Jordan Zumwalt's rookie season is over before it ever began. Today, in addition to signing cornerback B.W. Webb off of waivers from the Dallas Cowboys, the Pittsburgh Steelers announced that the team has placed the rookie linebacker from UCLA on injured reserve.
Zumwalt always seemed to be a step behind his peers, and it was never any fault of his own.
He missed all of the rookie minicamp due to an archaic NFL rule that prevents draft picks from attending any team function until their respective college has graduated. While his rookie classmates were practicing, learning and getting valuable repetitions, Zumwalt got a playbook mailed to him and was forced to study without any physical reps.
Zumwalt attended the Steelers' mandatory minicamp, but his training camp and preseason were cut short due to a groin injury that kept him out of all but one preseason game.
Zumwalt being placed on IR could benefit the young linebacker as it will give him a chance to learn the system, get acclimated to life in the NFL and better prepare himself to compete for a job next season.
The Steelers final roster cut from 75 to 53 will take place by 4 p.m. ET Saturday.