4 reasons CB Asante Samuel Jr. could be Steelers pick at 24 in NFL Draft

Justin Layne hasn’t panned out

I was a big fan of Justin Layne coming out of Michigan State in 2019, as his blend of length and athletic traits was certainly intriguing enough to take a chance on in the third round. Unfortunately, his upside hasn’t matched his film to this point, and Layne hasn’t been able to be anything more than just a special teams player through his first two seasons.

While this isn’t to say that he won’t be able to turn it around, typically we would like to see more signs of life at this point. If the Steelers forego drafting a cornerback high this year and plunge Layne into a much larger role, it could prove to be detrimental to the team this year.

Some think that undrafted rookie James Pierre could help fill the void in the secondary, but it would be unwise of us to call him the answer after watching him play just 27 career snaps so far. There are other options at cornerback the Steelers could explore, but Samuel would give them what they need in terms of a versatile, Pro-ready cornerback who isn’t afraid to come downhill and tackle. Layne’s lack of progression could force the Steelers to dip into the cornerback pool earlier than they would like to.

I’m not going to go as far as to say that Asante Samuel will be the Steelers pick at 24 this year. However, Pittsburgh’s interest in him is undeniable, and he needs to be considered a serious candidate for this team in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft.