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While it would be fair to say that most fans were relatively happy with the Pittsburgh Steelers selection of Devin Bush on Thursday night, it would appear that their third-round picks created something of a mixed reaction on Friday.
Much like with the pick of Bush the day before predicting by Vince Williams, the selection of Toledo wide receiver Diontae Johnson was one Ola Adeniyi saw coming.
I feel a Toledo rocket taken real soon
— Olasunkanmi Adeniyi (@Love_Ola_9) April 27, 2019
I told y’all it was gonna happen. Welcome to the squad family let’s get to work @Juiceup__3 pic.twitter.com/DtgFAkJ1k2
— Olasunkanmi Adeniyi (@Love_Ola_9) April 27, 2019
A player the Steelers seemingly chose with only a few seconds gone off the clock:
With the 66th pick in the 2019 #NFLDraft, we select WR Diontae Johnson. pic.twitter.com/mFPFkpigLP
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) April 27, 2019
What can you expect from Diontae Johnson?
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) April 27, 2019
Please see below. pic.twitter.com/EusoL1Rzte
And while some were happy with the pick:
New @steelers receiver reminds me of a certain receiver that moved to Oakland. Quickness and route running.... One word to describe Diontae Johnson.... Booming!!!!
— Brian Foster (@bfoster0207) April 27, 2019
Watched Diontae Johnson go off for 120 yards and 2 TDs from field level at Toledo this year.. he can ball!! Pumped to have him on the @steelers!!!
— Scott Horvitz (@scottch_tape) April 27, 2019
#HereWeGo Diontae Johnson is a great pick! Steelers impress me once again!! He can go!
— Cap'n Ron (@MrRight33) April 27, 2019
I like the Diontae Johnson pick. It gives the Steelers a legit possession WR.
— I love a commie..if'n he's good and dead (@JTLovecraft) April 27, 2019
Many within SteelerNation were not:
Wasted pick
— STEELERBRAD (@Scurvybastard77) April 27, 2019
Hated the James Washington and Mason Rudolph picks last year, hate the Diontae Johnson pick this year #SteelersDraft
— Meatloaf Henry (@HenryMeatloaf) April 27, 2019
Diontae Johnson likes retweeting Hollywood Brown nonsense?? I hate this pick even more now, Steelers should have taken him off the board after seeing his Twitter, seems very AB #SteelersDraft
— Meatloaf Henry (@HenryMeatloaf) April 27, 2019
I can't believe the #Steelers passed up Chase Winovich for Diontae Johnson... I'm sorry. #NFLDraft
— Tommy Jaggi (@TommyJaggi) April 27, 2019
Trade down then. No reason to reach for Diontae Johnson this early.
— Jordan (@JordanKaufman) April 27, 2019
Most in the media seemed to approve of the pick, even if some felt it might have been a little early for the receiver to go:
My man on all things Toledo, @bgradkowski5, says that the #Steelers 2nd pick of this draft is LEGIT. Bruce says WR Diontae Johnson has short area quickness, can separate & is good after the catch. I’d venture Bruce knows what kind of WR Ben Roethlisberger likes as well as anyone.
— Aditi Kinkhabwala (@AKinkhabwala) April 27, 2019
Pittsburgh really have this WR drafting thing down.
— Sam Monson (@PFF_Sam) April 27, 2019
Steelers fans gonna love Diontae Johnson https://t.co/vrgzk0cQ3k
I LOVE Diontae Johnson to PIT. He's fantastic.
— Austin Gayle (@PFF_AustinGayle) April 27, 2019
To quote @PFF_Mike, he just moves differently. https://t.co/OLVHMkqWgJ
My comp for Diontae Johnson was...
— Mike Renner (@PFF_Mike) April 27, 2019
Antonio Brown https://t.co/8A4xS747Rq
I love Diontae Johnson. He's really, really good.
— Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) April 27, 2019
Diontae Johnson was a guy I strongly considered predicting as Mr. Irrelevant. Straight line speed and some sizzle but man that's early for him
— Jeff Risdon (@JeffRisdon) April 27, 2019
But if some thought Johnson had gone sooner than expected, many appeared to feel that Pittsburgh got something of a steal with Justin Layne with their second pick in round three.
With the 83rd pick in the 2019 #NFLDraft, we select DB Justin Layne. pic.twitter.com/5ZYd6BCbjD
— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) April 27, 2019
A pick that was received well by fans and media members alike:
Love the Justin Layne pick to Pittsburgh. Fantastic value to get him in the third. Great hips, tough within that five yard box and likes to push receivers around, got plenty of speed.
— Brett Kollmann (@BrettKollmann) April 27, 2019
Solid, solid corner from day one.
A steal for the #Steelers with Justin Layne. He’s a top-50 player IMO and got excellent value here. #NFLDraft
— Joel Bishop (@JoelBishopFB) April 27, 2019
Justin Layne has what you need in a corner in the game now days. Tall, long and good ball skills. He will develop into something special for us. #Steelers
— ✨STEELER NATION WEST COAST✨DEVIN BUSH SZN (@SteelerGangWest) April 27, 2019
I absolutely love the Justin Layne pick!
— (@SteelDynasty7) April 27, 2019
I think Justin Layne is a steal. I like this pick.
— Sean Salmon (@TheRealSean31) April 27, 2019
Justin Layne is a phenomenal athlete that checks every box the #Steelers look for:
— Tommy Jaggi (@TommyJaggi) April 27, 2019
- Big/long/athletic
-Power 5
-High Character #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/Wr9tB1xIig
The Pittsburgh Steelers just got the best cornerback in the draft. Justin Layne is an absolute steal.
— Jonah Tuls (@JonahTulsNFL) April 27, 2019
With the most significant criticism of the Michigan State player coming from the fact that he grew up a Cleveland Browns fan, an issue that Layne is moving quickly to remedy:
New Steeler Justin Layne, who's from Cleveland: 'We're taking all the Browns stuff down now."
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) April 27, 2019
One thing I learned leading up to the draft is that Justin Layne was a die hard #Browns fan growing up & his Dad was a huge fan as well. Browns/Steelers games will be interesting this year for that family #NFLDraft
— Mike Mayer (@offthemike28) April 27, 2019