Two reasons Artie Burns will turn the corner in 2017

The Pittsburgh Steelers selected cornerback Artie Burns out of Miami (FL) in the first round of the 2016 NFL draft. It was the first time since 1997 (Chad Scott) that the Steelers used their first pick on a defensive back. Burns immediately had high expectations thrust upon him, as Pittsburgh’s secondary had been anything but stable since 2011.

Early on, Burns faced the normal rookie learning curve from college football to professional football. He also dealt with a quad injury, which severely limited his availability throughout training camp and preseason. However, midway through the 2016 season, he was named a permanent starter, along with fellow rookies Sean Davis and Javon Hargrave.

Burns’ first season had its ups and downs, but if his rookie campaign is any indication he is on track to become the player the Steelers envisioned when they selected him.

His natural talent is apparent. He was a star in not only football, but also in track at Miami. Long, athletic, fast, chippy, confident – these are all traits Burns displayed at various times, and they are all traits one needs to become a true number one corner.

It is worth noting that according to Pro Football Focus, Burns ranked second behind Jalen Ramsey out of the five corners taken in the first round, even though he was the last one taken at pick 25.

In layman’s terms, Burns may have not had the hype, but he performed better than three guys taken ahead of him, and was on Ramsey’s heels for the title of best first-round corner. His 2016 stat-line ended with 65 tackles, 13 passes defended, and 3 interceptions.

Turning 22 in May, time is on Burns’ side. Natural development will take place, but there are a couple other reasons I see this young man making the leap from solid youngster to star-in-progress.

First, Burns gained invaluable on-field experience in 2016, and was solid in doing so. He gained the trust of head coach Mike Tomlin to be a starter. That speaks volumes about Burns’ work ethic and rapid progress. Coaches don’t just draw names out of a hat to decide who starts.

I am a firm believer that experience and reps are the best teacher for a young player. Burns was was a starter by mid-season, and for the most part held his own. He was able to do this without the benefit of a full training camp, without a full preseason, and only playing limited snaps early on.

If he was good enough to start in 2016, the experience he gained will have Burns ahead of the curve going into the 2017 season.

Secondly, this year is the first offseason in which Burns will be able to focus solely on football. As I mentioned, he was a track star in college. While most Division 1 football stars are busy honing their crafts in the offseason, Burns was busy winning hurdling championships. He got by in football almost only on his natural athleticism.

Now Burns is getting a full offseason in an NFL-caliber training program. Finally being allowed to fully focus on football will work wonders for him. His physical conditioning as well as the mental part of the game should both get on par with his natural ability.

The sky just may be the limit for Burns, and given that he’s only going to be 22 when September rolls around, there’s plenty of time for his potential to be reached.

I predict we’ll see that happening sooner rather than later.