If you want a true Pittsburgh Steelers’ sleeper, a name very few are talking about or even know is on the roster, it’s wide receiver Ja’Marcus Bradley. But at least one reporter who watched him work in the spring thinks he has a chance to make noise in the summer.
College 2 Pro’s Bo Marchionte recently wrote an article outlining five players who could make a splash once the team hits the field Thursday afternoon. Some bigger names were included on his list like second-round pick NT Keeanu Benton and second-year TE/H-back Connor Heyward. But Bradley was also added with Marchionte, who attended OTAs, noting he had an impressive spring.
“Throughout rookie and mini camps, it seemed like the unassuming Bradley was constantly in my notes. Scribbling one positive component of his game down on my notepad.”
Marchionte doesn’t expand on what Bradley did that was so noteworthy. He had an impressive college career, starring at Louisiana where he finished his career with 23 touchdowns, including 20 over his final two years. The only player in school history with more receiving scores than Bradley is Brandon Stokley.
In his pre-draft scouting report, NFL.com notes Bradley showed “gliding strides” with quickness and the ability to high-point and win jump balls. However, a lack of a nuanced route tree and questions about effort and consistency were among his biggest knocks and he went undrafted in 2020. Due to the pandemic, he had no official Pro Day but reportedly ran a 4.48 in a private workout.
Bradley comes to Pittsburgh with minor gameday experience, seeing a handful of snaps and nine NFL catches, all with the Cleveland Browns across his rookie and sophomore seasons. It’s not a lot but getting even a handful of NFL reps makes training camp seem much slower and easier compared to wide-eyed rookies trying to soak it all in.
Pittsburgh’s wide receiver room looks crowded with the top five names seemingly locked in. Diontae Johnson, George Pickens, Allen Robinson II, and Calvin Austin III are locks to make the squad while Miles Boykin is a strong bet to join them as a special teams ace. It’s possible the Steelers keep a sixth wideout but whoever that player is will have to play his way onto the roster. Bradley will battle with the likes of Gunner Olszewski and Hakeem Butler for that spot.
Landing on the practice squad seems like a best-case scenario for Bradley. From there, it’d take just one injury to elevate him to the 53 and again wear a helmet, something he didn’t do all last season.
Other names on Marchionte’s list include ILB Mark Robinson and RB Darius Hagans.
