Steelers vs. Jaguars: Players to watch in Preseason Week 1

by Jeff Hartman

08/09/2025

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The NFL Preseason officially begins for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Jacksonville Jaguars Saturday night in Week 1, and both teams’ approach to this game couldn’t be more different. The Jaguars, and new coach Liam Coen, have decided to play their starters, including Trevor Lawrence and Travis Hunter. Meanwhile, the Steelers are resting the vast majority, if not all, of their starting players.

But that doesn’t mean there won’t be players to watch for the black-and-gold. Below I outline players I’m excited to see, and a brief summation as to why they make the list.

Here are my players to watch in Preseason Week 1:

Offense

Broderick Jones

Maybe the most polarizing player on the Steelers current roster, Jones could benefit from some good repetitions vs. the Jaguars. Is it the be-all-end-all if he struggles or excels? Absolutely not, but it would be a much-needed step in the right direction of getting him out of the cross hairs of the fan base.

Troy Fautanu

Fautanu has had a good camp by all accounts, but at this stage just needs meaningful repetitions. While Fautanu played in last season’s preseason, getting valuable experience is never a bad thing. Fautanu has a lot to prove, and Year 2 starts Saturday night.

Mason McCormick

Keeping the trend along the offensive line, McCormick is expected to be the starting right guard and is having a good camp. To be honest, you haven’t heard much about McCormick this training camp, and that doesn’t mean he isn’t playing well, most of the time it means he isn’t doing anything to get noticed. Seeing McCormick in action will be good to see how much he has progressed since his rookie season.

Roman Wilson

I’m hoping Wilson plays in this game. Mike Tomlin didn’t list him on the injured player list, but that was prior to Thursday’s practice. During that workout Wilson was seen getting some extra attention to his groin by the training staff. Assuming he can play, Wilson just getting acclimated to life in the NFL, something he didn’t get to do much of last season, will be a huge step in the right direction.

Roc Taylor

Every time you check out our SCN Training Camp Tracker it seems Taylor is making a big play. With that being the case, it’s always fun to see those fringe players show out in the preseason. Will Roc Taylor be the next? We’ll see…

Kaleb Johnson

With Jaylen Warren getting the night off, we will see a heavy dose of Kaleb Johnson, and I’m here for it. I expect Johnson to at least play the entire first quarter, and the hope is we see some positive signs on all fronts. If the holes are there, Johnson can tote the rock, we know that. But how has his pass protection improved? How about catching the ball out of the backfield? Those little things are what I’ll be watching.

Dylan Cook

With Calvin Anderson out with a “soft tissue injury”, Cook has a golden opportunity to earn the swing tackle position with a solid performance throughout the preseason. Cook will see plenty of work this preseason, and if he can stay healthy he could solidify his spot on the team this preseason.

Defense

Derrick Harmon

The Steelers prized rookie of the 2025 NFL Draft class is slated to play, but, like Roman Wilson, was banged up a bit at practice Thursday. If they held him out of the game I’d be disappointed, but would also understand the over-arching situation of him being healthy for the regular season. Harmon has had a great camp, and seeing him destroy opposing offensive lines is something we all want to see.

Yahya Black

Speaking of having a good camp, the 5th Round rookie out of Iowa has been a bright spot for the Steelers defensive line. Black’s ability to get his hands on the football has been a tremendous addition to the Steelers, and his run-stuffing ability has been noteworthy. Getting Black early repetitions in the preseason could show some of his potential heading into the regular season.

Logan Lee

Black’s linemate at Iowa is coming off a red-shirt season, and most are thinking he is a long-shot to make the roster. However, he found himself as a 2nd teamer on the team’s first depth chart of the 2025 preseason. Lee having a strong season, likely next to Black in specific defensive packages, should be a boost for the second year player.

Beanie Bishop

We haven’t heard much of Bishop this camp, outside of him talking trash about the New York Jets in Week 1, but his battle for a slot cornerback role will be one to watch. Has he improved from his rookie season where he was limited based on his ability to stop the run? We’ll see soon enough.

Brandin Echols

Bishop’s main competition came via free agency when Brandin Echols signed with the team after playing last season for the Jets. Echols has been a vocal contributor to the defense, and his experience has shown throughout camp. This head-to-head battle will likely take the entire preseason to shake out, and Round 1 is tonight vs. the Jaguars.

Jack Sawyer

The 4th Round pick out of Ohio State was labeled as “stiff” and “not likely to translate to the NFL” as a pass rusher. So far, the reports out of camp have been the opposite. Sawyer has shown he is more than capable as a pass rusher, and looks to be a part of the 4-man rotation at OLB. The other three OLBs on the roster won’t play in Week 1 of the preseason, so don’t fret if Sawyer doesn’t “splash” right away for the black-and-gold.

Sebastian Castro

There was a lot of talk surrounding Castro when he signed with the Steelers as an undrafted rookie free agent out of Iowa, but it has been a quiet camp for Castro thus far. Practices are one thing, games are another. If Castro shows out in both run support and in the passing game vs. Jacksonville, it will be a big boost for his stock.

Special Teams

Corliss Waitman & Cameron Johnston

Mike Tomlin called both Waitman and Johnston “varsity” players in his Thursday press conference, and there is little doubt who is the front-runner in this punting competition. It’s Johnston. But they might be able to have Waitman on the market for a team who might be needing a punter. Turning someone like Waitman into a late round selection is never a bad thing, so hopefully both stay healthy and put on a good showing Saturday night.

To hear more about these players, and why they are players to watch, check out my Friday “Let’s Ride” podcast in the player below: