With the 25th pick: The Steelers selected University of Miami cornerback Artie Burns with the 25th overall pick in the draft, a player General Manager Kevin Colbert is excited about. Burns had six interceptions last season, his best season with the Hurricanes.
"When you look for the corner and you can find someone with that kind of length and that kind of speed, that kind of athleticism and you couple that with the six interceptions – that was very, very impressive," said Colbert. "And he's still young. I mean he needs work. He'll need work on his off coverage. He'll need work on his zone coverage. He's a third-year junior. He's only played three years. He's only started two. There is a ton up of upside with him. As we always say with the junior kids, we'll get him for his senior year. We'll work with him. I know coach is excited. He likes to get those young guys and take them and mold them into what we need."
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Young gun:** Coach Mike Tomlin likes the upside that Burns, who came out after his junior season at Miami, has.
"You know, there's a lot to be excited about Artie," said Tomlin. "He's a third year player. He has a lot of growth potential. We're excited about the upside. He's a master at bump corner, it appears to be something that's a natural element of his game. He's good at the ball, he's good with the ball down the field. He has elite speed. He's a track man also down there at Miami. We're just really excited about him in general. Good player to work with and motivated. He can get things going for us in 2016."
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View photos of Pittsburgh Steelers 2016 1st Round Draft Pick, DB Artie Burns.
Strong willed:** Burns showed his character when he lost his mother, Dana Smith, who died of a heart attack last fall. Burns immediately took on the responsibility of helping with his younger brothers, showing his commitment to family first and foremost.
"Artie is a special kid," said Colbert. "He has a child. He's in a relationship with the mother of the child. It's solid. He has younger brothers that really have fallen under his care after his mother's passing. It will be a challenge for him, but I give the kid a lot of credit for doing what he's doing and really putting his career aside because he's going to take care of his family first and foremost. I think that says a lot about his character. It will be a challenge for him. It's a lot to undertake. It will be part of our duties to help him succeed in that venture. I really think it speaks volumes about his character."
