Steelers OC Todd Haley called WR Markus Wheaton “a versatile, good, polished” player. And while Mike Wallace had game-changing speed, the word “polished” wasn't used to describe him coming out of Mississippi, also as a third-round pick.
“A little different skill set than Mike other than the speed,” Haley said. “I saw Mike as more of an outside receiver outside the numbers. This guy has played the slot a bunch when he wasn't outside. He is a little wider base, a little more running back.”
His ability to line up as the ‘X' receiver, which Wallace played almost exclusively, but also as the “Z” receiver and in the slot is certain to be utilized by new receivers coach Richard Mann, who is strong on fundamentals and technique.
“He was in the slot. He was in the backfield,” Haley said. “That tells us he's a smart guy. Any time a coach feels comfortable moving a guy around a bunch like that, that's good.”
Wheaton could see considerable snaps in 2013, especially if TE Heath Miller (ACL) is not ready to play early on.
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