The Pittsburgh Steelers saw first-round pick Derrick Harmon go down with a knee injury against the Carolina Panthers. With Harmon out, the Steelers got a chance to see fifth-round pick Yahya Black, and Black did more than enough to impress against the Panthers.
Black made a key run stuff along the goal line, showcasing his agility for a big man who is 330 pounds. However, it would be his reps in the second half that would pop his true potential.
On back to back plays, Black used his size and strength to push the guard back. He notched a sack on the first play, and on the second play, flushed the quarterback out of the pocket into the waiting arms of edge rusher Julius Welschof.
That was just the latest flash Black has shown that proves he could be something this season. Black dominated during the team’s first game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, playing just ten snaps in that game.
Black, who started as the second-team base defensive end and carved out a path for himself to playing time, turned Mike Tomlin’s head with his run-stuffing ability and motor.
“I’ve been really impressed by his ability to chase the ball on screens and stuff being 336 pounds,” Tomlin said on SiriuxXM Radio.“Just his mindset regarding hustling is encouraging for a man that big. And so, part of it is the grocery shopping, but now it’s time to cook.”
General manager Omar Khan calls the shots, but Black’s ability to be a massive run-stuffer is what the team drafted him to do after the Baltimore Ravens pounced for 299 rushing yards against them in their Wild Card loss.
“He’s great. He’s been what we expect him to be,” Khan said on SiriusXM NFL Radio. “I think he’s only gonna get better. We feel fortunate that he was still there in the fifth round, and it was easy when we were on the clock.”
Black is still working hard on coming around as a pass rusher, but his instant ability to produce run defense is something the Steelers viewed as a necessity heading into this year, and he can bring that.
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