After the Pittsburgh Steelers completed their undrafted free agent signings, Iowa DB Sebastian Castro stood out. Castro excelled as a hard-hitting, tough-as-nails, defensive back as he played a huge role in shutting down opposing offenses for Iowa’s elite defense.
Castro joins fellow Hawkeyes RB Kaleb Johnson and DT Yahya Black as rookies in Pittsburgh. On Saturday, Black was asked about how good Castro is, to which Black made clear that Castro has only one speed, one mentality.
“Great, come on” Black said of Castro, according to audio provided by the Steelers PR department. “He’s always lurking something, he’s hunting something.”
Throughout his five-year collegiate career he recorded a whopping 163 tackles as a defensive back, 14 tackles for a loss, broke up 18 passes, intercepted four passes, and forced five fumbles. As Black said, he’s always hunting something and that something is ballcarriers.
While Castro may not be the most athletic or biggest player (he measured in at 5112 and 203 pounds), he has the mentality and tenacity necessary to succeed in the NFL.
Jim Hester of Steelers Depot did a tape breakdown of Castro and highlighted his strengths and weakness. He was very high on Castro, giving him a fourth-round grade.
Given Pittsburgh’s need to stop the run, having a defense back who likes to get physical and make big hits is a valuable asset. Running backs like Derrick Henry of the Baltimore Ravens and Chase Brown of the Cincinnati Bengals caused problems for Pittsburgh’s defense last season, so any help in the stopping the run is welcome.
Stopping the run starts in the trenches, a big reason why Black was drafted in the fifth round, but support from linebackers and defensive backs is also crucial for an elite run defense. Castro will look to be a big part of that effort.
Castro is also a versatile player having lined up at safety and slot cornerback with Iowa. It will be interesting to see how the Steelers choose to use him. That versatility could be a major factor in helping him make the roster.
As an undrafted free agent, it won’t be easy, but Pittsburgh values their tough, hard-nosed players, and that is exactly who Castro is.
