The Pittsburgh Steelers hosted Pitt kicker Ben Sauls on a pre-draft visit to UPMC Rooney Sports Complex on Tuesday.
With one of the best kickers in the NFL in Chris Boswell, the Steelers do not have an obvious need for Sauls, but local college players do not count against the team’s maximum of 30 pre-draft visitors.
The Steelers do usually bring in a college UDFA to compete with (and more accurately, give Boswell a break) during training camp. Sauls could be a candidate for such a role, though he is one of the more highly regarded kickers in the 2025 class and could be drafted.
A 5-foot-10, 185-pound native of Tipp City, Ohio, Sauls joined the Panthers in 2020. The left-footed kicker was a backup his first two seasons, but took over the full-time kicking duties as a redshirt sophomore in 2022.
In three seasons, Sauls made 52 of 64 field goals, and his 81.3 success rate finished 13th in ACC history. Sauls ranked third all-time in scoring at Pitt with 278 points. He also made a Pitt-record 15 consecutive field goals.
Sauls also earned attention for his range, with a 58-yarder against Cal in 2024 that tied the Pitt record and was one yard shy of Boswell’s Acrisure Stadium mark. Sauls made six of seven field goals from 50 yards or beyond last season, and was selected to the Pro Football Focus All-America team, along with All-ACC Third Team recognition. Sauls was also a semifinalist for the Lou Gross Award for best place kicker in the country. He connected on 21-of-24 fields goals and a perfect 44-of-44 extra points in 2024.
Sauls was one of four Pitt players who attended the NFL Scouting Combine, along with wide receiver Konata Mumpfield, tight end Gavin Bartholomew and offensive lineman Branson Taylor.
This story originally appeared on Steelers Now.
