The Pittsburgh Steelers have made some much needed moves this offseason to address the defensive side of the ball. Cornerback Steven Nelson and linebacker Mark Barron both offer a lot of potential as well as playmaking ability going forward. With two big additions to the defense, this brings forth the question of exactly what will the Steelers do with their first round draft pick?
The Steelers sit at 20th overall and while there is some speculation they could trade up in the draft, it would be very uncharacteristic of them to do so. They may be faced with drafting whoever the best available defensive player is when their name is called. Florida State's fantastic edge rusher Brian Burns could very well be that pick for the Steelers.
Brian Burns was a TERROR off the edge on 3rd and long this season: he had a 29.5% pass rush win percentage and 12 total pressures on 44 pass-rush snaps. pic.twitter.com/HvjUj97Cyp
— PFF Draft (@PFF_College) April 1, 2019
Pittsburgh has watched T.J. Watt display everything a team can hope for from a first round pick and he elevated his game further this past season. The Steelers still have edge rusher Bud Dupree and while he has been a solid player there's questions surrounding him as a long-term solution at the position. While Watt looks to be very much the player the team can build around and why not add another piece to complement his skill set. This lies the reason why the team should not pass on Burns if he is still on the board.
Burns was phenomenal at the combine, posting a 4.53 40-yard dash which is uncharacteristic for a player of his size. Burns tallied 23 sacks over three seasons at Florida State as well seven forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. At 6'5" 235 pounds, Burns could potentially be a nightmare for opposing offenses if defensive coordinator Keith Butler can deploy his skill set effectively.
While it could be unlikely Burns is around at the 20 spot for Pittsburgh, there is a chance and the Steelers should jump at the chance to snag him if he is still around. Burns might not be an every down starter right out the gate, but his skill set is obvious and it would only be a matter of time before he is unleashed.
Going through the film on the top pass rushers in the ‘19 draft class...Quick look at #FSU OLB/DE Brian Burns (No.99). 6-foot-5, 249. 4.53 speed. Spin move here. pic.twitter.com/DtC8x7e8qp
— Matt Bowen (@MattBowen41) April 2, 2019
oh my
— Austin Gayle (@PFF_AustinGayle) April 1, 2019
Brian Burns (@Fire_Burns99) torches Florida's Jawaan Taylor here for the strip-sack -- takes advantage of an absurd get-off, swipes and dips the punch...
Beautiful. pic.twitter.com/0UMJit7ghA
