The Pittsburgh Steelers sign undrafted quarterback John Rhys Plumlee, who also plays receiver.
The Steelers signed undrafted free agent John Rhys Plumlee, but it is unclear which position he will play in the NFL. Plumlee is labeled as a quarterback and spent the majority of his collegiate career there, but he is a better athlete than a passer, and his NFL future could be as a wide receiver.
Plumlee started eight games as a true freshman quarterback for Ole Miss in 2019. He struggled with passing but succeeded at running, carrying 154 times for 1,023 yards and 12 touchdowns. In 2021, he lost a quarterback fight to Matt Corral and played sparingly in a Taysom Hill-type gadget position, but in the next season’s Outback Bowl, he played wide receiver and performed admirably, collecting five catches for 73 yards. The following year, he played wide receiver full-time and caught 19 passes for 201 yards.
Plumlee transferred to UCF in 2022 and returned to quarterback, where he spent two competent but unspectacular seasons as the starter. Plumlee does not appear to have a bright future in the NFL as a quarterback, but as an athletic who can play in a variety of capacities on offense and special teams, he might be a valuable asset in Pittsburgh.