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Steelers’ seventh-round rookie QB Chris Oladokun confident he can prove he belongs

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Mike Florio and Chris Simms like Kenny Pickett's take-nothing-for-granted approach as he tries to establish himself as the Pittsburgh Steelers' franchise quarterback.

The Steelers made Kenny Pickett the first quarterback selected in the 2022 NFL draft, and so much attention has been paid to Pickett that many fans may have forgotten that the Steelers picked another quarterback as well.

That was Chris Oladokun, a seventh-round pick from South Dakota State, who is going to have a tough time earning a spot on the 53-player roster, given that the Steelers have Pickett, Mitchell Trubisky and Mason Rudolph ahead of Oladukon on the depth chart.

“Something that I do strongly believe is that I do belong here,” Oladukon said, via the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

Oladokun doesn’t want to be counted out in the quarterback competition.

“Obviously, we have a very competitive quarterback room,” Oladokun said. “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.”

Realistically, there’s no real chance of Oladokun winning the quarterback competition in training camp, but he could play well enough to make the Steelers decide they don’t want to risk putting him on waivers. He’ll try to do just that.