Jul 31, 2015 4 min read

LATROBE – If first-round draft pick Bud Dupree’s head is swimming as he learns the playbook while making the transition from college defensive end to NFL outside linebacker, all he has to do is look across his dorm room at Saint Vincent College to fellow Steelers rookie Anthony Chickillo.

He’s going through the same thing.

The early returns after one week of training camp are – showing how difficult the scouting process can be for NFL teams – neither is anywhere near a finished product.

But there’s little doubt, it comes easier for some guys than others.

For Chickillo, a sixth-round draft pick, the difference might be in his attitude. Instead of overthinking what he’s doing on the practice field, he’s got a different philosophy.

“I just try to go all out. That’s the only way I know how to play,” Chickillo said.

It’s helped Chickillo be one of the early standouts among the Steelers’ rookie class one week into training camp.

Both young linebackers got a chance to work one-on-one against the running backs and tight ends Friday night at Latrobe Memorial Stadium in the backs on backers drill, which they didn’t do Wednesday.

Both had a better time of it than they did working one-on-one against offensive linmen.

Dupree showed off impressive power and a good spin move, while Chickillo fought through and around blocks with a never-say-die attitude.

Chickillo, who played at 282 pounds in his senior year at Miami, is down to 250 pounds at the behest of the Steelers and looks faster and more agile.

Dupree, who played at 270 pounds at Kentucky, shed 10 pounds at the coaching staff’s request. Already a fast player – he was among the fastest linebacker prospects at the NFL Combine, running a 4.56-second 40-yard dash – he hopes to be more explosive.

Dupree is working hard to incorporate more moves into his pass rush instead of relying on his outstanding speed as he did in college.

“Speed always works at any level,” said Dupree, who had 23.5 career sacks at Kentucky. “Now, it’s once they know you’ve got speed, what are you going to do after that? That’s the main part. I’m getting better every time. I just keep working on that, the next move that I do after my first move, I want to make sure that’s explosive as well.”

It’s added up to some tough moments for the rookie. Wednesday, on the opening day in pads, he attempted to bull rush right tackle Marcus Gilbert to no avail. Thursday, while attempting to transition into a second move while going at full speed, he lost his footing a couple of times.

But he looked dominant Friday night at Latrobe High School, ripping through Le’Veon Bell in his opening rep and beating everyone put in front of him after that.

“I relied on my speed a lot (in college),” Dupree admitted. “Now, seeing how the tackles are in the NFL, I’m putting more in my bag.

“You always want to have more than one move. All the linebackers we have, we try to work on more than one thing. If a lineman stops your first move, you go onto the second move.”

The Steelers felt comfortable enough with their young outside linebackers they released former CFL standout Shawn Lemon earlier in the week despite the fact veteran James Harrison has yet to practice.

That’s meant a larger workload for Dupree and Chickillo, but neither is complaining.

For Chickillo, it is a chance to prove people who said he wasn’t athletic enough to play outside linebacker and questioned his production wrong.

“Whatever they ask me to do, I’m going to do it,” said Chickillo, who started 43 games at Miami, recording 170 career tackles and 15.5 sacks.

“Going into the draft process, a lot of teams didn’t think I was athletic because of the way I was used at Miami. I kind of have that chip on my shoulder that I want to prove everybody wrong.”

For Dupree, meanwhile, it’s a chance to prove the Steelers were right to make him a first-round pick.

“We’re roommates and we talk a lot about it,” Dupree said. “The whole linebacker room talks about it. We’re just one big group trying to be good.”

Tight end Heath Miller, Harrison, cornerback Cortez Allen and safeties Gerod Holliman, Ross Ventrone and Mike Mitchell did not practice Friday. … The Steelers will return to practice today at Saint Vincent College at 2:55 p.m. It is open to the public.