"In
the NFL, many people like to analyze things earlier then they probably should.
After all, people need something to talk about in between games. It is still
very early in the year, but it looks like Ryan Shazier is living up to the
billing. The first-round draft pick for the Pittsburgh Steelers is one of the
best linebackers in the rookie class so far, and he does not seem to be slowing
down anytime soon.
The
biggest take away from Shazier’s play so far has been his activity every single
play. He has a total of 17 tackles on the year so far, and it is clear that he
is one of the most athletic players at his position. If he can continue to show
a lot of range, he’s going to finish with some pretty solid numbers in his very
1st year.
Pittsburgh
admittedly has a pretty old defense for the most part. They are trying to
slowly change that, especially when you consider that it might be holding them
back a little bit. Shazier could turn into one of the new faces of the
franchise as the team gets back to its roots.
While
he has been able to mostly have success early on in his career, there are some
people who are a little bit critical of his inability to hold his own against
bigger blockers so far. That is something that might just take some getting
used to since he is still new to the NFL. He is also going to put on some
additional muscle as he continues to age, so that is not really a long-term
concern.
Overall,
the only other inside linebacker in the rookie class who is coming close to his
production is CJ Mosley for the Ravens. There are a few outside linebackers,
most notably Anthony Barr and Khalil Mack, who are making some strong
contributions in fantasy football to their
defenses as well. This is a pretty good class at this position, but there might
not be a better overall linebacker new to the league this year than Ryan
Shazier."
I did not write this, but I agree with it totally! Shazier is going to be a beast.
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