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The Pittsburgh Steelers have had some great safeties over the years. Troy Polamalu, Donnie Shell, Carnell Lake, Mike Wagner, and Ryan Clark leap to mind. Steeler Nation is dreaming of Tyrann Mathieu to replace Terrell Edmunds, or at the very least re-signing Edmunds.
The Steelers have to prioritize re-signing star safety Minkah Fitzpatrick who is in the last year of his deal. The Honey Badger might look great in Black and Gold, but not at the potential expense of losing Minkah or Diontae Johnson. Kevin Colbert says he believes “the Steelers currently have starting-caliber players for 24 of 25 positions. The lone vacancy is at strong safety.” A sure tackler who has the versatility to erase coverage mistakes would be the ideal player to find. The 2nd round of the NFL Draft may bring them the opportunity at pick 52 to draft Baylor University safety, Jalen Pitre.
I like defensive backs who are 6 feet or taller, and can run. Pitre fits the bill on both counts, running a 4.43 40-yard dash and he is a 6-foot physical safety who won the 2021 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year. Along with Kyle Hamilton, he’s also a consensus All-American. Hamilton, until his 4.70 40-yard dash was considered a top 5 pick. He may fall out of the top 5, but it is doubtful he lasts until Pittsburgh’s first pick at 20. The Steelers will need to address strong safety in the draft. Pitre is considered to have elite speed for a safety and his tackling is so strong, teams will consider using him in sub packages at linebacker, although his size may prohibit extensive use at that position. The Steelers value versatility on the defensive side of the ball and having a gifted short and intermediate zone coverage safety to pair with Minkah Fitzpatrick has significant 2nd round value.
Jalen Pitre is not strong in man-to-man coverage and despite his speed, would not be an ideal choice to run with faster receivers on deep routes. He needs to put on some weight, he only weighs 196 pounds, and his body type more closely resembles an NFL corner. This may cause him issues shedding blocks in the box. His aggression occasionally causes him to over commit and too often uses his shoulder for big hits instead of wrapping up.
Range 50th to 65th pick.
Jalen Pitre realistically needs to add 10 to 15 pounds without sacrificing speed to reach his ideal potential. Aggression control and tackling technique are traits that can be taught, and his reputation is that he is eminently coachable. He was a solid freshman starter, but took a step back as a sophomore before becoming a 2x All-Conference player and an All-American. He has handled adversity and responded in a big way.
Jalen Pitre should be available for the Steelers in the 2nd round and assuming that Kyle Hamilton does not drop to 20, Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin might find the long-term answer at safety without breaking the bank. The Steelers passing on a pair of Big 10 safeties in Jaquan Brisker and Daxton Hill in favor of Jalen Pitre might be a little riskier in the short term, but based on his response to college adversity is well worth the risk and potential long-term gain. Responding to adversity is a trait that is necessary for a rookie and is highly valued by Mike Tomlin.
What do you think, Steeler Nation? Please comment below or hit me up on Twitter @thebubbasq. Who would you prefer to see next to Minkah if they go through draft?
Support SteelerNation by clicking here to read the story..
The Steelers have to prioritize re-signing star safety Minkah Fitzpatrick who is in the last year of his deal. The Honey Badger might look great in Black and Gold, but not at the potential expense of losing Minkah or Diontae Johnson. Kevin Colbert says he believes “the Steelers currently have starting-caliber players for 24 of 25 positions. The lone vacancy is at strong safety.” A sure tackler who has the versatility to erase coverage mistakes would be the ideal player to find. The 2nd round of the NFL Draft may bring them the opportunity at pick 52 to draft Baylor University safety, Jalen Pitre.
Strengths
I like defensive backs who are 6 feet or taller, and can run. Pitre fits the bill on both counts, running a 4.43 40-yard dash and he is a 6-foot physical safety who won the 2021 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year. Along with Kyle Hamilton, he’s also a consensus All-American. Hamilton, until his 4.70 40-yard dash was considered a top 5 pick. He may fall out of the top 5, but it is doubtful he lasts until Pittsburgh’s first pick at 20. The Steelers will need to address strong safety in the draft. Pitre is considered to have elite speed for a safety and his tackling is so strong, teams will consider using him in sub packages at linebacker, although his size may prohibit extensive use at that position. The Steelers value versatility on the defensive side of the ball and having a gifted short and intermediate zone coverage safety to pair with Minkah Fitzpatrick has significant 2nd round value.
Weaknesses
Jalen Pitre is not strong in man-to-man coverage and despite his speed, would not be an ideal choice to run with faster receivers on deep routes. He needs to put on some weight, he only weighs 196 pounds, and his body type more closely resembles an NFL corner. This may cause him issues shedding blocks in the box. His aggression occasionally causes him to over commit and too often uses his shoulder for big hits instead of wrapping up.
Draft Projection
Range 50th to 65th pick.
Jalen Pitre realistically needs to add 10 to 15 pounds without sacrificing speed to reach his ideal potential. Aggression control and tackling technique are traits that can be taught, and his reputation is that he is eminently coachable. He was a solid freshman starter, but took a step back as a sophomore before becoming a 2x All-Conference player and an All-American. He has handled adversity and responded in a big way.
Bottom Line
Jalen Pitre should be available for the Steelers in the 2nd round and assuming that Kyle Hamilton does not drop to 20, Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin might find the long-term answer at safety without breaking the bank. The Steelers passing on a pair of Big 10 safeties in Jaquan Brisker and Daxton Hill in favor of Jalen Pitre might be a little riskier in the short term, but based on his response to college adversity is well worth the risk and potential long-term gain. Responding to adversity is a trait that is necessary for a rookie and is highly valued by Mike Tomlin.
What do you think, Steeler Nation? Please comment below or hit me up on Twitter @thebubbasq. Who would you prefer to see next to Minkah if they go through draft?
Support SteelerNation by clicking here to read the story..
