Player: OL Mason McCormick
Stock Value: Up
Reasoning: Injuries are providing rookie Mason McCormick with ample opportunities. While his talent is arguably already enough, unfortunate setbacks for some of his teammates could thrust him into the starting lineup, even if briefly, for the start of the season. He is reportedly in competition to start at left guard while Isaac Seumalo misses time with a pectoral strain.
There is a plausible scenario in which the Steelers start three rookie offensive lineman in Atlanta. We know that they will start at least one in C Zach Frazier. If T Troy Fautanu returns to practice next week, he could potentially start on the right side. And with Isaac Seumalo out for at least a few weeks, Mason McCormick is competing with Spencer Anderson to take his place.
The Steelers drafted McCormick in the fourth round, after taking Fautanu and Frazier, with an eye toward the future. They noted that James Daniels and Nate Herbig are both free agents after this season, implying McCormick could potentially start.
Well, the Steelers might not have to wait long to find out how McCormick looks in the starting lineup. Seumalo’s injury opens the door for him to get on the field for at least a few games. All he has to do is outcompete Spencer Anderson to seize the opportunity in front of him.
And one thing he knows how to do is work, something that is evident just by watching him. McCormick also has football intelligence and more athleticism in a big frame than you might expect. There is some finesse to his game, especially in pass protection, that belies his build.
If Mason McCormick doesn’t look like a rookie, that’s partly because he shouldn’t be. He is 24 years old already, playing his first college snaps in 2018. For perspective, Patrick Queen played his first snaps at LSU in 2017, and is now in Year 5 in the NFL.
While McCormick has this opportunity in front of him, there is no question is arrow is pointing up. Just by the way he performed and carried himself throughout the offseason, he looks like a keeper. One hopes he will look that way if he does get onto the field as well.
As the season progresses, Steelers players’ stocks rise and fall. The nature of the evaluation differs with the time of year, with in-season considerations being more often short-term. Considerations in the offseason often have broader implications, particularly when players lose their jobs, or the team signs someone. This time of year is full of transactions, whether minor or major.
A bad game, a new contract, an injury, a promotion—any number of things affect a player’s value. Think of it as a stock on the market, based on speculation. You’ll feel better about a player after a good game, or worse after a bad one. Some stock updates are minor, while others are likely to be quite drastic, so bear in mind the degree. I’ll do my best to explain the nature of that in the reasoning section of each column.
