5 bold Pittsburgh Steelers training camp predictions in 2020
By Tommy Jaggi
Chris Wormley will be Steelers nose tackle, not Tyson Alualu
This statement is pretty bold – especially considering that Mike Tomlin said Tyson Alualu would take the first snaps at nose tackle in training camp. However, there are a few reasons to believe Chris Wormley would be better suited for this role.
Despite his 5-technique frame (6’5”, 300 pounds), Wormley has done his best work in his career anchoring against the run. Though he tested as a phenomenal athlete coming out of Michigan in 2017, that’s not really how Wormley wins. Instead, he uses his chiseled frame and long arms to stack defenders in front of him and make plays near the line of scrimmage.
On the flip side, Alualu is more of a penetrating player who has the ability to knife into the backfield. Though he may share more resemblances to former Steelers nose tackle Javon Hargrave, Alualu could be best utilized as in sub-packages as a pass-rushing 3-technique for Pittsburgh.
While Alualu is a good run defender in his own right, keeping him fresh for passing downs may be the way to go. Because of this, it’s possible that Wormley could see a bulk of the action at nose tackle.