Veteran receiver Mike Wallace says he can already see spurts of his former teammate Antonio Brown in Minnesota Vikings rookie wide receiver Stefon Diggs.
Wallace and Brown were teammates in Pittsburgh in the beginning of their careers. The Steelers drafted Brown in the sixth round of the 2010 draft. Though Brown had a limited impact during his rookie campaign, he had a strong second season -- during which he racked up 1,108 receiving yards.
Diggs also was a late-round selection. Despite the similarities between their paths to the NFL, it's Diggs' skill set on the field that reminds Wallace of his former teammate.
"You can tell from Day One who can play football or not," Wallace said, per Matt Vensel of The Star Tribune. "They have some exceptions where guys get better drastically over time. But for the most part, you can tell from Day One, can he play or can he not play? And I always felt like (Diggs) could from Day One. ... Just the skill set, the way he runs his routes, the energy that he has. It reminds me of (Brown)."
Once told about Wallace's comparison, Diggs was flattered but believes he still has a long way to go.
"You want to say 'thank you' ... but the work has yet to be done," Diggs said. "There's a lot more plays to be made out there before I get to that point.
"I believe everyone is different. Antonio Brown, excuse my language, is a hell of an athlete and a hell of a receiver, and I have yet to work to that point. I'm just trying to earn my stripes."
