A Bavarian-born edge rusher who discovered football on a trip to Jacksonville and became one of the NFL's rare German-developed talents.
Julius Welschof grew up skiing in the Bavarian Alps before a chance visit to a Jacksonville Jaguars practice in 2013 set him on a path toward American football. After stops at Michigan and Charlotte, the 6-foot-6 linebacker signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers through the NFL's International Player Pathway Program and has worked to carve out a role as a pass rusher.
Path to the league
Welschof discovered the sport at 16 during a trip to Florida, then returned home to join the Munich Cowboys from 2013-2016 before earning a scholarship to Michigan. He played in 35 games for the Wolverines from 2018-2022, then transferred to Charlotte in 2023, where a season-ending shoulder injury limited him to four starts. He went undrafted in 2024 and signed with Pittsburgh as an International Player Pathway prospect.
Career highlights
Welschof was named to Bruce Feldman's annual college football 'Freaks List' in 2021 for his rare combination of size and athleticism, once posting a broad jump of over 10 feet at 265 pounds. He was also selected by the Calgary Stampeders in the 2024 CFL global draft, though he chose to pursue his NFL opportunity with the Steelers instead.
2025 season recap
Welschof was one of Pittsburgh's most-used players during the 2025 preseason, logging 140 snaps and recording three sacks as he pushed for a roster spot. He has continued to develop as a situational pass rusher for the Steelers on a rebuilt edge-rushing unit.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Julius Welschof
- ESPN: Julius Welschof
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Linebacker
- Group
- defense
- College
- Charlotte
- Hometown
- Miesbach, Germany
- Age
- 29
- Status
- active
