Should Steelers Let Daylen Everette Start Remainder of Season?

Sep 27, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Daylen Everette (23) celebrates breaking up a pass with teammates during the second quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

Should Steelers Let Daylen Everette Start Remainder of Season?

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jobe Morrison | Last updated Oct 5, 2026 10:00 AM ET

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After the Pittsburgh Steelers traded Joey Porter Jr., defensive captain Cam Heyward issued a challenge: The next man must step up.

Asante Samuel Jr. has been serviceable and made plays in place of Porter to this point. In Week 3, though, it became apparent that more physical receivers could make his job more difficult in tight coverage situations. Samuel also has never been a spectacular tackler, which led to rookie Daylen Everette seeing more action.

With Porter now gone, one question deserves consideration: Should Everette be the primary boundary corner opposite Jamel Dean?

Dean himself has offered lofty praise for the rookie. In this scenario, Samuel wouldn’t necessarily be benched, but he could take on a larger role as a slot corner. That could also give the Steelers more flexibility with Jalen Ramsey.

However, there’s a case to be made both for and against Everette starting.

Why Everette Should Start the Rest of the Season

No better training than on-the-job experience, right?

In all seriousness, Everette has performed well for a rookie cornerback thrust into action on short notice. Has it been perfect? Certainly not. Everette has plenty of potential thanks to his excellent frame, speed, and ability to play both zone and man coverage. Through his limited action, he has produced some solid results.

Across 52 coverage snaps, Everette has been targeted nine times and allowed just five receptions. He has also recorded two pass breakups in two games with extended action.

All of this has come with the understanding that he is a rookie who has had limited work with the starting defense. He’s not going to be mistaken for a rookie Darrelle Revis or even Porter. Those early results, however, are encouraging.

Why Everette Should Play on an As-Needed Basis

Sep 27, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Cincinnati Bengals tight end Mike Gesicki (88) catches a touchdown against Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Daylen Everette (23) during the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The obvious reason to hesitate is simple: Everette is a rookie.

He wasn’t a first-round pick, where starting sooner rather than later might be an automatic expectation. Everette was a third-round pick and a relatively raw prospect coming out of Georgia. The upside of playing at Georgia was his exposure to top competition throughout his collegiate career, but that doesn’t automatically translate to NFL readiness.

There have also been some obvious moments on tape where he looked like, well, a rookie.

One moment in particular came in Week 4. Deshaun Watson missed Harold Fannin Jr. on a wide-open throw into an area where Everette was responsible in zone coverage. Had Watson completed the pass, the game might have been iced.

That’s not to say Everette can’t improve in situations like that. It is simply difficult not to expect more rookie moments to arise if he starts the rest of the season.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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