One Steelers Player Should Move From Safety to Cornerback

The Pittsburgh Steelers should consider a position change that could give them another impressive young piece to the defense.

Aug 16, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers safety Sebastian Castro (29) tackles Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Garrett Greene (85) during the second half at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers have an opportunity to take advantage of a growing player on defense by putting him in the right position to succeed. While he's got a shot at safety, it's time to start working at slot cornerback, where he made a name for himself in college, and could do the same in the NFL.

Sebastian Castro shined during OTAs and minicamp this spring. The second-year undrafted defensive back out of Iowa was a star in college, being a turnover machine and a playmaker for the Hawkeyes' defense.

He wasn't drafted because he stands under 6-feet tall and isn't the fastest or most athletic player on the field. What caught team's eyes were his big plays in college. Something the Steelers believe he could transfer to the NFL level. But maybe it's time to put him in the right position to do so.

The Athletic's Mike DeFabo pitched the idea of Castro playing out of position, and he's right. While the Steelers need help at the safety position, Castro isn't the answer, and he may be better suited to build a career for himself closer to the line of scrimmage.

Move Him to the Star

The Steelers should test out Castro at the slot cornerback position this summer. Yes, they're stacked at cornerback, with depth piece like Brandin Echols, Asante Samuel Jr. and Daylen Everette already taking up too much space behind the starters. Maybe they can find another answer, though. And maybe he'd be better.

Castro isn't a lock to make this team anyways, so seeing where he can shine the brightest isn't a bad idea. That role would probably be a position the Steelers call the Star.

It's essentially the slot cornerback role that is capable of moving around. Jalen Ramsey will play the position this season, working inside and out while bouncing back to safety when needed. Castro played that role at Iowa where he recorded four interceptions, two sacks, 14 tackles for loss and five forced fumbles from 2022-2024.

Training camp is the place to test out position changes, and Castro should be a candidate to move. The Steelers need to find a better solution behind Jaquan Brisker and DeShon Elliott than Darnell Savage, Castro and seventh-round rookie Robert Spears-Jennings, but that's on them. They've waited pretty long to even try to boost the group.

It shouldn't stop them from finding the best spot for their second-year defender, though. And if Castro can play like he did in college in a new role in Pittsburgh, the Steelers found a diamond in the rough who's only 25-years-old.

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