From now until the 2020 NFL Draft takes place, we hope to showcase as many prospects as possible and examine both their strengths and weaknesses. Most of these profiles will feature individuals that the Pittsburgh Steelers are likely to have an interest in, while a few others will be top-ranked players. If there is a player you would like us to analyze, let us know in the comments below.
#21 Essang Bassey/CB Wake Forest- 5’9” 191
The Good
- Three year starter
- Smooth athlete, transitions in and out of his backpedal fluidly, very comfortable flipping his hips and carrying receivers vertically
- Above average ball production, finishing his career with 45 PD and 5 INTs in 3 years as a starter
- Possesses a good feel for spacing in zone coverage, taking away deep and intermediate throws with positioning before aggressively driving on underneath throws
- Extremely efficient in and out of his breaks, keying the quarterback and quickly inserting himself into throwing lanes
- Willing to sacrifice his body for some impressive PBUs, helping mask deficiencies associated with his small frame
- Elite instincts and route anticipation while playing out of off man, often beating the receiver to the spot
- Solid wrap up tackler who is not afraid to mix it up in the run game, providing solid run support on the edge, and efficiently tackling after the catch/limiting YAC
- Showed good burst when asked to blitz, making plays in the backfield with 12.