Round 6: K’Von Wallace, Safety, Clemson
At this point, the Steelers have had a nice breather during round 5 and have collected themselves. Let’s see how they make the best out of their remaining late-round picks.
This is a confusing player for me. He tested very well at the NFL scouting combine, posting a 4.53-second 40-yard dash, and very impressive 3 cone (6.76 seconds) and short shuttle (4.15 seconds) drills. At 5′ 11″ and 203 lbs, he has the size and traits to be an effective strong safety in the NFL.
So what’s the problem? This seems like a steal, right? I’m not sure. First, he doesn’t catch the ball very well and had several chances for interceptions in college that went through his hands. Secondly, he doesn’t quite play like his testing numbers would indicate. On the positive side, you have a player who goes all out, every snap of every game. Video shows that the kid never takes a play off.
He hits very hard and has been part of a winning culture from the moment he stepped on campus at Clemson. With good coaching, he will start out contributing on special teams and can add quality depth behind Terrell Edmunds. Who knows what he’ll become? It seems like the Steelers take a chance on potential at this point in the draft every other year. Wallace is that player this year.