4 positions Steelers will be targeting in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft

The Steelers clearly need to do some retooling on offense in 2021. Here are four positions they will no doubt be targeting early in the NFL Draft.

The 2021 NFL Draft won’t take place until April, but it’s never too early to start thinking about who the Steelers could look to land this coming offseason (especially if you are a draft junkie like me). After a red-hot start to the season, Pittsburgh has plummeted back down to earth with some concerningly poor offensive performances.

Despite inevitably losing edge defender Bud Dupree this coming offseason, the Steelers seemed destined to spend some high draft capital to address their offense. Pittsburgh’s rushing attack has been arguably the worst in the league in 2020 and this has been an element of their game that has been non-existent. Likewise, the passing game has had its share of struggles as Ben Roethlisberger has failed to consistently connect with receivers beyond 10 yards this year.

There are several different avenues the Steelers could explore in the NFL draft this offseason, but here are the four positions they are most likely to target in the first round:

Interior offensive line

The interior offensive line really hasn’t been a major weakness for the Steelers in quite some time. David DeCastro and Maurkice Pouncey are both multiple-time All-Pro players who have had impressive careers, while Ramon Foster was a long-time starter who was widely considered one of the most underrated players on the team.

However, things have changed a lot in just a few years’ time. DeCastro and Pouncey have both underwhelmed each of the past two years – so much so that you couldn’t decipher that they were former first-team All-Pro players just by watching the tape. In addition, Matt Feiler is set to hit free agency in 2021 and it’s unlikely he will return. While rookie Kevin Dotson may be part of Pittsburgh’s future plans, they still need more help in this area. Draft prospects like Ohio State’s Wyatt Davis or Iowa’s Tyler Linderbaum fit the bill.