/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/46258706/usa-today-8190777.0.jpg)
It's funny, you're sitting around watching highlight videos of the Steelers new third round pick, receiver Sammie Coates from Auburn, and you say to yourself, "Man, this guy looks like a beast! How'd he last until the third round?"
You say these things to yourself because every player looks like a beast in highlights (I'll bet Huey Richardson would have back in '91, had Youtube been invented about 15 years sooner), but Coates skill-set does look rather striking, as do his physical attributes.
Anyway, you continue to google all things about Coates, when you stumble upon his official video montage, provided by Steelers.com, welcoming him to the organization and introducing him to the fans. And, again, I must say, the dude looks like a beast. He has balance, speed, acceleration, and all those other things players demonstrate in highlights.
However, if you click on the link provided in the previous paragraph and fast-forward to around the 1:00 mark, you'll see Coates owning a cornerback from Ole Miss on a long touchdown reception; Coates continues to own this Ole Miss corner all the way through until the 1:08 mark, when another highlight shows Coates out-leaping this poor fellow in the end zone on a shorter touchdown reception.
Two great example of what Coates could provide for Pittsburgh, from both a down-field and physical standpoint.
Only problem is, the Ole Miss corner Coates beat twice was none other than Senquez Golson, the Steelers second-round selection in the 2015 NFL Draft, and a player one hopes will make his mark for a secondary that very much needs it.
I'm not saying Golson is a candidate to be turned into burnt toast on every NFL passing play simply because of being victimized by Coates twice in a highlight montage. To be an NFL defensive back is to be victimized more times than you'd care to remember, and it's always best to have a short memory.
Also, judging by his own official video montage provided by Steelers.com, Golson looks unbelievably awesome, as well, and displays so many attributes I hardly ever see from Pittsburgh's corners--like out-leaping receivers to intercept passes, for example. But, for the sake of equal time and fairness, I was hoping to see a highlight or two of Golson getting all up in Coates' grill and telling him not to come back in his area after either breaking up a pass intended for the receiver or knocking him through a Gatorade table on the sideline. Unfortunately, other than a pick-six against Auburn, there weren't any highlights of Golson owning his future teammate.
Seriously, what Steelers intern edited these highlights? It's like getting hired for a job and then accidentally receiving an email from your new boss that reads like this:
"Yeah, I hired two guys today. The one guy looks awesome, and I can't wait to see what he brings to the company. The other guy, well, we REALLY needed to fill that position, so I hope he works out, 'cause there wasn't anyone else available. Anyway, give the awesome guy the office with the view."
Watching Golson against Coates, this brings to question the former's size of 5'9" and 176 pounds, which isn't considered ideal for the position of corner. However, there are more positives than negatives about Golson's game, and anyone who's ever had to deal with a mean dog, angry bee or slithering snake will tell you that size doesn't matter if someone is really good at what they do--scary creatures, scaring people; cover corners, covering people--and Golson wouldn't be the first sub-6'0 corner to succeed in the NFL.
Lastly, I guess we all know what two Steelers rookies will be the first to fight one another in training camp this summer.