Steelers' Greatest Winner From The 2026 Spring Has Now Become Impossible To Ignore

Pittsburgh Steelers General Manager Omar Khan and new head coach Mike McCarthy certainly enjoyed having the luxury of significant draft capital in the 2026 NFL Draft. In the third round, with the 85th overall pick, Pittsburgh selected Georgia cornerback Daylen Everette. Without knowing much about Everette, many football fans and Steelers fans immediately assumed it had to be a solid selection, considering he played cornerback for Kirby Smart's Bulldogs in the daunting SEC.

Throughout the early portion of the 2026 offseason, including spring practices and offseason workouts, Everette quickly began turning heads. While the Steelers' situation with Joey Porter Jr.'s contract extension remains unresolved, Pittsburgh still has its young rising star at cornerback. The two sides are expected to reach an agreement in the near future, even if negotiations haven't been the smoothest.

For the 2026 season, the Steelers have Porter, Jamel Dean, and several experienced players ahead of Everette on the depth chart. However, Steelers insider Nick Farabaugh believes Everette is well on his way to becoming a reliable starter in the near future. If that projection comes to fruition, the selection already looks like another home-run pick by Khan at No. 85 overall.

"The other guy that I think could definitely develop from backup into something, and I think he was maybe the biggest winner defensively of the entire spring, and that's Daylen Everette," Farabaugh said while speaking to Chris Carter. "I think Daylen Everette is someone who just made play after play."

The Steelers are going to roll with Porter, Dean, and Jalen Ramsey as the starters in 2026. Behind them, they also have Asante Samuel Jr. and Brandin Echols, so Everette likely won’t see much playing time as a corner in his rookie season. 

However, look for him to make his presence felt on special teams.

"They even challenged him, and he talked about going up against DK Metcalf and making some plays there," Farabaugh said. "You can tell the SEC five-star pedigree is there. He's got the speed, he's got the length, he's got the mindset. He's such a humble player just because he got drafted, but he doesn't think he's made it. He's working on all those little things. He understands that when he was drafted, he had a lot to work on... He's someone with a lot of upside in him. He's probably a year or two away from starting, but right now he could be a gunner and a special teamer. He doesn't have to play because they have guys like Asante Samuel and Brandin Echols. However, Daylen Everette is someone I think the Steelers are really high on, and certainly when Jamel Dean is out of here in the next two or three years, Daylen Everette is someone who can step into that role."

So far, the choice by the Steelers to select Everette in this spot looks like a strong pick, but only time will tell.

Steelers Are Thrilled With Rookie CB Daylen Everette

If Everette continues to build on the strong impression he made during spring practices, he could eventually work his way into a meaningful role in Pittsburgh’s secondary. Even with a loaded cornerback room ahead of him, the Steelers have shown they value development and long-term upside, especially with young defensive backs who can grow within their system.

For now, his impact will likely come on special teams, where he can carve out an early role while refining his technique at the NFL level. But if his trajectory in college and early offseason work is any indication, the Steelers may have found a player who could turn a third-round selection into a much bigger piece of their defense down the line.

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