The Steelers were looking for depth at safety, and they got one in the sixth round. A three-year starter for the Maryland Terps, Antoine Brooks, Jr. — a hybrid safety/linebacker — finished his senior year with a career-high 87 tackles, 8.5 TFL, one INT, five pass deflections, and one fumble recovery.
Brooks spent his first year as a reserve linebacker then, as a sophomore, moved to nickel corner. His sophomore season earned him Big Ten honorable mention. For Brooks’ performance at the safety position in his junior and senior seasons, he was third-team All-Big Ten and second-team All-Big Ten.
Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert, a guest on Wednesday’s episode of Movin’ the Chains on Sirius XM, was asked if he has a sense of how the Steelers will utilize his versatility.
“We try to project where they’re going to play in a base defense. With Antoine, we feel comfortable that, in our base defense, he would be a safety,” Colbert explained. “But we talk about it all the time, base defenses really aren’t your bases any longer because you might only be in them a quarter of the time and the other times, you’re in subpackage.”
“So, a guy like Antoine Brooks fits into that subpackage mold because just like he did at Maryland playing in that slot, playing over the tight end, blitzing from the box, covering a back,” continued Colbert. “He’ll fit into those packages because he can do several different things related to the physicality necessary in the box with enough athleticism to cover — more so in the short zones and maybe in the deep type of coverage — but he certainly has that. And he certainly should be a contributor for Danny Smith on special teams because, again, of his athleticism and his physicality.”
Senior defensive assistant/secondary coach Teryl Austin echoed those sentiments in his post-draft press conference.
[Antoine] plays a little bit of everywhere. You will see him play down in the box, out on the slot, you will see him back some,” said Austin. “I think the biggest thing I liked about him is he was around the ball. He is going to be there, wherever that ball is, he is going to show up. He is very, very physical. I like that about him.”
“I also think when you watch, he has a really good feel for the game in terms of instincts and making quick decisions and not being afraid to make a decision. I think that is what you are looking for when you want a guy back there. He is going to diagnose and key and trust what he sees and then goes. I like that about him.”
A multi-position player like Brooks is valuable to the Steelers, and it will certainly increase his chances of making the final 55-man roster (per the CBA, the increase from 53 takes effect this season). Should Brooks progress enough to earn some defensive snaps this season, he has the potential to be a nightmare for opposing offenses.
No matter where the Steelers put him, Brooks is ready.
“Honestly, they can put me anywhere. I don’t care. I just want to play football to the best of my ability,” Brooks said. “I played nickel, I played in the slot, I played in the box. The box sees an awful lot for a player. I played in the box because I’m aggressive. That’s just my nature. I’m an aggressive tackler. I’m an aggressive player. I like to be in the play. Other than that, I did a lot of blitzing. I did a lot of moving around when I was at Maryland.
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