6 late round Steelers who will make an impact in the 2021 season
By Andrew Falce
Shakur Brown
An undrafted name that everyone should be excited about, Shakur Brown has a chance to not only make the opening day roster but also have a role in sub-package defense. Most expected Brown to go somewhere early on day three, but his smaller size, below-average athleticism, and underclassman status ended up causing him to go undrafted. The Steelers scooped him up quickly afterward and now, he has a chance to make an impact early in his career.
While he doesn’t play with the same physicality, the Mike Hilton comparison has some justification. Both players are slot-only options and have average at best athleticism. That said, both have a knack for making big plays (Hilton as evident by his run stops, Brown as evident with his five interceptions last season). While there will be a jump in competition for Brown, he has a real chance of carving out a role with the team.
While he isn’t guaranteed to make the roster given his undrafted status, the weak depth at cornerback leads to the chance that he finds his way onto the roster. From there, if he proves that he isn’t a liability, he could see starting snaps as a sub-package player early in the season. Even if Cameron Sutton goes to the slot in multiple cornerback sets, Brown could still serve in the role as a nickel back similar to how Sutton was used before he started. Brown has a clear path to the roster and could see significant defensive snaps early this season.