Report: Steelers Sign Tryout CB Carlins Platel to a Contract

The Pittsburgh Steelers have agreed to sign rookie cornerback Carlins Platel out of South Carolina to a contract after his rookie minicamp tryout, according to a report by Mike Uva of On3.

Platel transferred to South Carolina after three seasons at Division II Assumption College, where he would be an all-conference cornerback. While he did not play in 2020 due to the pandemic, Platel graduate transferred to South Carolina, where he put up a solid season.

Platel played both in the slot and outside, but he primarily took snaps in the nickel. He made 21 tackles, forced two fumbles, recorded two pass breakups, and had one sack on the season. It was a year where he was asked to do anything from blitz to roll back to safety and more.

The Steelers have had success before with chess pieces in the secondary, so Platel coming on makes sense. After a solid week at rookie minicamp, he will now have the opportunity to make something happen throughout the offseason program. He joins Chris Steele, an undrafted free agent signing, as some of the youth the Steelers have added to the cornerback room.

Platel earned the opportunity at Steelers minicamp after he impressed at the Eagles minicamp a week prior. A scout had noticed Platel, and he turned that into an NFL contract. There were more than a dozen defensive backs invited to the Steelers’ rookie minicamp, but Platel did enough to earn the contract.

The Steelers will need to make a corresponding roster move to clear space on the 90-man roster for Platel.