Lang
8/2/26
The Pittsburgh Steelers have seven University of Iowa football alumni on their training camp roster, but an unlikely Hawkeye is making the most preseason news for the team so far.
Wide receiver Brandon Smith last played for Iowa in 2020. Since then, he’s played in exactly three NFL games: one for the New York Jets in 2024 and two for the same franchise in 2025.
The Steelers invited Smith to fill a 2026 training camp roster spot. But since Pittsburgh started camp last Tuesday, Smith has already impressed the new staff of first-year Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy to the point that he is now taking snaps with the first-string offense.
Smith is now expected to see significant playing time in the preseason, with an outside shot of making the Steelers’ opening day roster.
Other Hawkeyes on the Steelers training camp roster include offensive lineman Gennings Dunker, kick returner Kaden Wetjen, running back Kaleb Johnson, defensive lineman Yayha Black, defensive lineman Logan Lee, and safety Sebastian Castro. The team opens the preseason hosting Green Bay on Thursday, August 13th.