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Why Was Steelers Cornerback Daylen Everette Still Available in Round 3?
- Gavin Marshall
- 4 days ago
- 12 min read
The Pittsburgh Steelers selected Georgia cornerback Daylen Everette with the 85th overall pick in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
On the surface, it is difficult to understand why he remained available that long.
Everette is 6-foot-1 and 196 pounds, ran an official 4.38-second 40-yard dash and started 41 consecutive games for one of college football’s strongest defensive programmes. He played 55 games for Georgia, recorded five interceptions and defended 24 passes while competing regularly against future NFL receivers in the SEC.
He was also named First-Team All-SEC by the Associated Press following his final college season.
That sounds like the profile of an established Day Two prospect rather than somebody whose selection would raise immediate questions.
But the more closely Everette’s tape is examined, the clearer the answer becomes.
He has the frame, speed and experience to become a starting outside cornerback. He also has technical inconsistencies that could lead to penalties, missed tackles and difficult matchups against sudden route runners.
Si, Gav and Ketts examine why Georgia’s top corner was still available—and whether Pittsburgh has found its long-term answer on the outside.
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An experienced corner from an NFL production line
Everette does not enter the NFL as an inexperienced project.
After contributing as a reserve and on kick coverage during his first season, he became a full-time starter in 2023 and remained in Georgia’s starting secondary for the following three years.
He finished his Bulldogs career with:
55 appearances
41 consecutive starts
150 tackles
Five interceptions
24 passes defensed
Two forced fumbles
Two fumble recoveries
His best statistical season came in 2024, when he intercepted three passes, forced two fumbles and was named the Most Valuable Player of the SEC Championship Game after recording two interceptions against Texas.
That experience matters.
Everette has already played in complex defensive structures, communicated within talented secondaries and faced receivers capable of punishing technical mistakes. He has played in SEC Championship Games and College Football Playoff contests and has repeatedly performed in high-pressure situations.
Steelers defensive coordinator Patrick Graham specifically highlighted Everette’s big-game experience, physical traits, intelligence and seriousness about football after the selection.
Pittsburgh is not teaching him how to play cornerback from the beginning.
The task is refining a player who already understands the position but has not yet combined all of his strengths into a consistently polished performance.
The size and speed immediately look like the NFL
The first traits to notice are Everette’s frame and long speed.
At 6-foot-1 and approximately 196 pounds, he has enough size to line up against larger outside receivers. His 4.38-second 40 confirms that he can carry vertical routes and recover when a receiver threatens downfield.
That speed appears clearly on tape.
Everette does not panic when a receiver accelerates beyond the first few yards of a route. He has the pace to remain connected, reduce separation and position himself to contest the catch.
His speed is particularly useful once the route has developed.
He may not possess an exceptional first step, but when he reaches full stride he can travel comfortably with receivers downfield. That makes him a potentially strong matchup against bigger vertical targets whose routes are built around strength and sustained speed rather than sudden separation.
Everette looks like an NFL outside cornerback.
The question is whether he can consistently move like one when a route forces him to stop, redirect and accelerate again.
Staying in phase is his best skill
The strongest conclusion from Everette’s film is that he is excellent at staying in phase.
Once he has matched the receiver’s route and established position alongside him, he is difficult to leave behind.
Everette keeps his body under control, maintains a consistent level through longer breaks and avoids unnecessary movement once he begins travelling downfield. He understands how to use the receiver’s position to guide his own path.
He is sticky.
That does not mean his coverage technique is flawless. It means that after the first few yards, Everette often finds a strong position and remains connected through the remainder of the route.
This quality provides an important foundation.
A cornerback who is regularly separated from his opponent has very little opportunity to make a play on the football. Everette’s ability to remain close gives him repeated chances to contest passes even when other elements of the coverage are imperfect.
It also explains why he may be better suited to playing outside than in the slot.
Outside routes often provide more space for him to build speed, settle into phase and use the sideline as an additional defender. Slot coverage places greater demands on immediate reactions and multidirectional movement, which are not necessarily the strongest parts of his game.
He plays the receiver before he plays the ball
Everette frequently covers through the receiver rather than immediately locating the football.
He watches the opponent’s eyes, hands and body language. When the receiver begins preparing for the catch, Everette reacts and attempts to disrupt the play.
At first, this can appear to be a significant weakness.
NFL cornerbacks are regularly punished when they fail to turn their heads. Officials may interpret contact as pass interference when the defender is not visibly making an attempt to play the ball.
But Everette has an unusual ability to locate the pass very late.
He can remain focused on the receiver for most of the route, turn towards the football at the final moment and still make a meaningful play at the catch point.
That appears to be a genuine skill rather than pure luck.
Everette recorded five career interceptions and 24 passes defensed at Georgia, demonstrating that his method produced results against high-level competition.
The problem is how NFL officials will interpret it.
A corner may understand that the football is arriving through changes in the receiver’s expression and posture, but an official cannot necessarily see that internal recognition. The official sees contact and a defender whose head remains turned away from the quarterback.
Everette may need to turn earlier—not always because he needs the information, but because he needs to demonstrate that he is making a play on the ball.
It is similar to visibly checking a mirror during a driving test. The driver may already understand the situation, but the examiner needs clear evidence that the check occurred.
Penalties could become an early problem
Everette’s physicality is one of his strengths, but it could also produce penalties during his transition to the NFL.
He likes to maintain contact with receivers and can become grabby when attempting to preserve his position.
That may be tolerated differently at college level than it will be in the NFL.
Professional receivers are highly skilled at exposing contact. They understand how to create visible separation between their bodies and the defender’s hands, emphasise a hold and encourage officials to throw a flag.
The speed of the NFL passing game also gives cornerbacks less time to recover after a route initially creates separation.
Everette must learn to trust his feet and recovery speed rather than immediately reaching for the receiver.
That may require an adjustment period similar to the one experienced by Joey Porter Jr., another large and physical corner whose early professional technique sometimes attracted flags.
Everette has the speed to recover without holding. The challenge is convincing him to rely on it.
Is his change of direction good enough?
Evaluations of Everette’s movement vary considerably.
Some analysts see a smooth corner with strong body control. Others see a player whose hips and short-area movement become vulnerable against sharp routes.
Both interpretations contain some truth.
Everette moves well once he has established his path. His transitions look controlled when the route develops gradually, and his long speed allows him to remain attached to receivers downfield.
He is less convincing when the opponent creates an abrupt change.
Quick separators who can threaten vertically before cutting sharply inside or outside may cause problems. Everette’s feet can briefly become heavy, and he does not always display the instant twitch needed to mirror sudden movement.
His athletic profile helps explain the difference.
The 4.38 time demonstrates elite long speed, but a cornerback’s movement cannot be understood from a 40-yard dash alone. The position also demands short-area acceleration, hip fluidity, balance and the ability to redirect without losing momentum.
Everette appears to be more of a medium- and long-speed athlete than an exceptionally sudden one.
That does not prevent him from becoming a starting outside corner.
It does mean Pittsburgh should think carefully about the receivers it asks him to cover.
Everette may match up well with larger AFC North targets who want to win through size, physicality and vertical speed. Smaller receivers with exceptional footwork and rapid changes of direction could represent more difficult assignments.
A good run defender—or simply a physical one?
Everette earned praise for his work against the run, and the willingness is obvious.
He is not a cornerback who stands away from contact or waits for somebody else to make the tackle. He attacks downhill, engages receivers near the edge and tries to affect the ball carrier physically.
His Georgia career included 150 tackles, five tackles for loss, a sack and two forced fumbles.
However, there is a difference between being a physical defender and being a consistently reliable tackler.
Everette can approach too high, take an imperfect angle or prioritise the collision over securing the ball carrier. He delivers some impressive hits but does not always wrap cleanly.
That makes him more of a hitter than a finished tackler.
The encouraging part is that the problem does not come from reluctance.
Technique can be improved. Effort and appetite for contact are harder to manufacture.
Pittsburgh can work on his approach angle, pad level and timing. The goal should be teaching him to arrive under greater control without removing the aggression that makes him effective.
If that refinement occurs, his size and willingness could make him a valuable edge defender against the run.
Blitzing and attacking downhill
Everette also shows some potential as a blitzer.
His speed allows him to close quickly from the secondary, and he attacks blockers with real intent. When given a direct path towards the backfield, he can disrupt the play before it develops.
That gives Patrick Graham another possible use for him.
Pittsburgh does not have to restrict Everette to conventional man coverage on every snap. He could occasionally align outside before attacking the backfield, particularly when the defensive structure creates confusion over which player is responsible for the receiver.
His physicality also makes him useful near screens and quick passes.
Everette can recognise the ball travelling towards the perimeter, close the space and arrive with enough force to disrupt both the receiver and the blocking structure.
Again, control will be crucial.
A defender who attacks downhill too aggressively can miss the tackle or allow the receiver to cut inside him. Everette must learn to combine speed with a more disciplined final approach.
Outside corner looks like his clearest position
Everette played both outside and inside at Georgia, but his professional fit appears much clearer on the boundary.
His frame and long speed are better suited to outside coverage, where he can match vertical routes and use physicality throughout the rep.
The slot would place greater emphasis on the areas that remain uncertain:
Rapid change of direction
Immediate short-area acceleration
Navigating traffic
Responding to two-way route options
Covering smaller and more sudden receivers
That does not mean Everette can never play inside.
Versatility has value, and his college experience gives Pittsburgh the option of moving him if injuries or specific matchups require it.
But asking him to become a permanent slot defender would appear to minimise his strongest qualities while exposing his weaknesses.
His most realistic long-term projection is as an outside corner capable of matching second receivers, contributing against the run and developing into a dependable starter.
He may not possess the complete elite profile required to shadow every opponent’s number-one receiver.
He may not need to.
A good number-two outside corner remains a highly valuable NFL player.
Early Steelers reports have been encouraging
Everette has already attracted positive attention during Pittsburgh’s offseason programme.
With Joey Porter Jr. undertaking limited work, Everette received additional repetitions and reportedly held his own while competing against DK Metcalf. ESPN identified him as one of Pittsburgh’s biggest offseason surprises after he got his hands on several passes during those matchups.
Steelers defensive backs coach Jason Simmons also praised Everette’s humility, intelligence, poise and willingness to accept coaching. Simmons noted that facing a receiver such as Metcalf had not caused the rookie to abandon his technique.
That is encouraging, but offseason practices require perspective.
OTAs and minicamp are non-contact environments. The pass rush is limited, the offence is not revealing its full playbook and defenders are not tackling.
Everette has not established himself as an NFL starter before training camp begins.
What he has done is provide early evidence that the stage may not be too large for him.
Competing with Metcalf should accelerate his development. Few receivers provide a more demanding combination of size, speed and physicality, and Everette’s own traits make him a logical practice opponent.
Special teams offers an immediate role
Everette contributed on kick coverage during his first season at Georgia before becoming a full-time defensive starter.
That experience may help him earn an early game-day role.
His speed makes him a potential gunner, while his physicality should translate to coverage units. Pittsburgh also needs players capable of replacing the special-teams snaps previously handled by reserve cornerbacks such as James Pierre.
A third-round selection will be expected to offer more than special teams eventually.
But the kicking game can provide Everette with immediate snaps while the coaches refine his defensive technique and determine his place within a crowded cornerback room.
It also gives him another route towards dressing on Sundays if more experienced defensive backs initially sit above him.
The ideal progression would be:
Contribute immediately on special teams.
Become a dependable reserve outside corner.
Earn snaps against specific receiver types.
Develop into a regular defensive starter.
Eventually become Pittsburgh’s long-term second outside corner.
That would represent an excellent return from the 85th selection.
The uncomfortable Artie Burns comparison
There is one comparison Steelers supporters will not enjoy hearing.
Artie Burns.
Pittsburgh selected Burns in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft after he demonstrated an appealing combination of size, speed and ball production at Miami.
Burns measured approximately 6-foot and 193 pounds and ran a 4.46-second 40. He had the physical profile to match NFL receivers but never developed into the dependable starting corner Pittsburgh expected.
Everette is slightly bigger and faster, but the comparison is understandable.
Both entered the league with:
NFL size
Strong straight-line speed
Physical coverage
Experience making plays on the football
Questions about technical consistency
Concerns about whether movement skills would match the testing
The comparison should not be treated as a prediction.
Everette has substantially more starting experience against SEC competition, and Pittsburgh selected him in the third round rather than investing a first-round pick.
That difference matters.
If Everette became a functional NFL corner similar to Burns at his best, the outcome would still be disappointing relative to his potential—but far less damaging than it was from a first-round selection.
The Artie Burns comparison identifies the risk rather than determining the result.
Athletic tools do not automatically create a dependable cornerback. Everette must improve his discipline, tackling and ability to handle sudden movement.
So why was Daylen Everette still available?
Everette was available in the third round because he does not possess one completely dominant cornerback skill.
He has excellent long speed, but he may struggle against sudden short-area movement.
He plays physically, but that contact could create penalties.
He makes plays at the catch point, but he often locates the football late.
He attacks the run, but his tackling technique requires improvement.
He has extensive starting experience, but his technique still needs refinement.
None of these concerns individually disqualifies him from becoming a starter. Together, they explain why teams did not view him as a first-round or early second-round prospect.
Everette looks more like a good cornerback with developmental upside than an obvious future shutdown defender.
That is entirely reasonable value in the third round.
Pittsburgh did not need him to arrive as a finished number-one corner. Joey Porter Jr. and the veteran options already on the roster allow the Steelers to develop Everette without immediately assigning him the hardest matchup every week.
He can begin as depth, contribute on special teams and gradually earn outside snaps.
A potential long-term starter
Everette’s ceiling is significant because the hardest traits to acquire are already present.
He has enough size.
He has enough speed.
He has performed against NFL-calibre competition.
He has demonstrated that he can remain in phase, contest passes and create turnovers in major games.
The remaining concerns are largely technical.
Pittsburgh must improve his hand discipline, teach him to trust his recovery speed, sharpen his tackling angles and help him become more comfortable against sudden route changes.
There is no guarantee that every issue will be corrected.
But this is not a situation where the coaches must manufacture physical ability that does not exist. They are trying to organise an impressive set of tools into a more reliable player.
That is exactly the type of developmental bet a team should make in the third round.
UK Steelers Podcast verdict
Daylen Everette may be one of the most quietly intriguing players in the Steelers’ 2026 draft class.
He does not have the novelty of Pittsburgh’s hybrid offensive players or the extraordinary straight-line profile of Robert Spears-Jennings.
He simply looks like a professional cornerback.
Everette has NFL size, genuine speed and extensive experience playing outside against SEC receivers. His ability to remain in phase is the foundation of a potentially successful career.
There are reasons he reached the 85th pick.
He can become too physical, locate the football late, miss tackles and struggle when sharp route runners force sudden changes of direction. He is more smooth than twitchy and more of a hitter than a technically consistent tackler.
The Artie Burns comparison represents the uncomfortable outcome: an athletic corner whose technique never fully catches up with his physical profile.
But Everette’s experience, intelligence and ability to stay attached to receivers offer reasons to believe he can develop differently.
The Steelers should initially use him outside, allow him to contribute on special teams and avoid asking him to cover the league’s most sudden receivers immediately.
If he becomes more disciplined without losing his physical edge, Pittsburgh may have found a long-term starting corner in the third round.
So why was Daylen Everette still available?
Because he is not yet a complete cornerback.
But the player he could become is exactly why the Steelers were right to take him.
Could Daylen Everette become a long-term starter in Pittsburgh? Watch the complete UK Steelers Podcast film breakdown above and let us know what you think of the pick.
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