6th round DB Ryan Watts a potential addition to Steelers’ collection of ‘Avatar’ cornerbacks
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It was during organized team activities early last summer when it was revealed that Mike Tomlin referred to two of his incoming draft picks as “Avatar cornerbacks.”
Eleven months later, the Pittsburgh Steelers coach added to his collection of oversized, athletic humanoids in the secondary.
As the final of seven selections in a draft that has been widely praised, Ryan Watts slid under the radar. But at 6-foot-3, 208 pounds with 341⁄2-inch arms, Watts stands out as the latest “Avatar” among the Steelers cornerbacks.
“I’ve never heard that one,” a bubbling Watts said in a conference call soon after his selection Saturday. “That’s a first.”
The Steelers under Tomlin repeatedly have shown a propensity for targeting big cornerbacks. It is possible Watts ends up at safety — the Steelers have labeled him a “defensive back” — but the NFL’s official website and the consensus among analysts consistently listed him among cornerbacks in lead-up to the draft.
That’s the position he played over four years at Texas and Ohio State. And if Watts joins that position room, he will fit right in with the “original” Avatars: 6-3, 206-pound Cory Trice and 6-2, 193-pound Joey Porter Jr. Later last year, the Steelers also added 6-2, 198-pound rookie cornerback Darius Rush.
“He’s a long guy. He runs well,” Tomlin said of Watts. “He’s got position flexibility. He plays with an edge. So those are some of the real tangible reasons why (the Steelers drafted him).”
Dating to 2017 fifth-round pick Brian Allen (6-3, 215), the past six cornerbacks drafted by the Steelers have an average size of 6-2 1/2, 203 pounds. That also includes 2019 third-rounder Justin Layne.
The organization makes it clear it values tackling, physicality and length in its corners.
Then again, those who remember the unremarkable careers of Allen and Layne (combined 13 career games played on defense for the Steelers) recognize that size isn’t everything.
“I like the idea that they can play me at a corner or safety or nickel,” Watts said. “So just being able to have that versatility, I think that’s what (the Steelers) love most about me.”
Watts’ immediate impact likely will come on special teams, a unit for which he played even as a senior starter on defense for Texas. Watts has experience on kickoff and punt teams in addition to kick-blocking teams, and his proficiency at tackling and strength defensively against the run would seem to suit him well for the NFL’s new kickoff rules this season.
Of all of Watts’ Avatar-like traits for a defensive back, his long arms stand out. Watts had the longest arms of any cornerback or safety measured at the combine this year. For perspective, that arm length would have ranked at or near the top of any position group. Consider that Steelers first-round offensive tackle Troy Fautanu also has 34 1/2-inch arms, a measurement oft-cited by scouts as to why Fautanu can excel in the NFL.
Tackle-like arm length on a body with 4.5 speed would make for a good addition to any coverage unit.
“I could fit anywhere, really, I feel with my size and my speed and (ability) moving my body,” Watts said. “Really just trying to do my best to show them that I’m worth the pick.”
At No. 195 overall late in the sixth round, even if Watts is only a prominent special-teamer for several years, he will be a worthwhile pick.
But don’t close the book on the idea of Watts as a contributor to the secondary. Per Pro Football Focus, he allowed just one touchdown from 267 coverage snaps for Texas in 2023 and was among the highest-graded against the run among power-conference cornerbacks the past two seasons.
“I had a lot of trials and tribulations, and I’m just here to finally be a part of a home so I can go ahead and get to work and put the odds to rest,” Watts said. “I feel like there are a lot of odds stacked against me. … So I’m ready to work.”