Because the Steelers dealt away their fifth-round draft choice in the summer of 2015 to acquire cornerback Brandon Boykin from the Philadelphia Eagles, they had to wait hours between their fourth- and sixth-round picks April 30 in the NFL draft. Ninety seven players were selected in that time, but, luckily for the Steelers, none of them were named Travis Feeney.

Feeney, a linebacker from the University of Washington, tumbled down draft boards, but not the one inside the UMPC Rooney Sports Complex on the South Side. When it came time to put the card in for the 220th selection, the Steelers didn’t waste much time.

“We had him graded higher than that,” general manager Kevin Colbert said. “We were just happy he was there for us. It was a long time between the fourth- and sixth-round picks. A lot of good players went. Had we had the opportunity, or the picks, we probably would have taken him higher. We were fortunate that he was there.”

With the sixth round rolling by and the draft nearing its end, Feeney grew frustrated and was beginning to think about his options as an undrafted free agent. When Mike Tomlin called Feeney to tell him the Steelers chose him, he initially thought it was a joke.

“That feels good that they really wanted me here,” Feeney said Friday after his first rookie minicamp practice with the Steelers. “I really want to be here. I’m excited for it. I’m going to show them I deserve to be here and take the opportunity and make it my home.”

Feeney might have been viewed as a tweener by the other 31 NFL teams, but the Steelers believe he’s going to fit right in at outside linebacker. At 6 feet 4 and 226 pounds, Feeney is the lightest outside linebacker the Steelers have had since Greg Lloyd, but they don’t believe his weight will be a detriment. Rather, they believe his speed will help him become a playmaker in the NFL.

“The way the game is spread out, speed is everything,” outside linebackers coach Joey Porter said. “I don’t want to do anything to hurt his wheels. I want him to be ready to play the way he knows how to play and the way he played at the University of Washington. If he can make that transition and give us the same type of intensity, he’ll be just fine with his weight.”

Feeney, the fastest linebacker at the NFL Scouting Combine in February, started nine games as a freshman and two as a sophomore at inside linebacker. The Washington coaching staff moved him to outside linebacker when he was a junior. In two seasons as an outside linebacker, Feeney had 12½ sacks. He was named second-team All-Pac-12 Conference after his senior season.

So how did Feeney survive against 300-pound offensive tackles in the Pac-12? And, more importantly, how will he survive against even bigger NFL tackles with much better athleticism?

“You have to have different moves,” Feeney said. “You can’t just use your speed the whole time. You have to be able to long-arm guys. You have to be able to stand your ground. It was a work in progress. The first couple of games were slow, but, after I got settled in, later in the season, it was good.”

If Feeney makes the team, Porter envisions him as an immediate contributor on special teams.

“He runs too well not to be a special-teams player,” Porter said.

Special-teams coach Danny Smith won’t have to twist Feeney’s arm. He played on every special-teams unit at Washington and relishes the opportunity to play in the kicking game.

“Special teams is everything,” Feeney said. “As my [old] special-teams coach said ‘Sacrifice your body, glorify your soul.’ When you play special teams, you have to play all-out. Special teams is a job guys don’t like to do, but the ones who love to do it, hey, they got a job.”

Feeney likely will compete with second-year outside linebacker Anthony Chickillo for a spot on the 53-man roster. Bud Dupree, Jarvis Jones, James Harrison and Arthur Moats are entrenched as the starters and top reserves. The Steelers kept five outside linebackers last season. 

Feeney might need some seasoning, but Porter believes that, in time, his newest protégé can develop into a contributor on defense. And he reiterated Colbert’s feelings on Feeney falling into the Steelers’ lap in the sixth round.

“The thing about the draft is you just need one person to like you,” Porter said. “It doesn’t matter what team that comes from. You just need one person to fall in love with you at the right position. Some guys get that early. Some guys get overlooked.

“We’re happy to have him. We’re happy that they did pass on him so we can have something special with him.”

Ray Fittipaldo: [email protected] and Twitter @rayfitt1.