The Pittsburgh Steelers have drafted Texas defensive back Ryan Watts in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Watts is a huge 6-foot-3 cornerback but has some versatility and might have to kick to safety. He ran a 4.53 40-yard dash while jumping out of the gym with a 40.5-inch vertical, 10-foot-5-inch broad jump, 4.13 short shuttle, and 6.82 3-cone drills.
He started off his career with Ohio State before transferring to Texas. Watts worked at the Shrine Bowl and all around the formation, including outside cornerback, slot cornerback, and safety. He could work at single-high in some packages, but his versatility, along with his natural athleticism, will be the allure of someone like Watts.
Watts could be one of the candidates to be the Steelers slot cornerback but will give them depth around the defensive backfield. It’s that plus that likely helped land Watts with the Steelers at this point in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Really, where Watts will make an immediate impact is special teams. With his length and physical tools under the new special teams rules, Watts will be a special teams demon and will play on that unit heavily in the early part of the process. After selecting Watts, the Steelers’ draft haul is complete, as they have made all seven selections.
The team still needs some players, including outside cornerback and wide receiver. They could end up looking to address those needs in the post-free agent market.