Friday, the Pittsburgh Steelers claimed DL Willington Previlon off waivers from the Atlanta Falcons. Now the newest 91st man on the roster, he will have an obviously tough path to making the 53-man roster. Still, in the interest of being thorough and examining every player on the team, here’s five things to know about the Steelers’ newest addition.
Homer At The Field
Previlon took home Rutgers coveted Homer Hazel Award in 2019, given to the team’s Most Valuable Player. It’s named after Homer Hazel, an All-American at Rutgers in 1923 and 1924 (he was in his late 20s when he left college, first leaving school in 1916 to start a family before returning in 1923).
Previlon didn’t have overwhelming numbers that season, 35 tackles (7.5 for a loss) and one sack. But his tape was strong and the team went just 2-10 that year. So there weren’t a lot of attractive options. He did, at least, beat out Isiah Pacheco, who rushed for seven touchdowns that year, and Bo Melton, who led the team in catches and yards. So he one-upped a pair of current NFL players.
Previlon Packed On The Pounds
A two-star recruit from New Jersey, he came to Rutgers at just 245 pounds. A bit of a tweener but athletic, the team bulked him up and he exited school weighing 290.
In 2015, d-line coach Jim Panagos, who affectionally referred to him as “Big Will,” raved about his potential.
“He is quick-twitch,” Panagos said via NJ.com. “He came to camp and he blew me away. Once I fall in love with somebody, it’s over so I’m glad he’s part of the Rutgers family.”
Willington’s Wingspan
In that same NJ.com article, Panagos noted that the 6-5 Previlon has a rare wingspan.
“I believe big people beat up little people. And ‘Big Will’ is big. He’s 6-foot-5, his wingspan is almost 7-feet. He’s got great physical traits and he’s got high character.”
He certainly checks the boxes of what a Steelers’ defensive end looks like with his height, weight, and great length. His 34-inch arms help create that seven-foot wingspan.
Another Jersey Boy
Previlon grew up in Orange, New Jersey. That’s less than a half hour and 12.5 miles from Jersey City, where Steelers FS Minkah Fitzpatrick grew up. It doesn’t appear their high school teams ever played each other while Previlon was there but the two can probably talk about the best places to grab lunch back home when the Steelers report to training camp next month.
“Pro Day” Numbers
The 2020 COVID pandemic cost him the chance to work out in front of scouts at the Rutgers Pro Day, cancelled due to the virus. But we do have testing to offer an idea of his baseline athleticism.
Looking for an alternative, Previlon worked out at the TEST Football Academy in late March of 2020. Per the Knight Report, here were his results.
– 6-4, 290 pounds
– 5.11 and 5.21 laser-timed 40-yard dash
– 23 reps on bench press
– 32-inch vertical
– 9’5″ broad jump
– 4.66 short shuttle
– 7.91 three cone
Plug this numbers into an RAS calculator and Previlon posted a 7.07 figure with elite-level vert and broad numbers, showcasing his explosiveness.
