Pressley Harvin has his spot in the NFL. Georgia Tech’s Ray Guy Award winner was selected in the seventh round of the draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers on Saturday on the final day of the annual player selection. He was the 254th overall pick, the sixth from the end of the draft.
Harvin, who last season became the third unanimous All-American in Yellow Jackets history, was the only punter taken.
Before the draft, Harvin said it was important to him to be one of the 259 players selected.
“It is important to me because I’ve put a lot of work in to be able to get to this point,” Harvin told the AJC. “I’d be honored to be drafted.”
Pittsburgh showed its strong interest at Tech’s Pro Day on March 16, sending special-teams coordinator Danny Smith to his workout. Smith helped conduct Harvin’s drills, even seeing how he could handle poor snaps. Smith is a former Tech assistant (1987-94) whose greatest contribution at Tech probably was being the chief recruiter for Joe Hamilton.
Harvin will have competition with the Steelers. He’ll be the third punter on the roster, joining Corliss Waitman and Jordan Berry. Waitman was on the practice squad during the season and then signed to the offseason roster. Berry punted for the Steelers from 2015-19, was released at the start of the 2020 season and then later re-signed, after which he punted in 11 games. He was signed to a one-year deal in March. The Steelers were 21st in net punting last season.
“Pressley Harvin is a big-legged guy,” Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert said on a videconference following the draft. “When I say that, he has a naturally powerful leg. ... Excited to have him come in and join the competition.”
Harvin became the first Tech punter drafted since Durant Brooks was selected by Washington in 2008 in the sixth round and the third Yellow Jackets player who was primarily a punter taken in the draft (along with Brooks and Rodney Williams, selected in the seventh round of the 1999 draft by the Rams, then in St. Louis).
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