NFL Tickets
Looking back at the Pittsburgh Steelers‘ 2015 NFL season, it’s truly remarkable what they accomplished. The Steelers went 10-6 and cemented a Wild Card berth despite starting and finishing the season without RB Le’Veon Bell, not to mention being forced to start three quarterbacks throughout the campaign (Ben Roethlisberger, Michael Vick, Landry Jones).
I mean, the Steelers were essentially held together by bandages by the time the playoffs rolled around. However, they persevered and miraculously managed to defeat the Cincinnati Bengals, and then gave the eventual Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos a run for their money on the road — despite playing without arguably the best wide receiver in the sport, Antonio Brown.
Pittsburgh did all of this with one of the worst pass defenses in the NFL. The Steelers ranked 30th in passing yards allowed (4,350), 19th (tied) in passing touchdowns allowed with 29, and 30th in passing yards per game allowed (272). Put simply, it’s nearly impossible to win in today’s pass-happy NFL with a floundering secondary like the Steelers showcased, yet they still made a solid run.
Clearly, in order to defeat a team with a dynamic aerial attack like the New England Patriots in the postseason next winter, this trend needs to change. However, prior to Thursday night, the Steelers hadn’t done much to address the issue this offseason. And to be honest, it was a tad concerning.
However, the Steelers finally took an important step toward fortifying the unit in the first round by selecting Miami Hurricanes cornerback Artie Burns at No. 25 overall.
The Pittsburgh #Steelers select CB Artie Burns, Miami at No. 25 overall #NFLDraft2016
— RantSports (@RantSports) April 29, 2016
Standing at 6 foot and 193 pounds with a 33 1/4-inch arm length, Burns has a solid frame and plays like he’s 6-foot-3 at minimum. What he lacks in familiarity with a zone scheme, he makes up for in general field awareness. Scouts are somewhat concerned about Burns drawing an abundance of holding and pass interference calls at the next level, considering he grabs wide receivers more often than he should, but that’s something that can be worked on.
The raw talent Burns possesses can’t be taught.
At No. 24 overall, the Bengals took CB William Jackson III (Houston), who many believe would have been a better fit for Pittsburgh. However, Steelers GM Kevin Colbert seemed incredibly pleased with his pick.
“We were very excited this young man was available,” Colbert said. “There’s tons of upside with him.”
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin and defensive coordinator Keith Butler are two of the NFL’s premier secondary coaches. Betting that the duo will be able to develop Burns into an above-average player is one I would place every day of the week, and twice on Sunday.
Sure, Burns certainly isn’t going to wave a magic wand and instantly become one of the NFL‘s elite defensive backs. Like most late first-round picks, he’s going to need plenty of seasoning. That said, considering what Pittsburgh was able to accomplish with a floundering secondary last season, if he can help this unit perform at even a league average level, the Steelers will have an excellent chance to win Super Bowl LI.
Share 
