Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Chase Claypool isn't lacking in confidence.
During an interview on the I AM ATHLETE podcast, Claypool laid out his expectations entering Year 3.
"I'm going to say, my second year, I was a better player than I was my first year," Claypool said, via Pro Football Talk. "The plays just didn't work out, right? Some of the plays just didn't go my way. I didn't make some plays I need to make. But as a football player, understanding the game, knowing what to do, knowing where to be, I was better. So I'm going to be better this year.
"And just like you said, understanding I'm not normal -- I feel that way when I'm on the field. I know for a fact I am not like the rest of the guys in the NFL. I know I'm a top-five receiver. I know I'm a top-three receiver."
Playing with a diminished Ben Roethlisberger, Claypool displayed flashes of brilliance but was inconsistent through two seasons. After an impressive rookie campaign, he's coming off a 59-catch, 860-yards, two-TD second season.
Asked to give his prediction for the upcoming season, Claypool noted he's chasing 1,300 yards and 10-plus TDs.
"When I'm working, I'm like, 'I'm a dog.' I'm gonna dog people that are lining up across from me, too," Claypool said. "And I've just got to bring that confidence and I've got to bring that spirit and I've just got to show people. And it's going to happen. And we're going to rewind this and we're going to see this clip in a little bit and they're going to be like, 'Damn, he was right.'"
Claypool owns plenty of talent, but he sits behind Diontae Johnson in the Steelers wideout room, which includes second-round rookie George Pickens.
With Mitchell Trubisky, first-round rookie Kenny Pickett and Mason Rudolph vying for the starting quarterback spot, how the Steelers' passing game will evolve post-Big Ben remains a question mark heading into training camp.
