The Pittsburgh Steelers held a tryout at rookie minicamp for Middlebury College Panthers offensive lineman Thomas Perry, according to PennLive’s Nick Farabaugh.
Perry didn’t hear his name called during the 2025 NFL Draft, but he impressed enough NFL scouts during the offseason to receive opportunities in training camp. He initially earned a tryout with the Baltimore Ravens prior to heading to Pittsburgh.
The Steelers have prioritized their offensive line in recent offseasons, but they did not select an offensive lineman in this year’s draft. Instead, they’re hoping for improvement from a group of young interior linemen such as Zach Frazier, Mason McCormick and Spencer Anderson. Perry could find a spot as a depth piece to develop behind those players.
Steelers could have found a hidden gem in undrafted offensive lineman
The Division III standout caught the attention of NFL teams after generating buzz during a set of Shrine Bowl practices in January. Perry started 30 games at left guard during his four years at Middlebury, but he made a positional change to center for scouts at the Shrine Bowl, where he was the only Division III player.
Despite just three weeks of experience at center, Perry held his own against elite competition, proving that his invitation to the game wasn’t a mistake. He showed impressive agility in a mirror drill with LSU’s Will Campbell, who ended up becoming the No. 4 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
The 6-foot-2, 317-pound rookie lacks the adequate size for an interior offensive lineman, but he makes up for it in his strength — evident by his 505-pound bench press. More than anything else, Perry is known for his power. During the Shrine Bowl, it took nearly half of the opposing defense to tackle him after he made a catch on a trick-play, two-point conversion attempt.
“The Shrine Bowl was a great opportunity to showcase my skills, and it was a lot of fun to be out there with so many talented athletes," Perry said, per the school’s website. "It was a great honor to be the only Division III player there."
When NFL scouts put on lower-level tape they expect to see a dominant player and Middlebury LG Thomas Perry's tape is littered with man-amongst-boys reps like this one.
— Jim Nagy (@JimNagy_Sooners) August 3, 2024
Scary to think what he'll do to poor D3 kids after spending summer with @BigDuke50. 😬
🧵4/4… pic.twitter.com/fWsGa837Qx
It was evident that Perry was matched up against inferior competition at Middlebury as he imposed his will on opposing defenses. He earned all-conference honors in his sophomore and junior seasons, then stepped it up a notch as a senior. He was tabbed to the Reese’s Senior Bowl Watch List heading into his final collegiate season, and he went on to become the first player in Middlebury history to earn three All-American honors.
Perry is undersized and will need time to develop as he transitions to center, but he has the raw athleticism and power to become a valuable investment in the future. He also wouldn’t be the first D-III offensive lineman to find success in the NFL. Quinn Meinerz rose from obscurity to become an All-Pro guard with the Denver Broncos, while Ali Marpet became a Pro Bowl left guard and helped Tom Brady’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers win Super Bowl LVI.