Steelers Host Explosive Pass Rusher for Visit

The Steelers are hosting explosive pass rusher Elerson Smith for a visit on Wednesday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston reports. Yesterday, Smith visited the New England Patriots before coming down to Pittsburgh for the visit.

Smith, 25, was a fourth-round pick of the New York Giants in the 2021 NFL Draft. He stayed with the Giants from 2021 through 2023 but was released at the start of training camp and has not caught on elsewhere. Over his short career, Smith has played little, not because of performance but injuries. He landed on injured reserve four times with the Giants but boasts impressive measurables.

Coming out of Northern Iowa, he posted a 41.5-inch vertical and ran a 7.11 three-cone. His flexibility and burst fit well with the Steelers’ philosophy of athletic pass rushers off the edge. Throughout his career, Smith has one forced fumble and 11 total tackles during his three years with the Giants.

Before the NFL, Smith cut his teeth at the FCS level with Northern Iowa. As a redshirt junior, Smith posted 14 sacks and 21.5 tackles for loss at the FCS level, earning himself FCS All-American honors. The 2020 FCS season was suspended until the spring of 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and Smith was named the FCS Defenisve Player of the Year in the preseason before declaring for the NFL Draft. He earned a Senior Bowl invite, impressing enough in Mobile to raise his stock significantly and earn an invite to the NFL Combine.

The 6-foot-6 pass rusher is a four-sport athlete who played football, track and field, wrestling, and basketball in Minneapolis. Now, he is looking to find his second NFL team after struggling with injuries throughout the early part of his career. The Steelers have five outside linebackers on the roster, with David Perales as the lone outside linebacker on the practice squad.