The Steelers selected Georgia defensive back Daylen Everette with the 85th overall pick in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
"Really excited about our pick tonight," said defensive coordinator Patrick Graham. "From a good program down there in Georgia. Came up big in some of the biggest games for that program. He is used to playing in a lot of big games. He gets the ball. The physical attributes."
Everette appeared in 55 games for the Bulldogs, recording 150 tackles, 107 of them solo stops. He had five tackles for a loss and one sack.
"I got to know him a little bit in terms of his personality when we went down there for the pro day, had a great dinner with him, great interaction," said Graham. "The seriousness he has about football. The focus he has as a young man. I was really impressed by that.
"And you could just tell there's some grit there about him and a willingness to get better. Really excited for him. Congratulations to his family and congratulations to him."
Everette had five interceptions, 24 passes defensed, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
Graham was asked how he will fit into the defense and his main focus right now is getting quality football players to build the roster.
"We just want good football players," said Graham. "We try to put them in by position. But in general, defensive back, a good football player, someone that can tackle, someone that has some speed and explosiveness. We're trying to be an explosive unit out there on the field. So those are all traits that he has.
"And then having a football IQ when you talk ball to him. There's a level of intelligence there that is intriguing and knowing the system he came from, that makes it even more intriguing. Good football player, and like most of those guys, you've just got to play hard, earn the trust of the veterans and then we'll see how it plays out in September."
2025: Appeared and started in 13 games during the season...AP All-SEC First Team...Coaches All-SEC Third Team...credited with a solo stop and a pass break up against Austin Peay...made six tackles in overtime win at Tennessee...recorded season-high seven tackles, six solo against Alabama...tallied two tackles, one solo and a pass break up at home against Kentucky...made five tackles, four solo and a season-high two pass break ups at Auburn...had three tackles, one solo and two pass break ups against Ole Miss...recorded four tackles, one solo against Florida in Jacksonville...had a pair of solo stops and a pass break up on the road at Mississippi State... posted five tackles, three solo at home against Texas...added a solo tackle against Charlotte...totaled three tackles, two solo and a pass break up at Georgia Tech ...credited with two solo tackles and an interception returned for 30 yards in SEC Championship win over Alabama...recorded nine tackles and returned fumble 47 yards for TD in Sugar Bowl against Ole Miss...tabbed to the preseason All-America First Team and Fourth Team by Pick Six Previews and Athlon, respectively...named to preseason All-SEC First Team by Athlon, Pick Six Previews, the SEC Media and the SEC Coaches...also on preseason watch lists for the Jim Thorpe Award and the Senior Bowl Top 300.
2024: Coaches Third Team All-SEC selection...started in all 14 contests this season...tallied 58 total tackles for the Bulldogs, including a sack for a loss of 15 yards against Texas...led the defense with three interceptions, two in the SEC Championship and one at Texas...tied for most forced fumbles on the season with two...tallied a career and team-high eight tackles, including six solo stops, and a forced fumble in the SEC opener win over Kentucky...posted a team-leading seven tackles in win over Texas…forced a fumble and came up with the recovery against the Longhorns...posted 10 tackles, including eight solo stops and one for a loss of a yard, in regular season finale win over Georgia Tech…grabbed a pair of interceptions, the most by a Bulldog in the SEC Championship game, and had a pass breakup and QB pressure in win over Texas in Atlanta...named SEC Championship MVP for his efforts against the Longhorns...tallied five stops and a pass breakup in College Football Playoff Allstate Sugar Bowl Quarterfinal game against Notre Dame...included on the Senior Bowl and Jim Thorpe Award watch lists...named to the Coaches Preseason All-SEC and AP Preseason All-SEC third teams.
2023: Started in every contest at DB…credited with 39 tackles, including three for a loss of four yards, with 23 solo stops…had two tackles, one for a loss of one yard, in season-opening win over UT Martin...had a tackle for a loss of two yards and a pass breakup in win over Ball State...notched a team-leading five tackles and a pass breakup in SEC win over South Carolina...contributed a pair of pass breakups in road win over Auburn...had a pass breakup in win at Vanderbilt...tallied four tackles in win over Ole Miss...credited with four tackles in win over Tennessee...had a pair of tackles, including one for a loss of one yard, in SEC Championship against Alabama...tallied a pair of stops and an interception in win over Florida State in the Capital One Orange Bowl.
2022: Saw action as a reserve DB and on kick coverage units in 14 of 15 games...had 13 total stops on the season...season-high four tackles in win over Georgia Tech...had three solo tackles in win over Samford...had three tackles and a pass breakup in win at South Carolina...two tackles in win over Vanderbilt...enrolled at UGA in January of 2022 and participated in spring drills...leading tackler for victorious Black team with five tackles in annual G-Day intrasquad game.
High School: IMG Academy, coached by Pepper Johnson…selected to play in 2022 Under Armour All-American Game…247Sports.com four-star prospect…ranked as the #3 cornerback prospect nationally, the #5 prospect in Florida and the #26 prospect nationally…PrepStar Magazine five-star prospect, #7 CB prospect, #6 prospect in Florida and #39 prospect nationally…ESPN.com four-star prospect, #7 CB prospect, #8 prospect in Florida and #43 prospect nationally…rivals.com four-star prospect, #7 CB prospect, #7 prospect in Florida and #47 prospect nationally… helped lead IMG Academy to 9-1 record in 2021 senior season…helped lead Ascenders to 8-0 record in 2020 junior season…tallied eight tackles and recovered a fumble in junior season…played first seasons at Norview HS (Norfolk, Va.)…helped lead Pilots to 5-5 record in 2019 sophomore season and VHSL Class 5A playoffs, recording 11 interceptions.
Personal: Full name: DAYLEN KADE EVERETTE...Major: Sport Management...Recipient of the Roger F. and Michael A. Kahn Football Scholarship.
