Steelers Rookie is Turning Heads at OTAs

The Pittsburgh Steelers had an incredibly high amount of draft picks in the 2026 NFL Draft.

With ten selections and initially 12 picks going into the draft, the Steelers were able to add pieces all around. One such piece was at the end of Day 2, when the Steelers opted to draft Georgia defensive back Daylen Everette with the No. 85 selection.

Now, the young defensive back is receiving praise from his coaches. Defensive pass game coordinator and defensive backs coach Jason Simmons took to the press during OTAs, giving his thoughts on Everette as both an athlete and a person.

“When I think about him, I think about humility,” Simmons said. “You know, he’s played in a lot of big games coming from Georgia. Let’s just be honest, that guy has played in SEC Championships, National Championships, and you talk about [being] receptive to coaching? He absolutely is. He is a sponge.

Then, he spoke about how he matches up against an NFL-level competitor, speaking on his matchup with current Steelers top wideout DK Metcalf.

"He’s a bright guy, and the next thing is his poise as well. And to be a young guy, well, and I go up and down to realize when you say you’re going against a quality receiver, like DK Metcalf, he doesn’t let that take him out of his technique, and I love the confidence.”

Everette's situation in 2026

Everette is joining a packed secondary room in desperate need of help following last season's missteps. Additions in Jaquan Brisker and Jamel Dean will do much to bolster the room, but the team will need serious contributions from the back end of the room.

Other than Everette, Sebastian Castro as well as Robert Spears-Jennings are newer members of the team expected to contribute. On the veteran side, Brandin Echols and Asante Samuel Jr. will need to play at a high level against top passing offenses.

Everette was a four-year player at the University of Georgia, playing in fourteen games in each of the first three seasons of his college career. He earned First-Team All-SEC honors in 2025, and was a 2022 National Champion with Georgia in his first collegiate season.