3 reasons why Steelers WR JuJu Smith-Schuster is overrated
By Tommy Jaggi
JuJu isn’t particularly well-rounded
Despite what his statistical production might suggest, JuJu Smith-Schuster isn’t the most well-rounded receiver in the league. He does the bulk of his damage working from the slot (59.3 percent of his snaps) and beating defenders on crossers underneath.
When JuJu does play outside of the hashes, he struggles to create consistent separation. His 2.4 yards of average separation was tied for 103rd in the league last season among receivers and tight ends, according to Next Gen Stats. Because of this, JuJu is forced to make many contested catches often – something he wasn’t particularly efficient at in 2019.
JuJu doesn’t often lineup as the ‘X’ receiver where he’s required to win from the line of scrimmage and beat press coverage. In his role, JuJu can be a very good player, but even when healthy in 2019, he did nothing to set himself apart from players like Diontae Johnson or James Washington.
In order for me to be willing to fork up massive money for him on a new deal, Smith-Schuster would have to prove that he can separate consistently on his own.