Heading into the NFL draft, Wake Forest safety Jessie Bates III was a popular selection among the mock experts for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Sadly for Bates, he was taken by the Cincinnati Bengals in Round 2 after the Steelers opted for Terrell Edmunds with their top pick instead.
The rookie safety might have two established starters playing ahead of him in George Iloka and Shawn Williams, but he still figures to see a significant number of snaps this year. Eager for the season to began, Bates even has some key games picked out from the 2018 schedule that he’s particularly looking forward to, as he told D.