5. Marcus Peters, CB
One of the most potential-laden prospects in the draft but also one of the biggest risks, Peters could be a target for teams picking in the latter portion of the first round aiming to upgrade its secondary. They’ll have to decide whether Peters’ on-the-field talent is worth trying to temper his off-the-field issues.
Peters is more athletic than top-rated cornerback Trae Waynes and excels at both press and off-man coverage. We expect the Steelers to add Peters with the 22nd pick to help replace Ike Taylor.
With a quality organization like Pittsburgh, Peters has a chance to avoid the off-the-field issues that plagued him while at Washington. Scouts have likened Peters to Aqib Talib, whose trouble in Tampa Bay cost him a job. Peters has previously failed multiple drug tests and was suspended from the team for multiple reasons, including academic issues and a temper tantrum following a personal foul penalty.
