It’s one thing to impress coaches during practice, but Beanie Bishop is days away an opportunity to show what he can do in a game. The undrafted free agent will start at nickel in the Pittsburgh Steelers’ first preseason game against the Houston Texans on Friday night.

Much has been made about the possibility about Bishop filling Pittsburgh’s need at slot corner. And while Bishop’s size is why some believe he’s not the right fit, the Steelers have found success with smaller corners in that role in the past, namely Mike Hilton.

Bishop even points to what Hilton has accomplished as an example of why he can be a productive NFL player.

While appearing as a guest on the “Mike Drop with Mike Asti” podcast, Steelers great Bryant McFadden offered some advice for Bishop in his pursuit of acquiring playing time with the Steelers.

“You have to provide an element of trust as a young guy. If they don’t trust that you know what you’re supposed to do, you’re not going to be out there to try to do it. With that being said, he has to learn the playbook,” said McFadden.

McFadden added that a slot cornerback has to be be quick and decisive in their decision making. Knowing the minutiae of the playbook will give Bishop the upper hand.

“If you know what to do, you feel more comfortable. You’re not second-guessing yourself,” he said.

Bishop’s camp success might be surprising for some, but it’s just the latest example of the former West Virginia Mountaineer making the most of every opportunity.

“I have to come back tomorrow and prove myself again and do the same thing the next day,” Bishop said to Aaron Becker of Yardbarker after a training camp practice. “I’m trying to take advantage of all the reps that I get. Every day I’m coming to compete for a spot just like everyone else.”

Bishop has continually reiterated his desire to prove his doubters, even NFL teams who passed on him, wrong ever since he showed up in Pittsburgh as a free agent signee of the Steelers.

“It’s one of those things that helps me every day whenever I think about getting comfortable,” Bishop expressed to WV Sports Now in May.

He earned consensus All-American honors at WVU after recording 67 tackles and four interceptions.

Bishop has actually carried a chip on his shoulder going back to when he was an undersized kid. That chip then intensified when he had to start his college career at a Group of 5 program in Western Kentucky.

“I’m 0 surprised with Beanie. He’s a football player. He may not check off all the boxes but he’s a football player,” said West Virginia head coach Neal Brown when asked about Bishop being the talk of Steelers training camp.

One preseason start doesn’t guarantee anything for Bishop, but it does offer him a chance to prove himself, and that’s all he ever asks for.