Locals try to make most of chance with Steelers
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Living up to the hype can be difficult for athletes. Most don’t experience that until they are earning money as a professional. But for Rushel Shell, the weighty expectations came early in his high school career.
Shell played at Hopewell High School, where he set the Pennsylvania record for rushing yards. Not only did Shell break all of Tony Dorsett’s records at Hopewell but he followed in the footsteps of the Pro Football Hall of Famer by signing with Pitt.
But Shell’s college career turned out nothing like Dorsett’s. There was no Heisman Trophy storybook ending. Instead, there was a much-publicized divorce after one year, two transfers and zero 1,000-yard rushing seasons at West Virginia, his final NCAA stop after a short stint at UCLA.
“It’s cool to get that much hype, but when you don’t live up to it everyone says you stink or you’re not good anymore,” Shell said.
Now 23 and coming off a disappointing performance at the NFL scouting combine, Shell is trying to make it to the NFL the hard way. He signed with the Steelers after the draft and will try to beat steep odds to make the 53-man roster of the team he grew up rooting for.
For Shell, that last part is important. After his bitter departure from Pitt there is a desire to make things right with his hometown.
“It’s special,” Shell said. “It’s a chance to rewrite some of the things I did.”
Shell is one of three former WPIAL players who signed with the Steelers as undrafted free agents. Pitt tight end Scott Orndoff (Seton-LaSalle) and Pitt safety Terrish Webb (Clairton) also signed after not getting drafted.
All three are trying to impress during Steelers offseason training activities, which got underway this week at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex.
“It’s awesome,” Orndoff said. “In the draft process, I never expected to end up here, but I’m happy I did. I think it’s a good situation for me. I’m blessed with the opportunity to play for a great organization, especially one I’ve been watching and cheering for my whole life.”
While Shell was the prize recruit of Pitt’s 2012 recruiting class, Orndoff and Webb arrived a year later. Webb was part of the Clairton senior class in 2012 that won four consecutive WPIAL and PIAA championships. At Pitt, Webb started 29 games at safety, including all 13 last fall.
Orndoff was a quarterback at Seton-LaSalle before a growth spurt necessitated a move to tight end. At Pitt, Orndoff played behind J.P. Holtz for three seasons before catching 35 passes for 579 yards and five touchdowns in his first season as a full-time starter last fall.
When Orndoff buckled his chinstrap and put on his Steelers helmet for the first time, it was a special moment for him.
“It was surreal,” he said. “Even as a kid, I always said I wanted to be a football player in the NFL, but I never really envisioned it realistically. It’s definitely an awesome experience. Hopefully, I can keep it going as long as I can.”
Shell, Orndoff and Webb were among nine undrafted free agents the Steelers signed after the draft. And while they face steep odds of making the team, the Steelers have a strong track record of finding undrafted gems.
Seventeen players who spent time on the Steelers’ 53-man roster last season entered the NFL as undrafted free agents. That list includes James Harrison, Ramon Foster, Eli Rogers, Robert Golden and Roosevelt Nix.
The good news for Shell, Orndoff and Webb is they play positions where the Steelers need some depth, if not on the 53-man roster then the practice squad.
The edge the Pitt players have over the competition is the first-hand knowledge the Steelers have on them. During his short time at Pitt, Shell struck up a cordial relationship with Steelers coach Mike Tomlin.
It’s not uncommon for Tomlin to strike up conversations with all Pitt players when they cross paths at the facility they share. Every Pitt player has similar stories with Steelers players or members of the coaching or scouting staffs.
“It wasn’t like I was talking to a coach I never talked to before,” Shell said. “I was more comfortablesigningherethan anywhereelse.I’mhappy.
“I look at this as a legit opportunity whether it’s special teams or offense,” Shell said. “You have to take it day by day and show you can do something. I have to find my niche.”