Steelers DL Isaiahh Loudermilk Aims to Rise to Challenge in Year Two

PITTSBURGH — For Pittsburgh Steelers defensive lineman Isaiahh Loudermilk, his second NFL season might be the opportunity he has been waiting for. There are no qualms to be made about where the defensive line room currently stands. Larry Ogunjobi just joined and should be the third starter next to Cam Heyward and Tyson Alualu, and the Steelers have plenty of healthy depth with his addition.

Loudermilk is in his second year after a promising year one, but with names like Chris Wormley, Montravius Adams, Herny Mondeaux, and the rookie DeMarvin Leal to consider, the defensive line depth has intrigue and promise. Coming in as a primary run-stopper, Loudermilk did just that. He was thrown into the fire after the Steelers experienced a bevy of injuries, but for a fifth-round pick, Loudermilk held his own.

The stats were not flashy, as Loudermilk racked up a sack, 23 tackles, and three pass deflections while starting two games in the 2021 season. However, 21 of those 23 tackles were on a run play. The pass-rushing stats did not hop out at all when it came to Loudermilk. According to Sports Info Solutions, Loudermilk only registered six pressures and five hurries on 140 pass-rushing snaps. That is not a good enough clip.

Loudermilk knew it and the Pittsburgh Steelers knew it. When Stephon Tuitt retired, it left open a hole that had to be filled. Loudermilk was a guy that could help fill his void. Of course, that honor now goes to Ogunjobi. But that does not stop what Loudermilk’s progress could mean for the team, especially long-term. He is only 24 years old and Heyward and Alulau are in their mid-30s, so the rotation as it stands now could look very different in the near future.

Pittsburgh Steelers Get Loudermilk Right

Loudermilk went to work this offseason. The first thing, at a minimum, was to fix his weight. Coming in at only 275 pounds in rookie minicamp, Loudermilk had to put on weight. It was non-negotiable. The Steelers did not draft Loudermilk to be an edge rusher. So, he sprouted up all the way from 275 pounds to 310 pounds. It was done through a variety of weightlifting exercises and a stringent program. But Loudermilk is back where he needs to be.

“I really didn’t have time to get into lifting and all of that during the season,” Loudermilk said during the team’s spring practices. “I really got into the offseason and started lifting to put muscle on. You know, I came in light, so I wanted to get up where I needed to be more with muscle.”

With his body right, Loudermilk had to learn to carry that weight. In the past, Loudermilk fluctuated up and down when needed. The bigger priority was making sure that he maintained his mobility. One of his best traits, Loudermilk possesses a hot motor and a good first step. If that was lost, the weight gain was not worth it. After a bevy of footwork drills and mobility exercises, Loudermilk’s athleticism stayed sharp.

The last item that Loudermilk had to check off the list was his pass-rushing ability. Loudermilk was only a two-down lineman who had next to no presence in the pass rush department. When it came time to try and expand his pass rush repertoire, he went to the leader of the team and his mentor, Heyward. All offseason and into the OTAs, Heyward taught Loudermilk everything he knows.

“I feel like I wasn’t really able to create a whole lot of pressure when I was out there,” Loudermilk admitted. “That was disappointing for me, and it’s not just speed or get-off, it all comes together in one. A lot of older guys like Cam are helping me out. I want to be someone who is out there on all downs.”

The Cam Heyward Mentorship

When Heyward finally sat down with Loudermilk, there was a lot for Loudermilk to learn. One of Heyward’s patented moves, his elite bull rush, was something that Loudermilk looked to and aspired to learn from. That move is all about attacking leverage, which is something that Loudermilk had simply not deeply thought about in the pass rush game. It was the first step to trying and getting Loudermilk a high-level pass-rush repertoire.

“The big thing for me is working leverage,” Loudermilk said. “You know, you see Cam go out and he knows how to use leverage like no other. Being as strong as he is, you see him toss people and pull guys down. So, it’s just stuff like that. You want to have one or two moves that you want to go to. I’m waiting on that just a bit, but I’ve been doing some stuff this offseason, and once camp rolls around, it’s time for me to test it out in pads.”

Heyward wins with his power moves more than finesse moves. With the mentorship underway, Loudermilk dove face-first into learning power moves. The bull rush was the first one. Then, came the long arm. It all comes together for Loudermilk to try and create a full repertoire of power moves that can offset his chop-rip move. If that happens, Loudermilk then thinks he can become a three-down lineman. With Heyward being the teacher, it makes that all the much easier for Loudermilk.

“It’s a lot easier to learn this stuff when Cam’s your teacher,” Loudermilk said. “I think he’s going to help me a lot. Becoming a better pass rusher is what I need to do, and he’s been more than willing to help. I’m watching everything he does and trying to soak it in.”

Training camp will be Loudermilk’s first theatre. The Steelers will don the pads eventually, and that is where Loudermilk can finally test out the new power moves he added to his arsenal. If he can successfully attach them to his game, it will be hard to not give Loudermilk a significant rotational role.

After all, the Steelers are pretty loaded on the defensive line with depth. What they do not have is a young, potentially complete player that could possibly start in the future. If Loudermilk is to take the leap he wants, he could fill that void for the Steelers defensive line.