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Three prospects that may fall into Steelers lap

By Jordan Newman

STARKVILLE, MS - SEPTEMBER 21: Linebacker Willie Gay Jr. #6 of the Mississippi State Bulldogs runs the ball in for a touchdown in front of quarterback Sawyer Smith #12 of the Kentucky Wildcats during the first quarter at Davis Wade Stadium on September 21, 2019 in Starkville, Mississippi. (Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images)
STARKVILLE, MS - SEPTEMBER 21: Linebacker Willie Gay Jr. #6 of the Mississippi State Bulldogs runs the ball in for a touchdown in front of quarterback Sawyer Smith #12 of the Kentucky Wildcats during the first quarter at Davis Wade Stadium on September 21, 2019 in Starkville, Mississippi. (Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images) /
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KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE – OCTOBER 26: Marquez Callaway #1 of the Tennessee Volunteers catches a pass from J.T. Shrout during the first quarter of the game at Neyland Stadium on October 26, 2019 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Silas Walker/Getty Images)

WR Marquez Callaway

He’s not the fastest nor is he the biggest, but a playmaker with the ball in his hands that can consistently climb the ladder on his opponents, that is WR Marquez Callaway. The combine wasn’t anything that benefited Callaway, but more so confirmed the type of player he is.

An explosive athlete seeing that his broad jump ranked him in the 83rd percentile among WRs as well as his 38’ vertical being 81st, the 4.55 is a solid time for a player who actually moves well on the field.

And yes, he was the primary punt returner for the Tennessee Vols and was one of the nation’s best. In 3 of his 4 years, Callaway was able to return a punt for a TD, and for players that had at least 30 PR attempts from 2016-present, Callaway ranked 4th in punt return avg. (13.6) & was tied second in touchdowns.

He also rarely missed games, appearing in at least 10 the past three seasons & never missed any time due to suspension. However, the caution for Callaway lies in the lack of production & his route tree going into the NFL.

Surrounding events such as terrible QB play & coaching changes could attribute to the first reason, but the latter is something to speculate. Normally found making his money downfield, considering he averaged 16.0+ yards per catch or more his last three seasons with a career-high 21.2 in 2019, can he expose defenses consistently underneath or against tight coverage is the question. One NFC personnel director, as reported by NFL.com, views Callaway as:

"“He just doesn’t offer up enough versatility to be draftable in my eyes. I don’t think he’s a fast as people think and he’s just going to be a vertical-only receiver.”"

Next. 5 Defenders That Could Be On Steelers Radar. dark

A harsh reality, Callaway currently offers a specific set of intangibles & is a great asset to special teams, that needs a team willing to bet & maximize his talent. What other better place for an underrated WR to develop than the Steelers?

Someone who will surely be sitting there on day 3, Callaway could add a couple of 20+ yard plays to an offense that desperately needs it. Remember, he just has to be convincing enough.

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