Steelers' Daylen Everette Seriously Fits The "Classic Tenets" Of Pittsburgh CBs

The Pittsburgh Steelers' defense has its problems, but one of them isn't the secondary. They already have a superstar in Joey Porter Jr., who had a spectacular year three. Now they'll have another star in Jamel Dean, who is coming off one of his best statistical seasons. Dean and Porter should be one of the best cornerback duos in the entire NFL. Not only will they have star power, but also great depth, with Asante Samuel Jr. re-signing on a one-year deal, and Brandin Echols playing admirably in 2025. Along with those two veterans is Daylen Everette, who oozes potential with his freakish athletic ability. 

Everette was selected 85th overall by the Steelers in the most recent NFL Draft. The pick came as a bit of a shock, as other needs could have been addressed ahead of cornerback, such as another wide receiver, safety, or even a linebacker. While the Steelers do have the depth, Samuel and Echols are in contract years, and Dean is up there in age for an NFL cornerback; his three-year deal has a potential out in 2027, allowing the team to get out of it if age becomes an issue. Everette will likely play special teams in his rookie season, potentially getting snaps on defense if injuries occur. However, in 2027, he could become a great value pick. 

Steelers insider Christopher Carter of the Post-Gazette recently wrote an article about the former Georgia Bulldog. He explained Everette's amazing size and athletic ability, mentioning how he uses his speed to guard deep passes and the effort required to stop shorter throws. Carter gives him high praise, calling him a classic Steelers cornerback project with this size and willingness to tackle. 

"Despite the Steelers' brand new coaching staff, Everette's skill set fits the classic tenets of what the Steelers have looked for over the last two decades," Carter explained. "He's fast and keeps a lid on plays to prevent the deep ball, and then works to limit underneath targets."

Carter also mentioned a few things Everette could work on, saying he often gets beaten underneath. 

He also struggles when he has to turn his head to find the ball, along with missing his jam hand off the press.

"While Everette does a good job to keep the lid on a play, he does get beat underneath a good deal and can get caught up when he has to turn his head around to find the ball," Carter wrote. "Oftentimes, he’ll miss his jam hand, or he’ll get beat by a jab step that backs him off and surrenders space underneath."

All of the things Everette struggles with are things Porter and Dean are good at. They are excellent press-man corners, which is what Everette will be as well. He will have the opportunity to learn behind those guys, as well as new defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, who builds the scheme around his players' strengths. Under Graham, Everette should be in the best possible position to maximize his skill set. 

Steelers' Everette Could Be A Great Find

Everette is 6'1", 196 pounds, and ran a 4.38 40-yard dash. He has all of the measurables to be a great NFL corner, with great mentors ahead of him. Porter is great with his hands, something that was once his downfall, committing a lot of penalties in his first two seasons. 

Dean has the winning pedigree; he was the top corner on a Super Bowl-winning team. Those two are the perfect mentors for Everette and all three players are similar in playing style. 

Hopefully, the Steelers can maximize Everette's athletic traits and turn him into a good NFL cornerback. With their depth pieces likely not being long-term, they are going to need him sooner rather than later.   

Follow us for more news!

#SteelerNation