5 notable standouts from Pittsburgh Steelers 2021 OTA’s

CB Shakur Brown

The Steelers had a more exciting undrafted rookie class than normal this year, which was a tad surprising considering the draft pool was so small compared to previous years. A top of that group has to be Shakur Brown from Michigan St., as the junior cornerback was widely considered an early day three pick by most. The team landed him as an undrafted free agent, and he has an instant path to the roster as a potential slot cornerback.

Brown had a solid junior year last year as highlighted by his five interceptions. His issue was his testing numbers, as his athletic profile is mediocre. That said, playing in the slot can help mitigate those athletic deficits he has. Reports surfaced during rookie minicamp that Brown was a regular in the lot. Once OTA’s opened, those reports only escalated.

Now, Brown seeing a lot of snaps this early in the process doesn’t mean he will be locked in as a starter. He will need a Mike Hilton kind of training camp to earn that role. That said, given the questions, this team has at corner and the skill that Brown is showcasing, he appears to be on the fast track to a roster spot. How much he plays this season is still up in the air, but Brown has certainly boosted his name value during the Steelers’ OTAs.