Steelers boast one of the best cornerback trios in the NFL

The Pittsburgh Steelers haven’t been known for great cornerback play in a very long time. Here’s why this group is better than any they have had in years.

The Steelers have had fantastic linebackers, Hall of Fame quarterbacks, and electrifying receivers throughout their storied history. But one thing they have really never been known for is great cornerback play.

Ike Taylor was probably the best cornerback the Steelers have had in nearly 20 years. Outside of him, there have been some solid corners along the way like Deshea Townsend, Bryant McFadden, and Keenan Lewis.

However, the days of Steelers cornerbacks taking a back seat may be coming to an end.

In 2016, the Steelers starting cornerbacks were William Gay and Ross Cockrell. However, just three years later, a lot has changed in Pittsburgh’s secondary.

The Steelers now boast one of the best trios of cornerbacks in the league with Joe Haden, Steven Nelson, and Mike Hilton. Though it remains to be seen how Nelson will mesh in Pittsburgh’s secondary, Pro Football Focus spoke highly of each of these cornerbacks in 2018.

According to PFF, the Steelers currently boast the 33rd, 37th, and 43rd ranked cornerbacks in the league. Considering how teams are basically starting three cornerbacks now (with the nickel corner playing increasingly more snaps), that means there are about 96 starting cornerbacks in the NFL right now.

These rankings are overwhelming positive compared to anything the Steelers have seen at the cornerback position in recent years. Nelson comes in ahead of Joe Haden as the 33rd ranked NFL cornerback, and Haden follows closely behind with a rank of 37th. Nickle cornerback, Mike Hilton rounds out the trio as the 43rd best cornerback in the league, according to PFF.

Also, I don’t know if Pittsburgh has ever been this deep at cornerback in my lifetime. Justin Layne was a player that had 1st round implications this year, according to NFL Draft analyst, Mel Kiper Jr. Likewise, Artie Burns (who has struggled as of late) is a former 1st round draft choice himself.

The Steelers continue to bolster their defense, and this group of cornerbacks has a chance to be the best Pittsburgh has seen in a long time.

With today’s game so heavily focused on the pass, it’s good to know that Pittsburgh has a trio of cornerbacks who have proven to be above average in what they do. There is reason to be excited about their secondary in 2019, and I think the best is yet to come.