JuJu Smith-Schuster Doesn’t Have To Prove To Himself He’s A No. 1 Guy: ‘I Just Never Had The Opportunity’

Not unjustifiably, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ JuJu Smith-Schuster might be some of the hotly-debated huge receiver within the NFL lately, even should you consider solely football-related issues. It’s onerous to keep away from when you might have two-year splits like he does going from large performs to an enormous possession receiver.

It turned apparent this offseason that lots of groups are nonetheless debating simply who the 24-year-old is as properly, as he had a tough time discovering the form of strong contract he little question anticipated to discover a 12 months in the past. However whereas he is aware of he wants to provide extra, he additionally is aware of he’s higher than his numbers could look.

“I don’t think I need to prove it to myself. I know I’m a number one receiver,” he instructed Michael Irvin just lately on his podcast. “I simply by no means had the chance, and I feel this 12 months is gonna be that one 12 months that I present individuals, hey, he’s not simply enjoying slot, he’s enjoying outdoors, too, and he’s enjoying with an elite quarterback, and that’s that. And that’s what they’ll see this 12 months”.

That was one in every of a number of references that Smith-Schuster made all through the course of the interview to having a extra various function than he has been afforded in recent times, throughout which he has just about been restricted to understanding of the slot — and being among the many best slot receivers within the NFL whereas doing it.

Whereas he instructed Irvin that he doesn’t have an issue with enjoying inside, saying, “I really feel like within the slot you would do extra,” he additionally couldn’t deny that he loves enjoying on the surface as properly, and the alternatives afforded if you’re on the boundary. “Exterior, deep balls. That’s what I like, going on the market, 80-yard, 97-yard touchdowns,” he stated, of which he in fact has two.

In reality, Smith-Schuster has spent his whole profession enjoying primarily outdoors, although he did log extra snaps there throughout his rookie season than in later years. The share of his snaps popping out of the slot has solely gone up.

He averaged 15.8 yards per reception throughout his rookie 12 months on 58 receptions for 917 yards, boosted by one in every of his 97-yard touchdowns. Even throughout his high-volume follow-up, which featured 111 receptions for 1,426 yards, he flirted with 13 yards per catch. His 8.6 yards per reception final season is a significant outlier, as even in 2019 he averaged 13.1.

I can’t assist however marvel what was stated through the negotiating course of in bringing him again, and whether or not or not the crew gave him any assurances of a extra dynamic function within the offense this season and extra alternatives to make performs. The Steelers had among the many least-explosive offenses within the NFL a 12 months in the past, and we’ve seen Smith-Schuster provide explosiveness prior to now.