Pittsburgh Steelers got an undrafted steal in CB Shakur Brown

For a variety of reasons, prospects can fall during the NFL Draft process, or even fall out of the draft’s seven rounds completely. Whatever led to the Pittsburgh Steelers landing former Michigan State star cornerback Shakur Brown after the 2021 NFL Draft, they aren’t going to complain.

Sometimes players can be dinged for size, others can be dinged for off-field issues. Sometimes it’s having too small of a sample size or lacking elite athletic talent.

With Shakur Brown, you could point to the lack of ideal sample size (only 12 starts at Michigan State), size (under 5-foot-10), or elite level speed (ran a 4.63 in the 40-yard dash).

Despite whatever the NFL decided Shakur Brown lacks, it’s hard to deny that what he put on tape when he was able to play over the 2019 and 2020 seasons was anything short of outstanding.

https://twitter.com/MichiganStOnBTN/status/1384678444349394944

Brown’s five interceptions in the 2020 season were among the best in college football. His coverage grade was the best in the Big Ten, and he’s stepping into a tremendous situation with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Steelers used a lot of defensive backs in prominent roles in 2020, and some significant snaps are being left behind by Mike Hilton, a slot corner who played 463 snaps a season ago (in 12 games) and signed with the Steelers’ division rival Cincinnati Bengals in the 2021 free agency period.

In his 14 games (12 starts) over the last two seasons, Brown had 16 pass breakups and seven interceptions as well as a pair of sacks. One trait that stands out every time you watch him play is how physical he is, which will only help him be the type of replacement for Hilton the Steelers may be looking for.

Whatever role he ends up with as a rookie, even if it’s just on special teams, Brown projects as an ideal inside corner at the next level who can attack the football, blitz, played the run, and be even more effective given the fact that the Pittsburgh Steelers have so many big-time playmakers around him on that side of the ball.

A cornerback prospect with Brown’s instincts and physicality to pair with supreme confidence is worth betting on. There’s no doubt that the Pittsburgh Steelers got themselves a steal here and Brown is a guy who could have very easily been a third or fourth-round draft pick in 2021.