NFL News NFL News, Reports and Updates
It’s never a bad thing to be compared to Hines Ward, a fearless, physical receiver who parlayed his unique skill set into a Hall of Fame career (he isn’t in yet, but that’s for another day). Roman Wilson, the former Michigan standout, was compared to Pittsburgh’s legendary receiver shortly after the Steelers drafted him.
“In the third round, the Steelers grabbed two players who harken back to the great Hines Ward,” wrote Jim Wexell, the founder of Steel City Insider and a Steelers beat reporter since 1995. “In WR Roman Wilson, the Steelers got a starter with inside/outside capability and 4.39 40 speed. They also got a relentless team player and blocker, and a player with a huge chip on his shoulder for being drafted so late. Just like Ward.
“And with the next pick, they drafted an ILB with 4.43 speed even though he’s absent an ACL. Just like Ward. Payton Wilson was even drafted 98th overall. Ward was drafted 92nd in 1998.”
The fact that Wexell also compared Payton Wilson to Ward is ironic given that Wilson plays the position (linebacker) that Ward so tormented during his 14-year career. In fact, his jaw-breaking hit on then-Bengals linebacker Keith Rivers in 2008 nearly remembered as much as Ward’s MVP performance in Super Bowl XL.
Ward very much played receiver with a linebacker’s mentality, which is one of the things that quickly endeared himself to Steelers fans. Ward has the unofficial title as the greatest blocking receiver of all time, a distinction he wore with a badge of honor.
Along with his physical presence, Ward could also catch. He’s one of eight players in NFL history with at least 1,000 career catches, 12,000 yards receiving and 85 touchdowns.
Given Ward’s brilliant career, comparing anyone to him is saying something. That’s why when someone of Wexell’s magnitude does exactly that, it shouldn’t be taken lightly. Now, Wexell isn’t saying that Wilson will end up…
Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/steelers-rookie-roman-wilson-already-drawing-comparisons-to-hines-ward/
Author : Bryan DeArdo
Publish date : 2024-05-07 18:30:49
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.
