Nix still in the mix in Steelers’ backfield
Steelers fullback Roosevelt Nix gets by linebacker Collin Rahrig training camp practice Tuesday in Latrobe.
Steelers fullback Roosevelt Nix breaks the tackle of Jaguars outside linebacker Khairi Fortt during last Friday’s preseason game in Jacksonville.
LATROBE – The road to the NFL through Saint Vincent College is littered with would-be camp phenoms hoping to earn a spot on the Steelers roster.
Roosevelt Nix hopes he’s not the next casualty.
A four-time all-conference nose tackle at Kent State and one of just five players in MAC history to accomplish that feat, Nix is getting his opportunity with the Steelers in an unusual way.
The Steelers signed him at the end of last season after he had been released by the Atlanta Falcons in August.
After first considering moving the 5-11, 260-pound Nix to inside linebacker, the Steelers settled on making him a fullback.
“Right before rookie mini-camp, they said let’s try it out. I said, ‘All right, let’s do it,'” Nix said.
Nix figured football is football and despite never playing on offense, even in high school, he has flourished at his new position.
How much so?
When the Steelers had their first goal-line drill of training camp at Saint Vincent, it was Nix who lined up as the lead blocker with the first-team offense, while incumbent fullback Will Johnson was in motion.
It’s been a recurring theme throughout training camp and preseason games as Nix has consistently lined up as a lead blocker with the first-team offense when such situations arise.
More important, at least in the eyes of the coaching staff, he showed up on special teams, making a pair of tackles.
“He has done some good things,” said Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. “Probably the most interesting thing that he has been is being productive in the special teams’ area. They are all football players first and whatever position they play second. It is good to see a guy with a fullback type of body show some awareness and production (on special) teams.”
That’s where his background as a defensive player paid off. Nix, who was named MAC Defensive Player of the Year as a freshman at Kent State in 2010, finished his college career with 182 tackles, a school-record 65 of them for a losses. He also had 24 sacks, second most in school history and nine more than some guy named James Harrison had in his career with the Golden Flash. Nix also had 12 pass defenses and 12 forced fumbles in his career.
“I don’t really have to get nervous about making a tackle. It’s kind of natural to me,” Nix admitted. “But there are always things you can work on … that I would have anyway. It just helps having a background in (defense).”
But 5-11 nose tackles are more rare than fullbacks in today’s NFL, and Nix knows he can’t do anything about his height. Interestingly, his half-brother, Rozelle Nix, is a 6-11 junior college center who signed with the Pitt basketball team last fall.
“He mixed in the jumbo a little bit,” Nix said.
Nix has made the transition to fullback look relatively easy. He’s worked hard with running backs coach James Saxon on the nuances of the position and was the early star of the Steelers’ backs on backers drills, which pits a blitzing linebacker against a running back to simulate pass blocking.
His teammates have noticed.
“He’s a good player. For him to be a nose guard in college (and) a fullback now is great,” linebacker Sean Spence said. “He’s very athletic. He can do a lot of different things. He’s making a lot of plays on special teams as well.”
He also showed good skills as a receiver in a drill where the running backs work one-on-one against a linebacker. Nix displayed good route running ability and soft hands.
“I wouldn’t say it’s been simple because I’d never done it,” Nix said. “But I like to try to make everything as easy as I can make it. I’ve got a good coach. (Coach Saxon) definitely takes a lot of time to teach me individual stuff about what a fullback does and needs to do. I just try to pick up on it.”
Will that mean a spot on the 53-man roster?
It might be difficult this year because the Steelers like what Johnson can do as a blocker and receiver while also filling in at tight end. If Nix continues to impress and show up on special teams, the Steelers might have to make a difficult decision.
“I’ve just got to keep pushing away,” Nix said. “When you do what you’re supposed to do, good things happen for you. I was in the right spot at the right time and made a couple of good plays. But I still have things I have to work on.”
Odds and end zones
The Steelers released quarterback Tajh Boyd and signed receiver Jarrod West Tuesday. West, who played at Syracuse, had briefly been with the Jets before being released. … The Steelers return to practice at Saint Vincent College today for the first of their final three practices of training camp. It begins at 2:55 p.m. and is open to the public.