During the second week of OTAs last summer, Patrick Peterson noticed a trend of traits with Joey Porter Jr. and Cory Trice Jr. entering their rookie seasons.
That trend was relayed in a comment Peterson made following one of those summer practices about the "Avatar"-like figures the Steelers had just acquired. It's clear the Steelers have had intent on rebuilding their cornerbacks room with physically imposing figures. The latest add came in last week's NFL Draft with the selection of Texas cornerback Ryan Watts in the sixth round.
"I’ve never heard that one. That’s a first," Watts said on his conference call with reporters Saturday, when asked if he heard of that tale.
Trice hauled in an interception during one of those OTA practices, but Peterson thought Porter made the play because of their similar builds. Peterson later told that tale of how Mike Tomlin likes to call Porter and Trice "Avatar" cornerbacks given the resemblance to the lanky characters from the popular 2009 movie.
"To have both of these young -- as coach (Tomlin) likes to call them, 'Avatar' cornerbacks -- it's going to be special, man, because these guys, both of them, they want to learn," Peterson said last summer. "They want to get as much knowledge that they need to be successful. When you see young guys like that, you just can't help but to pour into them."
Porter and Trice identify with similar physical builds, with Porter measuring at 6-foot-2 and 193 pounds and Trice at 6-3, 206 pounds at the 2023 NFL Combine. Tomlin and the Steelers have taken two trips back to that well since bringing in Porter and Trice.
Watts measured at 6-3, 208 pounds at the NFL Combine, which is nearly identical in height and weight to Trice and is slightly taller and heavier than Porter. Watts' arms measured at 34 1/2 inches long and his hands measured at 9 3/8 inches wide. At the 2023 Combine, Trice's arms measured at 32 3/8 inches and Porter's were 34 inches. Trice's hands were recorded at 9 3/4 inches and Porter's at 10 inches.
Though a cornerback by trade, Watts could play some snaps at safety given some of his mobility limitations that pushed him into the sixth round. Tomlin kept that door open Saturday when he discussed the selection.
"Just his body of work," Tomlin said. "He's a long guy. He runs well. He's got position flexibility. He plays with an edge. So those are some of the real tangible reasons why."
Three draft picks were used on identically built cornerbacks, but the Steelers haven't limited their process of finding these 'Avatars' to just the draft.
The Steelers also added Darius Rush as a depth option in October. A fifth-round pick of the Colts in 2023, Rush measured at 6-2, 198 pounds with a 33 3/8-inch arm length and a 9 1/2-inch hand width at the 2023 Combine. Rush was one of five cornerbacks brought into the South Side for pre-draft visits in last year's scouting process, so he was on the radar long before the Steelers had an opportunity to scoop him up.
Luq Barcoo spent the 2023 season on the practice squad after earning All-XFL honors in the spring while playing for San Antonio. Barcoo built himself back up after leading college football in interceptions, passes defended and pass breakups in 2019 but not being able to stick with an NFL team. Barcoo remains with the Steelers, and he measures at 6-1, 180 pounds.
Of the 10 cornerbacks currently listed on the Steelers roster, five measure at or above Barcoo's height and weight.
"Honestly, I didn't even know anything about what an 'Avatar' was," Trice said last June. "But I heard that they're tall aliens. I think it's good, especially Mike Tomlin calling us that. So we're just going to take it and roll with it."
Rush and Trice will vie for playing time behind newcomer Donte Jackson in 2024. Barcoo and Watts are likely depth and special teams options at this point.
The AFC North boasts wide receivers of all sizes, but the Steelers are largely ahead of the curve with the countering of their defensive backs. The Browns' largest receiver is Cedric Tillman at 6-3, 215 pounds, the Ravens' is the 6-3, 200-pound Sean Ryan and the Bengals' is the 6-4, 219-pound Tee Higgins. The Bengals also have 6-3 Andrei Iosivas and 6-2 Trenton Irwin, but the Browns nor Ravens have more than one wide receiver who is taller than 6-2.
Minkah Fitzpatrick is used all over the field and newcomer DeShon Elliott played more than a quarter of his snaps inside of the box in 2023 for the Dolphins. Tomlin loves flexibility -- sometimes referred to as "positionless football" -- and having these imposing cornerbacks allows for some more of that.
