The Steel Beat — Week 1
Three young Steelers to watch this Monday
Do you feel it? It’s that time of year again. The leaves are changing colors, there’s a faint chill to the air, and school zones are back in effect. But most importantly, it’s finally football season.
The Steelers, on paper, had a pretty rough preseason, dropping three out of four games. But we know that’s quite meaningless, holding about as much merit as a donkey teaching algebra. The team will face its first true test of the season this Monday when they travel to FedEx Field in order to take on the Washington Redskins. This week I want to put the spotlight on three young Steelers to keep your eye on during Monday night’s game.
First up is new cornerback Artie Burns. Pittsburgh needed to fortify their secondary. During this year’s draft they attempted to do just that. With the 25th overall pick the Steelers selected University of Miami standout Burns. He would amass 7 picks, 2 sacks, and 63 solo tackles during his time with the Hurricanes. Maybe more impressive though are his track and field stats. In 2012, he had the fifth ranked time in the world in the 110 meter hurtle amongst athletes under 20. Two years later, in 2014, he broke the American junior record for the indoor 60-meter hurtle. Needless to say, the man is quick. Currently Burns is listed as the Steelers number 2 right side cornerback. The rookie won’t have any problem keeping up with any of the Redskins’ speed, but I have a feeling veteran wide receivers like Desean Jackson and Pierre Garcon will teach him a thing or two in his rookie debut.
Next up is 2013 third round pick, Markus Wheaton. Wheaton has so far proven to be an average wide receiver in the NFL, but he’s had to play behind Antonio Brown and Martavis Bryant for the past two years. Understanding that he’s usually slotted behind the best wide receiver in the league and a hulking 6-foot-5-inch red zone beast might give some insight into his only average numbers. Over the past two years Wheaton and Bryant have had almost the same yardage, but Bryant has doubled Wheaton’s touchdown production.
That should all change this year though. Wheaton is currently slotted as the Steelers number two wideout in the wake of a season long suspension that was handed out to Bryant earlier this year. Wheaton will have every chance on Monday to show that he has the skill set be a true number two wideout in the NFL. With Josh Norman covering Brown, Wheaton should see the most coverage from Redskins corner Bashaud Breeland. This shouldn’t be a problem. The matchup could have mismatch written all over it.
Finally, let’s look at 22-year-old tight end Jesse James. During the offseason the Steelers signed TE Ladarius Green to a four-year, $20-million dollar contract. He will be starting the season on the PUP list due to an ankle issue and an even more severe headache problem. Enter second year TE Jesse James. A giant standing at 6 feet 7 inches, James looks to make his first NFL start since being selected in the fifth round of the 2015 draft. Last year with the Steelers, James hauled in only 8 receptions for 56 yards and 1 touchdown. The lack of production though can most likely be credited to being a rookie slotted behind Pittsburgh’s own “Mr. Reliable,” Heath Miller. Given the chance to start against a weak Washington secondary, look for James to see a bunch of middle-of-the-field targets and a few easy first downs. Big Ben loves himself a big security blanket in the shape of a towering TE. I can see the veteran quarterback and the young tight end begin to build a rapport Monday night that will only grow throughout the season.
Hunter Vaughn is a writer for EdinboroNow. The Steel Beat is EdinboroNow’s weekly look into the Pittsburgh Steelers. He can be reached at @TheLordVaughn on Twitter.
