Behind the Steel Curtain
Could anyone contend for rookie of the year?
Now that we have had time to catch our collective breaths following the NFL Draft, it’s time to start looking at how these new players can help the Steelers win a playoff game for the first time since the Obama administration. Per usual, this was a very need-heavy draft for GM Omar Khan, with eyes on helping salvage the final handful of years of Cam Heyward and TJ Watt—as opposed to a slight rebuild with a rookie quarterback. Here’s an idea of how these new players should factor in.
Harmon is a day one plug-and-play on the Steelers’ defensive line. I’d expect him to line up opposite of Heyward, with Keeanu Benton seeing most of his time in the middle of the sandwich. I do see a lot of similarities to Heyward. As a rookie in 2011, Heyward played in all 16 regular-season games. He finished with just 10 tackles and 1 sack, but he was just a rotational player behind Aaron Smith, Brett Keisel, and Casey Hampton.
Harmon led the FBS in quarterback pressures, so I’d expect him to continue to agitate passers. He’s going to have a great rookie campaign.
Prediction: 45 solo tackles, 4.5 sacks, 7 tackles for loss, 3 forced fumbles.
My bold prediction for this season is that Johnson out-snaps Jaylen Warren. I think they see him as an early down bell cow, and Warren as more of a chess piece, having a larger role in the passing game.
I’m not comparing Johnson brick by brick to the recently departed Najee Harris, but there will be similarities in the way he’s used regarding wearing down defenses, running between the tackles, and moving the sticks in short yardage. Due to that, I could see a similar year to Harris’s rookie campaign, which would be a home run.
The big difference is that Harris caught 74 passes. Those were mostly check downs, and it’s a bit of an inflated number because he was asked to play just about every down.
Prediction: 250 rushes, 1,018 yards, 6 TDs, - 32 receptions, 284 yards, 1 TD
Sawyer is blocked on the depth chart by three stalwarts - TJ Watt, Alex Highsmith, and Nick Herbig, but he’s going to find his way onto the field in sub-packages and because Highsmith has often been dinged and will likely miss a few games. I could see a Nick Herbig-type rookie season from Sawyer. You just can’t have enough pass rushers in today’s game, and his high motor will have him outplay his talent level.
Prediction: 3 sacks, 25 tackles, 1 forced fumble
Black is a shade under 6’6 and 336 pounds - meaning he’s a space eater who will see limited action on second and third downs, especially in his rookie year. However, given defensive coordinator Teryl Austin’s vision for Black to also play end in their 3-4,...
