Joe Robbins/Getty Images Datrone Young of Iowa State defends against Chase Claypool, #83, during a bowl game in 2019.
Yesterday the Pittsburgh Steelers assembled for their first padded practice of training camp. After practice the team posted a video of rookie wide receiver Chase Claypool catching a pass in the end zone from quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. By itself it’s not an especially remarkable clip, except that when Steelers starting cornerback Joe Haden saw it on Twitter he re-tweeted the video with a message that said:
“He’s going to be a PROBLEM! You heard it first from me!”
Apparently, Haden had the chance to go against Claypool in the 11-on-11 portion of practice yesterday and came away suitably impressed. This is exactly what you want to hear if you’re a Pittsburgh Steelers fan. And it pretty much follows everything we’ve heard thus far about the Steelers’ second-round draft pick, who has been making an impression on and off the field ever since being drafted.
Chase Claypool ‘A Great Draft Pick’
Never mind that most analysts were not particularly enthused about the Steelers picking Claypool in the middle of the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft. To learn more about that—and to understand why they are wrong—see Chase Claypool: A Great Draft Pick, which also includes a video scouting report courtesy of former NFL quarterback Chris Simms. (The scouting report highlights how Claypool not only has measurables that are comparable to former Detroit Lions star Calvin ‘Megatron’ Johnson, he does all the “little things” that have the potential to make him a handful for NFL defensive backs on every play, whether it’s a run or pass).
To get another perspective on how Claypool might be a ‘problem’ for defenders, see the insight provided by NFL Network’s Charley Casserly, who was a general manager in the league for 16 years. While Casserly doesn’t believe that Claypool plays to his timed speed, he believes Chase “is going to win the matchups down the field” and that his immediate impact is going to be in the run game as a blocker “because he’s excellent there and a good special teams player” as well.
By the way, the ‘Megatron’ comparables—combined with the fact that Claypool is from Canada—explains why some Steelers fans hope that ‘Mapletron’ catches on as Chase’s nickname.
Chase Claypool on Social Media
Meanwhile, Claypool has also been attracting attention on social media, having started a YouTube channel that recently featured a video of him surprising his mom and dad with 2 expensive gifts.
He’s also shown himself to be willing to take playful jabs at other NFL stars, as when he responded to DeShaun Watson’s dig at Notre Dame, where Claypool went to university. He also took exception to his surprisingly low rating in Madden, which Madden fans can expect to rise as his career moves along.
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