Steelers DC Teryl Austin was one of the most disliked coaches in Pittsburgh last season — and his recent comments at the post-pick press conference on drafting OLB Jack Sawyer will do him no favors.
The Steelers already boasted one of the most devastating three-edge rusher rotations in the entire NFL, and drafting Sawyer, talented in his own right, made absolutely zero sense — but apparently, Austin isn’t concerned about the depth at OLB.
According to Austin, it wasn’t so much about filling a need at edge as it was about drafting who the Steelers decided “was the best player for us at this time.”
Austin would then gush about Sawyer’s ability to help out in stopping the run, but despite his supposed satisfaction with the selection, it simply isn’t a good pick.
Passing on the ability to select Shedeur Sanders and fill a pressing need at quarterback in favor of a fourth edge rusher makes about as much sense as having an outside linebacker cover a slot receiver — oh right, the Steelers are known for that too.
Was Austin serious in his assessment that Sawyer was the best fit at the time, or is there something the Steelers clearly just don’t like about Sanders?
This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Steelers hint at why Jack Sawyer was prioritized over Shedeur Sanders