Steelers Make Four Roster Moves on May 12
The Pittsburgh Steelers confirmed four updates to their roster on May 12, including one move that had already been reported over the weekend.
According to team reporter Teresa Varley, “The Steelers have signed running backs Max Hurleman and Trey Sermon, along with offensive tackle Gareth Warren. All three players participated in rookie minicamp.”
Varley also noted that “the team has released running back Aaron Shampklin.”
Shampklin, 25, has been released by the Steelers before. Since January 2024, he’s bounced between Pittsburgh’s 90-man roster and practice squad, though he’s only suited up for three regular-season games.
In those appearances, he rushed six times for 17 yards and a single first down. On special teams, he returned four kickoffs with a 25.3-yard average, including a long return of 32 yards.
Shampklin has yet to record any regular-season snaps for other NFL teams, though he’s spent time with the Chargers, Colts, and Cowboys. For now, it seems Hurleman has been brought in to take over his role.
Who Is Max Hurleman, the Steelers’ New Running Back?
As Varley reported, “Hurleman played in 51 games over five college seasons, starting 23.”
He logged 194 carries for 814 yards and one touchdown. He also made an impact as a punt returner, racking up 353 yards on 49 returns — an average of 7.2 yards per attempt. Hurleman played four seasons at Colgate before transferring to Notre Dame in 2024.
While officially a running back, Hurleman’s best chance of sticking with the Steelers lies on special teams — similar to the role Shampklin previously filled. That’s how he was mainly utilized at Notre Dame, and it’s unlikely he’ll earn a spot in a deep NFL backfield based on rushing skills alone.
His athletic testing may limit his ceiling. RAS Football, which tracks “relative athletic scores” for prospects, gave Hurleman a 5.73 out of 10. That ranked him 844th out of 1,976 running backs evaluated from 1987 to 2025. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.68 seconds and posted a 6.96-second time in the three-cone drill.
Hurleman faces stiff competition going into the 2025 training camp and joins Sermon in a crowded backfield as he tries to earn a roster spot for Week 1.
Additional Info on Trey Sermon and Gareth Warren
Sermon stands out among the latest additions, though his signing had already been reported Sunday.
Varley recapped his NFL journey: “He’s played four seasons and appeared in 42 games with the Colts, Eagles, and 49ers. He has 134 carries for 505 yards and three touchdowns.”
Sermon, who is 6’0″ and weighs 215 pounds, turned 26 in January and is known as a physical runner.
As for offensive lineman Gareth Warren, Varley noted that he played at Lindenwood University, where he saw action in 35 games over four years. In 2023, he helped anchor a line that powered a running attack averaging 134.7 yards per game — the fourth-best in the Ohio Valley Conference.
Ryan Whitfield of College Sports Network called Warren a “mammoth of a man” at 6’6” and 328 pounds, originally from Kailua Kona, Hawaii. He also praised Warren’s ability to play multiple positions along the offensive line.
Whitfield added that Warren has the physical tools for the NFL but still needs to fine-tune his technique. “There’s debate over whether he’d be more effective at guard, and while that argument has merit, he must address his fundamentals before finding his ideal position.”
