Taking off down the stretch in the 2021 season after being inserted into the starting lineup due to injuries, Pittsburgh Steelers’ cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon played like a true shutdown No. 1 cornerback for the Steelers’ defense.
Witherspoon led the Steelers in interceptions with three, held a number of top receivers to well-below season averages like Minnesota’s Justin Jefferson and Kansas City’s Tyreek Hill, parlaying a great close to the season into a two-year, $8 million deal in free agency from the Steelers, sliding himself back into the top cornerback slot under new defensive coordinator Teryl Austin.
Based off of his play down the stretch, and the outlook moving forward in the Steel City, Witherspoon is Bleacher Report’s choice for the Steelers’ top breakout player for the 2022 season, which would be a huge boost for a Steelers’ defense looking to get back on track after a tough 2021 season.