The Pittsburgh Steelers have one of the most athletic 2024 rosters. As compiled by Kent Lee Platte, creator of the Relative Athletic Score (RAS) figure, the Steelers’ entire roster ranks in the top 10 for 2024, eighth overall, with an average of 7.63.
Platte sees a change under GM Omar Khan, the Steelers shifting toward players with high RAS in his two draft classes.
8. Pittsburgh #Steelers
Avg #RAS 7.63The Steelers switch to focusing this hard on athleticism is very, very recent, with their 2023 and 2024 rosters rating very highly, but their 2019-2022 rosters rating very low. One to follow, for sure.
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) May 23, 2024
Troy Fautanu was one of the most athletic linemen in this year’s draft, posting a 9.45 score. That ranked in the top 75 among all offensive tackles since 1987. Only his height was below-average, though he also didn’t participate in the shuttle drills. Other RAS standouts as rookies include ILB Payton Wilson (9.81), OG Mason McCormick (9.97 – sixth-best ever by a guard) and DB Ryan Watts (9.81). Platte’s data showed the Steelers have the third-highest RAS among the 2024 class, only trailing the Philadelphia Eagles and top-ranked Washington Commanders.
From Khan’s 2023 class, OT Broderick Jones posted a 9.51, while CB Joey Porter Jr. bested that number with a 9.71. Kevin Colbert shifted toward athletes later in his tenure after striking out on the unathletic Jarvis Jones (2.91 present-day RAS) in 2013. But Khan has focused on it even more in the draft and throughout his roster building.
Outside linebacker T.J. Watt has one of the highest RAS on the team, scoring a 9.92 out of Wisconsin. While some in the media typecast him as a plucky, try-hard player, his athleticism is one key reason why he’s a dominant player off the EDGE.
Naturally, RAS — and baseline athleticism — is just one metric in determining the talent and strength of a roster. Being an athlete and being a football player are two different things. But generally, the more athletic a player is, the better chance he has to succeed.
The Indianapolis Colts have the most athletic roster, with an average RAS of 8.39. The Eagles land in second place at 8.00, with the New York Jets, Jacksonville Jaguars, and New York Giants rounding out the top five. At the bottom are the Los Angeles Rams at 6.66 while the Las Vegas Raiders are 31st at 6.91.
Data is just one point of many. And some dismiss anything analytical and statistical. But it’s an even playing field to judge a league’s roster, one of the only ways to compare and contrast complexities, and the Steelers’ roster compares favorably. We’ll see what kind of correlation there is between roster RAS and team success throughout the 2024 season.
