Steelers 2021 mock draft: Pittsburgh balances offense and defense

Round 7

With James Conner likely entering his final year with the Steelers, the Steelers will be looking to add another option to this backfield at some point. While signing a cheap free agent and letting Benny Snell serve as the bell cow makes a lot of sense, the Steelers could opt to draft a late-round option as well to complete the backfield. Mekhi Sargent out of Iowa is intriguing, as he is built like a compact bowling ball. His tape has some reminiscence of Maurice Jones-Drew given his size and ability to move in space.

While he hasn’t been used as a bell cow at Iowa, he has flashed in his touches. As well, coming from a pro-style offense, he can chip in on blocks and catch the ball out of the backfield. His biggest issue is that he doesn’t run as physical as you would like and can get tackled easily sometimes. That, along with the devaluation of the position, makes Sargent such a late-round pick. That said, his tape is fun to watch, and he could be a solid pro down the road.

Assuming the Steelers retain JuJu Smith-Schuster, the team won’t have a huge need at receiver next year. This shouldn’t prevent them from adding one though, as keeping this depth chart full and talented is vital in the pass-heavy NFL. They should add a unique skillset though, which is why I have them targeting Tutu Atwell from Louisville. While extremely undersized, he is shifty and has burning speed. He would provide the Steelers with the Tyreek Hill kind of weapon out of the slot.

Behind Smith-Schuster, the Steelers don’t have a true slot option. Atwell would provide solid depth there as well as the ability to stretch the field deep and even take the occasional end around as a runner. His biggest knock is his size. While being 5’9 isn’t the end of the world, Louisville has him listed at 165 lbs. That kind of size can get him injured quickly for a pro team, and it won’t be shocking if he struggles with injuries during his career. As a gadget player and depth slot option, he shouldn’t see heavy usage though, which could preserve his body. His unique traits and killer speed would diversify this offense even further.

While draft season is still months away, beginning to look at the future of the Steelers is never a bad thing. Keep the players mentioned above in mind when scouting for next year, as they would each add something unique to this roster.