Part 4: Safeties and Cornerbacks.
By Thomas Cooper (TMC)
The Steelers secondary is one in transition. The biggest area of concern may be at the safety position. Troy Polamalu has been one of the best in Steeler history at strong safety, but he is closer to the end of his career than he is the beginning. His future with the team has yet to be decided, even though he has two years left under contract. The Steelers need to get younger at the position and have Shamarko Thomas waiting in the wings, but Thomas has battled injury and his potential as a replacement for Polamalu remains murky. The Steelers brought in Mike Mitchell as a free agent last season and he had a rocky first season. He has elite size and speed for the safety position and really had a strong season with the Carolina Panthers in 2013. The Steelers have mentioned the possibility of moving him to strong safety and this further muddies the water at the safety position because if Mitchell moves, it means they are looking at a new strong safety and a new free safety. It creates an unclear path filled with indecision and brings up more questions than it answers. This really makes the draft unclear at the safety position and because of this uncertainty; it makes the potential needs at safety and draft value of the position to this team a huge question. With this in mind, here are some potential safety candidates that could fit well.
Landon Collins of Alabama makes the list only because he is being selected to the Steelers in various mock drafts. Collins has the size at 6000-228 pounds and speed with a 4.53 forty that many teams covet. The issue with Collins is in his game. Collins is not a consistent tackler in the run game. He will often lead with his shoulder and cut at the runner’s legs. He does not wrap up consistently and this could lead to some issues at the next level because NFL runners show more power and balance in their game. It reasons that Collins will miss more tackles unless he revises his overall tackling technique. He will flash as a big hitter at times, but without that consistency, it can make him a liability as a last line of defense. This brings into question his ability to be a truly effective strong safety. As a free safety, Collins has excellent range and plays the ball well in the air. The biggest caveat in his game is he will take some angles that place him in a poor position to make plays on the football. These angles will often place him in a trail position when he rule is to be as deep as the deepest man, making plays on the ball as he is coming forward. This also leads me to believe that, when facing faster competition, these slight errors could become glaring issues. It is another area where Collins would simply need a more well-rounded game to be considered with the 22nd overall selection. With the potential talent that would be on the board with the 22nd pick, it makes sense that Collins does not fall into the best player available area and if the Steelers focus on need, other needs are more pressing.
Damarious Randall of Arizona State has nice size at 5107, 196 pounds. He has solid speed running a 4.46 forty and that time translates to the field. He has nice change of direction and the ability to cover wide receivers in man situations. He appears most comfortable in zone coverages with the ability to hold his position, muddy passing lanes, forcing the quarterback to throw into tight windows or move through his progressions. Randall also has the ability to turn and run with receivers that are passing through his area to maintain deep responsibility. He has solid ball skills and simply appears to be a solid and improving coverage safety. His greatest strength may be his ability to close on plays in front of him. Where Randall has concerns is when he is asked to be a last line of defense in the run game. He is not physical in run support and does not show great prowess as a tackler. When compared to Collins, he is better in coverage but lacking in run support and Collins is not overly impressive as a run defender. He is a player that will need to improve in that area, but he could pay early dividends as an extra defensive back, especially if he is used to cover slot receivers or move tight ends.
Gerod Holliman of Louisville has solid size at 5116, 218 pounds. He plays faster than his 4.62 forty time indicates. He shows better straight-line speed than change of direction. He is not a player I would trust through run support because he will take some poor angles, throw his body into the runner, and does not always wrap the runner and bring him to the ground. He shows some willingness to support the run, but Holliman’s best attribute is his ability to patrol the deep middle and force turnovers. He has the ability to get in position to affect many plays on the back end of the defense. He does show the tendency to gamble and can get caught moving forward to jump routes while allowing receivers to come open on the back end, and this could be a significant problem with the speed of NFL receivers. The upside to that is, Holliman tends to jump many routes and he has solid ball skills. He can be a significant factor in a football game, both good and bad. Holliman is a highly risky player, but for a team that is struggling to generate turnovers, he could be worth the risk. If he could channel that gambler’s instinct, hone his ability to make the right reads and remove some of the riskier decisions, he has the potential to be a turnover machine.
Durrell Eskeridge of Syracuse is listed as a free safety, but he has the ability to move between both positions. Eskeridge is 6027, 208 pounds and ran a 4.63 forty at the combine. Eskeridge shows better straight-line speed than he does change of direction and will often need a few steps to throttle down in order to make his breaks. He is not the smoothest athlete but he does show a certain steadiness in his overall game. He is not a player that is caught out of position often. He shows solid play recognition and good overall positioning. He uses his perceptive football skills to cover some of the issues with athleticism. He is physical in the run game and does a solid job of taking on blockers, driving them to a side and forcing the runner to move into a lane he determines. He is not afraid to force the action and generally shows a solid ability to put runners on the ground. He is not a huge striker but is a solid tackler. He can arrive late to the play when in coverage, usually making the tackle but not making many plays on the football. While Eskeridge has some things to like about his game, he may never rise above the level of backup safety in the league, but he could contribute as a key backup to both safety positions while providing help on special teams.
Adrian Amos of Penn State has all the raw numbers teams look for in a free safety. He is 6004, 218 pounds and ran a 4.56 forty. Amos then turned in a 4.39 forty at his pro day, which is excellent for a safety his size. He shows excellent change of direction skills and overall athleticism. He is a solid tackling safety that will deliver some solid hits. He wraps up well and is generally a solid tackler, although he can struggle with elite athletes in the open space. He has also shown some excellent skills in coverage. He is used in a variety of roles including walking up and jamming slot receiver, working the deeper parts of the field in zone coverages, and playing a combination of coverages depending on the scheme. He is a very versatile player that could potentially play strong safety, but he has the feel of a player that could develop into a starting free safety. He contributes on special teams and has enough athletic skills in coverage to compete for a role as an extra defensive back in a team’s packages.
Robenson Therezie of Auburn truly fits the mold of what the Steelers look to draft at safety. Therezie is 5095, 205 pounds and runs a 4.39 forty. He has solid strength and change of direction. Therizie is a player that Auburn moved around into a variety of roles. He started a lot of games at Auburn’s star position on defense, which is a hybrid linebacker/safety. He has a lot of experience playing in the box and shows some willingness to support the run, although he often struggles to shed blockers at the point of attack. Therezie is a solid tackling defensive back that will wrap up runners and drag them to the ground. In coverage, he shows the ability to handle man and zone situations although size is an issue when facing bigger receivers. He changes directions well in coverage and shows the ability to mirror receivers, keeping tight windows and creating tougher throwing lanes. Therezie has some tools that could be developed and has the mindset needed to become a very good special team’s player.
Jermaine Whitehead of Auburn brings a little more size to the position than Therezie at 5110, 197 pounds. He does not show the elite long speed, but his 4.50 forty is solid. He tends to play faster than he times and has solid change of direction ability. He is solid in run support and can deliver some solid hits on runners. He will allow some runners to slip through arm tackles but generally does a solid job of putting guys on the ground. He has solid change of direction in coverage and has the ability to creep up onto the receivers and tight ends in man coverage. He can stick with receivers over short areas and should be a solid in-the-box type safety. He will need to continue to improve in his overall reads and if he is asked to play deeper coverage, his angles and instincts could improve. He was suspended for several games last season due to his attitude towards one of the coaches, but he was re-instated and finished out the season without incident. His approach to the game and raw physical attributes should lend to him getting early minutes on special teams.
The one thing that stands out at the safety position is, it lacks blue chip players at the top and really does not provide a great deal of depth. It is a position in this draft where you select a player and hope he can improve in areas to become a starter, but the growth process could be a long one. The cornerback position is different. While there may not be an elite cornerback in this draft, at least not by virtue of having several players taken in the top 15, this draft provides some excellent developmental players through the rounds. There are several players that will be listed at cornerback here but have safety potential and have played safety in their career, the key is they have the ability to play cornerback and will get a chance to secure that role before being shifted to safety.
While everyone will list Trae Waynes and Marcus Peters at the top of the cornerback draft board, I do not think they will be as high on the Steelers’ radar for various reasons. Peters has been interviewed by the Steelers and there have been mentions of him coming in for a pre-draft visit, although that has not been confirmed. Peters biggest issue is he was dismissed by his collegiate coaches from the team. Aside from his on-the-field potential, the Steelers coaching staff just dismissed Blount simply because of attitude issues. I simply do not believe they want to invite that potential back into their locker room if there are similarly talented players available, and Peters ability is not vastly greater than other corners available. Trae Waynes is different. He does not carry the off-the-field baggage. Waynes is a very good corner that will likely get selected prior to the Steelers’ time on the clock. I still believe the Steelers would shy away from Waynes. They tend to prefer corners that are technically sound, show loose hips, and can change direction. Waynes has elite speed, but he lacks that fluidness that allows him to stay with receivers across the field. I believe he will be limited to an edge role and could struggle to stay with the quicker receivers in the NFL. If you look at the past two drafts, the Steelers passed on highly rated corners Darqueze Dennard and Xavier Rhodes, both had enough straight-line speed, were highly rated, and had the size the Steelers desire, but both lacked the loose hips and change of direction skills. With those factors in mind, it is time to find the cornerbacks that might be on the Steelers’ radar.
Kevin Johnson of Wake Forest may be the top cornerback on the Steelers wish list. He is 6002, 188 pounds and ran a 4.52 forty at the combine. He is an excellent leaper with elite change of direction skills. On film, Johnson has a lot to like and if you were looking at a checklist of things the Steelers want in a corner, he checks a lot of boxes. Johnson is willing in run support. He attacks the run game with the mentality of a linebacker. He will take on blockers to force the runner to stay inside, allowing help to come. He will play off some blockers, especially the blocks of wide receivers, and make the tackle. He is one of the better tackling defensive backs in the NFL and does an excellent job of dropping his pads and wrapping up the runner. Johnson also shows the ability to play in a variety of coverages and schemes. He plays press man and has loose hips, allowing him to flip open and run with receivers down the field. He does a solid job of getting his arm and body onto the receiver and rubbing off speed allowing him to maintain control and position down the field. In off coverages, both man and zone, he shows solid feel and the ability to click and close on shorter routes. He has a smooth backpedal and stays low in his stance, flipping his hips open and running with receivers easily. He is an aggressive blitzing defensive back that delivers a hit when he arrives. He also works as a gunner on punt coverage teams. Johnson just does not have many holes in his overall game and simply plays a steady and consistent brand of football.
Byron Jones of Connecticut may be the most intriguing cornerback in this draft class. He has elite attributes across the board. He is 6005, 199 pounds. At his pro day, his forty times were in the 4.36-4.45 range while adding 18 reps on the bench. At the combine, he had a vertical jump of 44 ½” while adding a broad jump of 12’03”, both outstanding numbers. He also showed elite change of direction skills. Jones is a physical player against the run and is more than willing to come forward and make plays. He is a solid tackling cornerback that is more than willing to take on blockers, shed, and move to the football. He shows the ability to play a variety of coverages. While Jones states he prefers to play press-man coverage, he is also strong in off-man and zone coverages, showing the ability to flip his hips and run with most receivers. He also shows the ability to click-and-close on shorter routes, delivering solid hits when he arrives. He has nice ball skills and good hands. If not for a shoulder injury that sidelined Jones, he could have potentially climbed to the top of this draft class. All the tools are there for Jones to become an elite NFL cornerback.
Eric Rowe of Utah is a player that is probably higher on the Steelers radar than some other players. Rowe has the size the Steelers covet at 6006, 205 pounds. He has solid strength, is an excellent leaper, and shows elite change of direction. In addition, Rowe has played both cornerback and safety, very similar in many ways to the Steelers secondary coach Carnell Lake. Rowe is solid in run support, although he is not a big striker; he does a solid job of wrapping up the ball carrier and putting him on the ground. He is not afraid of taking on blockers and shows the ability to be strong on the edge. In coverage, he is at his best in press man coverage. He shows a willingness to be physical with receivers at the line of scrimmage and can turn and run with most receivers down the field. He reads receivers well and will get his head around and make plays on the football. He also looks comfortable in zone coverages, especially cover-3 where he has deeper responsibilities. He has the ability to play the deep end and attacks the ball in the air in front of him well. He needs some time to refine his underneath zone coverages as he will give room in situations and allow catches where, once he raises his comfort level, he may be more willing to cheat into passing lanes. It is a coverage he did not play extensively in college and appears to be something that will improve greatly with coaching and time. Like Johnson and Jones, Rowe has a lot to like about his overall game and has the look and feel of the type of cornerback the Steelers covet.
Ronald Darby of Florida State may be a stretch to fit the mold of what the Steelers desire at cornerback. He has the size at 5105, 193 pounds and shows elite speed running a 4.38 forty. He is an excellent leaper with solid change of direction. Where Darby does not fit is he is more of a pure cover cornerback that is not strong in run support. He does not show great upper body power and does not play with a physical nature. While Darby will get involved and make the tackle when he has to do so, he is more than willing to allow other players to do the heavy lifting. Where Darby excels is in pass coverage. He has the ability to run with any wide receiver. He shows the ability to turn quickly, maintain body position and stack the receiver, and run with him down the field maintaining that position. He has excellent ball skills and good hands. He has the ability to turn the ball over when challenged and does a nice job of fighting for the ball in the air. He can play a variety of coverages but appears to be at his best in man coverages. He does not completely fit the mold of what the Steelers generally covet at cornerback, but if the Steelers fail to meet needs prior to the second or third round, Darby’s value could be too great to pass.
By Thomas Cooper (TMC)
The Steelers secondary is one in transition. The biggest area of concern may be at the safety position. Troy Polamalu has been one of the best in Steeler history at strong safety, but he is closer to the end of his career than he is the beginning. His future with the team has yet to be decided, even though he has two years left under contract. The Steelers need to get younger at the position and have Shamarko Thomas waiting in the wings, but Thomas has battled injury and his potential as a replacement for Polamalu remains murky. The Steelers brought in Mike Mitchell as a free agent last season and he had a rocky first season. He has elite size and speed for the safety position and really had a strong season with the Carolina Panthers in 2013. The Steelers have mentioned the possibility of moving him to strong safety and this further muddies the water at the safety position because if Mitchell moves, it means they are looking at a new strong safety and a new free safety. It creates an unclear path filled with indecision and brings up more questions than it answers. This really makes the draft unclear at the safety position and because of this uncertainty; it makes the potential needs at safety and draft value of the position to this team a huge question. With this in mind, here are some potential safety candidates that could fit well.
Landon Collins of Alabama makes the list only because he is being selected to the Steelers in various mock drafts. Collins has the size at 6000-228 pounds and speed with a 4.53 forty that many teams covet. The issue with Collins is in his game. Collins is not a consistent tackler in the run game. He will often lead with his shoulder and cut at the runner’s legs. He does not wrap up consistently and this could lead to some issues at the next level because NFL runners show more power and balance in their game. It reasons that Collins will miss more tackles unless he revises his overall tackling technique. He will flash as a big hitter at times, but without that consistency, it can make him a liability as a last line of defense. This brings into question his ability to be a truly effective strong safety. As a free safety, Collins has excellent range and plays the ball well in the air. The biggest caveat in his game is he will take some angles that place him in a poor position to make plays on the football. These angles will often place him in a trail position when he rule is to be as deep as the deepest man, making plays on the ball as he is coming forward. This also leads me to believe that, when facing faster competition, these slight errors could become glaring issues. It is another area where Collins would simply need a more well-rounded game to be considered with the 22nd overall selection. With the potential talent that would be on the board with the 22nd pick, it makes sense that Collins does not fall into the best player available area and if the Steelers focus on need, other needs are more pressing.
Damarious Randall of Arizona State has nice size at 5107, 196 pounds. He has solid speed running a 4.46 forty and that time translates to the field. He has nice change of direction and the ability to cover wide receivers in man situations. He appears most comfortable in zone coverages with the ability to hold his position, muddy passing lanes, forcing the quarterback to throw into tight windows or move through his progressions. Randall also has the ability to turn and run with receivers that are passing through his area to maintain deep responsibility. He has solid ball skills and simply appears to be a solid and improving coverage safety. His greatest strength may be his ability to close on plays in front of him. Where Randall has concerns is when he is asked to be a last line of defense in the run game. He is not physical in run support and does not show great prowess as a tackler. When compared to Collins, he is better in coverage but lacking in run support and Collins is not overly impressive as a run defender. He is a player that will need to improve in that area, but he could pay early dividends as an extra defensive back, especially if he is used to cover slot receivers or move tight ends.
Gerod Holliman of Louisville has solid size at 5116, 218 pounds. He plays faster than his 4.62 forty time indicates. He shows better straight-line speed than change of direction. He is not a player I would trust through run support because he will take some poor angles, throw his body into the runner, and does not always wrap the runner and bring him to the ground. He shows some willingness to support the run, but Holliman’s best attribute is his ability to patrol the deep middle and force turnovers. He has the ability to get in position to affect many plays on the back end of the defense. He does show the tendency to gamble and can get caught moving forward to jump routes while allowing receivers to come open on the back end, and this could be a significant problem with the speed of NFL receivers. The upside to that is, Holliman tends to jump many routes and he has solid ball skills. He can be a significant factor in a football game, both good and bad. Holliman is a highly risky player, but for a team that is struggling to generate turnovers, he could be worth the risk. If he could channel that gambler’s instinct, hone his ability to make the right reads and remove some of the riskier decisions, he has the potential to be a turnover machine.
Durrell Eskeridge of Syracuse is listed as a free safety, but he has the ability to move between both positions. Eskeridge is 6027, 208 pounds and ran a 4.63 forty at the combine. Eskeridge shows better straight-line speed than he does change of direction and will often need a few steps to throttle down in order to make his breaks. He is not the smoothest athlete but he does show a certain steadiness in his overall game. He is not a player that is caught out of position often. He shows solid play recognition and good overall positioning. He uses his perceptive football skills to cover some of the issues with athleticism. He is physical in the run game and does a solid job of taking on blockers, driving them to a side and forcing the runner to move into a lane he determines. He is not afraid to force the action and generally shows a solid ability to put runners on the ground. He is not a huge striker but is a solid tackler. He can arrive late to the play when in coverage, usually making the tackle but not making many plays on the football. While Eskeridge has some things to like about his game, he may never rise above the level of backup safety in the league, but he could contribute as a key backup to both safety positions while providing help on special teams.
Adrian Amos of Penn State has all the raw numbers teams look for in a free safety. He is 6004, 218 pounds and ran a 4.56 forty. Amos then turned in a 4.39 forty at his pro day, which is excellent for a safety his size. He shows excellent change of direction skills and overall athleticism. He is a solid tackling safety that will deliver some solid hits. He wraps up well and is generally a solid tackler, although he can struggle with elite athletes in the open space. He has also shown some excellent skills in coverage. He is used in a variety of roles including walking up and jamming slot receiver, working the deeper parts of the field in zone coverages, and playing a combination of coverages depending on the scheme. He is a very versatile player that could potentially play strong safety, but he has the feel of a player that could develop into a starting free safety. He contributes on special teams and has enough athletic skills in coverage to compete for a role as an extra defensive back in a team’s packages.
Robenson Therezie of Auburn truly fits the mold of what the Steelers look to draft at safety. Therezie is 5095, 205 pounds and runs a 4.39 forty. He has solid strength and change of direction. Therizie is a player that Auburn moved around into a variety of roles. He started a lot of games at Auburn’s star position on defense, which is a hybrid linebacker/safety. He has a lot of experience playing in the box and shows some willingness to support the run, although he often struggles to shed blockers at the point of attack. Therezie is a solid tackling defensive back that will wrap up runners and drag them to the ground. In coverage, he shows the ability to handle man and zone situations although size is an issue when facing bigger receivers. He changes directions well in coverage and shows the ability to mirror receivers, keeping tight windows and creating tougher throwing lanes. Therezie has some tools that could be developed and has the mindset needed to become a very good special team’s player.
Jermaine Whitehead of Auburn brings a little more size to the position than Therezie at 5110, 197 pounds. He does not show the elite long speed, but his 4.50 forty is solid. He tends to play faster than he times and has solid change of direction ability. He is solid in run support and can deliver some solid hits on runners. He will allow some runners to slip through arm tackles but generally does a solid job of putting guys on the ground. He has solid change of direction in coverage and has the ability to creep up onto the receivers and tight ends in man coverage. He can stick with receivers over short areas and should be a solid in-the-box type safety. He will need to continue to improve in his overall reads and if he is asked to play deeper coverage, his angles and instincts could improve. He was suspended for several games last season due to his attitude towards one of the coaches, but he was re-instated and finished out the season without incident. His approach to the game and raw physical attributes should lend to him getting early minutes on special teams.
The one thing that stands out at the safety position is, it lacks blue chip players at the top and really does not provide a great deal of depth. It is a position in this draft where you select a player and hope he can improve in areas to become a starter, but the growth process could be a long one. The cornerback position is different. While there may not be an elite cornerback in this draft, at least not by virtue of having several players taken in the top 15, this draft provides some excellent developmental players through the rounds. There are several players that will be listed at cornerback here but have safety potential and have played safety in their career, the key is they have the ability to play cornerback and will get a chance to secure that role before being shifted to safety.
While everyone will list Trae Waynes and Marcus Peters at the top of the cornerback draft board, I do not think they will be as high on the Steelers’ radar for various reasons. Peters has been interviewed by the Steelers and there have been mentions of him coming in for a pre-draft visit, although that has not been confirmed. Peters biggest issue is he was dismissed by his collegiate coaches from the team. Aside from his on-the-field potential, the Steelers coaching staff just dismissed Blount simply because of attitude issues. I simply do not believe they want to invite that potential back into their locker room if there are similarly talented players available, and Peters ability is not vastly greater than other corners available. Trae Waynes is different. He does not carry the off-the-field baggage. Waynes is a very good corner that will likely get selected prior to the Steelers’ time on the clock. I still believe the Steelers would shy away from Waynes. They tend to prefer corners that are technically sound, show loose hips, and can change direction. Waynes has elite speed, but he lacks that fluidness that allows him to stay with receivers across the field. I believe he will be limited to an edge role and could struggle to stay with the quicker receivers in the NFL. If you look at the past two drafts, the Steelers passed on highly rated corners Darqueze Dennard and Xavier Rhodes, both had enough straight-line speed, were highly rated, and had the size the Steelers desire, but both lacked the loose hips and change of direction skills. With those factors in mind, it is time to find the cornerbacks that might be on the Steelers’ radar.
Kevin Johnson of Wake Forest may be the top cornerback on the Steelers wish list. He is 6002, 188 pounds and ran a 4.52 forty at the combine. He is an excellent leaper with elite change of direction skills. On film, Johnson has a lot to like and if you were looking at a checklist of things the Steelers want in a corner, he checks a lot of boxes. Johnson is willing in run support. He attacks the run game with the mentality of a linebacker. He will take on blockers to force the runner to stay inside, allowing help to come. He will play off some blockers, especially the blocks of wide receivers, and make the tackle. He is one of the better tackling defensive backs in the NFL and does an excellent job of dropping his pads and wrapping up the runner. Johnson also shows the ability to play in a variety of coverages and schemes. He plays press man and has loose hips, allowing him to flip open and run with receivers down the field. He does a solid job of getting his arm and body onto the receiver and rubbing off speed allowing him to maintain control and position down the field. In off coverages, both man and zone, he shows solid feel and the ability to click and close on shorter routes. He has a smooth backpedal and stays low in his stance, flipping his hips open and running with receivers easily. He is an aggressive blitzing defensive back that delivers a hit when he arrives. He also works as a gunner on punt coverage teams. Johnson just does not have many holes in his overall game and simply plays a steady and consistent brand of football.
Byron Jones of Connecticut may be the most intriguing cornerback in this draft class. He has elite attributes across the board. He is 6005, 199 pounds. At his pro day, his forty times were in the 4.36-4.45 range while adding 18 reps on the bench. At the combine, he had a vertical jump of 44 ½” while adding a broad jump of 12’03”, both outstanding numbers. He also showed elite change of direction skills. Jones is a physical player against the run and is more than willing to come forward and make plays. He is a solid tackling cornerback that is more than willing to take on blockers, shed, and move to the football. He shows the ability to play a variety of coverages. While Jones states he prefers to play press-man coverage, he is also strong in off-man and zone coverages, showing the ability to flip his hips and run with most receivers. He also shows the ability to click-and-close on shorter routes, delivering solid hits when he arrives. He has nice ball skills and good hands. If not for a shoulder injury that sidelined Jones, he could have potentially climbed to the top of this draft class. All the tools are there for Jones to become an elite NFL cornerback.
Eric Rowe of Utah is a player that is probably higher on the Steelers radar than some other players. Rowe has the size the Steelers covet at 6006, 205 pounds. He has solid strength, is an excellent leaper, and shows elite change of direction. In addition, Rowe has played both cornerback and safety, very similar in many ways to the Steelers secondary coach Carnell Lake. Rowe is solid in run support, although he is not a big striker; he does a solid job of wrapping up the ball carrier and putting him on the ground. He is not afraid of taking on blockers and shows the ability to be strong on the edge. In coverage, he is at his best in press man coverage. He shows a willingness to be physical with receivers at the line of scrimmage and can turn and run with most receivers down the field. He reads receivers well and will get his head around and make plays on the football. He also looks comfortable in zone coverages, especially cover-3 where he has deeper responsibilities. He has the ability to play the deep end and attacks the ball in the air in front of him well. He needs some time to refine his underneath zone coverages as he will give room in situations and allow catches where, once he raises his comfort level, he may be more willing to cheat into passing lanes. It is a coverage he did not play extensively in college and appears to be something that will improve greatly with coaching and time. Like Johnson and Jones, Rowe has a lot to like about his overall game and has the look and feel of the type of cornerback the Steelers covet.
Ronald Darby of Florida State may be a stretch to fit the mold of what the Steelers desire at cornerback. He has the size at 5105, 193 pounds and shows elite speed running a 4.38 forty. He is an excellent leaper with solid change of direction. Where Darby does not fit is he is more of a pure cover cornerback that is not strong in run support. He does not show great upper body power and does not play with a physical nature. While Darby will get involved and make the tackle when he has to do so, he is more than willing to allow other players to do the heavy lifting. Where Darby excels is in pass coverage. He has the ability to run with any wide receiver. He shows the ability to turn quickly, maintain body position and stack the receiver, and run with him down the field maintaining that position. He has excellent ball skills and good hands. He has the ability to turn the ball over when challenged and does a nice job of fighting for the ball in the air. He can play a variety of coverages but appears to be at his best in man coverages. He does not completely fit the mold of what the Steelers generally covet at cornerback, but if the Steelers fail to meet needs prior to the second or third round, Darby’s value could be too great to pass.
