On Sunday, the Pittsburgh Steelers signed veteran CB Anthony Averett after he impressed the team during his tryout at rookie minicamp. The Steelers needed cornerback help as they lack experienced players there. The only corners on the roster with starting experience are last year’s second-round pick Joey Porter Jr. and Donte Jackson, whom they acquired from the Carolina Panthers in exchange for WR Diontae Johnson.
But who is Averett? Chances are, you know that he’s the latest in a trend of former Baltimore Ravens players switching from the proverbial dark side this offseason. He joins former LB Patrick Queen and S DeShon Elliott as players who suited up for Baltimore at one point in their careers before signing with the Steelers. Averett has also played for the Las Vegas Raiders and had brief stints with the San Francisco 49ers and Detroit Lions.
So let’s find out who the Steelers’ newest cornerback is on and off the field.
Nephew Of Former NFL OT Bryant McKinnie
Want to feel old like me? Averett is the nephew of Bryant McKinnie. McKinnie actually played offensive tackle for the Ravens from 2011-13, helping them win Super Bowl XLVII. Averett’s mother is McKinnie’s older sister, and she took him to some of McKinnie’s college games at the University of Miami (Fla.). There, Averett met Ravens S Ed Reed as well.
Self-Professed ‘Momma’s Boy’
Speaking of Averett’s mother, she was influential in his journey to playing football at Alabama and making it to the NFL. As I said before, she took him to see his uncle at the University of Miami. Ahead of the 2018 NFL Draft, Averett sat down with The Player’s Tribune and talked about the impact his mom had on his football career.
“I’m definitely a momma’s boy,” Averett said. “Growing up in Jersey, it used to be like 10 degrees during practices, and she’ll be out there watching. She came to every practice and every game. She’s my biggest support, and she’s the one who kinda introduced me to football.”
Another High School Track Star
When the Steelers signed WR Scotty Miller last week, they got a speedster who starred on the track in high school. With Averett, they did it again. While Averett was playing football at a high enough level in New Jersey to earn a spot with the University of Alabama, he was also showcasing his athleticism in track and field.
You know a track and field athlete is special when they can be mentioned in the same sentence as nine-time Olympic gold medalist Carl Lewis, who like Averett also hails from South Jersey. Yet in 2012, Averett earned that distinction when he had the second-longest long jump in New Jersey state history, behind only Lewis’ mark set in 1979. Averett’s long jump of 25 feet, 2 1/2 inches is still the high mark at Woodbury High School.
Averett also capped his high school track career with state titles in the long jump, high jump, and 100-meter dash. So it should be no small surprise that Averett ran the 40-yard dash in 4.36 seconds. Yet Averett never viewed track as where he wanted to focus.
“I always knew I was going to play football in college,” Averett said on an episode of the Ravens Lounge Podcast. “Because track, it was more of a hobby. It was something I was good at; football was something that I loved.”
Still, for track to be a hobby you are good enough to finish second to a legend like Carl Lewis? That’s incredible.
From Athlete To Corner
Averett’s high school career was not too dissimilar to other athletes. He played all over the field for Woodbury, lining up at quarterback and at safety. Unsurprisingly, he was a threat on the ground with that track speed. While some colleges tried to recruit him as an athlete, Alabama head coach Nick Saban viewed him as a corner. It was a process for Averett to learn how to play corner for one of the most demanding coaches and schemes in college football, but it was one that Saban coached him through.
“He saw me as a corner,” Averett said, according to Alex Marvez writing for SportingNews.com. “He wanted me to start from the ground up and just teach me everything when it came down to schemes and coverages.”
It was a long process as Averett did not become an entrenched starter for Alabama until his junior year. However, it all culminated in back-to-back seasons of 48 combined tackles, one sack, and eight passes defended as a junior and senior. He also had three tackles for a loss as a junior and four as a senior. As a senior, he recorded his first college interception as well.
Staying True To His Roots
Since graduating from high school, Averett has gone to the University of Alabama and will now join his fifth NFL team in Pittsburgh. Yet despite the success, he’s never forgotten the high school he attended. According to a 2021 article from the Cherry Hill Courier-Post, Averett goes back regularly to the area to help out the athletic department and the community at large. He has contributed financially to Woodbury’s athletic department as well as donated athletic equipment to the school.
Averett has also supported his hometown area by helping out with the food pantry and providing financial assistance to families in need. According to his mother, who was quoted in the article, he’s always intended to do that.
“Ever since he’s been in the league, this is what he wanted to do,” Carmen Davis said. “Every year he tries to do something or some things for this school. This is what it’s supposed to be.”
