When the Steelers selected Diontae Johnson with their first of two third-round draft picks -- the second of their class behind Devin Bush -- it drew jeers from some circles.
After all, many draft pundits didn't have the former Toledo receiver rated quite that high, viewing him as more of a mid-round selection. But the Steelers, and perhaps more important, wide receivers coach Darryl Drake, saw something more in the former MAC star, making him the 10th receiver selected this year.
That faith has proven to be reality. Heading into Week 17, Johnson has shown himself to be a quality receiver and return man, something that has been sorely needed by the Steelers (8-7) as they make a push to earn a spot in the postseason. In fact, heading into Sunday's regular season finale at Baltimore against the Ravens (13-2), Johnson has an opportunity to put his name in the record books for having one of the best seasons for a rookie wide receiver in team history.
Coming off a career-high eight receptions in last week's loss to the Jets, Johnson's 55 catches this season are three behind the Redskins' Terry McLaurin for the most of any rookie this season. They're also just six behind Troy Edwards' team record for a rookie set in 1999, the last time a rookie led the Steelers in receptions.
Johnson also ranks fifth among rookies in receiving yardage with 626 and sixth in touchdowns with a team-high five.
In a rookie wide receiver class that has perhaps been better than anyone thought, with players such as McLaurin, D.K. Metcalf and A.J. Brown making major impacts on their respective teams, Johnson has more than held his own, justifying the Steelers having him as the top receiver on their draft board.
"I keep track with most of those guys. Most of them I know," Johnson told me Thursday at the Rooney Complex. "Everybody has been playing well from what I’ve been seeing. That’s what we all talked about, when everybody gets to the NFL, we’ll see who stands out on each team. That’s what we’ve been doing. I’m trying to come out on top."
The Steelers' quarterback situation have kept Johnson's numbers down in regard to some of other top rookie receivers. Playing without star quarterback Ben Roethlisberger for all but six quarters, the Steelers enter Week 17 ranked 31st in the league in passing yards.
Even so, Johnson still has a chance to lead not just his fellow rookies but the league in something. Johnson enters Sunday's game against the Ravens averaging 12.4 yards per return. He needs two more returns against the Ravens to qualify among the league leaders. But his average is more than half a yard more than current leader Braxton Berrios of the Jets.
If he can get those two returns Sunday and maintain his lead over Berrios, he'll be the first Steelers player to lead the NFL in punt return average since Johnny Sample in 1961.
"It’s crazy to hear something like that," Johnson said. "I wasn't even born then."
Not bad for a player who didn't take over as the team's punt returner until the second half of the season after Ryan Switzer was placed on injured reserve.
The Steelers didn't want to put too much on the rookie's plate early. They wanted him to concentrate on learning the offense first and then worry about the return game and other things.
"He’s a special talent," Randy Fichtner said Thursday. "He can win one-on-ones against good football players. He has a knack for run after (the catch). The future with him is very bright. I think he knows that, and we’ve got to continue to grow that."
It's just as Drake envisioned when he championed Johnson in pre-draft meetings. Drake spent several days with Johnson in the pre-draft process and saw a young, raw football player oozing with talent despite coming from a smaller school.
That's what made it so difficult on Johnson, along with the other Steelers receivers, when Drake died midway through the team's training camp this year. He had been much more than just a coach to that group. They also lost a mentor and someone who had challenged them to be better each day.
That task has fallen on his replacement, veteran coach Ray Sherman, but the memory of Drake lasts in the receiver room, especially with Johnson.
"Coach Drake was a good guy. From the first time I sat down and talked to him, I know he spoke highly of me," Johnson said. "For him to push for me, coming from a school like Toledo, we’ve got guys in the league because there’s talent everywhere, but for him to push like that for me, it’s crazy. I would never have expected to be in the position I’m in now if it wasn’t for him."
That's why he takes the field each day wanting to get better, knowing the Steelers and Drake showed so much faith in his talent.
The Steelers have shown a good track record in finding receivers beyond the first round of the draft, whether it be Antonio Brown in the sixth round in 2010 or Johnson in the third round in 2019.
"They draft a lot of receivers and they know good receivers when they see one," Johnson said. "They know how to get them going in the right direction so they can have a successful career. I’m going to have a successful career here, and hopefully I’m here for a long time so I can fulfill that. I’m just trying to help this team win games and keep getting better along the way."
