In the seventh round of the 2021 NFL draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers selected safety Tre Norwood out of the University of Oklahoma with the 249th overall pick. In doing so, the Steelers believed that this move would help add some much needed depth to a slowly depleting secondary. Obviously, being a seventh round pick does not carry the same amount of pressure that a first or second rounder carries along with them, so the expectations for how much Norwood would be able to contribute in his first season were low. That being said, Norwood saw the field more than what Steeler Nation expected, and I was honestly impressed when his name was called.
Norwood stood out more in the Steelers' pass defense than any other particular area. Although listed as a safety, the rookie defensive back was thrown into multiple positions on defense in 2021 and was successful in doing so, thus showing how versatile of a player he was and could continue to potentially be. A versatile type of player is a valuable player to any organization and clearly Norwood’s contributions made an immediate impression on head coach Mike Tomlin who was vocal in public calling Norwood the team's new “Swiss Army Knife,” and that was showcased in his first NFL season.
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Due to the loss of former cornerback Mike Hilton to free agency, the Steelers' defense was left with another whole to fill in their secondary at the nickel cornerback position. Hilton was manning that particular position and did so at an extremely high level. In four seasons with the black and gold, Hilton was responsible for seven interceptions, 9.5 total sacks and was arguably one of the best slot corners in the game after his final game as a Steeler concluded. He then signed a four-year $24 million contract with the Cincinnati Bengals this past off-season as one of the top slot cornerbacks in the game.
This meant that a new name was going to need to step up in the secondary. Joe Haden and Cam Sutton were on pace to be the starting outside corners, behind them on the depth chart were a couple of in-house names (James Pierre and Justin Layne), and the Swiss Army Knife himself (Norwood) to start the season out. Although the Steelers made a move for cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon, he did not see much playing time until later on in the season and Pierre was struggling almost instantly. The Steelers found themselves giving significant playing time to the young seventh round pick and used him in not only the slot/nickel position, but was used in his natural safety position as well. Norwood was impactful in the passing game, as he was used as a man to man coverage type of player on a receiver or back. While also being impactful in the rushing game, being a solid tackler on the outside perimeter of the defense and seemingly always being near the football.
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Norwood played in all 17 games for the Steelers this season, accounting for 38 total tackles and one interception. Although he only started three times, the rookie saw the field more than what was anticipated and did his part in surpassing what anyone's expectations of what a seventh round draft choice can bring to the table so quickly. I think there is excitement around the Steelers facility for what Norwood can continue to grow to be as he showed that he belongs on an NFL football field. Seeing more of him on the field could have a huge impact on the success of the Steelers' pass defense in 2022.
Do you think Norwood will continue to see significant time on the field in 2022? Comment below!
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