It did not take long for Pittsburgh Steelers fifth-round pick Yahya Black to become a fan favorite. It’s a welcome surprise, considering the Steelers’ need to infuse promising youth in the defensive line heading into the offseason.
At first, the buzz around Black was just because of his play. At 6-foot-5, 340 pounds, he looked much more agile than expected at rookie mini-camp. Then, at training camp, he started making plays in team drills, and before long, he solidified himself in the defensive line rotation.
While his meteoric rise comes with understandable pressure to perform, especially in Week 1, where he’ll see plenty of snaps with Derrick Harmon out with injury, it also comes with some perks, like a perfectly suited new nickname.