https://247sports.com/nfl/pittsburg...ew-up-admiring-the-great-tight-end-133133263/
Fans who follow the Steelers have probably seen the play by now.
It was ranked the No. 6 play of 2016 by ESPN, and no doubt No. 1 by Youngstown State and Kevin Rader.
He's the tight end who wrapped one arm around a linebacker to pin the winning touchdown pass to that linebacker's back with one second left of the Division 1 FCS national semifinals.
When Rader, the linebacker, and the ball all went to the ground, Rader held on. Tightly.
"I didn't let go until I was down in that pile for probably 30 seconds," said Rader, a tight end who's returned home to Pittsburgh to compete for a roster spot with the Steelers.
"I knew there wasn't any time left," he said, "so I knew they were going to review it and I didn't want there to be any opportunity of a reversal. I nearly choked whoever was on the bottom of that pile with that ball."
You might also have noticed Rader's number - 83 - the same number fifth-round pick Zach Gentry wore in college. Gentry was given the number when he arrived, but Ben Roethlisberger asked him to change out of respect to Heath Miller, the tight end who made the number famous in Pittsburgh.
The difference between Gentry and Rader is that Rader chose the number at YSU because of Miller, his idol while growing up in nearby Pine-Richland.
"My favorite player was Heath Miller," Rader said. "I wore 83 in college because of him. I actually wore 38 in high school on defense."
The only active player to have worn 83 since Miller retired following the 2015 season was Cobi Hamilton for 11 games in 2016. But he could get away with it as a wide receiver called up off the practice squad.
A tight end wearing Heath's number?
Too soon.
"In my opinion that number should be retired," Rader said. "I think he was the best tight end to play here. It's going to happen eventually."
Rader played at Pine-Richland just before QB Phil Jurkovec and head coach Eric Kasperowicz came along to win WPIAL and PIAA championships, but Rader was still a first-team all-conference defensive end in 2013. That was a year after a growth spurt added 10 inches to Rader's 5-3 frame and turned him into a legitimate prospect.
"I was a late bloomer," said the 6-4, 250-pounder. "But after I put on those 10 inches I was tall and skinny, played wide receiver and defensive end. I was 205 pounds, so I wasn't big enough to play the in-line tight end yet. My senior year I played a little bit of the wing tight end and got to move around more in the offense."
The only D-1 college talking to Rader was West Virginia, but the Mountaineers gave his potential scholarship to someone else a week before signing day. So, Rader walked on at Youngstown State as a defensive end. Bo Pelini was hired as head coach the next year and moved Rader to tight end.
In his first season, Rader started only two games, both when YSU opened in three-TE sets. In 2016, Rader started 13 of 16 games and caught 17 passes for 285 yards and two scores, including the eye-popping TD that moved YSU into the title game, where it lost to James Madison. Rader's other touchdown was a 35-yarder against Robert Morris to give him a then-personal best 62 yards in the game.
Rader topped that total at Heinz Field against Pitt in the 2017 opener, when he caught six passes for 100 yards. Both totals turned out to be personal highs for Rader, who finished his career with 41 catches for 601 yards and four touchdowns - all in an offense that set a school rushing record in 2016 and nearly matched the total in 2017.
Rader wasn't drafted in 2018, but signed with the Green Bay Packers after the draft. He played in three preseason games, didn't catch a pass, and was released on Sept. 1. He turned down the Cleveland Browns to sign with the Steelers last Jan. 9.
"I went to Green Bay and they brought in Jimmy Graham and Marcedes Lewis, so in that room we had those two, Lance Kendricks, two guys from the practice squad the previous year, me and another rookie," Rader said. "There were three guys with at least eight years in the league, so the opportunity was very slim. And they're completely different than what Pittsburgh is. They're more spread out, not running the ball, one tight end base. When I got the opportunity to come here I was really excited because what I did in college was a lot of heavy run game, in line, played wherever they needed me in the run game. That was our go to - run the ball then pass the ball. And I feel that's what they do here in Pittsburgh."
What Rader loved about playing defensive end - "you've got the C gap, you're kicking that guy's ***, and you go tackle the ball; more simple, more physical football" - evolved into more thinking at tight end. But he grew to appreciate all of the nuance.
"My tight end coach in college, Coach (Joe) Ganz, came from Nebraska with Bo Pelini and he played quarterback at Nebraska," Rader said. "He kind of taught us the quarterback perspective of reading coverage and blitzes and all of that stuff. So that's how I was taught in college."
This past spring, Rader was used frequently with the Steelers' second team and was cited by offensive captain Maurkice Pouncey as one of the sleepers to watch in training camp. The Steelers are looking for a third tight end after losing Jesse James and three players from last year's practice squad and injured reserve.
"I feel confident in my play," Rader said. "Now it just comes down to getting an opportunity - and then you've got to do your job. If you don't do your job, the next guy's going to bump up. So when you get those opportunities, if it's blocking, pass-setting and route running, and you're reading coverage corrently - at tight end you've got a lot of stuff - so the more you get correct all the time, day after day after day, that's what's going to make the difference."
At one of the final minicamp practices, Rader drew praise from Mike Tomlin for a downfield block inside the 5-yard line that resulted in a touchdown for wide receiver Tevin Jones after a long catch-and-run.
"That's always been my play - always to the whistle," Rader said. "Just keep going till you hear it."
And even then, hold on to the ball. Tightly.
Fans who follow the Steelers have probably seen the play by now.
It was ranked the No. 6 play of 2016 by ESPN, and no doubt No. 1 by Youngstown State and Kevin Rader.
He's the tight end who wrapped one arm around a linebacker to pin the winning touchdown pass to that linebacker's back with one second left of the Division 1 FCS national semifinals.
When Rader, the linebacker, and the ball all went to the ground, Rader held on. Tightly.
"I didn't let go until I was down in that pile for probably 30 seconds," said Rader, a tight end who's returned home to Pittsburgh to compete for a roster spot with the Steelers.
"I knew there wasn't any time left," he said, "so I knew they were going to review it and I didn't want there to be any opportunity of a reversal. I nearly choked whoever was on the bottom of that pile with that ball."
You might also have noticed Rader's number - 83 - the same number fifth-round pick Zach Gentry wore in college. Gentry was given the number when he arrived, but Ben Roethlisberger asked him to change out of respect to Heath Miller, the tight end who made the number famous in Pittsburgh.
The difference between Gentry and Rader is that Rader chose the number at YSU because of Miller, his idol while growing up in nearby Pine-Richland.
"My favorite player was Heath Miller," Rader said. "I wore 83 in college because of him. I actually wore 38 in high school on defense."
The only active player to have worn 83 since Miller retired following the 2015 season was Cobi Hamilton for 11 games in 2016. But he could get away with it as a wide receiver called up off the practice squad.
A tight end wearing Heath's number?
Too soon.
"In my opinion that number should be retired," Rader said. "I think he was the best tight end to play here. It's going to happen eventually."
Rader played at Pine-Richland just before QB Phil Jurkovec and head coach Eric Kasperowicz came along to win WPIAL and PIAA championships, but Rader was still a first-team all-conference defensive end in 2013. That was a year after a growth spurt added 10 inches to Rader's 5-3 frame and turned him into a legitimate prospect.
"I was a late bloomer," said the 6-4, 250-pounder. "But after I put on those 10 inches I was tall and skinny, played wide receiver and defensive end. I was 205 pounds, so I wasn't big enough to play the in-line tight end yet. My senior year I played a little bit of the wing tight end and got to move around more in the offense."
The only D-1 college talking to Rader was West Virginia, but the Mountaineers gave his potential scholarship to someone else a week before signing day. So, Rader walked on at Youngstown State as a defensive end. Bo Pelini was hired as head coach the next year and moved Rader to tight end.
In his first season, Rader started only two games, both when YSU opened in three-TE sets. In 2016, Rader started 13 of 16 games and caught 17 passes for 285 yards and two scores, including the eye-popping TD that moved YSU into the title game, where it lost to James Madison. Rader's other touchdown was a 35-yarder against Robert Morris to give him a then-personal best 62 yards in the game.
Rader topped that total at Heinz Field against Pitt in the 2017 opener, when he caught six passes for 100 yards. Both totals turned out to be personal highs for Rader, who finished his career with 41 catches for 601 yards and four touchdowns - all in an offense that set a school rushing record in 2016 and nearly matched the total in 2017.
Rader wasn't drafted in 2018, but signed with the Green Bay Packers after the draft. He played in three preseason games, didn't catch a pass, and was released on Sept. 1. He turned down the Cleveland Browns to sign with the Steelers last Jan. 9.
"I went to Green Bay and they brought in Jimmy Graham and Marcedes Lewis, so in that room we had those two, Lance Kendricks, two guys from the practice squad the previous year, me and another rookie," Rader said. "There were three guys with at least eight years in the league, so the opportunity was very slim. And they're completely different than what Pittsburgh is. They're more spread out, not running the ball, one tight end base. When I got the opportunity to come here I was really excited because what I did in college was a lot of heavy run game, in line, played wherever they needed me in the run game. That was our go to - run the ball then pass the ball. And I feel that's what they do here in Pittsburgh."
What Rader loved about playing defensive end - "you've got the C gap, you're kicking that guy's ***, and you go tackle the ball; more simple, more physical football" - evolved into more thinking at tight end. But he grew to appreciate all of the nuance.
"My tight end coach in college, Coach (Joe) Ganz, came from Nebraska with Bo Pelini and he played quarterback at Nebraska," Rader said. "He kind of taught us the quarterback perspective of reading coverage and blitzes and all of that stuff. So that's how I was taught in college."
This past spring, Rader was used frequently with the Steelers' second team and was cited by offensive captain Maurkice Pouncey as one of the sleepers to watch in training camp. The Steelers are looking for a third tight end after losing Jesse James and three players from last year's practice squad and injured reserve.
"I feel confident in my play," Rader said. "Now it just comes down to getting an opportunity - and then you've got to do your job. If you don't do your job, the next guy's going to bump up. So when you get those opportunities, if it's blocking, pass-setting and route running, and you're reading coverage corrently - at tight end you've got a lot of stuff - so the more you get correct all the time, day after day after day, that's what's going to make the difference."
At one of the final minicamp practices, Rader drew praise from Mike Tomlin for a downfield block inside the 5-yard line that resulted in a touchdown for wide receiver Tevin Jones after a long catch-and-run.
"That's always been my play - always to the whistle," Rader said. "Just keep going till you hear it."
And even then, hold on to the ball. Tightly.
