There was a lot of excitement around the Pittsburgh Steelers fanbase when they took Chase Claypool with the 49th overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft. And even though he wasnât ranked among the top wide receivers in his class, it was clear that he was pretty special.
The Notre Dame product has a privileged body that often gives him a huge advantage over his defender and it hasnât taken him long before he established as the undisputed number one option on the team.
JuJu Smith-Schuster still continues to draw more attention from defenses but itâs been Claypool the one whoâs done the most damage this season, helping the team on their way to an 11-1 record.
Chase Claypool Leads NFL In Defensive Pass Interference
Thus far, Claypool has amassed 47 receptions for 649 yards (54.1 yards per game, 13.8 yards per reception), with 8 touchdowns. Moreover, heâs added 9 rushes for 22 yards and a couple of scores on the ground.
But if leading the team in touchdowns isnât enough, Steelersdepot.com also pointed out that heâs actually leading the NFL in defensive pass interference calls with 8, and heâs also the leader in total yards resulting from those calls.
Throughout the first twelve games of his career, the 6â4â, 238-pound rookie has given his team an extra 185 yards via defensive pass interference calls, often helping the struggling Steelersâ offense be in a position to succeed.
Chase Claypool is just built differently. Heâs bigger, stronger, faster, and more athletic than most receivers and defenders in the league, thus itâs not unusual to think that heâll be among the leaders in this regard for many years to come.
Some people still doubt the Steelersâ ability to go the distance and make it to the Super Bowl and thatâs fair considering how theyâve performed lately. But if thereâs a bright spot in their offense, thatâs definitely their 22-year-old rookie.
