Round 1: Artie Burns, CB, Miami
Everyone knew the Pittsburgh Steelers needed a cornerback in the draft, and even with the enticing prospect of taking UCLA linebacker Myles Jack, Pittsburgh stuck to its plan and grabbed Artie Burns, cornerback out of Miami University.
Burns is a very talented cornerback who has weathered a difficult past and who is bursting at the seams with talent. Still, he feels a bit like a reach for the Steelers (he was a projected second-round pick.) Burns, who declared for the draft after his junior season, is raw. He’s got tons of speed — he’s a former track star — but he’s used that to coast, not focusing as much on pure technique. Burns needs more time to develop.
Pittsburgh definitely took a chance here with this pick, and, with time, Burns could easily become a top-tier cornerback. But for a team that desperately needs help in the secondary come Day One, I’m not sure he was the right pick in the first round.
Grade: B
