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Former Ohio State linebacker Ryan Shazier is making some major strides this offseason.
Literally.
During Steelers OTAs, Shazier participated in a race against receivers Antonio Brown, Markus Wheaton and Sammie Coates. Through various Steelers social media accounts, it was confirmed that there was a surprise winner.
At least according to teammate Vince Williams:
There it is #Linebackers pic.twitter.com/fqvH19YwUR
— Vince Williams (@VinnyVidiVici98) June 8, 2016
So if Shazier did win the race, which appears to be the case from that angle, that’s pretty remarkable. He did record a reported 4.36-second 40-yard dash at Ohio State’s pro day. He probably was somewhere close to that if he beat an All-Pro receiver.
Even if Shazier had been a half step behind his fellow wideouts, it had to be a welcome sight for Steeler coaches. He dealt with injuries in each of his first two seasons in the NFL.
Perhaps this is a sign that he’s healthy and ready to maximize his first-round potential.
Connor O'Gara is the senior national columnist for Saturday Tradition. He's a member of the Football Writers Association of America. After spending his entire life living in B1G country, he moved to the South in 2015.