Steelers Add Former West Virginia OL Doug Nester to Practice Squad

The Steelers are signing former West Virginia guard and tackle Doug Nester to their practice squad, agent Brett Tessler announced on Wednesday. This move by the Steelers is in an effort to bolster their offensive line depth, just hours after learning of a potential serious injury to starting left guard Isaac Seumalo.

Nester had been with the Minnesota Vikings this preseason, but was part of the club’s final cut down to 53 players on Tuesday. He cleared waivers on Wednesday, allowing him to sign with any team. Nester now joins fellow West Virginia rookies Zach Frazier and Beanie Bishop in Pittsburgh.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are signing my client Doug Nester (T/G, West Virginia) to the practice squad. Was with the Minnesota Vikings this preseason and had multiple psquad offers. Will likely be on somebody's active roster soon.

— Brett Tessler (@TesslerSports) August 28, 2024

Nester played in two preseason games for the Vikings, earning 69 snaps of playing time, all at right guard.

Seumalo reportedly left practice with a potentially serious pectoral injury on Wednesay. The Steelers have two backup guards on their 53-man roster, in 2023 seventh-round draft pick Spencer Anderson and 2024 fourth-round pick Mason McCormick.

Nester, a 6-foot-7, 320-pound native of Kenova, W.Va., first attended Virginia Tech for his first two collegiate seasons before transferring to WVU. Nester started 10 games as a true freshman at right guard for the Hokies in 2019 and seven more in 2020.

After transferring to West Virginia, he stated every game in 2021 and 2022 at right guard, before moving to right tackle for his redshirt senior season in 2023.

Nester participated in both the Hula Bowl and the East-West Shrine Game in the pre-draft process, with the Steelers scouting him heavily at the latter stop.

Despite his size, Nester did not test well leading up the draft, running a 5.31-second 40-yard dash and posting just 19 reps on the bench press. He had a total Relative Athletic Score of 3.35 of out 10.

This story initially appeared on our partner site Steelers Now.