Tyler TachmanDes Moines Register
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IOWA CITY —Iowa football's Sebastian Castro has signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers after going undrafted.
It continues a recent pipeline of Hawkeyes to Steelers. Pittsburgh selected Kaleb Johnson and Yahya Black in the 2025 NFL Draft. The Steelers also took former Hawkeye Logan Lee in the 2024 Draft. Now Castro has signed with the franchise.
Here is a look at Castro's path to this moment.
What Sebastian Castro brings to the Steelers
Castro is a classic story of Iowa's ability to develop on the defensive side of the ball. His career trajectory is also a testament to his trust in the growth process.
He redshirted in 2019, barely appeared in games in 2020 and made minimal contributions in 2021. It wasn't until his fourth season with the Hawkeyes that Castro made his first career start. He started more than half of Iowa's contests that season and recorded what was then a career-high 33 tackles.
That set the stage for a breakout 2023 campaign, when he was named a third-team All-American by the Associated Press. Castro put up career-highs in tackles (67), tackles for loss (eight) and interceptions (three), including a pick-six against rival Iowa State. Castro's playmaking ability as a hard-hitting and athletic player made him well-suited for the "Cash" position, which fills a versatile role in Iowa's system.
His highly-impactful season put him on the radar of the NFL world, but Castro elected to return to Iowa for the 2025 season.
Most of Castro's numbers dipped in 2024 compared to the 2023 campaign. Castro still had a good season, but it wasn't outstanding. Part of that could be attributed to the fact that he was a much more well-known commodity than he had been entering the 2023 season. Still, Castro was named third-team All-Big Ten.
Despite how physically he played, Castro's availability was a strength. He appeared in almost every game for Iowa across the last four seasons.
Iowa has a history of churning out NFL-caliber defensive backs under defensive coordinator Phil Parker, whether it be Cooper DeJean, Riley Moss, Geno Stone or others. Castro had the benefit of learning from Parker, a defensive mastermind, for an extended period.
Sebastian Castro scouting report
Lance Zierleinof NFL.com wrote the following evaluation of Castro:
Overview
Scheme-dependent safety who plays with chaotic energy near the line of scrimmage. Castro might lack the man-cover skills and athleticism to remain a big nickelback in the pros. He plays with urgency from short zone and rushes downhill to set a contain edge and spackle missing run fits as a run defender. Athletic testing will be key in projecting Castro’s usage. A lack of versatility and his age (turns 25 in October) could work against him in the draft, but his physicality, field demeanor and special-teams utility create roster value in his favor as a down safety.
Strengths
- Play is urgent and physical in run support.
- Operates with instant trigger quickness to attack the play.
- Aggressive downhill flow squeezes the runner’s operating room.
- Runs the alley with accuracy and force as a striker.
- Very physical to reroute the early stages of receiver’s release.
- Clear vision of route developments in or near his zone.
- Looks to punish pass catchers from short zone perch.
Weaknesses
- Playing style runs a fine line between urgent and hectic.
- Blockers find and stick to him longer than they should.
- Lacks NFL range and instincts to play on the back end.
- Lacks quickness and speed to stay connected with NFL route runners.
- Early cheat steps give away blitz intentions off the slot.
- Use of shoulder strike over wrap-up leads to missed open-field tackles.
Sebastian Castro highlights
Height and weight
- Height: 5’ 11’’
- Weight: 203 lbs
Sebastian Castro stats at Iowa
- 2023 season: 67 tackles, eight tackles for loss, one sack, three interceptions, one forced fumble
- 2024 season: 57 tackles, three tackles for loss, one interception, two forced fumbles
Follow Tyler Tachman on X@Tyler_T15, contact via email at ttachman@gannett.com
