Justin Gilbert defends the ball against the New England Patriots' Jonathan Jones in the first half of the AFC Championship game last Jan. 22. (Photo : Getty Images/Al Bello)
In any sport, fans would expect first-round draft picks to be the future of their respective organizations. However, this is not always the case, as evidenced by cornerback Justin Gilbert being released within his first year with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Gilbert was selected eighth overall in the 2014 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns. This selection came as no surprise, as he was touted as one of the best college prospects to be eligible in the draft for that year.
During his senior year in college, Gilbert set the Big 12 Conference record with six kickoff return touchdowns. He was not short on individual awards either, as he was a finalist for the prestigious Jim Thorpe award and even managed to bag the 2013 College Football Performance award for his more than impressive performance in defense.
A heel injury kept him from hitting the ground running in the NFL and so far he has only scored one touchdown as a professional. Due to his poor form, he was traded to the Steelers in exchange for a sixth-round draft pick in 2018.
Gilbert's performances in Pittsburgh were not much better than they were in Cleveland. In his debut against the Kansas City Chiefs, he was mainly used as cover for tight end Travis Kelce in a select number of plays. After failing to make an impact on the team, Gilbert was released from the Steelers on Feb. 6.
The road Gilbert's career has taken has not come as a surprise once more, but this time it is not in a good way. The Pittsburgh team has reportedly left the door open for his return though, according to the Steelers Depot. Gilbert's former Browns teammate Joe Thomas had select words after news broke of his Steelers release.
If you don't like football, it doesn't matter how talented you are, your star will burn out quick. https://t.co/r7PfDSTljL
— Joe Thomas (@joethomas73) February 6, 2017
Statistics reveal that out of Gilbert's three seasons as a professional athlete, his rookie year was his best, Yard Barker reported. He played 14 games in total that season, made his only so far in his career. He also managed to defend against eight passes, which is seven more than the single pass he defended back in 2015.
Watch some of Gilbert's collegiate highlights in the video below:
