Story by
Protege of Former Steelers Legend a Perfect First Round Fit
- Story by
- Protege of Former Steelers Legend a Perfect First Round Fit
Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State Athletics
Friday at the 2026 NFL Combine confirmed what we already knew heading into the week—the Pittsburgh Steelers are on the prowl for playmakers on the perimeter. With over a dozen confirmed formal visits and several other informal interviews already completed, it's clear that Mike McCarthy and company recognize where they need to improve next fall. Arizona State wideout Jordyn Tyson , a favorite of mine during summer scouting, has become one of the more polarizing prospects in this cycle. The 21-year-old has been a popular mock draft selection in recent months, not just for his talent, but also for his natural ties to the franchise.
Tyson's wide receivers coach at Arizona State was none other than Steelers great and former Super Bowl MVP Hines Ward , who says that his protégé is "twitched up." As far as what he's learned under his tutelage over the years, the Sun Devils star struggled initially to narrow it down to just one thing.
Advertisement
"A lot. It's too much to count, but if I had to say one thing, it would just be the everyday pro habits of practice," Tyson said .
That won't come as much surprise to Steelers fans, knowing Ward was remembered as a player for his work ethic and everyday reliability.
Perhaps the biggest question mark on Tyson's scouting report has been his durability, suffering season-ending ACL and collarbone injuries in separate seasons before being hampered with a hamstring issue in 2025. He's clearly aware of the noise and is taking the necessary steps to ensure those things won't derail his pro career.
"Just being very regimen-based… just people on my body to help with the soft tissue stuff. Just finding my perfect regimen so that I can play all 17 games, or 21 games if we make it to the Super Bowl," Tyson said.
Advertisement
A self-described late bloomer, Tyson was a hot commodity with front offices this week and has nothing but great things to say about his interview with the Steelers brass. He even showered some high praise on what could be his future play caller in the Steel City.
"It was pretty good. I got to meet Mike McCarthy; he's a legend in Dallas ," he said.
This is a good year to need a wideout, with so many different flavors to choose from, which is surely music to Pittsburgh's ears. Through multiple different questions, Tyson explained that his route running was his elite trait, feeling like he can run the entire tree, with the corner route being a personal favorite. I really appreciated his response to my question regarding what he's looking to improve upon and develop at the next level.
"It's the little things. I feel like I've got the big things down, but finding new ways to get open and getting more creative," Tyson said. "Sometimes my arms can get a little wide; I feel like I need to fix that and stop taking days off. Every single play I should be giving full effort."
Advertisement
One of the top storylines coming into the week was whether any of the top receiver prospects could separate themselves from the pack. Tyson measured in at a shade over 6 feet 2 inches, 203 pounds, and just over 9-inch hands, nearly identical numbers to CeeDee Lamb , whom McCarthy took with his first-ever draft pick with the Cowboys. Unfortunately, he's opted out of working out, and we'll have to wait until his pro day to get his athletic testing metrics. Below are some of my notes from his scouting report.
Tyson is a twitchy, alignment-versatile bucket getter capable of getting open versus man coverage to make plays at all three levels. He showcases an advanced understanding of how to manipulate the leverage of opponents through his route stem with some of his best moments coming in the intermediate area of the field. His money is made at the break point, where he'll deploy head fakes and a silky-smooth rocker step to tell lies to defenders before exploding out of breaks. Tyson's spatial awareness versus zone coverage and ability to make acrobatic in-air adjustments to poorly thrown footballs should make him a high-volume threat at the next level.
He clearly has a plan versus the press, and his quickness makes it difficult to get hands on him at the line of scrimmage, but Tyson does have room to improve when it comes to playing through contact. One way that he can counteract the longer, more physical defensive backs that he'll face at the next level is by being more proactive with his hands to pair with quick footwork. More attention to detail could turn him from an already good to a legitimately great route runner. His arms will occasionally come out wide like landing gears, and there were times when he would rise up prematurely on breaking routes, rather than selling vertically until the very last moment.
Advertisement
Figuring out whether Tyson is injury prone or simply unlucky is going to be a difficult task for respective squads around the league. The production has been outstanding for two seasons despite frustrating quarterback play at times. His movement patterns and ball skills mirror that of many of the top receivers in the league, while also acknowledging there are other areas in need of further development. Tyson is deserving of a first-round grade, with his ability to play both on and off the ball being a great fit for Mike McCarthy's offense . In the event that he did slip down into the twenties, it's difficult to imagine a scenario where he's not the most talented prospect available.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now : Protege of Former Steelers Legend a Perfect First Round Fit
Related Headlines
