Predicting the early roster sleepers for the 2020 Steelers

Saeed Blacknall

The Steelers have invested heavily in the WR position over the past few years, and it has made their top four options all incredibly strong. The last one or two spots on the roster though are wide open. Thus, steps in Saeed Blacknall, another XFL signee, and a true deep threat on the roster.

Blacknall may seem like a fodder type of player because his stats have never been good (he has never recorded more than 347 receiving yards in a season), but what he does have is speed. During his college career, he averaged an immense 19.6 ypc, and during his brief stint in the XFL, he was the typical deep threat on the team. While the Steelers have a complete WR room, they are still lacking a true deep threat with legitimate speed, and Blacknall could be that option for them.

As well, given his size, he makes sense as a gunner similar to Johnny Holton last year. It is realistic to think he could carve out a role there due to his athleticism. If he can be a constant force on coverage units, he should have the inside track on one of the last WR spots on the team. While offense wouldn’t be his main forte, the occasional deep shot could pay dividends as well.