Could Shakur Brown or others make an impact? A look at Steelers undrafted free agents

After drafting only six players last year, the Pittsburgh Steelers upped that by 50% in selecting nine players in the 2021 draft. But the draft isn’t the only means of rookie talent acquisition.

Like all NFL teams, the Steelers signed undrafted free agents in the minutes and hours after the conclusion of the draft Saturday. These often are glossed over as trivial, and the vast majority of undrafted free agents never appear in a regular-season NFL game.

But that doesn’t mean there won’t be a player or two among the eight signings the Steelers announced Saturday who won’t play for them in a meaningful game. Each of the past three years, at least one of their undrafted free agents made the 53-man roster as a rookie: linebackers Ola Adeniyi and Matthew Thomas in 2018, guard Fred Johnson in 2019 and cornerback James Pierre in 2020.

Also of note, kicker Matthew Wright, an undrafted free agent signee in 2019, kicked three games for the Steelers last season. Pierre is a darkhorse candidate to start in 2021.

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Shakur Brown (@shackspeare29) finished second in the country in INTs in 2020, and he'll be someone's steal in the @NFLDraft.

cc: @MSU_Football pic.twitter.com/b4MCIGIUX2

— Michigan St. on BTN (@MichiganStOnBTN) April 21, 2021

Here is a deeper look at the Steelers’ crop of 2021 undrafted free agents:

Shakur Brown, CB, Michigan State

The highest-profile of the bunch, Brown was projected by the NFL’s official draft website as a fourth-round pick. An all-Big Ten selection by conference coaches who received fringe All-America status, Brown led the country in interceptions per game with five in seven contests in 2020.

An early draft enrollee, the 5-foot-10, 185-pound Brown made plays around the ball. He had a “pick six” and two sacks in 26 career games. Pro Football Focus gave him its highest coverage grade of any cornerback in the Big Ten.

At a position of need for the Steelers that they did not address in free agency or, explicitly, in the draft (the Steelers listed seventh-round pick Tre Norwood as a “safety” when they selected him), Brown would seem to have a shot to compete with Pierre and former teammate Justin Layne to serve as the Steelers’ No. 3 cornerback.

Calvin Bundage, LB, Oklahoma State

At 6-2 and only 221 pounds, size was the major factor in why Bundage did not get drafted. Projected as an outside linebacker, Bundage caught the Steelers’ eye by way of production: He led OSU in sacks (seven) and quarterback hurries (six).

Used as a pass rushing specialist as a senior, Bundage could be considered for a specialized role in passing situations. An experienced fifth-year senior, Bundage was first-team Academic All-Big 12 so appears to have strong intangibles. His skillset should translate well to special teams.

Rico Bussey, WR, Hawaii

The 6-0, 186-pound Bussey spent his first four college seasons at North Texas, where he had 128 catches for 1,914 yards and 21 touchdowns in 31 games. Bussey had 12 touchdowns in 12 games in earning All-Conference USA honors in 2018.

The Steelers traditionally keep at least two receivers on the practice squad, and that would seem to be Bussey’s ceiling in 2021.

Mark Gilbert, CB, Duke

The nephew of former Pitt and NFL star Sean Gilbert and cousin of former Pitt and NFL star Darrelle Revis, Mark Gilbert did not get drafted because he has played only four games since 2017. He had surgery on his left hip in 2018 that kept him out of the 2019 season and then needed foot surgery last year.

Before injuries hit, the 6-0, 186-pound Gilbert showed how talented he was by starting as a true freshman and earning all-ACC recognition as a sophomore when he had six interceptions and 15 passes defended.

If Gilbert shows his injury history is not chronic, he could have NFL potential.

Isaiah McKoy, WR, Kent State

McKoy has the size (6-2, 200) and production (first-team all-MAC in 2020) to have a shot. In only 15 games he past two seasons, McKoy had 82 catches for 1,325 yards (16.2 per reception) and 13 touchdowns.

He also has experience returning kickoffs. You can see why the Steelers would take a flier on him, but the odds are stacked against him.

Donovan Stiner, S, Florida

Projected as a late-round pick by the NFL’s official website, Stiner has the size (6-2, 210) and pedigree (48 games, 28 starts for high-level SEC program). Scouting reports consider him a good tackler with high football IQ, and he showed versatility in college.

Stiner could be a sleeper because of the Steelers’ lack of proven depth at safety and what figures to be good special-teams ability.

Lamont Wade, S, Penn State

Familiar to local football fans because of his success at Clairton and in college, Wade has the body of a cornerback (5-foot-9, 187 pounds) but started all 22 games at safety for the Nittany Lions in 2019 and ’20.

Wade’s size is almost identical to that of Mike Hilton (5-9, 184), who served as the Steelers’ slot/nickel cornerback from 2017-20 but left as a free agent. He also, on paper, has a similar skillset, so it was worth it to the Steelers to take a shot with him as a possible next Mike Hilton.

Jamar Watson, LB, Kentucky

Watson is the third edge rusher from Kentucky the Steelers acquired over the past seven years, joining 2015 first-round pick Bud Dupree and 2017 practice-squader Farrington Huguenin.

Nicknamed “Boogie,” the 6-2, 241-pound Watson had 18 1/2 sacks in his college career, including 11 1/2 along with 21 1/2 tackles for loss over 24 games as a junior and senior.

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