The Pittsburgh Steelers first round draft pick, Artie Burns is showing promise leading into the team’s season opener against the Washington Redskins. Burns made his preseason debut against the Carolina Panthers last week and didn’t disappoint. Now that the updated depth chart has been released, Burns is listed as the third cornerback behind William Gay and Ross Cockrell. It’s not a stretch to expect Burns to be starting by the end of the year. Burns showed that he will be a valuable asset to the Steelers defense with his size, solid tackling and physical play.

Artie Burns is Showing Promise

Burns made a name for himself by being a physical defender at the University of Miami. Originally thought to be a late-second to third round pick, Burns was taken earlier than expected by the “experts.” Burns is hoping to show the Steelers they made the right decision by picking him in the first round.

Burns showed his ability as a dependable tackler against the Panthers. In the Steelers defense, defensive backs are expected to be solid tacklers. Past players like Ike Taylor and Troy Polamalu showed the ability to stop any ball-carrier and Burns hopes to follow in their footsteps. Even if Burns struggles a bit in coverage, he’s sure to get playing time as long as he continues to make open-field tackles.

On top of getting playing time at cornerback, Burns should also expect to get some reps on kickoff and punt coverage. With his speed and sure tackling, Burns would surely make an impact on special teams. However, later in the season, it’s less likely that Burns will be playing on special teams because his display against the Panthers showed that he’s more valuable covering receivers. His quickness on defense, especially covering hitch routes, was outstanding.

Lately, Burns has been covering star wide receiver Antonio Brown in practice. While his self-esteem may be briefly brought down, this will only benefit Burns in the long run. Burns is already considered a physical player with great height and length, and covering Brown in practice will only help him understand the physicality of the game. Burns’ physicality will likely earn him some opportunities in the red zone covering some of the bigger and stronger receivers in the league.

The rookie Artie Burns just found out what it’s like to cover a star wideout in the NFL. pic.twitter.com/cEizTVQprl — Rob Donaldson (@DraftCharge) August 2, 2016

The Steelers begin their season with a matchup on Monday Night Football against the Washington Redskins. Burns will likely be lined up across from Jamison Crowder, or rookie wide receiver Josh Doctson. He could also see himself lined up against tight end Jordan Reed, which could prove to be his biggest challenge of the game.

Burns will likely be sharing playing time with fellow rookie, Sean Davis. While Davis is more of a natural safety, he also plays cornerback. Burns and Davis are listed as the third and fourth options for the Steelers at corner. With the lackluster success that the Steelers secondary have had in the recent past, expect to see Burns and Davis playing sooner rather than later. Burns has shown his potential and will hopefully become the Steelers next star in the defensive secondary.

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