Steelers' Great Ryan Shazier Names 3 Interesting Players Who Helped Him Grow As A Player

All the way back in the 2014 NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers struck gold when they selected linebacker Ryan Shazier with the 15th overall pick. For the next four seasons, Shazier was one of the elite linebackers in the league and was the heart and soul in the center of the Steelers' defense. He performed at such a high level despite there being questions around his fit in the NFL, but he answered those quickly. 

Coming into the league as a first round pick, there is a lot of pressure on players to perform at a high level. Steeler Nation isn't shy about having high expectations for the players the team selects early in the draft, especially if they play a premier position like middle linebacker. The Steelers have a long history of having great middle linebackers throughout the decades to lead their defense, so anytime they select one high, the fans pay a little more attention to them than some other fanbases might. 

Recently, Shazier joined our very own Kaleb Everhart and former Steelers' offensive lineman, Derwin Gray, on the Three Point Stance podcast presented by SteelerNation.com. During his time on the podcast, Shazier detailed the additional pressure that being a middle linebacker in Pittsburgh can have on a player, and explained why he wouldn't label former Steelers' first round pick Devin Bush a bust. He also spoke on his thoughts on Mark Robinson, and how he has a high ceiling despite on being a high pick like Bush and Shazier himself were. 

Ryan Shazier Lists Former Steelers That Helped Him Become A Better Player

Having that extra pressure from being a top pick, it is crucial that you can have players to lean on and learn from. While speaking on the podcast, Shazier detailed how he was able to lean on three players early in his career. Those players were fellow Ohio State Buckeye Will Allen, William Gay, and Mike Mitchell. All three are defensive backs who were members of the Steelers for at least Shazier's first two seasons.

"I would say I had a few guys. One of the people that was a guy that kind of took me under his wing was Will Allen, he was a former Ohio State Buckeye. He actually won a National Championship vs. Miami back in the day, he was still on the Steelers when I was playing. Then another guy I would say was Will Gay. Yea, they used to call him 'Big Play Willie Gay,' so he was one of them. Another one was Mike Mitchell, and all of them was DBs."

It is definitely interesting to hear that the main guys Shazier leaned on throughout his career were all defensive backs, with both Allen and Mitchell being safeties and Gay being a cornerback. Both Mitchell and Gay were with the Steelers throughout Shazier's entire playing career while Allen was there the first two seasons. 

Some may think that because of Shazier's unique skillset, possessing elite speed (4.38s 40-yard dash), hit power, and being slightly undersized, that he leaned on them because there were some that thought he could be a safety in the pre-draft process. However, it actually stems more from their off the field assistance, and Shazier explained they were the ones that helped him learn how to watch film, and the ones he would spend the most time in the film room with. 

"The reason I would say they kind of gave me the big brother treatment, they were DBs, but they taught me how to watch film, they taught me how to study, they taught me how to appreciate my craft. I would spend more time with other guys from around the league. Any time I got the opportunity to learn from somebody like Pouncey, or a coach, or another player, I would always take the opportunity to try and get better. But Will Gay, Will Allen, and Mike Mitchell, those are guys I watched a lot of film with, those are guys I spent a lot of my time with. They taught me how to become a better athlete, how to become better at my craft, and to this day I still thank them very much for what they taught me and how they helped me grow at the game of football."

Shazier detailed the one area I am sure most fans don't think of and that is how players study film and how they get better off of the field. The game speeds up from the college level to the NFL drastically, and that is both physically and mentally, so you have to be top notch in both areas. Shazier having those guys to teach him and mentor him off the field was likely huge for his quick learning curve to become one of the best linebackers in the NFL. 

Whether the Steelers have now found their long term linebackers through their recent free agent signings, Cole Holcomb and Elandon Roberts, or through recent draft picks like Robinson, them being able to lean on the veteran guys in the locker room like Minkah Fitzpatrick and Patrick Peterson can hopefully give them the same results it gave to Shazier during his time on the Steelers. 

What do you make of Shazier looking to other position groups to help him become a better player, on the field and in the film room? Do you think it would be smart for the Steelers' current linebackers to lean on players in other position groups?