A word that was thrown around with Artie Burns during the draft process was raw. Another word, undisciplined. Scouts noted how grabby he was on tape and how uptight he was in backpedaling and how stiff his coverage was, but he had exceptional measurables at the Combine and he is very long. The Steelers felt that his good traits outweighed his bad traits and decided to use the 25th overall pick to select him.
Artie Burns is Just Who the Pittsburgh Steelers Needed
After being inserted into the starting lineup seven games ago, it looks as if they made the right choice. Through seven games, Burns has three interceptions, which leads all rookies, including the four corners selected before him considered more NFL ready. Three picks in the NFL is impressive as competition is much higher than college, but for a player to be leading all rookies while playing less than half as many games as the “better” corners drafted before him proves that draft position doesn’t matter, it’s how hard you play for the team that gambled on you. Burns is a hard worker, so him and Pittsburgh were a match made in heaven.
His scouting report noted that he was raw, but coachable. The coachable aspect is starting to show. Burns hasn’t been beat very much. Yes, he got beat in his first start, and yes he has made some rookie mistakes, but he has certainly been a breath of fresh air for the Pittsburgh secondary. Everyone and their mother knew that the Steelers needed to bolster their secondary, but Burns was the first Steelers corner taken in the first round since Chad Scott in 1997. Two corners in 19 years is not very many, which shows how highly the Steelers felt about Burns. Burns being selected wasn’t an accident, or a compensation. He was selected because the Steelers felt that his skills fit their scheme. They felt that his weaknesses were coachable, and they took a shot. As we stand, before Week 16 he has only allowed two scores, and one of them was in his first start against Mike Wallace, a very speedy receiver who can still burn anyone in the league.
The other score was against Cleveland when he made a mistake and tried to tackle Gary Barnidge with his back. He’s a rookie, he makes mistakes. Even with the small amount of mistakes he has made, he’s proven to be more of an asset than a liability. His coverage skills alone have been beneficial, but another thing that sets Burns apart is something that some veteran corners can’t even do. Artie Burns can tackle, and he’s pretty good at it. He got burned on the Mike Wallace score, but after that he’s made almost every tackle that he has had the opportunity to make.
That is why he thrives in Pittsburgh’s defense. Whenever he gives up a catch the receiver gets taken down. The Steelers defense thrives on bending, but not breaking and having a secondary that can tackle well is extremely imperative to not giving up big scores. With the addition of Burns, they achieved that. They now have a well-rounded secondary that tackles well. And in case you haven’t noticed, the Steelers secondary has not been nearly as much of a weakness.
Although Burns has done well, he still has his moments. He had one such moment against the Cincinnati Bengals when he got a pass interference slapped on him in the end zone against Brandon LaFell. The penalty was part of a bad first half for Burns and the entire Steelers defense. Then, at halftime, a switch was flipped and the defense suddenly came alive. Burns’ resilience showed as he shut down LaFell in the second half to help the defense allow a mere 38 total yards in the second half. His resilience and determination to not lay down and accept defeat is another thing that makes him a good match with Pittsburgh. Quitters never win and winners never quit.
Burns is a young attacker. He plays the ball well, and he tackles well. His coverage skills have also improved. In the game against the New York Giants, one of the most explosive receivers in the game, Odell Beckham Jr. didn’t do very much when he was across from Burns. Most of his yards came against Ross Cockrell and William Gay, and the most important statistic, he laid a fat goose egg in the touchdown department. Whenever a receiver was slotted across from Burns, they didn’t do very much and the Giants have arguably the most promising young receiving corps in football, making it more impressive that Burns shut them down.
The Steelers needed to draft a corner for a while, but they were waiting for the player they felt was the right one. They took a chance on Artie Burns because they saw potential in him, and so far their gamble has paid off. He hasn’t just been a serviceable player. He’s turning into the best corner the Steelers have, the one that they needed to start the rebuilding of the once great secondary. Artie Burns is a cornerstone, a much needed starting piece, and the start of something that looks to have a bright future.
