Anthony Chickillo arrived to training camp without the fanfare or lofty expectations of fellow rookie linebacker Bud Dupree. Reasonable enough considering Dupree was the Steelers first-round pick and one of the top defensive prospects in the 2015 draft. Conversely, Chickillo was a sixth-round choice who was given the dreaded “tweener” label by NFL scouts.
In other words, Chickillo had his fair share of detractors who did not know where the college defensive end might fit.
Chickillo had a solid, yet unspectacular career at the University of Miami. Though he would finish with 170 tackles (89 solo), 25 tackles for losses, 15.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries and five pass break-ups, Chickillo struggled to live up to the lofty expectations after being one of the top recruits in the nation in 2011.
Asked to play defensive end in primarily four-man fronts at Miami, Chickillo would bulk up to nearly 270 pounds on his six-foot-three frame, causing him to lose some of the suddenness that had made him a five-star prospect in high school. Though Chickillo still displayed impressive flashes during his college career, he often looked overmatched by physical tackles, which helped to create the narrative that Chickillo simply was not cut out to play defensive end in the NFL.
Chickillo was now heading into the draft with the tweener label; Was he a 4-3 rush end or possibly a 3-4 outside linebacker? Should he keep the weight up and try to do more of what he did in college or cut weight and learn a new position?
From the early returns at training camp in Latrobe, it looks like both Chickillo and the Steelers made the right decision to make a potentially career altering move.
Selected by the Steelers with the clear intention of a shift to outside linebacker, Chickillo arrived at Latrobe nearly 30 pounds lighter and impact of shedding those pounds has been noticeable so far at camp. Chickillo has been the most impressive rookie early on and though nobody is comparing him to fellow sixth rounder Antonio Brown quite yet, Chickillo is making a case for a roster spot with the Steelers.
From rookie longshot to NFL stardom? There’s a long road ahead, but Chickillo is off to an impressive start with a non-stop motor and an array of pass rushing moves that have caught the Steelers attention.
Though Chickillo has the organization’s attention early, it will be critical for the rookie linebacker to continue to prove he’s not only capable of producing as a pass rusher, but more importantly, he can make an impact as a special teams player.
That’s because Chickillo has an uphill climb considering incumbents James Harrison, Ryan Moats, Jarvis Jones and of course, fellow rookie Dupree, are essentially locks to make the team. With the Steelers unlikely to keep more than five OLB’s on the roster to start the season, Chickillo will have to separate himself from second-year player Howard Jones and former Miami teammate Shayon Green.
Chickillo has taken advantage of the opportunity early and will be one of the players to keep an eye on when the Steelers open their preseason schedule this Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings in the Hall of Fame game at 8 p.m. in Canton, Oh.
