He allowed 24 completions on 40 pass attempts in his coverage for 324 yards and a passer rating of 90.0 during the 2024 season, mostly playing outside in place of injured starters Sauce Gardner and D.J. Reed.
Echols adds critical depth to the Steelers' defensive backfield and gives them another viable option in the slot to compete with second-year pro Beanie Bishop with the added bonus of having shown the ability to play outside, as well.
A solid special teams player, as well, Echols, who ran a 4.36-second 40 at his pro day to go along with a 41 ½-inch vertical jump, something that makes him play bigger than his size on the outside.
He appeared on the punt, kick and field goal block units for the Jets in 2024 and should be capable of holding down spots on all phases of the Steelers' special teams units.