Despite being the Pittsburgh Steelers’ third draft pick in this year’s class, some think Cameron Sutton has a chance to make the most immediate impact. The PPG’s Ray Fittipaldo had a really great chat yesterday afternoon and kept circling back to Sutton anytime he was asked about this year’s rookie class.
Though it was only a couple practices in shorts, he commented he “liked what I saw from Cam Sutton” when asked if anyone stood out in camp.
Later on, when asked point blank what rookie will have the largest impact, he mentioned Sutton again. His full answer.
“Sutton because of his man coverage skills. All dependent, of course, on him learning the playbook and being able to play fast. That’s not a given.”
The Steelers have stressed their desire to play man coverage more effectively, specifically off the heels of the New England Patriots’ loss, and Sutton is viewed as a strong man corner who will likely wind up playing in the slot. Though Fittipaldo makes a good point about needing to pick up the playbook, and slot cornerback is one of the most difficult spots for a rookie to start at, Sutton’s high IQ should easy the transition.
His willingness and ability to absorb the playbook is something he spoke to in conversation last week with Missi Matthews.
“Big pat of my game is the film. Breaking down the film, breaking down my opponents. That’s where it all starts at. That makes the game the easy part. All your work is done throughout your preparation. Once I get through that, it’ll make things on the field slow down for me.”
Being able to reflect on all the draft picks weeks removed from the draft, there is a chance the Steelers could get similar production from this class as they did last year. T.J. Watt is already locked in to playing heavy snaps with James Harrison and I’ve written several times about the chances JuJu Smith-Schuster has of capturing the starting slot role. If Sutton can nab a starting gig early, not to mention James Conner’s work as Le’Veon Bell’s backup, the team’s first four selections could play key roles in driving the team back to a deep playoff run.
