Steelers’ sleepers are woke
LATROBE 鈥� Mike Hilton kind of appeared out of nowhere.
Not in a global 鈥� or big picture 鈥� sense, but on this play:
Rookie quarterback Joshua Dobbs didn鈥檛 see Hilton, or thought his throw cleared him. It did not. Hilton leaped, plucked and pulled the ball down for a spectacular interception in a clearing that did not include a receiver.
鈥淗e got up there,鈥� said linebacker Tyler Matakevich, who shook his head in admiration. 鈥淗e just got up there. He鈥檚 doing an excellent job.鈥�
Has been since spring practices when Hilton was named the Steelers鈥� sleeper to watch at training camp by none other than Maurkice Pouncey.
There was another diminutive type who came out of the spring as a potential camp sleeper. Trey Williams brought a bundle of energy and a frenetic quickness that鈥檚 been evident through the early part of training camp.
Both players officially stand at under 5 feet 9. Hilton is a 5-8 3/4, 184-pounder who played opposite Senquez Golson at Ole Miss and also spent time at safety. Hilton intercepted six passes, broke up 24, made 226 tackles and forced four fumbles. He also received the immense distinction of wearing Chucky Mullins鈥� No. 38 jersey in 2015 after winning the school鈥檚 Chucky Mullins Courage Award.
Hilton was part of the Steelers鈥� practice squad late last year, so he鈥檚 known to the veterans, who respect his work ethic and playmaking ability. And now Hilton鈥檚 seeing time as the first-team slot cornerback when Will Gay needs a rest.
鈥淗鈥檚 very physical for his size, good footwork and a smart football player,鈥� said cornerback Ross Cockrell.
鈥淢ike, he鈥檚 making plays,鈥� said Matakevich. 鈥淵ou turn on the film, he鈥檚 all over the place. You鈥檝e got to love guys like that.鈥�
Matakevich is one of those guys. Last year鈥檚 seventh-rounder made the team and is now the top replacement at both inside linebacker positions. He鈥檚 also spent practice time chasing down 鈥済uy like that鈥� in Williams, the 5-7 1/2, 200-pound running back.
鈥淗e鈥檚 very, very athletic and very shifty in open space,鈥� Matakevich said. 鈥淵ou can鈥檛 give him too much space.鈥�
Williams was often given too much space at Texas A&M, where he matriculated after being named the Texas High School 5A Offensive Player of the Year. He played in all 13 games at Johnny Manziel鈥檚 A&M as a true freshman in 2012, and that begat a three-year stat line that reads 6.6 yards per carry, 10.3 yards per reception and 24.1 yards per kickoff return.
Williams ran a 4.49 40 at the NFL Combine with a darting 6.84 3-cone time, and draft analyst Nolan Nawrocki wrote that Williams is a 鈥淕adget back and dynamic return specialist who can carve a role as a creative make-you-miss specialty runner.鈥�
Always looking for that type, the Steelers missed on Chris Rainey (5-9, 180) and Dri Archer (5-8, 173), but Williams packs a wallop at 200 pounds in a way 5-7, 190-pound Joe Morris did back in the 1980s for the New York Giants.
Not that Williams remembers the two-time Pro Bowler.
鈥淣o sir,鈥� said Williams. 鈥淏ut I did grow up looking at Walter Payton鈥檚 and Barry Sanders鈥� highlights, just trying to simulate what they did and take some of the things and use it to my advantage.鈥�
Does it work?
鈥淗e鈥檚 a physical runner,鈥� said Cockrell.
And as a receiver, Williams made the veteran Steelers linebackers look foolish in Thursday鈥檚 coverage drill.
As a specialist, Williams was recently thrown into the punt-returners derby along with Eli Rogers and Demarcus Ayers.
As a person, Williams is polite off the field but loud on it. After a big gain in the open field Wednesday ended with a ferocious collision between two safeties, Williams popped up, got in his tacklers鈥� faces and roared, 鈥淟et鈥檚 GO!!鈥�
鈥淗e鈥檚 definitely got a little intensity to him,鈥� said Matakevich. 鈥淗e鈥檚 got a pit bull mentality.鈥�
While both Williams and Hilton epitomize the cliched sportswriting description of 鈥渇ootball players,鈥� both are 鈥� and they鈥檝e heard it before 鈥� a tad small.
鈥淪ize doesn鈥檛 matter,鈥� said Hilton. 鈥淚f you鈥檝e got the ability and the heart to play this game, you belong. Trey feels the same way. We鈥檙e both confident in what we can do and how we can contribute to the team.鈥�
鈥淚 feel like being my size, you鈥檝e got to be 10 times as aggressive,鈥� said Williams. 鈥淧eople are going to underestimate you, and that鈥檚 the thing. We actually have an advantage because they understimate you because of your size. But you get out there and give 110 percent, like Mike said, and you give your all and there鈥檚 no difference.
鈥淗ey, I come from contact. I come from tough football. I know what a hard hit is. But that鈥檚 just like picking up a block. It鈥檚 nothing.鈥�
While Hilton is the humble profile of what the late Chucky Mullins meant to Ole Miss, Williams is the roaring little man with the big chip on his shoulder. At least on the field.
鈥淔or sure, man. I鈥檓 going to make sure you know who I am by the end of the day,鈥� Williams said. 鈥淏ut this is my third camp, sixth team. I鈥檓 just hoping to stick here. I love this team. I love the spot. I love Coach Tomlin. Great guy. My running backs coach, Coach Sax, he鈥檚 doing his best to keep me up on pass pro and just doing the little things right, and I appreciate everything that these guys are doing for me with the opportunity.鈥�
Hilton and Williams are different, but at the same time very similar. Similar to not only each other, but to so many of the under-the-radar football players the Steelers have taken a chance on.
鈥淥h, absolutely,鈥� said Matakevich. 鈥淭he undersized guys just making plays? How can you not like them? You love that.鈥�