D’Wayne Eskridge, WR, Western Michigan
This is one of my favorite players in the entire draft. I was a big fan of D’Wayne Eskridge prior to the Senior Bowl, but his performance during the week only confirmed my thoughts on him.
When you look at Eskridge on paper, you’re immediately drawn to some red flags. He comes from a football program at Western Michigan, he measured in at just over 5’9”, he’s a redshirt senior, and he doesn’t have a single year of elite college production. However, when you watch him play, it’s easy to set aside some of these outliers, because the talent is all there.
Eskridge was on pace for a monster year in 2020, but Western Michigan played just six games because of the pandemic. Prorating his stats over the course of a potential 12 games, he could have finished with over 1,500 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns. In addition, he has averaged over 20 yards per reception over the past three years.
The Steelers could very well have a need at wide receiver if JuJu Smith-Schuster leaves. Eskridge is a player who is capable of manning the slot but can also stretch the field with ease. He is greased lightening after the catch and a joy to watch.