After a disappointing rookie year, Ryan Shazier has become a true playmaker for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Is he the next great Pittsburgh linebacker?
If you follow the NFL, you know the Pittsburgh Steelers have an affinity for drafting linebackers in the first two rounds.
Don’t believe me? Well, the Steelers have spent their first-round pick on a linebacker the past three years.
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In 2013 they selected Jarvis Jones, last year they selected Shazier and this year they took Bud Dupree. Dupree and Jones have done little to impress, but Shazier is a whole different story.
I admit, I was sleeping a bit on Shazier. But after watching him ball out in last Saturday’s game against the Bengals, I’ve taken more of a notice of his rare talents, and he’s become one of my favorite players to watch.
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It’s hard not to like what you see when Shazier plays. He’s caught some people by surprise this year, but he missed a lot of time during his rookie year. Shazier only appeared in nine games, starting five, while recording 36 total tackles.
“In a way, Shazier embodies the new NFL while still invoking memories of classic Pittsburgh linebackers. He’ll fly around, sure. But he’ll also knock you in the mouth like Jack Lambert.”
This year has been a different story for Shazier, and the Steelers defense has benefited from it. When Shazier left college, some scouts said he lacked the instincts to make big plays. Shazier is now the biggest playmaker on the Steelers defense.
In the Wild Card round of the playoffs, Shazier dropped into the flat, came up and destroyed Cincinnati’s Giovani Bernard with a clean hit. Although he still has time to grow and make more plays, the hit on Bernard was Shazier’s first signature play.
He used his instincts to dissect what was happening, his strength and aggressiveness to force a fumble and his speed to get there in time. His speed is what separates him from other linebackers in the NFL. Seriously, to quote The Longest Yard (2005 version, of course), “He’s so fast, he makes fast people look not fast.”
Shazier ran the 40-yard-dash in 4.38 (!!!) seconds. That’s a faster time than Julio Jones, Dez Bryant and Odell Beckham Jr.
He can cover most backs and tight ends. He glides back into coverage whereas other backers sink back. Shazier is so fast and talented that defensive mastermind Dick LaBeau actually used Shazier to cover Anotnio Brown, AKA the league’s most un-coverable receiver.
At one point, Dick LeBeau used ILB Ryan Shazier to cover WR Antonio Brown. Those are the options a fast LB like Shazier give you. #Steelers
— Alan Robinson (@alanrobinson412) June 11, 2014
Shazier may have the most unique skill set of any Steelers linebacker.
His presence gives the defense a lot of flexibility, as they can do a lot more with him on the field. It’s like the AFC took a look at Lavonte David and said, “oh yeah? We have the same player, just faster.”
I’ve talked a lot about Shazier’s speed, but that’s not the only thing that makes him a tremendous young player. He’s a tough kid who plays with a chip on his shoulder, fitting the mold of the player who was labeled ‘undersized.’ Shazier has a motor that seldom stops.
In a 2014 game against Atlanta, Shazier’s effort and motor was on full display. He missed a chance to bring Matt Ryan down at first, but he turned on the jets and eventually dropped him. He ran a lot of distance to make a simple tackle, but that’s the type of player Shazier is.
His pursuit is also impressive, as is his play recognition. He’s the jack of all trades, and the Steelers certainly struck gold when they drafted him, even though it wasn’t 100 percent apparent last year.
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He has a way to go to be the very best linebacker in Steelers history, but he has good people to look up to. James Harrison, one of the baddest dudes in league history, is still on the team, and Joey Porter, another Steelers great, is the team’s linebackers coach.
In a way, Shazier embodies the new NFL while still invoking memories of classic Pittsburgh linebackers. He’ll fly around, sure. But he’ll also knock you in the mouth like Jack Lambert. He’s very much the prototypical new-generation linebacker, but he has some traits of smash-mouth football.
Keep an eye on Shazier in his third year. He’s going to be a perennial All-Pro player, as his versatility and rare speed make him lethal on the football field.