With the 173rd pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers select … Brian Allen, CB, Utah.
Wow!
Dave-Te’ Thomas strikes again.
Earlier in the week, Dave-Te’ mentioned Allen as a name to watch as a sleeper, so I dove into the tape and did the report on him.
Once I popped on the tape, it was quite clear what Dave-Te’ was talking about when it came to Allen. He’s super raw as a corner after making the switch from wide receiver, but he has tremendous length and really good ball skills.
His technique as a tackler is hit-or-miss, but he’s willing to stick his face into the fan and is very aggressive when doing it. Just don’t expect him to be a great run support corner.
In coverage, Allen is a guy comfortable playing press or off-man, but he’s great in the trail technique, using his great size and length to blanket receivers down the field, taking away any semblance of a throwing window for the quarterback.
In terms of value, I think this is a perfect spot for Allen, considering I had him slotted for the late 5th. That being said, I know I had him mocked to the Steelers in the 6th, but that was more of me hoping he’d slide a bit because he was a little unknown.
Allen likely won’t contribute much of anything in the 2017 season because I think he’s ticketed for the practice squad to develop, but this is a good chance to take late in the draft on a guy that could develop into a really good cornerback down the road for the black and gold.
Personally, I am ecstatic about the selection of Allen.
