There was once a time when rookies had to wait for their turn to see the field. Especially rookies that were drafted outside of round one. Teams will occasionally bring along their rookie pass-catchers slower than other position players due to lack of chemistry with the quarterback. The Steelers – not so much. Rookie receivers have had a profound impact on the black-and-gold’s offense the past handful of years.
After selecting WR Roman Wilson in the third round of the NFL Draft, many are wondering how much of an impact he’ll make right away. Well, it might be bigger than you think.
Here are some recent receivers drafted and the numbers they posted during their rookie years:
- 2017: JuJu Smith-Schuster (round two) – 58 rec., 917 yds, 7 TDs
- 2019: Diontae Johnson (round three) – 59 rec., 680 yds, 5 TDs
- 2020: Chase Claypool (round two) – 62 rec., 872 yds, 9 TDs
- 2022: George Pickens (round two) – 52 rec, 801 yds, 4 TDs
Of course, various factors contribute to each of these numbers. For one, each player is different. The offensive coaches are also different, meaning the schemes won’t be the same. I get it.
But it’s inarguable that this organization under Mike Tomlin has been highly successful in that department, even when considering the demise of Chase Claypool, and the cherry-picking with the exclusion of 2018 second-round pick, James Washington.
Sure, most of those guys had Ben Roethlisberger – but he was on his last leg.
Today I posed a question on Twitter to fans about realistic expectations for (Roman) Wilson:
Like a maniac, I sat there and attempted to do the math. The responses from anyone (who took this seriously) came out to roughly an average of a little under 50 catches. That would be fewer than any of the players listed above. Even assuming management decides to add an established wideout, I think Wilson still gets closer to that 70-catch mark. He’s an exceptional route runner with above-average blocking skills who should see himself on the field for the majority of snaps.
I also tend to think that the Steelers have more faith in him due to their lack of urgency in acquiring a “number two” receiver. Given their history of success with receivers drafted outside of the first round and Wilson’s skillset — maybe it’s hard to blame them.
Now it’s time for you to answer. What kind of production do you expect from Roman Wilson in year one?
