A quarterback competition featuring Mitchell Trubisky, Mason Rudolph and rookie first-round pick Kenny Pickett has been the talk of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offseason.
Overlooked is that the Steelers took two quarterbacks in the 2022 NFL Draft.
While Pickett is competing for a starting job, Chris Oladokun is very much competing for a roster spot.
"Something that I do strongly believe is that I do belong here," Oladokun said via Triblive's Chris Adamski.
Pickett was selected by the Steelers at No. 20 overall, the first and only QB picked in the first round. Oladokun, a product of South Dakota State, had to wait much longer before Pittsburgh picked him at No. 241 in the seventh and final round.
In 2021, Oladokun threw for 3,164 yards and 25 touchdowns to seven interceptions. It wrapped up a college odyssey that saw him play for three colleges (which included Samford and South Florida).
He's aiming to stay in Pittsburgh, though. And his onus on doing that involves doing whatever he can to help the team and his cause.
“Obviously, we have a very competitive quarterback room,” Oladokun said in the spring. “I look to embrace my role in any capacity, whatever that is, whether I am the first one taking snaps or the last guy on the totem pole.
“However I can make not only the (position) room better but the (whole) team, that’s what I look to do. I’m embracing that role. It’s something that’s going to be important for me heading into this year. You are just personally developing: on the field, off the field and giving yourself the best chance to make the '53.'"
Oladokun's selection by the Steelers was a bit of a surprise considering Pittsburgh had pounced on Pickett two days earlier. However, with his selection comes a better shot of making the squad, at least according to conventional wisdom.
For now, though, Oladokun is trying to be a good teammate, aiming to contribute to the QB room and vying for a spot on the roster while the other quarterbacks are competing for the top spot.
“A lot of these guys I am teammates with now, I watched playing growing up, so it’s really cool sharing the field with them,” Oladokun said. “It’s about improving in our quarterback room: me, Mitch, Mason and Kenny just getting to know each other and building on every single day and developing.”