Hype Behind Steelers' Rookie May Not Be Authentic

The Pittsburgh Steelers' front office employed an interesting strategy by stacking draft picks for the 2026 NFL Draft. They used the compensatory process as a way to earn extra picks. This allowed them to select 10 players in the draft to provide a youth movement for the team. They selected a variety of positions of need and depth for the future. After a disappointing end to a division-winning season, the Steelers are hoping to earn a heavily coveted playoff win. 

The Black and Gold now head into offseason activities with many new faces. The rookies have been getting adjusted to the pacing of the professional game and learning the new scheme, something the whole team is doing as they adjust to new head coach Mike McCarthy's way of doing things. The offensive-minded coach and his staff will hope to keep the team in contention throughout his first year. 

The Steelers brass gave him that group of rookies to mentor, and of the three third-round picks taken in the draft, cornerback Daylen Everette has already impressed. However, Steelers beat writer Christopher Carter believes that the hype surrounding him may be purely for his confidence. He discussed this on an episode of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's North Shore Drive podcast. 

"They were gassing him up. I do think that they were, you know, giving the young guy credit. I think it's something that you want to do culturally, right? When a guy comes in, and he does well, you want to give him credit for it, so he can feel like, but you also want to challenge him. And I think that's what's going to be interesting for the Steelers is, you know, where do they challenge Daylen Everette, because to be honest, of the rookies outside of Drew Allar, he looks like he might get the least amount of time of all of them, you know, on the playing field. He's a project. He's a guy that you want to kind of develop over time," Carter said. 

Everette will have to fight for playing time in a secondary that is loaded with depth. The third-rounder has plenty of starter-capable players in front of him, and for him to get playing time, he'll have to really prove his worth. The project corner has the intangibles that the Steelers like, the speed, length, and athleticism, but he may have to wait his turn. 

Everette has shared his battles with receiver DK Metcalf already throughout this offseason, and he's up for the challenge going against the team's best. However, the young defensive back has a lot to battle through to get to the next level. It's great that the Steelers have recognized that he's acclimating well, which will only help his confidence as he adjusts to the pro level, but as Carter hinted at, he may have to just be a special teamer or a depth piece initially. 

That doesn't discredit his abilities, but just proves how much the Steelers brass has invested in the depth of the cornerback spot. That area was a weakness in 2025, and the aggressiveness that the front office took to fix that is only going to help the defense get back to the level it once was. Everette will have his opportunity soon, but it's a good sign that he is already giving Steelers receivers a run for their money.

The Steelers Have A Good Problem With Some Of Their Rookies

Pittsburgh has preached versatility and depth all offseason, and the way that the Steelers drafted reflects that. They chose players who can or have played multiple positions, and they have a ton of depth at most spots. Cornerback is a highlight of this, but the franchise took two offensive linemen, Max Iheanachor and Gennings Dunker, who are both projects that can provide use in the future. 

The offensive line is full of talent, and those two will have to wait their turn, like Everette, to see the field. Pittsburgh is clearly building for now and the future, not a bad problem to have.