Daylen Everette NFL Draft 2026 Scouting Report for Pittsburgh Steelers CB

The Pittsburgh Steelers selected Georgia CB Daylen Everette with the No. 85 overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft.

Daylen Everette is a natural athlete with untapped potential to be unlocked in the right system.

The Georgia cornerback thrives in man coverage, where he can smartly use his hands to press or re-route receivers and mirror their movements. He does a great job of making contact without holding, and he uses the proper hand to avoid locking his hips during transitions.

The former 5-star recruit has battled inconsistencies throughout his career, but has settled down in man coverage, relishes going up against the offense's best receiver, and raises his game in those situations.

He'll fit as a cover two and man coverage defender who does his best work closer to the action.

Dan has covered the Kansas City Chiefs and the NFL Draft since 2019 while contributing for RGR Football. Most recently, he spent the 2025 draft cycle at The Draft Network and is entering his first season in our scouting department.

Highlights

Daylen Everette Highlights

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Where He Wins

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— With a prototypical NFL build, Everette has the size and length to contribute on the boundary with deep speed, foot quickness, and physicality to match. He uses his length to throw off timing and impact the catch point.

— He's an effective press man cover corner who showcases patience and jam technique to stay in phase. His mirroring ability and hip fluidity keep him right in hip pockets on route breaks and down the field.

— Closing speed shows up on route breaks and as a blitzer. He hides his intentions well and can cover ground in a hurry to impact the quarterback or at the catch point.

— He can stay on top of receivers and play trail technique adequately while using his deceleration ability to come back on comeback routes. Shows a wide range of man coverage techniques.

Areas of Improvement

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—Everette's zone instincts are a work in progress, and keep him a second slow to the football. He needs to see route combinations better and match them to the quarterback to speed up his process.

— In off coverage, his eyes wander and linger too long. Making him slower in reacting to plays, while looking far less comfortable in space with his movements.

— Overall consistency needs to be cleaned up, and the effort in the run game comes into question. His length allows him to wrap up well, but his pursuit angles and being too patient leave him diving at feet and missing tackles.

Grade, Rank and Pro Comparison

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GRADE: 7.3 (High-Level Backup/Starter Upside — 3rd Round)

COMPARABLE GRADE: CB Zy Alexander, LSU (7.3 in 2025), CB Max Melton, Rutgers (7.2 in 2024), CB Tariq Woolen, UTSA (7.2 in 2022)

OVERALL RANK: 83

POSITION RANK: CB12

PRO COMPARISON: Deonte Banks

Measurables and Testing Data

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Height: 6'1 ¼"
Weight: 196
Hand Size: 9 ⅝"
Arm Length: 31 ⅞"
Wingspan: N/A

40-yard dash: 4.38
10-yard split: 1.54
Vertical: 37.5"
Broad: 10'4"
3 cone: N/A
Shuttle: N/A
Bench: N/A