"They Might Have Hit A Home Run": Steelers Put Rookie Daylen Everette Through Difficult Early Test

The Pittsburgh Steelers’ cornerbacks were a big area of concern for Omar Khan. During the 2026 offseason, he quickly spoke about how important it was to have proper cornerback depth. The Steelers improved in that area by pairing Joey Porter Jr. with Jalen Ramsey, Jamel Dean, Asante Samuel Jr., and Brandin Echols. Pittsburgh also drafted Daylen Everette in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft. So far, he has allegedly been incredible through the early stages of training camp.

Khan did not make those moves simply to add names to the depth chart. The Steelers needed reliable answers after watching their secondary become far too thin at different points in recent years. Pittsburgh now has legitimate experience, versatility, and competition throughout the room, which could completely change how Patrick Graham attacks opposing offenses.

Everette was always an intriguing selection because of what he showed at Georgia. The former SEC cornerback has the size, physicality, and big-game experience that Pittsburgh loves in a defensive back. Still, it is one thing to look good coming out of college and another to immediately stand out against NFL receivers, especially in a cornerback room packed with veterans who have already earned their respect around the league.

According to Steelers insider Gerry Dulac, the Steelers are starting to believe they hit a home run with the former SEC cornerback. Everette has reportedly been Pittsburgh’s best rookie at training camp so far, and the Steelers are already putting him through difficult tests to find out just how real those early flashes are.

"But they think they might have hit a home run with Everette, their third-round pick from Georgia. He has been the best rookie at training camp, and they are putting him to the test to see if they are right," Dulac said. "Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham has been lining the 6-foot-1, 196-pound Everette on DK Metcalf in many team drills, seeing how he handles man coverage against the 6-foot-4, 225-pound receiver. They have been doing it since OTAs and continued the battles here at Saint Vincent. It is similar to what Mike Tomlin used to do when he regularly pitted cornerback Artie Burns, the team’s first-round pick in 2016, against All-Pro receiver Antonio Brown."

That is a brutal challenge for any rookie, but Everette has reportedly been holding his own. He has not allowed the pressure of being a first-year player to phase him, instead taking the difficult assignments head-on. That approach has clearly impressed Pittsburgh’s coaching staff.

The Steelers are not handing Everette anything because of where he was drafted. He is earning attention during camp by competing against NFL-level talent every day and showing that he belongs in a crowded cornerback room. Those early reps matter, especially with veterans like Ramsey, Dean, and Porter setting a high standard.

There is still a long way to go before Everette can be labeled a true difference-maker, but the early signs are extremely encouraging. If he continues answering the challenges Pittsburgh puts in front of him, the Steelers could have found much more than quality depth in the third round.

Steelers Could Have Found Another Important Piece In Daylen Everette

The Steelers have spent plenty of resources trying to repair their secondary, but Everette could end up becoming one of the most important additions from the entire 2026 offseason. 

Pittsburgh needed more than just veteran help. It needed young players who could develop into long-term answers, and Everette has given the organization an early reason to believe he may be exactly that.

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