Steelers WR Coach Zach Azzanni Scouts Talented Texas WR Duo

The Pittsburgh Steelers need at least one wide receiver, if not two wide receivers in the 2024 NFL Draft, and they have been scouting those players furiously. It continued on Wednesday, as Steelers wide receivers coach Zach Azzanni headed to Texas to watch AD Mitchell, Xavier Worthy, and Jordan Whittington. Mitchell and Worthy are likely first round picks.

Worthy stunned onlookers at Lucas Oil Stadium at the NFL Combine by running a 4.21 official 40-yard dash time, the fastest anyone in NFL history has ran at the event. It breaks the record set by John Ross, who ran a 4.22 40-yard dash. Worthy weighed in at just 165 pounds, but he has speed and explosiveness, the hallmarks of his game as a receiver.

Worthy’s strengths are exemplified by his deep threat abilities, and alongside Adonai Mitchell, he became one of the most feared deep threats in the country. Unsurprisingly, he was a contender to set the record, as Worthy was a track star in high school and has legitimate world-class speed. He just proved that very correct on Saturday.

Mitchell is an incredibly deceptive route runner who can create space for himself with regularity. There’s plenty of nuance to his game, as he’ll use head fakes, jab steps and rocker steps to sell defenders lies. His feet are light on contact and he can vary his pace to lull defenders to sleep before exploding out his breaks. Mitchell can be best described as a loose athlete, with surprising explosiveness and long strides once he is able to fully open his hips.

Whittington is a nice fit for what Arthur Smith wants at the position. He’s well built with a dense frame and plenty of experience working out of the slot. Whittington actually started his career at running back and his contact balance and toughness make him difficult to get on the ground.

Perhaps most importantly, he’s a willing blocker with the requisite size to make an impact there at the next level. He’s a true team-first player who was regularly seen making the extra effort for teammates on the perimeter.