Steelers All 90: CB Carlins Platel Familiar with Big Jump in Competition

All 90 is a Pittsburgh Steelers Now series profiling each of the 90 members of the Steelers 2022 offseason roster.

30 • Carlins Platel, rookie CB, South Carolina
6-foot-1, 205 pounds, 22 years old

Acquired: Signed by the Steelers on May 16, 2022 after a tryout at rookie minicamp, one of four players to earn a contract after a tryout.

Last season: Platel made the huge leap from Division-II Assumption University in Massachusetts to the SEC with South Carolina and thrived.

He played in 12 games with the Gamecocks, making seven starts at the Nickel position. On the season, he finished with 21 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, one sack, two forced fumbles and two passes defended.

Platel was given South Carolina’s 2021 Overcoming Adversity Award.

College: Platel was an All-Northeastern 10 corner for the Assumption Greyhounds from 2017-19. His best statistical season was as a freshman in 2017, when he recorded 41 tackles, three interceptions and forced one fumble.

In total, Platel played 33 games with the Greyhounds, racking up 96 tackles, one sack, two tackles for loss, one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries, seven interceptions and 30 pass breakups.

Platel also returned punts at Assumption. The team did not play in 2020 due to COVID-19.

Camp outlook: The Steelers depth chart at Nickel is complicated, with presumptive starter Cam Sutton also able to play outside and Tre Norwood also able to play safety. With those two pulled elsewhere at times, someone to back up Art Maulet could be useful, and Platel certainly seems to fit that bill.

He’ll be competing with 2021 practice squad member Linden Stephens and fellow undrafted rookie Chris Steele for that role. Special teams could also play a part in the battle for a job, whether that’s on the practice squad or the 90-man roster.

Future: Platel signed a three-year contract that will pay him $705,000 in base salary this season.

The rest of the 90: