The Pittsburgh Steelers selected their second defensive tackle and their second Hawkeye player in the 5th round, when they selected Yahya Black.
Who is Yahya Black?
Black was born on April 21, 2002 in Marshall, Minnesota.
He attended Marshall High School and was rated a three-star recruit. He eventually committed to the University of Iowa.
As a freshman, Black tallied three tackles with a ½ tackle for a loss. In 2021, Black played in 14 games and totaled 18 tackles and a forced fumble.
As a sophomore, Black played eight games and finished with 11 tackles, two tackles for a loss and one sack. Black had his best season in 2023. He played 14 games and finished with 51 tackles, five tackles for a loss, 3.5 sacks and five passes defended.
This past season Black played 13 games and collected 34 tackles, seven tackles for a loss, one sack and one forced fumble.
DT- Yahya Black, Iowa
6’6” 336 lbs
Arm- 35”
Hand- 10 ¼”
40-yard- 5.39
10-yard split- 1.88 seconds
Strengths
7-foot wingspan with huge hands
Massive body, tough to move
Takes up space, anchors well
Can blow up double teams
Weaknesses
Little to no pass rushing ability
Burst is underwhelming
Does not play with a sturdy base, and will end up on the ground more than you would like to see.
Tackling mechanics can be improved
What do the Steelers get?
Along with first round pick Derrick Harmon, the Steelers are starting to build a young and talented defensive line. With Harmon, Keeanu Benton and Black, Pittsburgh now has done to their defensive line what they have done the past couple of seasons with their offensive line through drafting.
(photo courtesy of Sports Illustrated)