One of my biggest questions heading into Week Two of OTAs has been answered. JuJu Smith-Schuster confirmed he’s been working out of the slot, per this tweet from PennLive’s Jacob Klinger a little bit ago.
After being drafted, Todd Haley was non-committal to exactly where Smith-Schuster would line up, only noting his versatility he showed at USC. But playing in the slot always made the most sense with Antonio Brown locking up the X receiver spot and Martavis Bryant at the Z.
Haley did say the team would start him off at one spot before thinking about moving him around. So you can expect him to remain in the slot for the foreseeable future.
Smith-Schuster will battle Eli Rogers for the starting slot gig this season. It should be one of the best camp battles to watch. Although he’s a rookie and the slot is a difficult spot to learn, he’s shown a lot of maturity off the field and his tape speaks to an intelligent football player with the traits to thrive there.
He’s earned good reviews from teammates already and has become a fan favorite on Twitter. On today’s Instagram video with fans, Mike Mitchell had good things to say.
“He’s quiet. He doesn’t say a whole lot. I like people who keep it humble.”
