Know your new Steelers enemies after Day 1 of the 2019 NFL Draft

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Apr 2019

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With the Steelers welcoming new players to hopefully strengthen their team, so will their chief rivals. Take a look at who the AFC North added and who may haunt Pittsburgh in coming years.

While Steeler Nation waited with great anticipation of who would be the newest member of the Steelers, they also watched closely to see who their AFC North rivals would select, last year, Baker Mayfield, Denzel Ward, Billy Price, Hayden Hurst and Lamar Jackson entered the fray. Here are the guys the Steelers will see twice a year for a good while.

Round 1 Pick 11

Cincinnati Bengals select OL Jonah Williams – Alabama

NFL: NFL DraftChristopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

For the second-straight year, the Bengals selected an offensive lineman in the first round. Williams, at 6’5”/301 lbs., will probably start immediately at RT in the Queen City. Williams played every game of his Alabama career and allowed zero sacks in 466 snaps in 2018. The new Bengal should protect Andy Dalton well due to being a cerebral football player and a film room junkie. The rap on Williams is having short arms, which is very little for Bengal fans to worry about.


Round 1 Pick 25

Baltimore Ravens select WR Marquise “Hollywood” Brown – Oklahoma

NCAA Football: Oklahoma State at OklahomaKevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

Although undersized at 5’9 and 166 lbs., Antonio’s cousin named after his hometown of Hollywood in Florida could be the most electric, dynamic and phenomenal playmaker in the league. Brown caught balls from two Heisman Trophy winners (Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray) and will now hook up with another in the form of Lamar Jackson. A homerun hitter who is also dangerous in the screen game, Brown has the ability to greatly boost the offense in the Charm City. His only weaknesses are as a blocker and catching in combat. But overall, the Steelers and every other team will need to know where this guy is at all times.


Will Brown and Williams be big names in the Steelers-Ravens and Steelers-Bengals rivalry for years to come? We will surely see.