Pittsburgh Steelers: Terrell Edmunds proving he’s much more than a ‘reach’

The 28th pick in the 2018 NFL Draft received a lot of scrutiny by fans and analysts. But Terrell Edmunds is proving the Pittsburgh Steelers weren’t wrong to take him in the opening round.

Morgan Burnett was a lock to start at strong safety when he was signed. People expected him and Sean Davis to run the position, with Robert Golden and possibly a rookie behind them.

Then, the NFL Draft came around and the Steelers decided to add two rookies to the mix. Expectations didn’t change much, they just moved Terrell Edmunds and Marcus Allen behind Burnett and Davis, instead of keeping Golden around.

Today, the discussion is wide open. Maybe Edmunds or Allen haven’t surpassed Burnett and Davis,  but one of the rookies is proving they deserve to be in the conversation about playing time much more than they currently are.

It all started with a few interceptions of Ben Roethlisberger. Not many rookies can step in front of a rocket in training camp, especially when thrown by a future Hall of Famer. But that’s not all that makes Edmunds special.

Joe Haden, a man every Steelers defensive back would love to become, made it simple when telling Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette about Edmunds.

"“I can tell players start to get better when they put the pads on,” Haden said. “He’s a football player.”"

Edmunds is making noise around Steelers camp. From the players to the coaches, everyone is recognizing his play from the start. As the team turns towards the end of their first week in pads, Edmunds is a highlight they’d like to focus on.

This gives many people confidence in the safety. There was enough skepticism to cover all 32 first-round picks, all surrounding Edmunds. But Pittsburgh knew what they were doing, and he’s come a long way in proving himself, quick.

"“Like all the (young players), he’s doing a good job of getting acclimated to the environment, how we work.” Mike Tomlin told Dulac. “I think we’re looking more for those things than an ample performance at this juncture. I want guys to run and play football and find their demeanor and personality within all this, and he appears to be doing that.”"

Edmunds is working towards a much larger workload in his rookie season. He hasn’t seen much time at inside linebacker, like many believed he would, but his presence in the secondary is strong.

Look for the rookie to continue playing well throughout training camp. The Steelers will likely try to keep their veterans on the field for a minimum amount of time in their first preseason game. Meaning Edmunds should get plenty of reps to show his ability to a larger crowd on August 9.