Steelers OT Named One of Best Practice Squad Players in NFL

The Steelers took a different approach to their practice squad this season, adding high-upside players and veterans they could trust to come up in a pinch. That includes the offensive line, where they went with an almost entirely new cast of players. One of those players is the athletic Kellen Diesch, who stands out as a quality offensive tackle with sweet feet. He’s got the potential to be molded into something.

Diesch tested incredibly in his pre-draft process, posting a 9.75 Relative Athletic Score out of 10 thanks to a 4.89-second 40-yard dash, 4.43-second shuttle, 32.5-inch vertical, and 9-foot-2 broad jump.

A Dallas native, Diesch started his college career at Texas A&M. He played four seasons with the Aggies, mainly as a reserve. He transferred to ASU in 2020 and immediately became a starter and two-time All-Pac 12 selection. On Friday, CBS Sports broke down the best practice squad players in the NFL, and Diesch made the final cut.

“I thought Diesch was the classic mid-round blocker who’d land with a zone-blocking team and, after a year of adding weight and strength to his game, he’d be, at the very least, an adequate starter who could play either tackle spot or even bump inside to be one of the taller guards in the league if necessary. That didn’t happen. Or maybe it just hasn’t happened yet,” writer Chris Trapasso wrote.

The Steelers’ practice squad was designed to have athletic versions of guys who start. Think of Diesch as someone akin to Chuks Okorafor in that sense. However, he is still far down the depth chart, as Pittsburgh has five tackles on the active roster. That includes intriguing upstart Dylan Cook. In 110 preseason snaps, 20 with Miami in 2022 and 90 with the Bears this summer, Diesch played 107 at left tackle and three at right tackle. Cook primarily worked at right tackle for the Steelers this camp, and they have helped give them looks throughout the season so far..