Pittsburgh Steelers wide receivers coach Ike Hilliard built himself an impressive resume as a player. He had 105 career starts and 546 career receptions. Since his retirement, he’s built another impressive resume coaching wide receivers.
Hilliard joins the Steelers for 2020 and based on his Zoom conference on Monday is excited about working with this talented group. One player, in particular, he spoke highly of is rookie Chase Claypool. Hilliard, like everyone who watched him at Notre Dame and leading up to the draft marvel as his measurable and potential.
You can’t teach 6’4, 238 [pounds], 4.41 [40-yard dash] time. It is just something that doesn’t fall off of a tree. You get the chance to harness that kind of talent and kind of shape it and mold it into something that could be really, really special. I think as an organization, we all chomped at the bit. And he can do so much for the football team and effect the football team in a positive manner, outside of playing receiver. We love that, we love his physicality, his playmaking ability and his speed.
The real question this season is if Hilliard can coach Claypool up and have him ready to go will there be a spot for him this season. JuJu Smith-Schuster and Diontae Johnson are entrenched as the starters so Claypool’s best bet might be to work in as the team’s No. 3 and possibly a hybrid role somewhere between wide receiver and running back.
