PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – He may not have the name recognition of losing Bud Dupree or James Conner in free agency, but Mike Hilton signing for 4 years, $24 million with Cincinnati means the Steelers need another playmaker in the secondary.
With Cam Sutton likely taking Steven Nelson’s starting corner role, there is a job open for a versatile defensive back. Seventh rounder Tre Norwood says he can be a disrupter and ball hawk at several positions back there.
“As a player that’s something I pride myself on,” Norwood said. “That’s something that was a strong point for us back in school. I feel like that’s something I’m definitely carrying over.”
Norwood played corner at Oklahoma his first two seasons and then this past year, 10 games splitting between the nickel and safety positions. Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin called him a ‘Swiss Army knife’ as he announced his selection.
“A guy that can play any position on the back end, wherever the coaches need me,” Norwood said of his game. “Whether it’s corner, nickel or safety, whatever they need me to do I’m all for it. I want to help the team get better.”
The standard is high. Hilton went undrafted out of Ole Miss in 2016 because of his lack of size. The 5’9” defensive back played in 59 games with the Steelers with 7 interceptions, 30 tackles for loss including 9.5 sacks with 3 forced fumbles and 5 fumble recoveries.
The 6’, 192 pound Norwood, had 111 career tackles in 32 games with a sack, a pair of TFL and 6 interceptions, strangely enough only one of the picks came while playing corner for the Sooners.
Norwood said he trained at the same Tampa facility as Sutton during the off-season. Sutton reached out to him right after the draft.
“He extended his arms as a big brother, as a guy who’s been here,” Norwood said of Sutton. “I can’t wait to sit down and pick his brain and get to know more about this defense. So I can learn the ins-and-outs and continue to learn and get better.”
If he’s a quick study, there is a job for him. Norwood says he understands the need to make plays.
“The turnover margin is a key part to winning the game,” Norwood said. “Being able to go out and make those plays on the ball, whether it’s an interception, a forced fumble. Those are huge, that’s something I see myself as a guy that can go out and be a playmaker when the ball is in the air.”
If a player who nearly didn’t get drafted can succeed there, it would answer a number of questions about the Steelers secondary.