Everything May Not Come Up Roses for Steelers & Jordan Addison

Story by Yinzer Crazy Co-Founder Mike Nicastro. Follow him on Twitter @MikedUpSports1

You know the song and dance by this point. Our collective eyes are bleeding from all the mock drafts we've read thus far. And if you're paying attention, the most popular mock draft selection at pick 17 for the Steelers is USC wide receiver Jordan Addison.

For an organization that loves familiarity, and generally doesn’t leave a hundred-mile radius when adding to its roster or coaching staff, it makes sense. Franchise quarterback Kenny Pickett and Jordan played together at Pitt. They were more in-sync than Justin Timberlake and Joey Fatone. With Pickett, Addison won the Biletnikoff Award, given to the most outstanding wideout in college football. With Addison, Pickett was a Heisman finalist, and ultimately, a first round pick. They had great chemistry. Shades of Joe Burrow and JaMarr Chase. 

However, the Steelers are really good at drafting wide receivers. So good, that taking one with the 17th overall selection feels like a reach because they have greater needs. So, this isn’t a knock on Addison.

I’m here to tell you there’s a way to accomplish both items on their checklist. If you believe in Pickett, you should believe that he can develop chemistry with any other really good wide receiver. Although it’s VERY early in this process, I’d much rather see the Steelers take the best player available at pick 16, an offensive lineman like Broderick Jones, Peter Skoronski or a defensive lineman, than reach for Addison just because he’s Pickett’s shiny old toy.

If you’d like to recount great moments in Steelers’ history, you’d be remiss to leave out the Bears trading the 32nd pick in the draft for Chase Claypool. Wouldn’t it be great if there were another WR in this draft the Steelers had familiarity with who could potentially take the top off defenses?

Meet Zay Flowers. 

I could tell you about Flowers, and I’m going to, but first let's talk about that word again: familiarity. Matt Canada can head next door to the southside facility and ask new Pitt QB Phil Jurkovec about Flowers. Jurkovec helped Flowers leave Boston College as the all-time school leader in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns, during his four plus years at BC. 

Or, coach Mike Tomlin could literally just ask his son, Dino Tomlin, about Flowers - a receiver that shared the field with him last season, while passing the mashed potatoes at the dinner table. 

For the most part, we haven't talked about this connection as much as Pickett-Addison. And we should.

Having drawn comparisons to Dolphins’ receiver Jaylen Waddle, Flowers is the shiftiest receiver in this class. Checking in at only 5’10, 180 lbs (same as Waddle), the rising star prospect can score from anywhere on the field. Don’t believe me? See for yourself below.