As the years go by the landscape of the NFL changes but some things remain the same. To be an elite level athlete, you need superior athletic qualities. Way back in the 1900’s (that is hilarious to say 1900’s) players were striving to be bigger and stronger than their opponent. Coaches and scouts looked for players that seemed to be larger than life. Players themselves also wanted to look bigger and stronger but now the days of big shoulder pads, neck rolls and arm pads are long gone. Players now want their equipment to be as light as possible which allows them to be as fast as possible. It is a new day in the NFL and speed is become a major component to the game of football. Speaking to mainly the skill positions there have always been fast players in the NFL, but it now seems the transition has been made to preference speed over size and strength. The rules of the league continue to change for the safety of players and promoting a faster paced game. “Three yards in a cloud of dust” will not cut it anymore in the NFL, now we are in a day of the high-powered spread offenses.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have been making moves to their roster that have been much needed, and one of the biggest attributes is speed. In 2022 the Pittsburgh Steelers drafted a speedy wide receiver out of Memphis names Calvin Austin III. At the 2022 NFL Combine, Austin ran the 40-yard dash in a time of 4.32. While Austin is smaller than most players in the NFL, he is also faster than most.  Along with Austin, the Steelers drafted stand out wide receiver out of Georgia, George Pickens. Pickens is 6’ 3, 200 pounds and ran a 4.47 40-yard dash… “Big Speed”. Pickens is the prototype for an NFL wide receiver; he is tall, fast and uber athletic. In the 2023 NFL Draft, the Steelers drafted cornerback Joey Porter Jr out of Penn State. JPJ is identical to the mold of Pickens. Porter Jr is 6’ 3, 200 pounds and ran a 4.46 40 at his combine.

The Steelers are not only drafting players with more speed, but they are also bring them in via trades and free agency. This off season the Steelers traded for cornerback Donte Jackson who ran 4.32 at his combine. Jackson will be a dramatic difference from Levi Wallace, who ran 4.62 at his combine and an older Patrick Peterson. On the free agent side, the Steelers brought in two speedy wide receivers in Van Jefferson and Quez Watkins. At their NFL Combines Jefferson and Watkins ran 4.39 and 4.35 respectively. If you look at the core of the Steelers wide receiver room, there isn’t a single player who ran slower than a 4.47 at their combine and have 3 players who ran sub 4.4. Also acquired through free agency is inside linebacker Patrick Queen. Queen is a physical, sideline to sideline player that flashes all over the field. One of the most attractive parts of Queen’s game is his speed, he ran a 4.50 40 yard dash at the 2020 NFL Combine.

There are also some names that may be bottom of the roster or practice squat players you may not be as familiar with who have some serious speed:

Kalon Barns – 4.23 (Sic’Em Bears), Darius Rush – 4.36, Denzel Mims – 4.28 (Sic’Em Bears), Luq Barcoo – 4.41, Josiah Scott – 4.42, Dez Fitzpatrick – 4.43, Corey Trice Jr. – 4.47.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have turned over some of their roster by injecting some dynamic speed into it. On the offensive and defensive side of the ball there is a noticeable difference. While speed doesn’t equal wins, it can help equal the playing field against some of the more explosive teams in this offensive driven league.

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