Steelers undrafted rookie quarterback Devlin Hodges, who is expected to make his first NFL start Sunday due to injuries, has strong support from the coaching staff, with Mike Tomlin and coordinator Randy Fichtner pushing hard for him to make the 53-man roster over more established players.

Hodges, who played at Samford and arrived in Pittsburgh with little fanfare in the spring, has repeatedly wowed the team with his athleticism, instincts, arm talent, confidence and ability to absorb the offense, team sources said. He was originally thought of more as a camp arm to help them get through a rookie minicamp, but he impressed enough there to earn a shot at training camp. He was a quick study at camp, making the most of limited early reps and reaching a stage at which the coaches trusted him enough to consider him over others.

He beat out Josh Dobbs, a fourth-round pick in 2017, with Tomlin and Fichtner urging the personnel department to give him a roster spot and explore trades for Dobbs (he was sent to the Jaguars after starter Nick Foles suffered a serious injury in Week 1). Hodges, who became a favorite among veteran players for his homespun country nature and uncanny ability to make duck calls, moved up from the No. 3 quarterback to No. 2 when Ben Roethlisberger was lost for the season, and with Mason Rudolph suffering a concussion in Week 5, he took over the offense against the Ravens and was leading a potential game-winning drive when JuJu Smith-Schuster fumbled in overtime.

Hodges has a fearless nature, is eager to throw the ball and doesn't back down from a challenge. He is an intriguing prospect to the Steelers brass, who believe he has a chance to stick in the league. Rudolph was limited this week while in the concussion protocol, leading to more reps for Hodges.