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Pittsburgh Steelers: 5 Best players under 25 on the roster

By Samuel Teets

PITTSBURGH, PA - NOVEMBER 10: Minkah Fitzpatrick #39 of the Pittsburgh Steelers in action during the game against the Los Angeles Rams at Heinz Field on November 10, 2019 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA - NOVEMBER 10: Minkah Fitzpatrick #39 of the Pittsburgh Steelers in action during the game against the Los Angeles Rams at Heinz Field on November 10, 2019 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images) /
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Pittsburgh Steelers, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Diontae Johnson (Photo by Daniel Shirey/Getty Images)
Pittsburgh Steelers, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Diontae Johnson (Photo by Daniel Shirey/Getty Images) /

4. Diontae Johnson, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers

Nearing his 24th birthday, Diontae Johnson performed the best among Pittsburgh’s wide receivers in 2019. The rookie third-round pick led the Steelers with 59 receptions and five receiving touchdowns. His 680 receiving yards finished second on the team, only trailing James Washington’s 735.

While he put together respectable rookie receiving numbers, Johnson earned a Second-Team All-Pro selection as a punt returner. Taking over for Ryan Switzer, Johnson returned 20 punts for 248 yards and a touchdown. He also had the league’s longest punt return last year, an 85-yard score against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 14.

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While Johnson is receiving a lot of love from Steelers fans this offseason, let’s wait and see how he does in Year 2. Still, the Toledo product does a great job creating space on the perimeter. He seems like the perfect target for a rejuvenated Ben Roethlisberger.

3. JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers found a gem when they selected JuJu Smith-Schuster in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft. Unfortunately, after amassing 111 receptions for 1,426 yards and seven touchdowns in 2018, Smith-Schuster posted the worst numbers of his career last season. While missing Antonio Brown and Roethlisberger played a role in Smith-Schuster’s down season, there’s much more to it.

In his third season, Smith-Schuster struggled to create separation against defensive backs. While he torched defenses in the slot during his first two years, playing outside pit Smith-Schuster against tougher coverages. While Smith-Schuster can excel in the pros, he’s better suited as a No. 2 option at wide receiver, which would allow him to operate in the slot instead of out wide.

Despite already appearing in three seasons, Smith-Schuster is only 23 years old. He’s hitting the gym hard this summer and hopes to prove his down year in 2019 was only a fluke.

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