After signing Darius Rush, Steelers now have 3 of the top-rated CBs of 2023 draft class

Chris Adamski
Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023 5:04 p.m. | Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023 5:04 p.m.

Shown while playing for the Indianapolis Colts during the prseason, cornerback Darius Rush signed to the active roster of the Pittsburgh Steelers on Wednesday. Rush, a fifth-round pick in April, had been on the Kansas City Chiefs’ practice squad.

If the Pittsburgh Steelers went into this past spring’s draft looking to acquire a top cornerback, they eventually found a way to get a few of them.

The Steelers signed Darius Rush off the Kansas City Chiefs practice squad Wednesday, adding another big rookie cornerback to the organization.

The 6-foot-2, 198-pound Rush joins the 6-2, 193-pound Joey Porter Jr. and 6-3, 206-pound Cory Trice Jr. as cornerbacks drafted in April on the Steelers’ roster. While Trice, a seventh-round pick, is out for the year because of a torn ACL suffered during training camp, No. 32 overall pick Porter and fifth-round selection Rush are now on the Steelers’ active roster.

Rush was picked by the Colts out of South Carolina but did not make Indianapolis’ initial 53-man roster, so the Kansas City Chiefs claimed him on waivers before the Colts could add him to their practice squad. By Week 2 of the regular season, though, Rush was demoted to the Chiefs’ practice squad.

Using the NFL media outlet’s pre-draft rankings, the Steelers now have three of the top 18 rated cornerbacks for the 2023 draft class: Porter was the fourth-rated prospect, Trice No. 16 and Rush 18th.

“They are building a big, big secondary,” Rush said after his first practice Wednesday at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. “I guess that’s the new norm nowadays: getting big, tall corners. We just fit that role, and I am guessing the coaches trust us to come in and build something here, us being three rookies.”

Here are some one-on-one reps from South Carolina CB Darius Rush at the Senior Bowl: pic.twitter.com/SoJ8pgZaB9

— Marcus Mosher (@Marcus_Mosher) February 6, 2023

As a corresponding move to signing Rush, the Steelers released cornerback Desmond King. King was signed after the preseason ended when he was cut by the Houston Texans, for whom he was a starter last season. But the 28-year-old was limited to three games (a designated inactive for two others), 15 special-teams snaps and one defensive snap over his seven weeks with the Steelers.

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Swapping him out for Rush signals the Steelers are looking to the future of their secondary, for which Porter sooner rather than later will be a starter. Trice, too, showed promise early during training camp and could be a contributoras soon as 2024.

Rush, who converted from wide receiver to defense early during his college career at South Carolina, had an official pre-draft visit with the Steelers in March. He said he got to know Porter at the combine.

Rush expects his role as a rookie will be limited to special teams.

“Definitely (seeking to) develop as a corner, but I am coming here and trying to work my way on special teams,” Rush said. “That’s a big role that I am coming in here to fill, whether that’s at gunner or jammer, anything really, on special teams, I am coming here on special teams and aiming to help the team win.”

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Chris Adamski is a TribLive reporter who has covered primarily the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2014 following two seasons on the Penn State football beat. A Western Pennsylvania native, he joined the Trib in 2012 after spending a decade covering Pittsburgh sports for other outlets. He can be reached at cadamski@triblive.com.