Rookies traditionally don't crack the Steelers' opening-day lineup, but this crop could

By ED BOUCHETTE
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The theme of the 2014 draft could well be, "Welcome to the Steelers; yes you can start for us this season."

Long held down by veteran talent in front of them, the new rookie class which will gather on the South Side for their first camp this weekend will have chances few others have had in this century in Pittsburgh.

Even coaches who were reluctant to speculate on the immediate prospects of rookies past were more than willing to project their new draft picks as possible starters in 2014. That's how it was with their first two picks, and again Saturday with the first one they drafted.

Martavis Bryant, a 6-foot-4 wide receiver with speed and the "other" receiver next to Sammy Watkins at Clemson, has the ability to line up with Antonio Brown this year, his new coach said.

"I'm not going to say that he is going to start, but potentially he could," said wide receivers coach Richard Mann.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2014/05/11/4110781/rookies-traditionally-dont-crack.html#storylink=cpy

I wouldn't be surprised to see Shazier start as well.

And Tuitt.

Obviously, it's still way early, but as of now, I'd be surprised if Shazier and Tuitt aren't in the starting lineup to open the season. I'd be more surprised to see Martavis Bryant starting, only because I expect Markus Wheaton to have a breakout year. If Bryant leaps over Wheaton on the depth chart, I hope it's because he's spectacular, and not because Wheaton didn't progress from last year.

After last year, I believe Wheaton can only go up. I don't mean that as in he had a bad year, I mean that he was so far on the depth chart last year his opportunities were limited. I hope he comes to camp fired up and invigorated by his opportunities.

And with finger splints.