Here's What Impresses Me About Steelers CB Ryan Watts

hey everybody Alex kazora Steelers depot.com back with some more Pittsburgh Steelers tape breakdown and Analysis continuing our review of the Pittsburgh Steelers 2024 draft class we'll look at the final selection Pittsburgh made this year with six round pick the cornerback Ryan Watts from Texas there's flaws in this game like any six round pick but there are some exciting traits let's talk about it we'll begin here you can see Watts top of the screen left corner and Pittsburgh certainly has been Drafting and collecting a type of young quarterbacks try Porter Jr Cory TR Jr signing Darius rush off the Chiefs practice squad and then drafting Ryan Watts guys with size and length and press ability you see that here in this example against Iowa State on the receiver looks like cover two he's going to be able to to jam and reroute and then potentially sink if need be with safety help over the top and the ball comes out quick to the trip side so you don't get to really see the whole play unfold but you just see some of the traits Pittsburgh is looking for they're building it like the Seahawks used to with Browner and Sherman in that big secondary the Colts and Chris Ballard have this type they draft Juju Brent last year they kind of like those kind of guys again Seattle the be Carol type Tariq woen modern day and so you just see the press and the ability to jam and reroute that's going to be important in Pittsburgh scheme whether they're running you know true man coverage and being able to offhand press and ride these receivers or this cover to you know more True Blue uh jam and sink and drive on the flat or maybe get de take away anything over the top in a smash concept so that's what Pittsburgh is looking for that's what they're drafting another just quick example from this Iowa State game bottom of the screen here again the left corner not the most incredible rep in the world but you see a guy that's willing to you know get hands on the receiver and if you can you know be able to play The Catch point or discourage the throw and again you see the quarterback go away as he's reading trip side out of this you know Bunch formation on this throw but you just see a guy that looks comfortable and Bre obviously wants to use his length his length he's got 34 and a half inch arms I mean I've never seen a corner I looked it up not found a corner with longer arms Porter's at 34 um there's been a couple of safeties to match or exceed that Mark but you haven't seen a corner with that kind of length now I know there's discussion will Watts go to safety or play corner but he's a corner in college and you see that you know eagerness to get hands on the receivers show up on tape pretty consistently what really intrigues me about watt is not just the size which is rare but there's Corners that are big and physical and this goes back to the is he going to be able to stick at corner and there's a real debate about that but you see moments of fluidity his three cone time was 682 which is a very good time really for any Corner especially one as big and just kind of built the way that watts is built so bottom of the screen here kind of look at these examples of him dropping his weight and being able to change directions here against Alabama just matching this route this comeback route perfectly against this uh Crimson Tide wide receiver this is excellent just dropping that weight here and being able to match this he's running the comeback route uh step for step with that receiver so there are signs as to tell you this guy can play corner there's fluidity and change of Direction there's some things we could talk about in a separate video that concern me about his ability to stick a corner think with more in Breaking routes he gets tight but coming downhill and driving looks really fluid I'm not layering these clips like I have with some other videos I'm just kind of going chronologically in my notes so we'll look at his physicality as a tackler so he can run a bit he can cover a bit he's got size does he play Big in physical as a tackler and the answer to me is unquestionably yes there's a physical demean or an attitude to his game see him drive on this little check down here on the flat throw his shoulder into the running back flaring out and and make the tackle there so I mean he's definitely got some hit power and a lot of onew overall and that's going to be important on defense and also on special teams here is my favorite rep of Ryan Watson the couple games of the all 22 that I watch and you kind of see everything Zone turn here getting eyes on the quarterback defending the double move not biting and you know trying to jump the route because you think the receiver number seven here is going to break down and you know run the slant or you know show his numbers and run a curl um he's able to again drop his weight here a little bit and then track the ball and you see the length really come to play here the 34 and 1 half inch arms to break this one up in the end zone and not allow the touchdown against Alabama so big time play here but it's not just the Finish although that's the most important element it's everything here it's you know being able to not be deceived by the double move and then you know be able to explode as the receiver you know starts pressing vertically and then matching him tracking while staying in phase and then finishing the play with that great length and size that he has really good rep by Ryan Watts another example of his tackling and hit power against Alabama playing right cornerback Watts has the flat here Zoni he's driving the ball in this shallow cross and make the tackle and a nice job here overall don't really get tremendous hit power but making an open field stop on the receiver to limit that yak got to be able to tackle here in Pittsburgh on special teams to play cornerback a nice job to come down make the tackle and sure there is no chance for that receiver to really get up field and make somebody Miss and so a nice job here by Ryan Watts last example look we'll go back to that change of Direction showing I think in some regard really good fluidity so left corner top of the screen Plastering this route as it's starts to go outside the structure of the play the quarterback is scrambling trying to break contain the receiver trying to get in his vision trying to just get himself open and you see Watts drop his hips match that route as the receiver breaks down blanket it the whole way it's a two-man route not a lot of options for the quarterback for milro and he ends up getting sacked on this play so just a good job here by watts to take that away again just watching him be able to break down and drop his weight on these curls and comebacks and you know those types of routes I think he does a really good job of you see fluidity that says hey this guy can stay at corner now again I won't show it in this clip in this video because I'm looking at positives we'll do negatives in a separate video potentially on more of those in-breaking routes the Slants the uh you know digs that's where you see the tightness he gets tight he gets tall trying to flip his hips that's you sit there and go okay this guy might have to play safety but Pittsburgh we'll see how they use him I don't know how he was used at rookie mini camp and we'll see we get more Intel at OTAs he missed a day rookie mini camp uh to graduate from Texas but you know I think you try him at corner and if he doesn't work at corner you say okay well we'll try you at safety maybe play free safety uh but I think you know for now just the traits and you know you just give him a shot at corner I think there's some ability to to play there he's the type that Pittsburgh looks for and anytime you draft a corner there's questions about tightness and Kenya stay there tricer played Safety at Purdue then he moved to corner so you know I think you explore it it's a six round pick a guy you're not going to be playing in week one against Atlanta at corner that's going to burn you try him in the preseason if he gives up a couple plays then he may modify the plan so overall some baseline things I like the physicality the eagerness to press the size profile the fluidity to drop his weight in certain regards definitely want to see more of Ryan Watts not a perfect Prospect the production wasn't there long speed concerns but interesting guy so those are my thoughts on Ryan wats let me know your thoughts in the comments below if you guys think he should play corner or just try him at safety right away as always please like this video subscribe to the channel and check out the site Steelers depot.com really would appreciate that thank you again for watching and we'll talk to you soon