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Steelers Select Chase Claypool with No. 49 Pick in NFL Draft

The Steelers draft WR Chase Claypool to add versatility to their offense.

Bill Enright

The Pittsburgh Steelers selected WR Chase Claypool with the No. 49 pick of the 2020 NFL Draft. Claypool is a Canadian kid, going to Abbotsford Senior Secondary School in British Columbia. He was a wide receiver and also played basketball for the Panthers. Several notable schools like Michigan, Oregon and Nebraska recruited Claypool before he committed to Notre Dame.

Heading into the 2020 NFL Draft, the big question surrounding Claypool is what position will he play? Is he a tight end or a wide receiver in the NFL? He has athletic moves and size traits to cause problems for defenses but will need to develop his overall skill set. While he may play a limited role on offense as a rookie Claypool has plenty of upside, especially as a big target in the red zone.

Claypool impressed many with his 2020 NFL Scouting Combine workout. His attributes were on full display and some felt he significantly boosted his draft status with his performance in Indianapolis. He recorded 19 reps in the bench press, a 40.5-inch vertical jump and ran a 4.42 time in the 40-yard dash. He was the first receiver weighing over 230 pounds to break 4.45 in the 40-yard dash since Calvin Johnson (Georgia Tech) achieved that feat back in 2007.

Claypool led the Fighting Irish with 66 receptions for 1,037 yards, averaged 15.7 yards per reception, and 13 touchdowns during his senior season. He has great size (6-foot-4, 238 pounds) strong hands and runs precise routes all over the field. At the NFL level, he may play receiver or in an H-back, tight end type of role. With some polishing, Claypool has the size and skill set to be a versatile playmaker at the next level.

2019 stats (Senior; Notre Dame): 1,037 receiving yards, 13 touchdowns (13 games)

2018 stats (Junior; Notre Dame): 639 receiving yards, 4 touchdowns (13 games)

2017 stats (Sophomore; Notre Dame): 402 receiving yards, 2 touchdowns (11 games)

2016 stats (Freshman; Notre Dame): 81 receiving yards (8 games)

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Bill Enright
BILL ENRIGHT

Bill Enright is the Managing Editor of Sports Illustrated's Sports Betting and Fantasy division. He's an award winning fantasy football analyst and has a winning betting record on NFL Player Props since 2017. Follow Bill on Twitter: @BillEnright

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