LLT
02-19-2016, 09:25 AM
Steelers Draft: Cornerback prospects in every round
by Perry Biggerstaff
www.stillcurtain.com
021916
The vast majority of the Steelers fan base sits with fingers crossed, in hopeful anticipation that the front office will finally fix the achilles heel of this team; the defensive secondary.
Conventional wisdom is that the Steelers organization will address the need for cornerbacks early in the 2016 NFL draft. I have gone on record as saying that I believe Pittsburgh may bring in a free agent cornerback at the right price, but also draft for the future at the position.
Over the past few weeks, I spent a good deal of time…actually WAY too much time reading reviews and breakdowns of college prospects. More importantly, I spent time to look at the game tape of college cornerbacks who have declared for the draft. All this, in order to compile a list of 7 cornerbacks (one per round) that the Steelers could target.
Now, before I get started, let’s be clear on something. As with all drafts, the real talent lies primarily in the first two rounds. It’s there, that the Steelers will probably look for a future starter. Can talent be found in the latter rounds? Yes…but statistically it’s almost as rare to have first round busts like Ryan Leaf and Johnny Manziel then it is to find those rare gems in the later rounds such as Marques Colston and Antonio Brown. Talent tends to rise to the top, and with the proper diligence, most teams can weed out busts or avoid players with red flags. Consequently, teams will take a flyer on players in the last half of the draft who either played against lesser talent then their big school counterparts or who may need a few years to develop.
1st Round: Eli Apple of Ohio State. 6’1 200 pounds.
No surprise here. Apple has been mentioned as a possible draft pick for several weeks now and for good reason. He is a physical corner with above average instincts and has both the size and athleticism that the Steelers desperately need. Game tape shows very good footwork and a fluid back pedal. He will need to be coached up on technique and hand placement but overall seems to put himself in good position to defend the pass. The one flaw that I noticed was a tendency to be off on his timing in run support. As any coach who teaches fundamentals will tell you, one late step can mean a missed tackle. Apple is a two year starter and plays both man and zone coverage equally well
2nd Round: Artie Burns Of Miami. 6’0 193 pounds
After watching a few games of Artie Burns, I have to admit that I would absolutely love to see Artie Burns in the black and gold. Though not as aggressive as Eli Apple, he appears to have more versatility and better instincts in run support. I think Burns has the higher ceiling for a team that can give him a year or two to come into his own. He has played cornerback and safety and possesses a straight line speed that could make him a terror coming off the edge as a blitzer. The Miami prospect has all the tools that the Steelers should be looking for when drafting a defensive back including both attitude and aptitude. Probably my favorite cornerback prospect in this draft. Don’t be surprised if Burns rises on draft charts or is snatched earlier by a team coveting his potential
read more at http://stillcurtain.com/2016/02/19/steelers-draft-cornerback-prospects-in-every-round/
by Perry Biggerstaff
www.stillcurtain.com
021916
The vast majority of the Steelers fan base sits with fingers crossed, in hopeful anticipation that the front office will finally fix the achilles heel of this team; the defensive secondary.
Conventional wisdom is that the Steelers organization will address the need for cornerbacks early in the 2016 NFL draft. I have gone on record as saying that I believe Pittsburgh may bring in a free agent cornerback at the right price, but also draft for the future at the position.
Over the past few weeks, I spent a good deal of time…actually WAY too much time reading reviews and breakdowns of college prospects. More importantly, I spent time to look at the game tape of college cornerbacks who have declared for the draft. All this, in order to compile a list of 7 cornerbacks (one per round) that the Steelers could target.
Now, before I get started, let’s be clear on something. As with all drafts, the real talent lies primarily in the first two rounds. It’s there, that the Steelers will probably look for a future starter. Can talent be found in the latter rounds? Yes…but statistically it’s almost as rare to have first round busts like Ryan Leaf and Johnny Manziel then it is to find those rare gems in the later rounds such as Marques Colston and Antonio Brown. Talent tends to rise to the top, and with the proper diligence, most teams can weed out busts or avoid players with red flags. Consequently, teams will take a flyer on players in the last half of the draft who either played against lesser talent then their big school counterparts or who may need a few years to develop.
1st Round: Eli Apple of Ohio State. 6’1 200 pounds.
No surprise here. Apple has been mentioned as a possible draft pick for several weeks now and for good reason. He is a physical corner with above average instincts and has both the size and athleticism that the Steelers desperately need. Game tape shows very good footwork and a fluid back pedal. He will need to be coached up on technique and hand placement but overall seems to put himself in good position to defend the pass. The one flaw that I noticed was a tendency to be off on his timing in run support. As any coach who teaches fundamentals will tell you, one late step can mean a missed tackle. Apple is a two year starter and plays both man and zone coverage equally well
2nd Round: Artie Burns Of Miami. 6’0 193 pounds
After watching a few games of Artie Burns, I have to admit that I would absolutely love to see Artie Burns in the black and gold. Though not as aggressive as Eli Apple, he appears to have more versatility and better instincts in run support. I think Burns has the higher ceiling for a team that can give him a year or two to come into his own. He has played cornerback and safety and possesses a straight line speed that could make him a terror coming off the edge as a blitzer. The Miami prospect has all the tools that the Steelers should be looking for when drafting a defensive back including both attitude and aptitude. Probably my favorite cornerback prospect in this draft. Don’t be surprised if Burns rises on draft charts or is snatched earlier by a team coveting his potential
read more at http://stillcurtain.com/2016/02/19/steelers-draft-cornerback-prospects-in-every-round/