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With the 198th overall selection in the 2020 NFL Draft the Pittsburgh Steelers select…
Antoine Brooks Jr., S, Maryland
He has been a monster in run
defense with grades of 85.7, 76.0, and 90.8 in his three years as a
starter. pic.twitter.com/MM9oECWmjX— PFF PIT Steelers (@PFF_Steelers) April 26, 2020
In 2019, the Pittsburgh Steelers were No. 5 in the NFL in yards allowed. But in terms of the run game, things were more average. The Steelers ranked 27th in rushing attempts allowed and 14th in run yards allowed. Pittsburgh went into the 2020 NFL draft with this in their mind based on two of their draft choices.
The Steelers selected Antoine Brooks Jr. in the sixth round and he is almost certain to improve the run defense. Brooks is a hammer going downhill against the run and one of the best tacklers in the draft. His ability to quickly diagnose plays and use proper angles to the football to make up for a lack of fluid hips and speed.
But it doesn’t end there. The Steelers also used their seventh-round pick to draft former Nebraska defensive tackle Carlos Davis. He doesn’t come into the league the accolades of Brooks but his ability to stuff the run shows up on film. He’s got a different body type than Pittsburgh typically targets for the defensive line and you have to assume adding a guy 6-foot-2 and 313 pounds with power to help slow down the opposing run game.
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