The Pittsburgh Steelers found a true diamond in the rough following the 2022 NFL Draft when they signed undrafted free agent, Jaylen Warren. He has quickly turned into one of the most dynamic backs in the league, and has shown he is the perfect complimentary back to Najee Harris. In 2023, Warren nearly doubled his production from his rookie year in 2022, which included a big game in a victory over the Baltimore Ravens in Week 5.
Steelers' Jaylen Warren Wreaked Havoc On Ravens' Defenders
The Steelers play the Ravens twice a season, and the two are one of the biggest rivals in the NFL. Their first matchup in 2023 came in Week 5, and the Steelers were underdogs at home. They upset the Ravens by a score of 17-10, and a big reason for that was Warren's effectiveness down the stretch. Ravens All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton reflected on Warren's play that day on Marlon Humphrey's podcast, Punch Line Podcast With Marlon Humphrey.
"That boy be running hard. Respect to him. Jaylen Warren running like if he doesn't get these extra two yards, something bad will happen. That one drive at Pittsburgh he had like 60 yards. He hurdled [Ronald] Darby. Spun me."
The drive Hamilton is referring to came when the Steelers were down 10-5 with about 11 minutes left in the fourth quarter. The drive resulted in a field goal for the Steelers, but Warren did all he could to get them down the field. He caught a check down pass from Kenny Pickett and took it for 23 yards, had a 10-yard run, and also had a 16-yard run to get the Steelers inside the Ravens' 10-yard line.
After discussing how hard it is to get Warren down to the ground, the two Ravens defenders spoke about the pain Warren inflicts once they do hit him. Humphrey is one of the better tackling cornerbacks in the NFL, and it is a big reason he is a three time Pro Bowler and was named a First-Team All-Pro in 2019. On that same drive, Humphrey tackled Warren up high to get him to the ground, and he spoke about the aftermath.
"I'm not going to lie, I surprised myself when I made that tackle. I think he thought I was going to go low, and then I didn't. I was hurting."
Hamilton remembered the play clearly, and he even had to go and give Humphrey some help up. He recalls Humphrey being in quite a bit of pain following his surprising tackle.
"That was a good tackle. You were hurting after that tackle. I remember helping you up and you were like, 'Ugh uh ah.'"
Warren is only listed at 5'8 and 215 pounds, but he runs with so much power and emotion, which makes him hard to bring down. He packs a lot of punch for his size, enough so that he was fined on multiple occasions in 2023 for his aggressive running style. He is even a factor when he doesn't have the ball in his hand, as he threw a bone-crushing block against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 16 which paved the way for a Calvin Austin III touchdown.
Warren finished with 79 yards from scrimmage in the Week 5 win over Baltimore, and was extremely important in the fourth quarter for the Steelers to find a way to win that game. Both he and Harris are expected to have big years in 2024, as they both managed to eclipse 1,000 yards from scrimmage in 2023. The Steelers welcomed in Arthur Smith as their new offensive coordinator, and he is known for his running back-friendly offense which was a big reason Derrick Henry was so good with the Tennessee Titans in 2019 and 2020.
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