Maryvale's Jobity heading to Steel Town

On the list of things not to do in life, angering a 6’4”, 300-pound man ranks quite high.

But that’s what 31 NFL teams have done, and Kevin Jobity Jr. intends to take that anger out on every one of them.

The Cheektowaga native and Maryvale graduate will spend the next few weeks preparing for the start of Pittsburgh Steelers rookie minicamp May 7. He signed with them April 25 as an undrafted free agent after excelling at defensive tackle for the Syracuse Orange for four years.

Where many NFL prospects spend seven years working on their games prior to high school, Jobity is entering his seventh year of organized football altogether. He didn’t put pads on until 2021, when he was recruited to play football in a Covid-shortened five-game spring season. Prior to that, he’d played basketball and soccer.

“I really liked the physicality. Being able to throw guys away and run people over is fun,” said Jobity, whose father was a Division I basketball player. “I wasn’t the most skilled basketball player. I had played center, but I leveled off at 6’4’ and have no guard skills. But the footwork and spin moves from basketball and soccer translated well to football.”

He only made the transition due to a fluke of timing. Maryvale football coach Nick Todaro saw Jobity walking in the school hallway while Todaro was in the athletic director’s office discussing the 2020-21 football season, which had been moved to spring - after Jobity had completed the soccer season that fall.

“I came out and told him, ‘Give us a shot. You’re a big, tall kid,’ ” said Todaro, who noted Jobity was only in the 200-pound range at that time. “Sure enough, he came out the first couple days and got the hang of it quick.”

Todaro initially wanted him to play receiver or tight end, but Jiboty’s natural abilities made him better-suited for defensive line. He was second on the team in 2020-21 with 50 tackles and led the Flyers with four sacks. Jobity really made a name for himself during his senior season, when he again led Maryvale with seven sacks and was second with 67 tackles.

That performance, combined with work he put in at scouting camps and other activities, garnered dozens of college offers, including a few from Division I schools. Jobity picked Syracuse but already had his mind on bigger things.

“The NFL was my goal since high school,” he said. “I wouldn’t put a ceiling on myself in life. I knew I could do it because I was athletic enough. It was up to me how hard I could push myself.”

He pushed quite hard. Jobity got plenty of playing time even as a freshman for the Orange, recording two sacks - including a takedown of Clemson quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei in an October matchup of top-20 teams.

“I was watching that game, and I said to myself, ‘I can’t believe this is real,’ ” Todaro said. "I met him in the hallway at Maryvale 18 months ago, and now he’s making big plays against Clemson on ABC.”

Jobity credited the defensive staff at Syracuse for helping him get better and expand his understanding of the game - he barely knew what twists and stunts were as a senior in high school. Combined with his insatiable work ethic, Jobity earned a reputation as one of the better linemen in the Atlantic Coast Conference by his senior season, during which he led Syracuse with five sacks.

He figured he’d done enough to get picked in the draft. He was mistaken.

“I thought there was a chance, but teams decided to go the other way,” he said.  “I’ll carry that chip on my shoulder my whole career. It’ll make me a better player. I know it will.”

Jobity said he chose Pittsburgh over a few other teams that offered free-agent contracts because of the opportunity present there. Within hours of the draft’s conclusion, he was a Steeler.

“There’s a lot of veteran defensive linemen there, like Cam Heyward. I’m a lot like him physically. He’s someone I can really learn from,” Jobity said. “I can compete for a roster spot there. That made it a no-brainer.”

Jobity will spend a few weeks at home working out and training with coaches. The climb to the NFL is far from complete, but he’s ready to take however many steps uphill he needs to.

“I’m as motivated as ever,” he said. “I’m a little pissed off and ready to put that out on the football field. I know that edge I have will take me a long way.”

Jobity’s former coach doesn’t doubt it can take him all the way.

“Whatever his ceiling is, he is going to hit it. He is an extremely focused kid, committed to bettering himself,” Todaro said. “His body is carrying the potential to be an NFL defensive lineman. I would be shocked if he’s not collecting a paycheck from football.”