Pittsburgh Steelers Wide Receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster Ranked One Of NFL's Most Marketable Players
PITTSBURGH (KDKA)-- JuJu Smith-Schuster is a major fan favorite with the Steelers, and a new study shows the star is one of the most marketable players in the league.
Street & Smith's Sports Business Daily ranked JuJu the 7th most marketable player, tied with Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt.
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was ranked first on the list, with Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and quarterback Baker Mayfield at third and fourth respectively.
The survey was distributed to marketing and branding executives, sports business professors and both print and on-air football media. The 40 respondents listed top five most marketable players in the NFL. Points were awarded on a five-point scale.
JuJu received two 1st place votes, one 2nd place vote, four 3rd place votes, two 4th place votes and three 5th place votes for a total of 33 points.
Street & Smith gave some analysis on JuJu's finish in the standings:
"Steelers WR JuJu Smith-Schuster just missed out on the top five in this survey, but things could be different in 12 months. Despite playing largely in Antonio Brown's shadow during his first two NFL seasons, Smith-Schuster's appearance on the list is driven in large part by his social media acumen, interest in esports and open, accessible personality. Goldring said Smith-Schuster is a "new-age hero," and called him the "epitome of the next generation." NFL Network's Kay Adams said Generation Z "loves him," and it is easy to see why. Smith-Schuster knows his appeal and how to maximize it, and is well positioned to be at the forefront of the NFL's marketing initiatives going forward."