Pittsburgh’s cornerback room just got a lot more interesting. While Joey Porter Jr. sat out portions of minicamp — reportedly as a hold-in while waiting on a contract extension — third-round pick Daylen Everette stepped into the spotlight and made the most of it.
Everette, taken 84th overall out of Georgia, spent extended reps against the Steelers’ first-team offense. That meant going head-to-head with DK Metcalf, and according to ESPN’s Brooke Pryor, the rookie didn’t look out of place. Pryor noted Everette got his hands on multiple passes while matching up with the 6-foot-4, 235-pound receiver.
“He’s a big physical guy, so going against someone like him, it can help me to guard anyone else,” Everette said. “I enjoy going against him because I know it’s helping me get better.”
That’s the kind of attitude Pittsburgh wants to see from a rookie who wasn’t expected to push for a starting job this early. But the opportunity is real. Joey Porter Jr. has one corner spot locked down. The other side? It’s viewed as the weak link in a defense that relies on pressure up front and tight coverage on the back end.
Everette’s college tape explains why he fell to the third round. His production at Georgia was uneven at times. But the raw numbers tell a different story — five interceptions and 19 pass breakups over four years in the SEC. That’s not nothing. That’s a guy who found the ball plenty, even if he had some rough games mixed in.
At 6-foot-1 with long arms, Everette has the frame the Steelers covet. And the way he handled Metcalf in practice suggests his physicality translates. Teammates noticed. Coaches noticed. And now the front office has to wonder if they can get the same level of competition from Everette when the pads go on for real.
This isn’t a coronation. It’s a minicamp performance in June. But it’s also the kind of early sign that separates a Day 3 pick who fades from one who sticks. The Steelers have done well finding corners outside the first round — see Mike Hilton and Cam Sutton — and Everette fits that mold of a tough, scrappy defender who plays bigger than his draft slot.
If he keeps this up through training camp, Pittsburgh might have a real competition on its hands. And for a team trying to win now while also building for the future, that’s about as good as it gets.
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