Are you tired of mock drafts yet? I hope not because we still have one more week to go until the real one gets underway in Chicago.
This past week, NFL Network draft analysts Daniel Jeremiah, Charles Davis and Charley Casserly all released their latest mocks of the first round and all three have Miami cornerback Artie Burns going to the Pittsburgh Steelers with the 25th overall selection.
Jeremia writes of the selection:
Burns has outstanding size, play speed and ball skills.
The secondary continues to need help, and guys who can run, tackle and make plays. This Hurricane has the gifts to do all of those things. He will be needed to deal with some scary receivers in the AFC North.
Some will say this is a reach but he is my next best cornerback.
While the Steelers chose not to bring Burns in for a pre-draft visit over the course of the last month, head coach Mike Tomlin and general manager Kevin Colbert both reportedly attended Miami’s rainy pro-day.
While the 5117, 193-pound Burns only started 23 of the 37 games that he played in during his three years at Miami, he did register 7 total interceptions, 23 passes defensed and 96 total tackles. As far as his numbers from last season go, according to STATS, Burns allowed 22 receptions for 334 yards and two touchdowns in coverage.
Personally, don’t see Burns being the Steelers 25th overall selection this year and on top of that, I’m not convinced he’ll wind up hearing his name called during the first night of the draft.
