The Pittsburgh Steelers capped off their 2024 NFL Draft by taking CB Ryan Watts from Texas with their last pick in the sixth round. Some project him as a safety in the NFL, and the Steelers did announce him as a defensive back. Part of it is simply his size. He’s nearly 6-3 and weighs 208 pounds. That’s just slightly shorter than Cory Trice Jr. and three pounds heavier. Watts also has freakishly long arms at 34 1/2 inches (if he plays corner, he will have the longest arms of a corner measured since 1999).
Watts’ size and physicality make him an intriguing proposition in Pittsburgh. He’s part of the trend that General Manager Omar Khan and the team are showing of taller, heavier corners.
“One guy that I think could be really interesting to see is Ryan Watts in Pittsburgh,” said former Texas RB Jeremy Hills on the draft recap episode of 3rd & Longhorn on Tuesday. “Just ’cause what they do with big, physical corners and the way that they want to play. And the way that the North is already? That’s what that game is. So I think it’ll be interesting to see what his talent becomes as it’s in a system that has lent itself friendly to his measurables.”
Ryan Watts is the third cornerback/defensive back Khan has drafted since he officially took over prior to the 2023 NFL Draft. The Steelers picked Joey Porter Jr. 33rd overall and Trice in the seventh round of the 2023 NFL Draft. All three are bigger players at their position. Heck, Steelers.com lists new S DeShon Elliott at 6-0, 210 pounds. So Watts is taller than Elliott and just two pounds lighter.
Part of the focus on size at the corner position could be in response to some of the receivers in the AFC North. Cincinnati Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase is listed as 6-0 and 201 pounds. His teammate, Tee Higgins, is even bigger at 6-4 and 219 pounds. Cleveland Browns WR is 6-1 and 211 pounds. There are big receivers in the North, so what better way to combat them than by getting big, physical corners?
Whether Watts plays safety or corner, he’s going to have a chance, thanks to his size and physical style of play. Josh Carney scouted Watts for Steelers Depot, and two of the biggest things that stuck out to him were Watts’ versatility and his physical intensity.
When I put on the tape at Texas last season, I came away rather intrigued. He has great size for the cornerback position and could without a doubt handle an every-down role as a box safety in the NFL.
He tested off the charts for his size, too, earning a 9.84 RAS from Kent Lee Platte.
The concerns with the long speed at corner and the struggles to find and track the ball in the air in coverage are real, but his physicality, length and experience at two major programs are very intriguing overall and warrant a flyer on Day 3 of the NFL draft. At worst, he’s a longer-term special teams contributor who can provide depth in the secondary.
So it’s easy to understand why the former Texas RB Hills is intrigued to see how Watts develops in Pittsburgh. On paper, Watts is the exact type of player the Steelers want in the secondary.
