3 players Steelers could have drafted instead of WR Chase Claypool

WR “Van” Jefferson Jr.

So to begin, and to put this whole situation into context, the Steelers should’ve replaced a WR with another WR after just stating the possibility of them going into another direction? Yes, and the reason being, it’s ignorant to argue that any player will definitively be better than the next (unless the options are extreme), but to project “fit” on a team is plausible.

To repeat what was mentioned by Colbert earlier, they didn’t have their eyes fixated on the position. An athletic freak of nature, Claypool offers a unique skill set, but struggling to create separation consistently is now answered with one of the best route-runners this draft will see, and that is Florida’s, Van Jefferson.

6’1, 200 pounds, Jefferson can play inside-out & can win from everywhere on the field. Adding another player that stands directly with the others on this roster, although it may not bring the excitement of a big-body like Claypool, it continues the wave of interchangeability that Pittsburgh WRs usually possess.

Jefferson may not have the downfield burner speed & the lack of college production is a debate, but his great feet that manipulate corners and good hands could prolong his NFL career. Also, he won’t be the powerful run-blocker Claypool appears to be, and entering the 2020 season at 23 years old scares a few people off, but he has the necessary tools to be successful.