When you are the guy who follows the guy, it is easy to fail. You might think “the guy,” in this case, is Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster. He is the one taking the title as the top target in the Steelers’ passing offense with Antonio Brown gone. But no, we are talking about Diontae Johnson. The rookie is “the guy” because he was drafted with one of the picks the Steelers got for Brown and plays a very similar style of football.
But have no fear because after one practice in pads, it seems he is destined for greatness. Yes, I’m being facetious but nevertheless, early returns have been overwhelmingly positive.
All you need to do is go to Twitter and search his name to see the outpouring of positive feedback about Johnson. In particular, his route running has drawn rave reviews. Johnson’s ability to get in and out of breaks without having to downshift and making quick cuts was one of the staples of his game in college.
It’s important to temper any enthusiasm. James Washington had a very strong training camp last year and disappeared during the regular season. Johnson is healthy for the first time since becoming a Steeler and in great shape. We will remain cautiously optimistic he will be ready to have an impact when the season starts.
