Steelers News: Is Antoine Brooks the hybrid LB/S the Steelers defense needs?

The Pittsburgh Steelers 2020 NFL Draft is officially over. After finishing last year 8-8, the Steelers, and their vast fan base, have another long offseason awaiting them. Just because the games are done doesn’t mean we stop providing you with features, commentary and opinions to tide you over throughout the offseason!

Today in the black-and-gold links article we take a look at whether Antoine Brooks is the Steelers hybrid linebacker/safety the team needs on defense?

Let’s get to the news:

• Antoine Brooks is a thumper, but is he the hybrid player the Steelers defense needs in 2020?

Steelers hoping to take advantage of ‘half linebacker, half safety’ Antoine Brooks

By: Chris Adamski, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

A prevailing opinion heading into last week’s draft was the Pittsburgh Steelers could have used immediate help at seven positions.

With six picks at their disposal, that was a problem.

The Steelers ultimately got reinforcements at wide receiver, outside linebacker, running back and offensive line with their first four picks. They would nab a defensive tackle in the seventh round.

That left one pick for two positions of need, safety and inside linebacker, in this frenetic game of draft-pick musical chairs. What were general manager Kevin Colbert & Co. to do?

Split the difference.

When their turn in the sixth round came Saturday, the Steelers took Maryland’s Antoine Brooks at No. 198 overall.

“He’s half a linebacker. He’s half a safety,” Colbert said.

To read the full article, click HERE (Free)

• Don’t expect the Steelers’ 2020 draft class to do much this season.

Mark Madden: Steelers’ 2020 draft class won’t offer immediate help

By: Mark Madden, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Meh (adjective): Not impressive, so-so; apathetic, indifferent.

Now that you know the word, use it in a sentence: The Steelers had a meh draft.

The odds of that increase when you don’t have a first-round pick. They also increase when you take a player who wasn’t considered good enough to invite to the NFL scouting combine, one who was a walk-on at a Group of Five school and two from football powerhouse (gag) Maryland, which hasn’t had a winning season since 2014.

There were 32 players selected in the first round. Fourteen were from Alabama, Clemson, LSU or Ohio State. The race doesn’t always go to the swift, nor the battle to the strong. But it’s certainly the way to bet.

The Steelers need help immediately, but won’t get it from this draft. They hate to fast-track rookies. Troy Polamalu didn’t start a single game his first season. This year’s rookies won’t have OTAs or mini-camp, and maybe not exhibition games.

To read the full articles, click HERE (Free)

• Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly absolutely glows about Chase Claypool’s work ethic and more.

‘He epitomizes Steelers Nation’

By: Teresa Varley, Steelers.com

There was a lot of excitement among Steelers Nation when the team selected receiver Chase Claypool in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft, the 49th player selected overall.

Notre Dame Coach Brian Kelly wasn’t at all surprised by that excitement.

Kelly knows first-hand what Claypool brings to the table. He saw him grow and develop from an unheralded freshman who came to Notre Dame after the coaches saw his high school highlights on Facebook to a completely different player who left Notre Dame after winning the Monogram Club Most Valuable Player honors his final season.

“For me, his coach, what I have enjoyed more than anything else is somebody that had grown up and matured over his time at Notre Dame,” said Kelly after the Steelers selected Claypool. “He was mentored by some great players before him. They have really influenced him as well. As we got to last year, he really emerged because he wanted to live up to that ability as well.”

To read the full article, click HERE (Free)

• BTSC articles you may have missed...

An exclusive interview with Steelers rookie WR Chase Claypool

An updated roster after the NFL Draft and the UDFA signings

Scouting Reports on Alex Highsmith, the Steelers 3rd round OLB pick

Ranking the AFC North after the draft: The offense

NFL teams can now pick up free agents without it hurting their compensatory formula

• Social Media Madness