Pittsburgh Steelers Select JuJu Smith-Schuster in Second Round of 2017 NFL Draft

The Pittsburgh Steelers selected JuJu Smith-Schuster in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft.

The two-time Second-Team All-Pac 12 wide receiver, JuJu Smith-Schuster heads to the Pittsburgh Steelers as Ben Roethlisberger’s new toy on the outside. The physical wideout out of USC has some of the most reliable hands in the draft and will be a great addition to the Steelers’ offense.

During his time at USC, Smith finished with 213 receptions for 3,092 yards and 25 touchdowns. As a tall receiver, Smith has made a living in college by out-muscling defenders and making tough catches look easy.

With the concerns regarding Martavis Bryant, Pittsburgh was looking to add the next playmaker to their receiving core. Now, they bring in a great compliment to Antonio Brown and Eli Rogers. As someone who can play the outside and the slot, Smith will be one of Big Ben’s favorite targets in 2017.

Smith may not come in as an instant time consumer. He’ll play in a mix with Bryant, Rogers, and Sammie Coates, sharing most of his time with Coates and Bryant on the outside. He will need to work on his route running early in his career, but once he develops he’ll become a hot target in this receiving unit.

The Steelers didn’t necessarily need a wideout this early. But with a talent like Smith sitting there at No. 62, Pittsburgh had no choice but go best available. This pick will be most interesting when training camp begins and they decide where to work him into this rotation.

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