the Steelers 2025 UDFAs: Sebastian Castro

After the Pittsburgh Steelers selected seven players in the 2025 NFL draft, they continued adding to the roster by coming to terms with seven undrafted free agents (and later added an eighth). With many draft profiles focusing on those players towards the top and middle of the NFL draft, it is time to get to take a look at these other members of the Pittsburgh Steelers who will have just as much opportunity to make the roster in 2025 as those who were selected in the draft, despite the more difficult path.

Remember, some draft profiles for these players are quite harsh as they are looking at them as a draftable prospect. Taking a flyer on an UDFA is a completely different story as many times the potential the player shows is what lands them on an NFL offseason roster.

The last one up is defensive back Sebastian Castro from Iowa.

Sebastian Castro

Safety
Senior
Iowa
5’11”; 203 lbs.

Playing five seasons at Iowa, Castro appeared in 53 games with 163 tackles with 14 coming for loss, 2.0 sacks, four interceptions with one returned for a touchdown, 14 passes defensed, and 5 forced fumbles. Castro‘s best season was in 2023 where in 14 games he had 67 tackles with 8 coming for loss, 1.0 sacks, three interceptions with one returned for a touchdown, eight passes defensed, and a forced fumble.

Current Steelers at the position:

Safety

• Minkah Fitzpatrick
• DeShon Elliott
• Juan Thornhill
• Miles Killebrew
• Joshuah Bledsoe
• Sebastian Castro

Draft Profile

Here is a breakdown from nfl.com:

Overview

Scheme-dependent safety who plays with chaotic energy near the line of scrimmage. Castro might lack the man-cover skills and athleticism to remain a big nickelback in the pros. He plays with urgency from short zone and rushes downhill to set a contain edge and spackle missing run fits as a run defender. Athletic testing will be key in projecting Castro’s usage. A lack of versatility and his age (turns 25 in October) could work against him in the draft, but his physicality, field demeanor and special-teams utility create roster value in his favor as a down safety.

Strengths

• Play is urgent and physical in run support.
• Operates with instant trigger quickness to attack the play.
• Aggressive downhill flow squeezes the runner’s operating room.
• Runs the alley with accuracy and force as a striker.
• Very physical to reroute the early stages of receiver’s release.
• Clear vision of route developments in or near his zone.
• Looks to punish pass catchers from short zone perch.

Weaknesses

• Playing style runs a fine line between urgent and hectic.
• Blockers find and stick to him longer than they should.
• Lacks NFL range and instincts to play on the back end.
• Lacks quickness and speed to stay connected with NFL route runners.
• Early cheat steps give away blitz intentions off the slot.
• Use of shoulder strike over wrap-up leads to missed open-field tackles.

Film

To finish things off, let’s take a look at the film…