Jordan Byrd

This guy can fly.
Hopefully he stays healthy and be the return guy we need .

 

What I noticed most about Byrd in the Youtube highlights is his quick change of direction. He can cut on a dime without breaking stride at all and when he has a seam he explodes through it. His first half step and he is already at full speed.

 

He is stupid fast. Love to see him returning kicks or punts.

 

https://steelersnow.com/steelers-to-ink-explosive-undrafted-free-agent-return-specialist/

In his career, Byrd has three kick return touchdowns and was named a second-team All-American in 2022 because of his return ability. In addition, he can return punts, having one touchdown off punts in his career, and he notched one each this past season at San Diego State.

 

He looks like a fast twitchy water bug out there, but 4.46 forty isn’t great. Did he get way faster…?

 

Another midget

 

There is timed fast, and there is football fast, hopefully his football fast transfer over to the NFL.

 

This may be the return guy they need. With Sims gone. I'm tired of Gunner. I feel they try and keep him though.

 

Dude ran 11.68 on the 100 meters at 12!

 

Found another video from 5 years ago, in a big race, where he ran 10.47.

It's kind of strange. 5 years ago he runs 10.47. After five more years of physical and technical development, he only runs a 4.46 forty? And he's a track guy, it's not like the guy just doesn't know good technique. Curious.

 

I think what makes him look faster than anyone else on the field is that as soon as he fields the kickoff or punt he is running at full speed. And he doesn't lose any speed while he's cutting, juking and darting all over the field.

 

Still waiting for these quick speedsters to stick.

Seems like the last decade we have talked up countless smaller speed guys and none of them ever turn out.

 

The talent is there for sure but at 165 lbs these guys are constantly injured. When your whole game is based on being faster than everyone else, as soon as you get a sore foot or any tweak in their legs then they can't play. A big WR like Pickens can play nicked up a little bit but not these much smaller guys. Still I hope the best of health for Byrd and Calvin Austin because when healthy they can be game changers.

 

I kind of view Calvin Austin III almost as a draft pick this year, as we didn't see anything last year from him because he got hurt (and his whole season was lost). His speed was talked up by many, hopefully he can contribute, you can find your way into the 3 WR sets a lot as a speed guy.

If you looked at Sims last year he was getting a ton of playing time the last 2/3's of the season at WR.

 

I hear ya, and I guess that makes good sense. He does look fast from the get go.

But he won some state sprinting championships right? Maybe he speed is best after the short 40 mark even though it looks immediate. Maybe there is a typo displaying his 40 time. Who cares, the dude is a burner.

Let’s hope he has vision and takes great angles at the NFL level. They gotta hit on one of these returner guys soon, because they are due with all the swings they’ve taken.

 

My feelings as well.

 

40s are a tricky thing. One little mistake, and bad 40 time.

 

Nah, I'm watching some of these clips where his foot is hit or he has to high-step it out of tackles. no break in stride and he's still got some acceleration left. 40's are a different beast all together.

 

Byrd is a homunculus who reminds me of Dri Archer more than anyone else. I thought Archer was a born return specialist, but somehow all that speed did not translate into yardage on the field and he was not around long. He seemed to run towards crowds of defenders rather than to open pasture. While it is hard to not get excited when you see video of someone visibly faster than anyone else on the field, it doesn’t always work out.
A football coach once said that the 40 yard time is the most overrated statistic. He said to look at the short shuttle time. A short shuttle time of about 4 seconds is elite, and that person may be quite elusive. I think Julian Edelman had a very good SS time, and had a long career because they couldn’t cover him.

I hope that Byrd is not Dri Archer 2.0.

Edit: I think they will have to buy him a kids’ Steeler Halloween costume to wear in training camp. They probably don’t have a uni small enough for him.

 

It'll have that one bar facemask. The old Joe Theismann look.

 

I want another Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala back there

 

By the time I learned to pronounce his name he was gone

 

Every time I read the OP title I keep thinking of

“And the last thing I gave her was the bird”

George Jones