Leading up to the 2021 NFL Draft starting on April 29th, we will be releasing several draft profiles of prospects who could potentially see themselves on the Pittsburgh Steelers. Next up...
Patrick Surtain II (Cornerback), Alabama, Junior
Surtain weighs in at 208lbs, standing at 6'2" and is one of the elite cornerbacks in the draft.
Overview:
Patrick Surtain II, like many other defensive backs in this class, comes with NFL bloodlines as his father, Patrick Surtain Sr. was a Pro Bowl cornerback in the early 2000s. Like his father, Surtain II has the potential to be a top defensive back in the NFL for a long time. Highly rated coming out of high school as a 5-star prospect, he had his pick of the litter before he made his decision to attend Alabama. Once on campus, he became an immediate starter as a freshman and went on to start 38 consecutive games. Playing against some of the best wide receivers in college football, he improved his technique day after day and is now the most technical sound corner in the draft.
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Pros:
- Technique is the best in the draft
- High floor due to his technique being so refined
- Great length and build
- Sound tackler and physical even with larger ball carriers
- Coverage versatility having success in both man and zone coverages
- Has experience on the outside and in the slot
- Fluid hips making seamless turns and transitions moving in or out on breaks
- Quick feet that allows him to stay with smaller and quicker receivers
- Physical in press coverage
- Gets off stock blocks quickly, even against larger wide receivers
- Violent hands at the catch point and at the top of routes
- NFL lineage
Cons:
- Long speed. Ran well at pro day but some elite speed gave him small issues
- Ball skills could be better
- Could improve recognizing when receivers enter his zone when playing zone coverage
With the first few weeks of free agency coming and going, Steeler Nation has quickly realized cornerback is likely a rising need on the team, and Surtain is a great option for a team that has had trouble developing their secondary in the past.
Coverage:
Man coverage, zone coverage, in the slot, on the outside, Surtain has experience playing it. Surtain is at his best when he is man-to-man and able to eliminate one player from the play. He has great length which allows him to not force himself onto the receiver until needed. He is able to react well to receivers breaks and quickly get his eyes onto the throw and make a break on the ball. In zone coverage he does a good job keeping an eye on the quarterback and quickly breaking on any passes his direction. Occasionally he has let opposing receivers get into his blind spot, but this was only a few instances and is a bit of nitpicking on my end. His technique no matter the coverage is nearly perfect, and some of the best you will ever see from a player coming out of college.
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Ball Skills/Instincts:
Surtain's instincts are very good as he has quick recognition on plays developing and reacting quickly. He understands route concepts and has a unique ability to time when the ball is going to arrive by attacking the receivers hands. He won't often go for the interception unless it is an easy grab for him, as he doesn't take unnecessary risks. This makes him a very consistent player, but some teams like to see players be more aggressive than he is in this aspect. If the one main knock on Surtain is he doesn't take as many risks as others, which means he won't have bad beats like some others might, than I think most organizations would live with that.
Run Support/Tackling:
Don't get me wrong, Surtain isn't someone who is going to take on a power back in the hole, but many won't expect him to. But he is one of the more physical cornerbacks all around who is willing to take on blocks both in the run and screen game. He is able to use his length to not let people get into his chest when blocking him and strong enough to shed them quickly using his upper body. As a tackler, like every other aspect, he is very technically sound and consistent as he doesn't let many people get out of his grasp. Each year he has shown more willingness to attack in the run game when the play is headed his direction, as he now attacks the run play as opposed to waiting for it to get to him like many young players do.
NFL Comparison - Marlon Humphrey:
While they don't compare 100% height and weight wise, they have a very similar style of play to one another. Humphrey is a very technically sound corner for the rival Baltimore Ravens who is at his best manning up one on one. Both players are physical in their coverage and have limited holes in their game.
Draft Projection - 1st Round:
There was a lot of talk that Surtain might be the first cornerback off the board in April, but he has lost some of the hype as he isn't as exciting as some of the other options. There isn't a safer pick for defensive backs in this draft, and it would take a strange string of events to see him sliding out of the first round as he likely goes within the first 20 picks.
Let us know below what you think about Surtain II as a prospect, and let us know what other prospects you could be interested in seeing a profile on!
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