Steelers Mock Draft adds a QB, RB despite going DB in 1st
By Andrew Falce
With the season over halfway through, here is an updated mock draft for the Steelers in 2021
With the Steelers riding high at 9-0, the focus of this team should be winning a Super Bowl this year given the unprecedented start that they have seen. That said, it is always wise to keep future prospects in mind, and considering the NFL season is over halfway through, here is another update to my mock draft. This one shakes it up in a major way, targeting defense in the first and filling out the offense elsewhere.
As always, it is still early to judge where a player will fall, so keep in mind the position as much as the player. As well, this draft includes potential comp picks in the fourth and seventh-round even though those picks won’t be announced until later. Without any further ado, the Steelers are on the clock.
Round 1
Seminoles . Asante Samuel Jr.. 1. player. 804. . CB
On paper, the Steelers are relatively deep at cornerback, making one selected late in the first a curious choice. That said, two of the corners are set to be free agents, and in order to keep either of them, the team would likely have to cut one of their outside starters. Worse yet, Steven Nelson has struggled this year, and his spot is no longer guaranteed next year.
With all of these issues mixed in with the inconsistent play of the secondary, adding an option like Asante Samuel Jr. to this secondary could be a boost. The son of former NFL player Asante Samuel, the junior has put up a season so far with six passes defended and three interceptions. Better yet, Samuel is noted for his man coverage skills which fit perfectly into the Steelers man heavy system.
Even if the Steelers opt to keep their outside starters, Samuel could play similar to Cameron Sutton, meaning he works out of the slot but could transition to the outside later one. That said, if the Steelers moved on from Nelson, Samuel could be a plug and play starter on the outside. Lastly, Joe Haden isn’t getting any younger, so investing in a corner that screams future starter would be worth it in this draft. While not the largest need on the team, adding a talented corner late in the first may end up being the best-case scenario.