Maryland safety Antoine Brooks Jr. drafted by Pittsburgh Steelers in 2020 NFL Draft

Maryland football safety Antoine Brooks Jr. was taken off the board by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 6th round, going 198 overall.

Brooks will reunite with Maryland running back Anthony McFarland Jr, who was drafted by the Steelers in the fourth round Saturday. Matt Canada, who served as the Terps’ interim head coach in 2018, is Pittsburgh’s quarterbacks coach as well.

In his career at Maryland, Brooks tallied 231 tackles, 27.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and four interceptions. He was named Second-Team All-Big Ten in 2018 and 2019, while being tabbed as the Team Most Valuable Player in his senior season.

On the field, Brooks was a versatile piece of the Terp defense, playing roles in the defensive backfield while also handling business in the box when needed. In the NFL, Brooks will likely settle into a predominantly defensive back reserve role and also be a key player on special teams.

At the NFL Combine in February, Brooks measured at 5’11, 220 pounds with 31 1/8” arms and 9 1/4” hands. He also ran a 4.64 40-yard dash, put in 18 reps at the bench press and had a vertical jump of 34.5 inches.

Brooks was a high-profile local high school star on the football field in Prince George’s County, but a major leg injury derailed his recruitment in his senior season. The two-star recruit got an offer late in the cycle from Maryland and committed to the Terps just before signing day in 2016.