On Wednesday, the Pittsburgh Steelers signed former New York Jets CB Brandin Echols. Echols has plenty of playing experience on both defense and special teams, appearing in 57 career games. In 2024, he played over 400 defensive snaps and 185 special teams snaps, so he will be a contributor in multiple phases.
Steelers Depot’s own Josh Carney did a film study to help us understand how Echols will fit the Steelers on the field. But this isn’t exactly about Echols’ NFL career. This is about figuring out who Echols is and his journey to this point. So who is Echols?
Multi-Sport (And Played Multiple Positions On The Football Field) Athlete In High School
At Southaven High School in Mississippi, you’d find Brandin Echols on the basketball court, the football field, or the track, depending on the time of the year. Echols was a standout runner his senior year of high school and was named to The Clarion-Ledger’s all-state track and field team. There’s a lot of ribbons on Echols’ shoulder in that photo.
But it wasn’t just that Echols played multiple sports at Southaven. He also played multiple positions in football. He caught 29 passes for 406 yards and four touchdowns his senior year. He also ran for 906 yards and eight touchdowns while returning four kicks for touchdowns. He also played defense, picking off one pass while accumulating 11 total tackles and two sacks.
Switched To Full-Time Defense In Junior College
Yes, Echols was more of an offensive threat than a top-tier defender in high school. It wasn’t until he played at Northwest Mississippi Community College that he made the full-time transition to defense. His head coach, Benjy Parker, said that Echols didn’t want to make the switch at first.
“He wanted to score touchdowns, not prevent them,” said Parker.
Despite the initial misgivings, it worked out well for Echols. He finished his junior college career with 83 total tackles, 3.5 tackles for a loss, 26 passes knocked down, nine interceptions (two returned for touchdowns), two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, and two blocked kicks in 21 games. His performance at corner during his two years at Northwest Mississippi led to Rivals ranking him as the fifth-best corner in all of junior college.
Coachable
The NFL and even college football are full of promising athletes. But NFL teams want players who are willing to be coached, players who are willing to listen, learn, and apply. And that’s what Echols says he is. He sat down with former NFL RB Maurice Jones-Drew for a pre-draft interview in 2021, and Jones-Drew asked Echols what teams would be getting if they drafted him.
“You’re getting a hard-working, dedicated person that’s dedicated to the craft,” Echols said. “Dedicated to learning. Willing to take coaching from anybody, from players to coaches, from trainers, anybody.”
Coaches love players who want to learn and be coached up.
Stellar Academics
Echols wasn’t lying to Jones-Drew when he said he is dedicated to learning. During his time at Kentucky, he was named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll in 2019, making the First-Year list as well as the Fall list. He also made Kentucky’s Dean’s List in the spring of 2019. He graduated with a degree in community and leadership development.
Beanie Bishop Jr. Not The Only Steelers CB Who Wanted A Legend To Autograph An Intercepted Ball
As a rookie, Bishop picked off former New York Jets QB Aaron Rodgers twice during a Week 7 matchup. Rodgers ended up signing both balls for Bishop. In 2021, Echols requested a legend sign his intercepted ball, too.
The Jets were facing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to end Echols’ rookie season. That meant a matchup against QB Tom Brady. Just before the end of the first half, Echols took advantage of a miscommunication between Brady and WR Mike Evans, intercepting the legendary quarterback. Of course, Echols kept the ball. He then asked Brady to sign it after the game, and Brady obliged.
Never forget when Brandin Echols picked off Tom Brady and had him sign the ball after 😂🔥 @matayo_echols #jets pic.twitter.com/KdeZvgTumh
— One Jets Drive (@jets_drive) April 18, 2022
“That was the first time,” said Brady after the game in an interview with the “Let’s Go” show on Sirius XM Radio, saying no one had ever asked him that before. “What a nice guy, young player. It was actually, it was kind of flattering. It’s not often I sign an interception ball, too. I think that’s the first time. I don’t necessarily like signing mistakes, let me just say that. So that’s the last time I’m gonna do that.”
