Well, it came 142 picks after it was expected, but the Pittsburgh Steelers finally did grab a cornerback in the 5th round of the 2014 NFL Draft when they took Arizona’s Shaquille Richardson.

Both national NFL Draft experts and the local Pittsburgh media had widely expected the Steelers to take a cornerback no later than the second round, with many projecting them to take one first. Kevin Colbert threw a little cold water on such speculation after the Steelers took Ryan Shazier in the 1st round, saying the Steelers liked the people they had at corner.

In 2014 Richardson recorded 53 tackles and made three interceptions for Arizona and as his You Tube video highlight reel shows, he’s got excellent ball skills. His time in the 40 clocked in at 4.52 seconds, which while not slow is slower that Ryan Shaziers’.

Richardson joins a Steelers secondary which is in the process of renewing itself, with Ryan Clark departed in favor of Michael Mitchell, and Ike Taylor facing the possibity of having to fight William Gay or Cortez Allen for a starting job.

Still, neither playing time nor a roster spot is assured for Richardson, especially when one considers that Shamarko Thomas is reportedly capable of covering receivers in the slot.

Welcome to Steelers Nation Shaquille Richardson.

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