May 1, 2015 4 min read

PITTSBURGH – The Steelers got one of the biggest linebacker prospects in the draft in the opening round Thursday night in Kentucky’s Alvin “Bud” Dupree.

Friday night, they acquired one of the draft’s smallest cornerbacks in Senquez Golson of Mississippi with the 56th overall pick.

At just a shade under 5-9 and 176 pounds, Golson isn’t the ideal size for a cornerback. What he does have is something the Steelers, who have not recorded more than 11 interceptions in a season since 2010, sorely need – ball skills.

Golson, who was the sixth defensive back taken in the second round, had 10 interceptions in 2014 and 16 in his career.

“I think there was a real run on corners,” said Steelers defensive backs coach Carnell Lake. “They were coming off the board right and left. Teams were really pushing up trading to get these guys. There was a pool of guys. Senquez was a guy that we looked that if we had a chance, we were going to take him.

“He’s got a unique skill set, which is picking off passes.”

It marks the first time since 2007 that the Steelers, who finished 27th in the NFL in pass defense in 2014, have selected a defensive back in the first two rounds of the draft.

The Steelers were in need of a cornerback after Brice McCain left as a free agent for Miami and Ike Taylor, who was a free agent, retired.

Golson, who was selected in the eighth round of the 2011 draft by the Boston Red Sox and also played baseball in his freshman year of college, will join a group that includes William Gay, Antwon Blake and Cortez Allen as the cornerbacks with the most experience on the roster.

Golson said he has no problem covering bigger receivers, having done so throughout his career in the SEC.

“I’ve guarded Mike Evans before,” Golson said of Tampa Bay’s top pick from a year ago. “I went against all the receivers at Missouri. You pull up the film from my four years, and I guarded most of the guys who a lot of people have drafted in the first round.”

The Steelers had targeted tight end Maxx Williams of Minnesota, the consensus No. 1 player at his position, as he started to fall in the second round, but the Baltimore Ravens traded up one spot ahead of Pittsburgh to take him.

In the third round, the Steelers took another pass catcher in Sammie Coates, a 6-1, 212-pound speed receiver who averaged 21.4 yards per catch in his career despite playing in an offense that was run-heavy.

Despite that, he had seven career 100-yard games, including a five-catch, 206-yard, two-touchdown effort against Alabama in the Iron Bowl last season.

“He has good speed and can take the top off the coverage,” said Steelers receivers coach Richard Mann. “He’s a guy who can track the ball down the field very well. He has some problems straight ahead catching the football, but we feel like we can make that better. the thing that you can’t coach up is athleticism.”

One player Coates compares well to is Martavis Bryant, a player taken by the Steelers in the fourth round in 2014. Bryant caught 26 passes for 549 yards and eight touchdowns as a rookie last season despite not playing in the first half of the season.

“You put the ball in his hands and he’s going to make some yards,” said Mann. “He’s going to put his pads down and make some tough yardage.”

One of his 100-yard games came last season against Golson and Mississippi, when he caught five passes for 122 yards and a touchdown.

“I did a little something to him,” Coates said with a laugh.

Lake revealed that free safety Mike Mitchell, who had previously said he played the 2014 season with a torn groin, actually played with both groin muscles torn. … The Steelers will host a Fan Blitz from noon to 7 p.m. today at Heinz Field. Admission is $12 for adults, $5 for youths 12-and-under. There will be skills tests, autograph sessions and some of the Steelers draft picks will be available. One lucky fan also will get the opportunity to announce the team’s seventh-round draft pick. … The draft will conclude today with the fourth through seventh rounds. The Steelers have five remaining picks.