The Steelers made their first selection of the 2020 NFL Draft on Friday, when they drafted Notre Dame wide receiver Chase Claypool with the No. 49 pick in the second round.
Claypool, a 6-foot-4, 229-pound receiver, is a big, physical receiver that made 66 catches for 1,037 yards in 13 games as a senior for the Fighting Irish in 2019.
At the 2020 NFL Combine, Claypool turned heads with a 4.42 40-yard dash, rising his draft stock.
Claypool won’t be needed to provide an immediate help to the Steelers receiving corps, where the top three options from the 2019 season in JuJu Smith-Shuster, Diontae Johnson and James Washington all return.
But his large frame could provide an option for the Steelers in goal-line situations, where they struggled throughout the 2019 season.
Additionally, Claypool gives the Steelers some insurance for the 2021 season, when Smith-Schuster’s contract will have expired.
